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Life Well Wandered

Life Well Wandered

6 May 2015 · Leave a Comment

5 Books I Love

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Hello everyone!

I’m back for Day 6 of Blog Every Day in May, this time writing about 5 books I love.

First, I’ll give a little recap in case you’re just tuning in:

  • I combined Days 1 & 2 because I was at my programme’s Ball. Off to a solid start!
  • Day 3 let me finally update my travel bucket list (now that I’ve gotten to see a lot of stuff on my previous list).
  • On Day 4, I cried a little while writing an early Thank You Letter to London. I don’t want to leave!
  • Yesterday, I veered off the set prompts and finally wrote about the next leg of our trip: the beautiful city of Marseille.
So, that brings us back to Day 6: 5 Books I love. (All images via Pinterest.)

The Harry Potter Series: JK Rowling

Okay so this is technically a series of 7 books instead of just one book, but the entire series has had such a profound impact on me that I had to include them all. I remember my mom reading the first two installations to me and my brother when we were little. And then I remember reading the rest myself, anxiously anticipating each new book. I remember bawling in a DC hotel room when I read the final book the day it came out (all in one sitting I might add). It was comforting to escape into a world of magic that seemed all too real. Hermione taught me that it was okay to be smart and strong. Luna’s uniqueness made me feel better about my quirks. Snape’s story still affects me. My books are heavily annotated and well-loved and I will never tire of them.
I’ve found comfort in the Harry Potter Series again this year. I’ve purchased three of the audiobooks as presents to myself, to listen to on walks to class or on really long trains for entertainment. They’re a source of comfort in the unknown and they always seem to make me a little bit happier.

Yes Please: Amy Poehler

I’ve always been a Parks & Rec fan and have always liked Amy Poehler so I thought I’d give her book a try. My commute in London is a walk, so I bought the audiobook to listen to on my 30-minute walks. She narrates it and so do her friends and family, which makes it even better.
Amy Poehler is amazing. This book made me love her even more. It also made me laugh out loud more times than I can count (and trying to hold back hysteric laughter while walking the streets of London is incredibly hard, trust me!). She basically tells the story of her life, including hilarious anecdotes and great life advice. It’s kind of indescribable really. But I’m basically obsessed with it now. I’ve listened to it 2.5 times and I highly recommend you do the same!!

All the Light We Cannot See: Anthony Doerr

I found this book while randomly perusing a Foyle’s during the fall. Because of my already intense reading load at LSE, I saved it for Christmas Break when I had some freedom. I’ve always been a fan of historical fiction and I love World War II history, especially in France, so I was excited to see if this book lived up to my expectations. It did.
I distinctly remember myself underlining several sentences in this book, just because of their sheer beauty. Doerr’s prose had me hooked from page one and by the time I got to the end, I didn’t want it to end! Even if the plot was horrible (which it’s not), I would have fallen in love with just the writing style and diction. That’s rare for me. It was just so beautiful (and I’ll probably be reading it again this summer!).

Eat, Pray, Love: Elizabeth Gilbert

I don’t remember exactly when I decided I wanted to see the world, but I feel like this book definitely added fuel to my wanderlust fire. It showed me just how much there is to learn from other cultures and just how much there is to see around the world. And it’s told in such a true way. I have a feeling I’ll be reading it sometime in the near future when I’m feeling lost about not knowing what I want to do after graduation! Who knows, maybe I’ll go on an eat, pray, love journey myself?!

See also  7 Websites to Help You Plan Your Next Adventure

Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen

 

I’m a hopeless romantic. And this book only makes it worse. I’ve read this book a couple of times and am obsessed with the 2005 film (ask anyone and they’ll tell you that I can recite basically the entire script by heart #noshame). Jane Austen is amazing and I love the characters she created in P&P. I like to think that I’m a combination of the fiercely independent (and hilarious) Elizabeth and the loving and shy Jane. I love Mr. Darcy, obviously. I need to make a point of reading her other novels though because I just keep coming back to Pride and Prejudice (#sorrynotsorry).
Because of my obsession, I’ve made it a point to visit some Jane Austen sites in England: Winchester (a residence and her burial place) and Bath (another residence). I also have plans to visit Chatsworth House, aka where they filmed Pemberley in the 2005 movie. I can’t wait. A bonus image of me dressing up at the Jane Austen Centre for your viewing pleasure:
So those are 5 books I love. Obviously there are more, but I think these have had the biggest impact on my life. I’ll hopefully find some more amazing books this summer! What are your favourite books?

 

Check back tomorrow for Day 7 :)
Found Love. Now What?

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Welcome to my corner of the internet! Life Well Wandered is a travel blog where you'll find a little bit of everything. I love sharing itineraries from past trips, secret spots I've discovered on my travels, histories of places I find fascinating, and stories about my mental health.

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