Youth Incorporated Magazine

They say a book can never change one’s life overnight. This might be true to a certain limit, but some books can influence your perception of things and bring about a gradual change in your life. I didn’t believe this until I read these three books which have definitely played a vital role in changing my opinions and perceptions about life and love. They are light reads and put your heart in a warm and comfortable place as soon as you start reading them. So if you are looking to read something that is not too serious or not too typical, these three books are a good change for your reading mind. 

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

For those who are looking for some motivation, are feeling dejected in life, or want some peace for the mind, The Alchemist is definitely a go-to book. The Alchemist is a 167 pages fiction book written by Paulo Coelho. Paulo is a Brazilian writer whose area of specialization is writing about life, spirituality, and dreams. The Alchemist is the story of a young shepherd who following his dreams embarks upon a journey to Egypt to find and fulfil the purpose of his life. What unravels at the end of this journey leaves the reader with an immense sense of being. No amount of words will suffice to explain the kind of emotions that run through the readers’ minds when they reach the end of the book. Does the shepherd finally find the treasures lying in the Egyptian pyramids? Well, read to find out!

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak

The writer has adopted a unique approach to storytelling through this novel. It runs two parallel stories, both strangely intertwining with each other. One story is contemporary, which narrates the unhappy married life of the protagonist, Ella who works for a literary agency and is currently asked to review a book named ‘Sweet Blasphemy’ by Aziz Zahara.  Sweet Blasphemy is the second story of the novel. The book is about the life of a wandering dervish Shams of Tabriz, a mystic Sufi. Shams of Tabriz sees a vision of his death and thus embarks upon a journey in search of the right person who can carry forward his knowledge of god and true love after his death. This is when he meets Rumi, a famous scholar who becomes a dear friend of Shams. It is during this narrative that Ella becomes well acquainted with the writer of Sweet Blasphemy, Aziz Zahara through email. The conversation between the two get deep and meaningful and soon Ella realises that she has fallen in love with Aziz and is also ready to give up her married life only to pursue the true love she feels for Aziz. 

The Forty Rules of Love is a truly captivating novel. If you are anything like me, you will want to sit with a pencil and mark the beautiful lines from the book which will not just hit you hard but will stay with you forever. Reading this novel will work as an ointment on your bruises if you are currently going through something that is draining you emotionally or if you are in dire need of hope and positivity. 

All About Love by Bell Hooks

If I have to put it simply, All About Love is a love bible for the newer generation. It guides you through how love has evolved over the years and its forms of existence in different relationship capacities. Hooks, very strikingly, highlights the flawed concept about love prevailing among people and how must it be unlearned. She also talks about the toxic ways in which the wider male population has set the wrong idea of love and supports it with how love should actually be, a well-balanced combination of respect, affection, commitment, trust, recognition, and care. Among many other aspects of love, Hooks has also opined that love shouldn’t dwell in the existence of gender stereotypes, domination, ego and aggression. Since the entire book is based on the philosophy of love and doesn’t tell the readers a story, its conversational style of narration will keep the reader engaged.  

This book is for all those who have shared or been a part of a toxic relationship. It’s a wake-up call to those who allow themselves to be disrespected under the guise of ‘love’.