Reading is one of my all-time favourite pastimes.
You get to absorb yourself in another world and switch off from your own; you get to learn about faraway lands and places, some real, some make-believe; you get to while away an evening without the usual distractions of television or phones. These are some of the many reasons I love to read.
One subject in particular I love reading about is resilience. I love reading books about other people’s struggles, because you learn so much about their abilities to endure and come through stronger than ever.
These types of books are so inspiring for so many reasons. They motivate, uplift and make us feel empowered. They equip us with knowledge and show us a strength we didn’t know existed.
Here are my top books of all time on resilience:
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Written by Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner.
A woman and a girl form an unexpected bond during the volatile events that shook Afghanistan during the past 30 years, including the Soviet invasion and the reign of the Taliban.
During a time when women were not allowed to leave their homes unchaperoned by a man and public stonings were the norm, Mariam and Laila manage to support one another through some of the toughest and most challenging circumstances, and the most inconceivable suffering.
This is an evocative and beautifully written book that makes for a very emotional read. Some bits were so moving they genuinely brought me to tears.
I would definitely recommend reading this book!
Total Number of Times Read: Twice. This is my favourite book, so I plan on reading it again sometime soon!
Pachinko
Pachinko is a novel about Korean immigrants living in Japan during the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1910 (and beyond), when Japan formally annexed Korea. It is so interesting and I knew nothing about this situation before reading this book!
Again, the protagonists endure unparalleled suffering, including poverty, abuse and war. But their resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship is admirable and awe-inspiring.
Total Number of Times Read: Once; would love to read it again!
Memoirs of a Geisha
Young Sayuri is unwillingly thrown into the mysterious world of the Japanese Geisha, where she is forced to survive in the same okiya as the wicked Hatsumono, in the hopes of one day becoming a successful geisha herself.
This is an intricately woven tale of hope, beauty, innocence and the complex world of the Geisha.
Total Number of Times Read: I have lost count! At least 20, if not more!
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
This is the first time I’ve read a book about Auschwitz, and I’m so glad I did.
Even though it was very difficult to stomach at times (it’s so difficult to fathom what went on in Auschwitz, and the book is based on interviews with Holocaust survivor, Ludwig Sokolov, so a lot of it is based on fact), I couldn’t put it down, namely because of the resilience that the characters demonstrated in the midst of the most terrifying and disturbing circumstances.
Total Number of Times Read: Once. Would consider reading it again!
What are your favourite books of all time? Leave a comment below!
HQ Content writer 