“Is there a book that changed your life?”
I love to read and have ready many books as early as I was able
to read. Reading is magical to me and can take me places I never thought I
could go. It is an escape from stress or problems when I need to just get away
(but a lot cheaper).
The book that changed my life was To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee. I was in high school and didn’t really enjoy where I was growing
up in New York. Life was complicated with gangs and drugs and overcrowded areas
in the 1970s. I knew that I wanted to get away from all of that and live
somewhere where life was simpler and safer. After reading the book and seeing
where the story took place, I knew I wanted to find a town a lot like the place
I read about. I knew the story was fictional but also knew authors included
things they knew about such as settings. Somewhere in the world was a place
like that for me!
When we would go to South Carolina to visit my aunt, I would see
the town she lived in and loved it. I knew that I would someday live there and
would do whatever it took to get there. This motivated me to work hard in
school so I could get scholarships in order to go to college in South Carolina.
I was going to be an out of state student so there was no way I could afford to
pay for the cost of going there. I had my eye on the goal and worked toward it
every year knowing that I was getting closer and closer to my goal.
Every year I would also watch the movie To Kill a Mockingbird
with Gregory Peck to help keep me motivated. It was also my favorite movie.
I’m happy to report that I did get to go to college at my dream
school in South Carolina. Even though it was a struggle to pay the cost, it was
worth every penny. Eventually I met a local guy and married him. About 20 years
ago we moved to my dream town which reminds me a lot of the town in the book. I
still watch the movie at least once a year but now I feel a sense of
accomplishment and kinship with the town there.
What book changed your life? Please share.
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