The Life-Changing Power of Books

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

"A life-affirming book about reflecting on our decisions in life and possibilities - this book celebrates the ordinary. It encourages us to let go of our past and make the most of our present."

Wilding by Isabella Tree

"Wilding moved me to tears; the knowledge to support wildlife and ourselves is known, all we need is to take action. I have gone on to visit the Knepp Estate and seen the biological wonder of what they have achieved"

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

"An astonishing book that changed the way I read, and made me fall in love with reading all over again. It's a book that tackles huge themes; of knowledge, discovery, power, justice and prejudice, and the complexity of human nature. And the fact that Mary Shelley was only 19 years old when she wrote it is astounding!"

The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

This book by arguably the last great Roman Emperor is nearly 2000 years old, and many of its words are just as relevant today as they were back then. It contains thoughts about life and how to live well, from a philosophical perspective of Stoicism. I read this as a teenager, and it influenced me to study Ancient History at University! It's still in print now and you can borrow it from our libraries"

Amelia Fang and the Naughty Caticorns by Laura Ellen Anderson

"Amelia Fang and the Naughty Caticorns for the impact it has had on my five year old daughter. This is the book that tipped her over from being a child who quite enjoys a bedtime story, to a child who stays up after bedtime drawing her favourite characters in a notebook beside her bed, who wants to dress up as an actual book character for World Book Day instead of a Disney princess, a child who insists on being driven all the way to London for the chance to meet her new favourite author and have her sign a book... and so the rest of the family has felt the impact too!"

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

"This book was posthumously published after the author, neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi, passed away from cancer and tells his story of being diagnosed. It was a really interested story and really shifts your perspective on living, dying, and the lack of control we ultimately have on our lives. It's been eight years since I read it and it still sticks with me - I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking for a thought-provoking read!"

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Whilst originally hooking me as a tween reader, this book opened a whole new genre to me, eventually evolving into a love of horror, paranormal and vampires - from the old classics to literary fiction. However, during my master's degree when I revisited the franchise I had once loved as a teen, a tongue-in-cheek nostalgia trip, little did I think it would contribute to something life-changing! As part of my course, I used the first novel in the series as a basis of a research project on publishing trends and impacts (and how  Twilight changed young adult publishing forever). I then went on to use this research project as an example in an interview for my first post-university job – here at Inspire’s marketing team! So, you could say Twilight literally started my career, which is pretty life-changing!”