My 5 Favourite Books

as you can see, they're all pretty battered!

My 5 Favourite Books are all ones that I've read multiple times:

 

Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel

I discovered this book when I was 15. I'd been self harming for a year and still really had no idea what self harm was or why I was doing it. I also had no name for the feeling of emptiness that had descended over me. I felt lost in my life and I wasn't even out of High School. This book showed me that the things I was feeling were all tied up in depression (something I wouldn't be diagnosed with until 2 years later). Elizabeth Wurtzel's prose allowed me to see that there were other people going through the shit I was dealing with and that I wasn't so alone in this crazy world.

Prep by Curtis Sittenfield

This is one of those books I wish I could have written. It's beautifully composed, stylistically flawless and has a protagonist that you can instantly connect with. Although I didn't read this novel until I was in University, Lee and her experiences made me think of my own teenage years and it gave me a little sense of acceptance. I love it. I may have to read it again this year.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I discovered this book when I was 18 and getting ready to start my degree. The novel seemed appropriate for that time of my life, spreading my wings and entering the 'adult' world. It's such a beautiful little book and I could read it again and again.

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder

(The copy in the photo is actually the third one I've owned. The last two got far too battered from too many re-readings!)

I first read this book when I was 12 years old. It was my introduction to Philosophy and it seriously opened my eyes. I've read it several times since and each time I get something new from it. I think it probably has something to do with the way I've changed since the last time I read it, the life experiences and knowledge I can bring to the page with me.

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

My best friend Stacey introduced me to this gem of a book. I adore the way it's written in the third person, narrated by an un-named observer of events. It adds something really special to the story. Again, this is a book that makes me feel part of something, allows me to feel that other people have been where I've been.