Our summer intern Katia Diaz is here, talking about the five books that most influenced her life! Do you share any with her? Check out You Are What You Read to create your own Bookprint. Thanks, Katia!

I’ve always found myself at the threshold of aspiring for big things while still never losing sight of who I am and those who have inspired me. Coming from an immigrant family, at an early age I understood the value of education and hard work. While my mother worked long hours to help raise both my sister and me, reading became my outlet to express myself, learn and let my imagination influence my perspective on life. With the support of my teachers, friends, and my mother, I found a love for writing and reading that developed into a career goal. While I could not agree more that my favorite books of all time are those that have captured that childhood joy in me like the Harry Potter series, there are other books that make up my Bookprint:

Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations: A perfect rendition of the struggles of one man to attain the unreachable. I found that the challenges Pip faced seem to mirror my own troubles at the time I read it, and it motivated me to keep trying and face the harsh realities of life.

The Alchemist: Paulo Coelho’s classic masterpiece to a journey beyond our imagination brought that small childhood nostalgia back as an adult. My Spanish teacher gave me this novel and since then it has held a place in my growing book collection. Coelho’s words made me realize that every day is an adventure and taking his advice, I love to live life the only way I know best: as a quest.

Miguel Unamuno’s Mist: I have always been an avid mystery, science fiction, and even horror fan. But once I turned the page to this odd tale of love, intrigue, and comedy, metaphysical fiction has been added to the list of favorite genres. Mist encompasses that philosophical inquiry of who we are as individuals in a realm that we ourselves are unknown to.

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: One can never say no to reading Shakespeare! He is a genius with words.  A Midsummer Night’s Dream captures that innocence as well as loss of innocence the era had to offer while entertaining readers with its comedic antics. Shakespeare prompted my love for creative writing and to appreciate the classics just as much as the contemporaries.

Candide by Voltaire: Studying at a Catholic university has its advantages. When I was assigned to read Voltaire’s Candide as part of the curriculum, I was not sure whether the administrators realized how the novel was not only entertaining but also controversial. Yet, after our class discussions it seemed there really was a place for Candide’s satire. The novel is an expression of the troubling times in 18^th century Europe told through the heroic adventures of one man and his less than perfect comrades. This novel is engaging and a must-read for anyone!

As I move forward and wait for graduation, I cannot wait to see what new books are in store for me. I am currently reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and look forward to re-reading these novels again. Books can make a great difference in your life. What’s your bookprint?