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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

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