5 Books You Should Most Definitely Read
By Kat Gonzales
1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
“Every blessing ignored becomes a curse.”
The book’s main theme is about finding one’s destiny. An old king tells Santiago, “when you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true”. This is the core of the novel’s philosophy and a motif that plays all throughout Coelho’s writing in The Alchemist.
2. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
“Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live”
The theme of life and death relates to Morrie’s state, and his legacy. Morrie says in his conversations with Albom that being so close to death is what made him live life to the fullest. His closeness to death is what made him appreciate the little life he had.
3. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
“I’m poor, I’m black, I may be ugly and can’t cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I’m here.” – Celie
The novel deals with the struggle, both in America and in Africa, of women to gain recognition as individuals who deserve fair and equal treatment. It takes various forms, not least of which is sexual aggression. In the very first letter, Celie tells of the abuse she suffers at the hands of the man she believes for a long time is her father.
4. The Little Prince by Antoine de-Saint Exupery
“All grown-ups were once children… but only few of them remember it.”
The main theme of The Little Prince is the importance of looking beneath the surface to find the real truth and meaning of a thing. It is the fox who teaches the Prince to see with one’s heart instead of just with one’s eyes.
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
“And I guess I realized at that moment that I really did love her. Because there was nothing to gain, and that didn’t matter.”
This book explores almost every topic, subject, or problem that a teenager could face. It talks about teen pregnancy, sexuality, addiction, romantic drama, bullying, sexual abuse and more. Charlie goes through all these things and he learns how to deal with them through mistakes and with the support from the people he loves.