The one book that changed everything

As someone who has never been a sit down and read type of person I have always found it really challenging to find stories that keep me engaged and focussed on the story. I often find myself somehow thinking of other things while I’m reading at the same time…I don’t know how I even do it but somehow I get to the end of the page and can’t even remember what I just read! I also find that if I’m bored or disinterested by the first 20 pages of a story I likely will never get through it, which is unfortunate as I know stories do tend to get better as you get further into them. I wish I was someone who could sit down with a cup of tea and read for hours, however in order for me to do that it has to be a book that I like so much I can’t put it down. It kind of reminds me of playing the piano, when I’m playing a piece I really enjoy and find pleasing to listen to, I will spend hours practicing it. However if it is a piece of music I don’t find so enjoyable to listen to or don’t feel emotionally moved by it, chances are I will never learn it to perfection or even get through the entire piece. This reminds me so much of reading as it’s easy for me to read a book I really really enjoy, however it’s extremely challenging for me to get through a story that I’m not interested or engaged in.

When I was in grade 10 I had the opportunity to go to Germany for two weeks where I met a girl named Meret who I’m still best friends with and her family. I can’t remember how I got introduced to the story called “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak however it is now one of my all time favourite novels. It was so emotional and I often found myself crying while reading it, I think I was so fascinated by this book because I travelled to Germany at the same time that I was reading this novel. I am someone who prefers novels that are based on real events, although The Book Thief is a fiction story it is based on very true realities of what happened to innocent people and families during WWII. I remember loving this story so much that sometimes I wouldn’t even notice distractions or hear people trying to talk to me! It was as if I was actually in the story, I love it when you are so moved by a story that it’s almost as though you are living inside of the characters. I think something that this story helped me change regarding my mindset around reading was that reading books over 500 words is possible and actually goes by quite fast if it’s a story that is able to touch your deeper emotions and gets you wondering and thinking. The Book Thief definitely got me thinking quite a lot. Therefore, I think my overall outlook on reading now is that I can and should read longer novels I just have to find the ones that are able to reach my own interests and emotions as the reader. Apparently The Book Thief is now a movie, however I don’t think I could watch the movie as it looks a bit too intense for me!

This is Meret and I during my grade 10 trip to Germany!