Despite studying towards my English Literature degree, most of the life-changing books I’ve read were written by authors that are, well, anything but English. I am dubious as to what that might say about me – I hope it means I’m well-read, or at least versatile, but I suspect it means I am too undisciplined or chaotic to focus on any one thing. Nevertheless, I hereby present the five books that have defined my life so far.
The Little Prince // Antoine de Saint-Éxupery
The best – if not only – fairytale ever written for disillusioned adults. All at once deeply profound and endearing, this novella tells the story about a young prince who, during his intergalactic travels, exchanges precious wisdom with the creatures he encounters. Whilst doing so, he teaches us the value of a child-like mind and sheds light on the many futile aspects of adult life. Despite its brevity, the story’s morale and its charming illustrations have always stuck with me, along with the strange desire to draw a boa constrictor digesting an elephant. And if you’re not yet convinced of my cool factor to endorse this: it was actually James Dean’s favourite book as well.