There are only two words that I can think of that I feel aptly describes my reading habits – voracious… and obnoxious. If you know me at all, the former shouldn’t be much of a surprise. But “obnoxious”, you ask?

Let’s just say that while I have indulged, in “light reads” and “guilty pleasures” such as Twilight, Judith McNaught romance novels (and in younger days, Sweet Valley and the occasional Charmed book) I am not quick, nor proud, to admit my dalliances with certain titles. I have always prided myself in my selection of books with Pulitzer or Booker awards, literary classics and a range of modern Asian literature or cultural reads. I try the darnedest to not succumb to social expectations of females preferring romance novels and in bookstores, I give the romance sections a wide berth. Now, with age, I give young adult fiction an even wider berth as well. Which is probably why I felt a slight tinge of embarrassment when the sales assistant at MPH directed me to the teenage fiction section when I attempted to purchase the last two installments of the Twilight series. Nonetheless, I give in to these temptations, and read them anyway for the sheer entertainment and short-lived pleasure they provide.

But, I have noticed one thing. It is these “light reads” that I rarely reread, and often, quickly forget. I have read my Murakamis, Ishiguros and Lahiris so many times that I fear that creases are inevitably appearing on the spine, in spite of my care.

Over the weekend back home, I took some time to peruse my collection (which has depleted somewhat thanks to my mother’s generosity, and lack of consultation with yours truly). I attempted to list my top 5 favorites, but found that they all tied for the #1 spot. Instead, I compiled a list of..

The 5 Most Impacting Books I’ve Read

1. Tuesdays with Morrie (by Mitch Albom)

“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” — Morrie Schwartz

Lessons of life from a point of death – that’s the running theme of all of Mitch Albom’s books. But what makes this one so spectacular is Morrie Schwartz, and how they came together to share his last lessons with the rest of the world.

2. A Fine Balance (by Rohinton Mistry)

“Government problems and games played by people in power… It doesn’t affect ordinary people like us” — Dina Shroff

It was after reading this that I developed an appetite for modern Asian literature, and surprisingly, politics. I say surprisingly because this book was not explicitly political. But for the duration that I read this book, I was transported to India in the 70s during “The Emergency”, witnessing the harrowing experience through the eyes of 4 characters who while came from vastly differing backgrounds, were really and inevitably all in it together.

3. Lovely Bones (by Alice Sebold)

“What I think was hardest for me to realize was that he had tried each time to stop himself. He had killed animals, taking lesser lives to keep from killing a child.” — Susie Salmon

I suppose it takes a experience to tell the harrowing story of rape. Which is probably why the description of the crime committed against Susie Salmon was so exquisitely written, and yet painful to read. But, what drew me most to this book was how Alice Sebold “humanized” the rapist, and how he struggled with his urges. The fact that this came from a woman who was at a point in time a victim, reminded me that in spite of our nature and the severity of our crimes, we are all the same – we are all human.

4. Of Mice and Men (by John Steinbeck)

“Never you mind. A guy got to sometimes.” – Slim

I admit to originally picking this book up at a sale because it was (i) cheap, and (ii) wondrously thin. But of course, who had not heard of John Steinbeck? My first foray into his world was through this book. He told the story of innocence, dreams and friendship in the harshest of settings, contrasted against the unexpectedly gentlest of men. But he leaves us with this poignant message of, “Sometimes, you’ve just got to do, what you’ve got to do.”

5. Dance, Dance, Dance (by Haruki Murakami)

“Transplant this coffee shop scene to Yokohama or Fukuoka and nothing would seem out of place. In spite of which — or, rather, all the more because — here I was, sitting in this coffee shop, drinking my coffee, feeling a desperate loneliness. I alone was the outsider. I had no place here.”

It is difficult to explain why Haruki Murakami’s work enchants me. His novels resonate with themes of abandonment and have a hint of surreality in each and every one of them. Reading Murakami’s work, is like abstract art. It defies conventional dissection and interpretation. The same way, I cannot completely explain why I picked this Murakami book. Perhaps it’s because it tells the story of a chase of the unknown, and how fate and destiny can bring into your life an odd combination of travel partners who will impact your journey in ways that, as cliched as it sounds, you probably least expect.

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