Thanks to Instagram, I found out that today is World Book Day.

According to their website:

“It’s a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and (most importantly) it’s a celebration of reading. In fact, it’s the biggest celebration of its kind, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world.”

A day to celebrate books!Books have the magic of transporting us to a different universe, a different time period. I believe that deep down, everyone likes reading books. It is just a matter of figuring out what kind of books you like, whether it is fiction, self help, children’s or educational!

I’ve been meaning to write about a few of my favorite books in recent years. So I am celebrating World Book Day by listing three books that I’d read in recent years and had made a profound impact on me.

1. ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr

Before this book, I disliked reading any book set during periods of war. War books never appealed to me but this book totally changed my perspective. It is a story, set during WWII, about a French girl and a German soldier and how their paths are interweaved together.  It’s a story about the life of common people during war, of love, sacrifice, hope and most importantly, the good in people during the most pressing times. This book gives me goosebumps every time I read it. If you choose one book amongst these three, this should be it!

2. SHOE DOG by Phil Knight

This is the memoir of the founder of Nike, Phil Knight. Nike’s ubiquitous influence in sport is undeniable and this book tells the story of it’s tumultuous early years. Not only does it tell the story of its ups and downs like every other book about start-ups, but it also delves deeper into the business, financial aspects of a company. If you like biographies and books about entrepreneurship, this is a great book that teaches you about all the behind-the-scenes and not-so-pretty things about start-ups.

3. BORN A CRIME by Trevor Noah

When I read this book a few years ago, I did not know who Trevor Noah was. To those who still don’t know who he is, he took over the reign from Jon Stewart as the host of The Daily Show. If you thought that this book is about his journey to America and hosting the show, you are wrong. This is the story about his life as a kid of mixed-race in apartheid South Africa. If you think that a story set in the 90s in South Africa would be melancholic and brings tears to your eyes, you are wrong again. Noah adds wit and humor to an otherwise deeply touching story and there is never a dull moment in this book. Being born to a white European man and a black African woman, his birth itself was a crime in SA. It’s a story of a young man’s search for identity and his unorthodox yet loving relationship with his mother. It is such a great book that is hard to put down once you start.

Now it’s your turn! What are the books you’ve read recently that had a deep impact on you? Have you read any of the books mentioned above. Let me know in the comments.