10 Books to Get to Know Me
I’ve loved books for literally as long as I can remember.
One of my earliest memories, if not my first, is sitting on the carpet in Kindergarten, holding a book on which there was a king, surrounded by a purple border. I was mesmerized because this king, wearing a deep-purple robe with a fur collar, a golden jeweled crown atop his dark hair, was also reading a book. The same book as the one I held! I then realized the king on his cover would also be reading the book, and the king on that cover would be reading it, and the king on that cover ... My little mind was blown.
I understood then that books—stories—were portals. So I went through as many as possible.
As you can imagine, I found it very difficult to narrow this list down to just ten books. There are so many I left out, and any time I think of adding some honorable mentions, I just end up listing what feels like every book I’ve ever read. But, I’ve tried. Without further ado and in no particular order, here are some books that have, in some way or another, stuck with me throughout the years.
1. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I often say this is my all-time favourite book. It reminds us of all the truths in life, the ones we forget as adults, the traps—egotism, overwork, selfishness, indifference—we can fall into. This book grounds me and reminds me of what is truly important. What I glean most changes with every read, as I have changed since the last time I returned to it. But there is one line I have found to resonate time and time again (I even have part tattooed on my arm!): "It is only with the heart one sees clearly, everything essential is invisible to the eyes."
2. Daydreams of Angels by Heather O’Neill
Ask my old bookstore coworkers who my favourite author is, and without hesitation, they will respond with Heather O’Neill. Her debut, Lullabies for Little Criminals, won Canada Reads in 2007, and I read—and enjoyed—the book at some point. But it wasn’t until 2015, when she released this stunning short story collection, that I truly fell in love. Here, the fantastic mixes with reality, and toys freeze after their child stops playing with them, unsure what to do next; young brides toss their veils into the sky, where they become streaks of clouds; a scientist clones himself into generations of skilled dancers, desperate to live out a lifelong dream… I’ve thought about this collection often since I first read it, always marvelling at how O’Neill can invoke such stunning and emotional images with just a few words.
3. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
I actually won this book through a Twitter contest HarperCollins held for its release, then I fell in love and told everyone who would listen to read it. (One of my fondest memories is of passing the staff picks table and hearing a customer tell her friend to purchase it because “this girl always has great recommendations and I loved this one!”) I read it again a few years later for book club, and it was one of the few we unanimously adored! I haven’t revisited it since the start of COVID (it’s about a global flu pandemic, for those who aren’t familiar), and I am reluctant to watch the recent HBO adaptation, but the beauty and hope and love for humanity that reside in these pages stay with me.
4. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
I grew up loathing everything horror and horror adjacent. Now? Bring it on! (But still no over-the-top gore, please. Or possessions; just, no.) I started slowly with this gothic thriller, and I was immediately taken in by Merricat’s narration. She pulls you into her small, heartbreaking, yet somehow cozy world, and too late do you realize that things may not be quite as they seem, and that your sense of dread and horror has been increasing with each turn of the page… Jackson is the queen of horror for a reason!
5. When Everything Feels Like the Movies by Raziel Reid
I recently lent this to a friend, and when she finished she angrily texted that I had made her cry in public. In my defense, I did warn her that this slim book would bring complete emotional devastation … but I’ve been unable to stop thinking about it since I first read it. It follows Jude, a gay, flamboyant teen who likes to pretend he’s famous, his life a movie, to get through the daily grind and the hate and fear he faces for simply being himself. I wanted to crawl into the pages and love him the way he deserved, the way he needed. When I tell you I sobbed at the end, well that’s an understatement. It affected me so much that I wrote a passionate review on my long-gone book blog—and the author even thanked me for understanding their message so well. It simply changed my life. (Content warning for homophobia, drug/alcohol abuse, and violence/violent death.)
6. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The first time I tried reading this trilogy, it took me a solid year. (Perhaps fifth grade was too early to attempt to parse Tolkien’s beautiful but at times winding and overly verbose prose?) I still enjoyed it, at least what I understood or recalled, as I have always loved stories about elves and magic and the fae and other mystical folk, but I did not understand all the fuss. So, my thanks to Peter Jackson for helping me to visualize Tolkien’s world! Once I’d seen the first movie I eagerly returned to the books, and this time devoured them. They have such heart! And I remember actually cheering and raising a fist in triumph when Merry stabs the Witch King.
7. Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene
There was a time in my life when I was never without a Nacy Drew book, their distinct yellow covers poking out from my bag or under my arm. I was first introduced to her by my aunt, who during one family dinner brought all her old copies and gifted them to me. I flew through the first three, then begged my mom to take me to the bookstore for the fourth—because no, I could not start #6 without having read #4 and #5! Nancy was smart and confident and brazen, and always willing to help others. I loved that about her. That, and the fact we share titan-coloured hair!
8. The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi
This is an odd one. I don’t remember how I heard about this book, or why I wanted it, but I do remember putting it on my Christmas list and then opening it that morning. I think I was compelled by the fact that Oyeyemi was just two years older than myself, and an author, and I went into this knowing not much else. I was greeted by a strange and quietly terrifying tale about a lonely young girl who one day meets another lonely young girl. Though she at first seems a friend, it turns out she may be more foe… This was my first introduction to physiological thrillers, and ever since I’ve loved stories that play with reality and make me rethink what I thought I knew.
9. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
I love history, and WWII was among my favourite eras to read about. (Very cheery!) But of all the war-time novels I’ve read, this one is head and shoulders above the rest. It is just so very beautiful. Heartbreaking, but beautiful and full of hope, too. Narrated by Death itself, this book manages to perfectly illustrate the power of language and how it can be used to both weaponize and heal. Everyone should read it. I truly cannot recommend it enough.
10. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
I came to this book later in life, after having sought help for my mental health struggles. I immediately connected with Milo, and knew all too well the land of the doldrums, the foothills of confusion, the island of conclusions. I found my first read to be both fun and rather cathartic, and I love the book’s message about finding the bright parts of this often-confusing and messy thing called life, then turning them into something even brighter.
Your turn! Let me know what books left an indelible mark on your soul. And, as always, thanks for reading and don’t forget to keep creating!
(Cover Image by Victoria Edwards)