These Books Will Change Your Life
In this technology-filled age, we should all still find time to sit and read a good book. Books are one of the oldest forms of sharing information and the medium through which we discovered and recorded some of history’s most significant events and achievements.
Books can change how you view yourself, change how you think, inspire you, motivate you, and everything in between. Here is a list of the top books to read that will change your life.
Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick
Wendy Wood draws on three decades of experience to show us how habits are formed, how to break bad habits, and how to keep good habits in our lives for as long as possible. The book also deals with behaviors and practices we aren’t even aware of that shape our day-to-day lives.
Up to 43% of the activities we do every day, we do without really thinking about it. This is where bad habits are formed, and Wood, through extensive research and case study review, walks us through the process of creating positive, long-term behaviors.
If you struggle with kicking bad habits or forming good ones, this book will explain the science and neurological behavior behind what is happening, giving you the tools to make the changes you want.
Invisible Man
Racism has been discussed and argued for decades, yet proper understanding seems to be further away than we would like. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, first published in 1952, deals with the social and interpersonal conflicts experienced by black men and women in the early 20th century.
It dives headfirst into the discrimination and hate faced by black people and their struggle to find their place in society, especially in the world of politics. The book also talks about the black community and their relationship with Marxism and racial policies.
The book’s concept may sound familiar, but the content is hard-hitting and thought-provoking.
Know My Name
The trial and sentencing of Brock Turner were one of the most spoken about cases at the time. A young man received a few months in prison for the rape of an unconscious woman on the campus of Stanford University.
Know My Name is the story of Chanel Miller, known as Emily Doe in this case. She describes the events of that terrible night, the outcome of the trial, and the fact that the judge in her case was more worried about how this would affect Brock than handing down a proper sentence.
The book shows the gross injustice Miller faced at the time, and how so many men are still able to get away with crimes as horrific as rape with nothing more than a slap on the wrist. It’s an investigation into what we can do as a society to stop this from happening to someone else.
The Handmaid’s Tale
If you haven’t heard about the hit TV show of the same name, you must be living under a rock. The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel where women are nothing more than child bearers, being kept under lock and key.
After the United States government is overthrown, the remaining residents revert to a heavily patriarchal society. The book deals with themes such as sexism, women’s rights, and how the women in this society fight back to regain their freedom. The story may be fictional, but the messages it portrays aren’t.
The Book of Rosy
The Book of Rosy deals with issues countries and governments experience every day. Innocent civilians are fleeing their home countries to find a better life, namely, in the United States. This is the crux of The Book of Rosy.
The story follows Rosayra Pablo Cruz as she makes the difficult decision to leave the gangs and violence of Guatemala and head north towards the US border. She has her two children and the clothes on their backs, and the book outlines the terrifying journey ahead of them.
Even when she finally reaches the border, her nightmare has only just begun. This story gives you an insight into the horrors immigrants face, as well as how new border policies have made their arrival even worse than their journey.
I Don’t Want to Die Poor
I Don’t Want to Die Poor is a breath of fresh air in the personal finance genre. Michael Arceneaux has produced several essays on debt and how it has shaped his life and decision-making.
Many financial books deal with the concept of making money, whereas this one looks at the other side of the coin and deals with using the money you have as sensibly as possible. I Don’t Want to Die Poor is a homage to the financial struggles of a regular person.
Other books will tell you to start that business you’ve always dreamt of, with no accurate advice on how to be financially stable for that step. This book deals with issues we all face every day in a funny yet thought-provoking manner.
