Reading provides an escape from the everyday reality we face and an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and the world around us.  We read for school, enjoyment, and research. For me, the winter is a time to catch up on reading—here are my three favorite books that I recommend reading this winter:

The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls:

No matter how many times I read this book, I will never get through it without tears. Walls’ memoir leaves the reader with emotions of sadness, love, resilience, and hope. Walls shares her story of growing up in a nomadic, dysfunctional, and abusive family. Walls’ family eventually makes it to New York, where she and her siblings manage to escape the cycle of poverty while her parents choose to remain homeless. Walls’ memoir is heart-wrenching and inspiring–a book everyone should read. 

All You Can Ever Know, by Nichole Chung:

All You Can Ever Know is a memoir by Nichole Chung, an adopted Korean American. Throughout her memoir, Chung shares her story of growing up as a minority. Chung shares her first experiences as a target of racism up to her most recent encounters. With every page, readers learn the struggle for adoptees–especially those of Asian descent–is more than “feeling different.” Chung explores emotions such as rejection, anger, and self-hatred. “The truth was,” Chung confesses, “that being Korean and being adopted were things I had loved and hated in equal measure.” Sadly, such emotions are shared by many. Reading All You Can Ever Know will provide you with the ability to embrace others’ lived experiences. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky:

Everyone should read this 256-page coming-of-age novel. The story is told through letters by the narrator, Charlie, who writes to an anonymous friend. Through the eyes of the narrator, readers learn about the suicide of her best friend, his first love, and his troubles. Charlie’s role as a wallflower in social settings leads home to many realizations that he stares at in his letters. Compelling and heart-wrenching, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a novel everyone should read.