It is always good to read about others who have done something good with their lives despite the circumstances. Reading about them heals you, motivates you and maybe, makes you believe in anything is possible if we put our mind to it. So here are my recommendations which made me feel all of the above feelings:
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
I have been a fan of Trevor Noah since he was the host of The daily show. I love his sense of humor, his way of commenting on social, political and entertainment news is mind-blowing. You will not believe by watching him on the television that he comes from humble beginnings or at one point of time in his life, he might be struggling for basic essentials such as food. Reading his book was such an eye opener for me. His struggles, his outlook on life, religion, parenting etc. made me more of his fan. This book is highly recommended because it is funny, motivating, entertaining and a very quick read.
Somebody’s daughter by Ashley C. Ford
This book is a beautifully written memoir by Ashley C. Ford who is an American writer, podcaster and an educator who discusses topics such as body image, sexuality, race, etc. and is the major theme of this book as well. Ashley is brilliant in her opinions about these sensitive topics because she herself has experienced all these issues from her childhood which one will understand after reading her book. The vulnerability with which she recalled her relationship with her parents and grandmother in the book shook me. It is an emotionally packed memoir. Highly recommended for women who have dealt with body image issues as well as complicated relationship with their friends and family.
The happiest man on Earth: The beautiful life of an Auschwitz survivor by Eddie Jaku
Eddie Jaku is a brilliant young man with a bright future until everything comes falling down and he is thrown into a concentration camp by the Germans.
This is such a hopeful, heartbreaking memoir that I cannot explain it in words. It’s a wonder how one person who has lost everything can remain so positive and hopeful for the future. His willingness to survive any circumstance amazes me beyond words. I can’t recommend this book enough. I promise, you will come out as a positive and a happy person even after reading what all Eddie and his people went through because he makes you believe in the beauty of life rather than the bleakness of it. That’s the magic of this book.
Educated by Tara Westover
This is another survival story of Tara Westover, who lives a very protected, Christian, conservative life with her huge family. Tara is the youngest of her siblings, who has grown up with a fanatical father, a submissive mother and an abusive brother.
The story of Tara was so unbelievable for me, like she set foot in a classroom for the first time at the age of 17 and went on to complete her PhD from Cambridge University. This shows no matter what, you can achieve wonders, if you have an education.
The amount of very serious accidents survived by Tara makes me believe in miracles. The majority of the characters in the book are abusive, and the fact that Tara managed to escape that and lead a normal life gives me goosebumps. A must read!
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey is an Oscar winning, hugely popular actor from Texas, US. Now, I will be honest, I do have a little bias in recommending this book because I am a huge fan of the actor and enjoy all his work. Despite that, I do feel that the way this book is written makes your job of reading it a little easier because it contains lots of pictures, beautiful quotes, some cool inside stories, etc.
I couldn’t stop turning one page after another. His writing style is so similar to what he portrays on screen – smart, funny, adventurous, loyal and a family-driven person. If you like him as an actor or want to know more about him, then this is the book you should definitely read.
