Reading for Me

Books lovers like me know that books are powerful. Books have the power to transport us to another place. Books have the power to heal broken hearts and minds. Books have the power to teach. Books have the power to create community among readers through the sharing of common experiences on the page. Sara Nisha Adams shares a beautiful story about the power of books in her novel, The Reading List.

Aleisha is a recent high school graduate who had hoped to have the summer job of her dreams before starting university in the fall. Instead, she is stuck at Harrow Road Library. While preparing to re-shelve a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, she discovered a handwritten list in the back pocket of the book. It simply said,

• Just in case you need it…..
  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Rebecca
  • The Kite Runner
  • Life of Pi
  • Pride and Prejudice
  • Little Women
  • Beloved
  • A Suitable Boy

Aleisha is more than a little frustrated when Mukesh returns to the library with a long-overdue copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife. The book had actually been checked out by his wife who died several months ago. When Mukesh discovered the book, he decided to read it to see what his wife’s fascination with novels was all about. As he read, Mukesh felt that he understood more about his wife and felt much closer to her. Now that he is returning the book to the library, he feels compelled to ask the “librarian” for another recommendation. Aleisha is not a reader herself and has no idea what she should recommend…..so she decides to let the reading list serve as her guide. This begins Aleisha’s and Mukesh’s journey through the pages of the books on the reading list.

To add to the richness of this debut novel, Aleisha is not the only person who has discovered a copy of the reading list. Each individual faces unique challenges, but each one has “discovered” the same list. Was it simply fate that put this list of 8 novels in each of their hands, or had someone meticulously planned for this to happen? With a deftness for storytelling and an obvious love for the written word, Adams pulls together a novel that pays honor to the books included in the reading list while developing a well-crafted story populated by lovable characters facing real issues in a modern world.

I think The Reading List holds such a special place in my heart because two of the novels are personal favorites of mine (To Kill a Mockingbird and Beloved). Now I find myself drawn to the remaining six books on the list and plan to investigate them — though not right away. Regardless, The Reading List was one of my favorite reads of 2021. I highly recommend every bibliophile checking out this extraordinary novel.

So if I’m not going to begin working my way through the reading list contained in the novel, what’s up next for me? I decided that Christmas Break was the perfect time to dive into a massive book that has long been on my radar. For the next few weeks, I’ll be devoting my attention to The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I started reading it earlier today and must admit that I am enthralled with the opening of the saga…and a little overwhelmed by the massive tome. I’ll keep you posted on how things progress.

Posted in fiction

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