Books Are Sacred

The thing that tests even my vivid imagination is wondering what it would be like to have lived my life unable to read. Reading has been so formative for me - I started when I was very young, and ever since, immersing myself into other peoples' stories has been one of my greatest pleasures. All of my best vacation dreams would involve quiet reading time. Freakish? Perhaps. But when I think about how literacy affects maturity, education, and development, I am amazed and thankful that I'm one of the lucky ones who's developed a love for reading.

Recently, world news has highlighted a manipulative and childish ploy by a pastor in the States who is risking the lives of people living and working in Muslim countries by threatening to burn a Qu'ran if he doesn't get his way. Aside from my obvious disgust in his behaviour, the thought of burning a book sends chills down my spine. All books have shaped people, and they are a part of human story, for better or worse. Books deserve a special place in human history, because they record stories that have shaped us.

So, I thought I would list some of the books that have shaped who I am, in the hopes that others will be inspired to read and be shaped as well. You can find this booklist here.