Books That Have Changed My Life

No, this isn't going to be a list of cheesy self-help books, where I claim to be moved by The Secret, which was awful, by the way.  Rather, I'm going to focus on books that have really left an impression on me or ones that really spoke to me when I was younger.  I don't think I give these books enough credit as I tend to showcase a lot of newer books; so, I thought why not dedicate a post to my absolute favorites?


Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 
I adored this entire series when I was growing up.  I could identify with Anne in so many ways.  Plus, I had a major literary crush on Gilbert.  This series got me to LOVE reading and when The Disney channel turned this series into a TV show, I became even more of a fan! To this day, I still want to travel to Prince Edward Island.


Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
I read this book in college and I thought it was so powerful.  There are some very important life lessons in this memoir and everyone can learn something from Morrie.


Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I read this book when it first came out and I was completely blown away. I love the idea of leaving it all behind, traveling, healing, figuring it all out, eating too many carbs, and learning about life along the way.  For me, this memoir was sensational.  In fact, I often quote it to this day. 


Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
I read this book when I was in middle school and I was extremely moved by Anne's story.  It really put things in perspective for me and I am so thankful that I get to teach it to my 8th grade students every year.  There's so much to learn from this diary.


A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I read this book in my 7th grade English class with one of my favorite teachers of all time.  He was outstanding and one of the reasons I teach middle school English.  He made this story come to life and every year, I get to teach A Christmas Carol to my 7th grade students.  It's truly magical.


The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
Lloyd lived not far from my house, which always captivated me as a kid.  I read this book when I was in elementary school and it's one of the reason why I have a love affair with the fantasy genre.  Back in the late eighties, my mom even purchased the computer game for me after I read this series.  Nerdy.....




To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
I read this book for the first time in eighth grade and it opened my eyes to the world of classic literature.  I not only realized that classic literature is important and powerful, but it can also be a story that is compelling and not just something teachers assign.  I was obsessed with this novel. I even won tickets to revival showing of the original movie, which was in an old movie theater in Philadelphia. It was incredible!  My obsession continues to this very day; I even named my dog after my favorite character, Scout!




Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I didn't come to love Jane until college when I took a British Literature course. I then became a huge fan of Jane and all of her work.  Pride and Prejudice is my favorite with Persuasion running a close second.  Mr. Darcy was my deciding factor!  I must admit that I am a Jane Austen fanatic.

What books have changed your life or inspired you? I'd love to know!

 Happy Friday!