Megan Magruder is a rising junior at Dickinson College, double-majoring in Political Science (with a Concentration in Security Studies) and Psychology. Fun fact: she's originally from St. Louis, MO, and is spending her summer in New York interning in Scholastic's digital marketing team. Here are the five books that most influenced her life.
Growing up, reading was a wonderful way for me to escape. I found the everyday stresses and confusion that naturally comes with navigating into young adulthood could be soothed by diving into a captivating book. I always try to apply any book I read to my own life. If I can, I take away a life lesson from each of them.
Here are the five books that most influenced me:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett: This novel follows the stories of African-American maids living and working in Jackson, Mississippi and faces the racial and gender issues portrayed through the lens of the 1960s. This book paved the way for me to question social issues still plaguing our country and the world. Reading it instilled in me a need to strive for social justice and remember the past as a painful reminder to understand where people have been and where society needs to go.
Born To Run by Christopher McDougall: Full of vibrant ultra-marathon runners and important human observation, the novel follows Christopher McDougall as he attempts to find out what makes the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico the amazing endurance runners they are. Reading this book was eye-opening to me as a young runner. It was humbling to read about the science behind endurance running and how even when we supposedly live in one of the most technologically-advanced societies; we still have plenty to learn from a society with no modern luxuries. The novel stuck with me as a way to get back to the basics of health and appreciate what the human body is capable of doing.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert: This memoir is a testament to taking control of one’s life and saying no when the conventional thing to do is not what you want. The story follows Gilbert as she attempts to deal with a traumatizing divorce from her husband and her sudden realization that the life she thought she wanted actually left her panicking and sick. It led me to understand that what looks good on paper is not always the right lifestyle for everyone. The memoir gave me permission to explore who I was as a person, and an understanding that there is no expiration date for finding yourself.
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: This memoir comes from the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. I loved this book because it was such a powerful reminder to understand the human suffering behind war and international relations. Everyone can take things for granted, but something as important and freeing as education should never be taken for granted. Malala became a symbol of girls' right to education in Pakistan and this book inspired me to appreciate all the freedom I have to explore my own education and how something that can seem as basic as access to education is so important.
Freakonomics by Stephen D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner: This book is the result of collaboration between the co-authors: one an economist and one a writer. It covers everything from cheating teachers to bizarre baby names. I found this book to be fascinating because it connected so many events that seemingly have no relationship. The authors explore story after story of human incentive and how people get what they want. The book inspired me to keep an open mind and not assume everything is caused by the same one factor, or caused by one factor only.
What are the five books that most influenced your life?
