Okay so I’ve been trying to figure out what to write about pretty much ever since that last post, and I couldn’t really make up my mind until I finished reading Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Which, after I spent about 12 hours fangirling and coming down from that I-just-read-an-amazing-book high, left me thinking about how some books are good, and others are life-changing.

So I’ve decided to give you guys a smallish list of books that have profoundly affected my life and the way I look at the world, They’re not in any particular order, nor is this all of them (not even close) just the ones sitting in the front of my brain.

1. Perks of Being a Wallflower by Peter Chbosky

I figured since this was the book that started this post it should come first. It was really profound. I fell in love with the characters, the style, and the story from the moment I picked it up. It was just beautiful.

Favorite quotes:

“And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.”

“I would die for you. But I won’t live for you.”

“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be.”

“We accept the love we think we deserve.”

Also, the poem, and really the whole damn book is quotable, it’s fucking beautiful.

I feel like what I got from this book was to embrace the moments, to be earnest with my feelings and actions, and to love the life I have.

2. The Picture of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde

I’d like to add that this is and has been my favorite book ever since I read it, almost four years ago, and that is an astonishing record for me. I’m a slut for Oscar Wilde and I sincerely wish I could have a conversation with him, you know, if he wasn’t dead. I feel like this book is ridiculously quotable, fun to read, and has real depth under neath the many layers of fabulousness.

Favorite quotes:

“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”

“Humanity takes itself too seriously. It is the world’s original sin. If the cave-man had known how to laugh, History would have been different.”

“Experience is merely the name men gave to their mistakes.”

“Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

“I am too fond of reading books to care to write them.”

“Some things are more precious because they don’t last long.”

“Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is by far the best ending for one.”

Also, the entire fucking book is just one massive pile of beautiful, charming, horrible, quotes from a beautiful, cynical, miserable, man. It was utterly breathtaking and reminded me that there are more important things than being beautiful, clever, and popular. And that in the end it’s better to be honest with yourself and the people you love.

3. Hamlet by If I need to tell you, why are you reading this???

Obviously this is a play not a book, but I love it tremendously so it has to be included. People say Shakespeare is hard to read, I feel like its more hard to start reading, and then once you do it’s hard to stop. Also this is my favorite Shakespeare anything.

Favorite Quotes:

“Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt I love.” –also probably my favorite quote of all time.

“This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.”

“Listen to many, speak to a few.”

I feel like the romance between Hamlet and Ophelia is only tied between the love of Annabel Lee and the speaker for best romance of all time. Look at that first quote, just look at it, it’s beautiful and sweet and sad and dreamy, pretty much the whole play is. Hamlet served as a reminder to do what I believe is right, and to say what’s on my mind.

4. Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

I’m also a slut for Ellen Hopkins, her writing style, her stories, they’re always so sad and touching and raw and real. This is one of the first books of hers that I read, and it’s stayed my favorite. Probably because I find it the easiest to identify with, I feel like Vanessa was written for me, and they’re all in a mental hospital.

Favorite Quotes:

“Grandma once told me it’s easy to overthink love, to dissect it and question it until it is no more.”

“One foot in front of the other, counting tiles on the floor so I don’t have to focus the blur of painted smiles, fake faces.” An accurate description of highschool Life.

“It [death] chokes you, gags you, but you have to pretend that you’re doing just fine, not trembling with this fear because the end is close.”

“Too much to take in, too much to purge. Why must every memory, once sweet, dead end in such ugliness?”

This book isn’t happy, it doesn’t have a happy ending, and there’s very little fluff to distract you from how horrible it is. But it was the first book I ever read that had characters who were depressed. It was novel for me to know that there were enough people who felt the way I do everyday that somebody would write a book about them. It also taught me to keep going, that it’s worth it to keep working, and that ending it all solves nothing.

5. Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson 

This isn’t a novel or a story like the rest of them, it basically read like a collection of posts from her blog, which I adore, so it was totally awesome. (Only decent Best present my in-laws ever bought me) She alternates between talking about her life as a funny awesome mom person, and coping with severe depression and a host of other mental issues.

Favorite Quotes/Chapters:

“Don’t sabotage yourself. There are plenty of other people willing to do that for free.”

“Don’t make the same mistakes that everyone else makes. Make wonderful mistakes. Make the kind of mistakes that make people so shocked that they have no other choice but to be a little impressed.”

“I AM GOING TO BE FURIOUSLY HAPPY, OUT OF SHEER SPITE.” (How I’ve decided to approach life from here on out.)

“I can’t think of another type of illness where the sufferer is made to feel guilty and question their self-care when their medications need to be changed.”

“Normal is boring. Weird is better. Goats are awesome, but only in small quantities.”

Chapters:

Furiously Happy, Dangerously Sad

Pretend your Good at it

George Washington’s Dildo

An Essay on Parsley, Wasabi, Cream Cheese, and Soup

We’re Better Than Galileo, Because He’s Dead. (specifically the spoon theory)

Well at Least Your Nipples are covered. ( I read this at Josh, I have noticed a slight improvement in compliment sincerity, I feel like this is a magical chapter)

And It Might be Easier, But It Wouldn’t Be Better. (This basically felt like what Josh is always trying to say but can never get out right.)

This book was ridiculously funny, gave me new insight into dealing with my shitload of crazy, and is the only thing I’ve ever read about depression that didn’t make me feel more depressed after I read it. I laughed and cried, out loud, like audibly, like it invoked a physical reaction in me. And it was a beautiful reminder that we’re not alone, we’re not broken, and in some ways, we have the potential to be even more awesome than the normal people. Seriously, if you’ve ever struggled with depression read this, or her blog, either or, both are awesome Cx

Anywhore sorry this is so long, believe it or not I cut a lot out, but these are the stories that touched my soul. They changed the way I view the world, the way I cope with life, the way I look at myself and others. I hope if you read them you feel the same way, or at least find them enjoyable.