By the Book – Introduction

To me, a good book may only justly be called that when it we finish a book, and emerge from it with new insights. I read a lot, and have therefore visited a lot of worlds, travelled with so many people, and have come to love (and hate) such a wide range of characters, that some of them have shaped me into the person I am today. It may seem weird or nerdy to say, but I do think I would not be the same person if I had never met Lyra Silvertongue, travelled with Frodo and Sam, secretly found out about Offred, or didn’t know why Inigo Montoya wanted to kill count Rugen, or kept finding Beatles references, to name but a few.

So, from now on, I will share the books I’ve read with you. I won’t give you a review per se, but more of an interpretation, a way in which I applied a specific idea, lesson, or perspective of each book to my own life.

Because that’s why I read, really: each book is different, and I’m never quite the same Elke when I’ve finished another book. They teach me something; actual information about the way the world looked ages ago, what it entails to be human, or how other people live, or even an exploration into worlds unknown. Even though I might return to some books at a later point in life, its lesson will always be slightly different.

Which books have influenced your life? Are there any books that mean the world to you? Let me know in the comments!