My Bookshelf
As an author, I’m often asked about which books I read myself. This is always an interesting inquiry. I’ve decided to take a step back and collect my thoughts about the books that I read in order to share an answer to this frequently asked question.
I don’t have a specific genre that I’m glued to. My outlook on the books that I select to read has been chiseled into a personalized philosophy over time: I choose books that I feel are relevant to me as a person. Full stop.
“There are treasures buried in books, but only you can unlock them.”
When I was in the 8th grade, I overheard my friend’s mom say to his younger brother “There are treasures buried in books, but only you can unlock them.” This has never escaped my memory. Considering this, and how much it has meant to me for so many years, I can’t help but analyze this concept. Anyone who sets out to hunt for treasure is more likely than not in pursuit of something that interests them and presumably or hopefully holds some sort of meaning and or value. If I’m considering books as a chest that hold my desired treasures, I find the most sense in embarking on literary journeys that I identify to be relevant to my life, my culture, my situation, my concerns, my interests, my values, my needs, and my wants.
The air is clear now. I don’t read books simply because they are NY Times #1 Best Sellers. And although I remain completely open to suggestions and recommendations, I don’t read books because everyone says to read them. I select books to read based on what I see when I close my eyes, what I see when I look in the mirror and what I hear when I give my ear to the universe.
I’m excited to announce that I’ve decided to share more about my book choices. I’m showcasing some of my favorite reads and hoping that my curation of them is taken for exactly what it is to you (be it a meaningless share or a saucy recommendation). This is ‘My Bookshelf’!
As I update this list I hope that this helps you to learn more about me, as well as yourself. I don’t believe that any one particular book is for every single person. A choice in the books you read should be cherished as intensely as a constitutional freedom.
Deeper than rap
The breath of blood
Obroni
dinner table trajectories
Photography by Carlos “Kaito” Araujo
Photography by Maud Maillard
Ocean Reeve Publishing
Harper Publishing