Skip to main content

Winter ABC Day 20: 5 Books Everyone Should Read

Welcome to the book club. Reading is a great past time. The culture has declined though due to the progression of technology. But those of us who would rather flip a page, than read on a gadget, books remain that best friend.

I have been pushing myself to read at least three books a month. Most successful people read five or more. Books open one's mind, improve language, offer various topics of discussion as well as points of reference. A person of substance isn't stuck on Facebook; they are enriching themselves with bestsellers.

My top 5 picks are good reads that I have read and reviewed. Most of the picks are self improvement reads but that's the point - improving thy self.

1. No More Sheets by Juanita Bynum

This is a biographical entry by singer and minister of the word, Juanita Bynum. She shares in detail painful yet relatable personal experiences of heartbreak. Sheets are metaphorical of the baggage that comes with premarital sex, fornication and adultery. A very unlikely read for the world today but the book is for those looking to heal from the pain of heartbreak and rejection. If you are looking to be loosed from his/her mistakes pick up 'No More Sheets' and begin your healing process.

2. Rich dad, Poor dad by Robert Kiyosaki

What makes the rich wealthy is mentality. There are habits that poor people have that rich people refuse to have. Guy Kawasaki takes the reader through financial literacy. The book looks at perceptions towards money by contrasting characters: the rich dad and the poor dad. If you want to understand why certain families live a line of long money or you want to break the chains of poverty through a mental shift, then pick up this book.

3. A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer

I read this book soon after giving birth. When I put my little one to sleep, I would flip through the pages. This heart-rending read is the testimony of a survivor of child abuse. The author was abused for most of his childhood by his own mother. She dehumanised her own son to the point of nothingness hence the reference to being an 'it'. This book evokes anger, fear, sadness but also reaches a point of hope at the end of the book. Just keep your tissues beside you. If you have children, hug and kiss them with love.

4. The Borgias by Sarah Bradford

If you love scandal, tragedy and Renaissance literature The Borgias is the book for you. The book looks at a noble Spanish family trying to take over Renaissance-era Italy.  Greed and power are the main trajectories of the novel. We also find incest, betrayal and murder. I read this book when I was ten years old. I revised it again in my teens. In my adulthood, I have watched the film and theatre adaptations. Once you start you won't be able to put it down.

5. Waiting for the Rain by Charles Mungoshi

This list would not be complete without one of my favourite Zimbabwean novels. Waiting for the Rain by the late Charles Mungoshi is a great examination of the effects of colonialism in the African home. There are conflicts between African traditions and euro centric culture including education, religion and even mannerisms. The novel has been a set book for O and A level students for years. This book is special to me because it evoked the poet in me and birthed my writing. Add this book to your Zimbabwe greatest of all times collection.

Ernest Hemingway once said, "A book is your most loyal friend."

READ!

P.S. Always write your own love story!

Ciao!

Lady E

Comments

Popular Posts

Single ladies: Wife material

MPV.....my point of view! Single Ladies: Wifen Material *Royal wave*Hey single ladies,your guide is back.The pursuit for Mr Put-A-Ring-On-It is on.Today I would like to make you a get-a-ring-on-it lady. Now following my articles,'Single Ladies Part 3',where I talked about the prince searching for a 'real princess',or 'Queen';and 'Brown Sugar',where the word 'brown sugar' was defined as wifen material,I would like to talk about 'wifey material'.(Whether we are that). How do we single ladies get that ring-on-it,you ask?By being wifey material.My uncle keeps on telling me,'If you want to become Mrs X,you should be a wife.You are a wife before he puts a ring on it'.What he means is that,a man will treat you the way you portray yourself.How,you ask? Ever noticed the difference between a wife and a girlfriend.Now let me break it down for you.A girlfriend usually,takes life in a more leisurely way;unlike a wife,whose focus is mo...

Like A Love Song

The best ever written love song isn't perfect but it works! 'I,I love you like a love song baby,I,I love you like a love song,babe.....',young Selena Gomez singing,and vocalising what we would all take love as...a LOVE song. The love song. Women can only dream about being loved the way Gerald Levert put it,'made to love you', or have 'this love' a la Donell Jones. And I'm not talking about the exaggerated 'catching of grenades','crossing oceans',drinking of lovers' bath waters.But a love that leaves one gasping for air as they try to breathe in,a love that gives one warm fuzzy feelings inside.A love that also stands the test of time,and conquers all. But is the impression we are given by love songs similar to real relationships?Would a man not want to be 'mad' like Ne-yo, or beg you to 'stay' like Tyrese? Some may agree,whilst others would be at the other end of the pole. In the mean time men might find Beyonc...

Riding Solo, Cliques and Friendship

Friends are mirrors, shadows, at times visions, and sometimes ghosts. - The Real Lady E Let's talk about #squadgoals! I have to confess, I'm actually on season six of 'Pretty Little Liars'. 🙈 My grown self should be ashamed! But it inspired me to get to today's blog. I read a post from xoNecole about friendships. Titled, 'Types of Friends You Should Have In Your 30s', I reverted to my article about being in your 30s. In the blog I shared, " Friendships are like a Coca-Cola bottle, as you grow older you know that you will eventually be at the tip." Friendships are like a Coca-Cola bottle, as you grow older you know that you will eventually be at the tip. Watching season six of PLL, we find the 'girls' falling back into bad habits. I still can't fathom their loyalty to Alison DiLaurentis. They feel like they owe her yet it's her crazy relative who terrorised them all through high school. For young women who are supposed t...

Just Another Monday!

 Looking at my nails and how I’ve made a meal out of them… I need a break! The past three weeks have been extremely exhausting to say the least. I decided to come to this platform to somewhat, somehow distress. Writing is often cathartic even to an absent audience. I’m just tired! Sections of my skin are eczematous and I even suffered a breakdown last week. God, I wish it were hormones but it’s just being overwhelmed.  I am tired – physically, financially, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I have nothing to give. That empty jar that cannot pour out anymore. I’m sometimes emotionally numb…. I just want to sleep and never wake up. I keep absorbing the negativity from my timeline on social media. Unfortunately, it’s my job to be online. With my skills I have to work triple in curating and creating content. In short, I’m online all the time. But it’s depressing me. You know how baby boomers describe millennials…I’m that millennial! And with that said it makes it even more dif...

The Muse

He is my muse... ... and in the myriad of things, I once was his. Today can I be philosophical and slightly deep? Hello single ladies, Beyoncé wave! How have we been? I am decent. Honestly, there's a lot on my plate but somewhere, somehow I've got to suck it up. Come round with your wine glasses. Don't worry, I'm not in my feelings. Summarizing the week's new music releases, I went through John Legend's 'Wild' music video. As we know. John's wife Crissy is pregnant again. Boy has corona caused a baby boom! Every week there are pregnancy announcements on the timeline. Some of us, are feeling some type of way...baby fever, right? Well, not me, but the baby-making process, hell yeah! Wink! I digress, low key, I have been envious of John and Crissy's relationship. The man literally writes songs about and for his wife. I remember my uncle's wedding (let's remember, the only uncle whom I speak of endlessly). He and his wife danced to Mario...