We're thrilled to welcome Tova Rohatiner as our current Corporate Communications intern! Tova is a junior studying English at Barnard College and is helping us out this spring. Our first question to new OOMers is always the same: what are the five books that most influenced your life? Here are Tova's:
I’ve always been terrible with superlatives. Ask me my favorite food and my mind goes blank, as if I’ve never enjoyed a single food item in my entire life. For this reason, despite my love of literature, I’ve always dreaded the following question: “What’s your favorite book?” This question usually follows the one about my major, because how could an English major not have a favorite book?!
At first, I had similar anxiety about choosing the top five books that most impacted my life. To combat my indecisiveness, I decided to approach this not as a careful selection process, but as a recording of the first five books that pop into my head as really and truly climbing their way out of the recesses of my mind on a regular basis—legitimacy and impressiveness aside. So here I bring you my “top 5” (*wince*) in all of their glory:
All Tutus Should Be Pink by Meredith Johnson and Sheri Brownrigg: When I think of my childhood, I think of this book. My sister and I must have picked it up hundreds of times, continuously falling in love with the two little ballet class attendees who let their imaginations (and consequent silliness) run wild. I read this book during a phase in my life when I was obsessed with my own pink tutu and things were as simple as the book’s title. I associate it with the power of imagination and the simple pleasures of life, like pink strawberry ice cream to match my pink tutu.
The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes by Anne Mazer: Fast forwarding to elementary school, I encountered this life-changing series which brought character relatedness to an entirely new level. I found a kindred spirit in Abby, a seemingly average middle-schooler who loves to read and write and constantly tries to place herself in relation to her older and younger siblings. When I remember my elementary school self, I remember Abby, who continues to validate my individual set of skills. She also comes to mind whenever anyone asks my favorite color, for which we’d both confidently answer purple (perhaps not such a coincidence).
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom: This heartwarming novel accompanies a maintenance man named Eddie in his final days and subsequent death as he meets five people who have impacted him in his life. It’s not surprising that this one rushed to the forefront of my brain given the prompt, but I really do think back to it time and time again. The sentiment of the plot has always served as a constant reminder of the world’s interconnectedness and the unexpected ways in which we all leave imprints on each other’s lives.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes: This short novel was one of my first introductions to science fiction—a surprising, but welcome addition to my repertoire of genres. I always refer back to this book when I am faced with moral or ethical questions that really push the envelope. I feel especially connected to this story because it gave me a greater context in which to consider my involvement with the special needs community in my area. I will always remember it for its unique writing style, which changes throughout the book to reflect the trajectory of the protagonist’s rising mental performance, as it exposed me to the endless possibilities for an author’s narrative approach.
The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes: Although I only read this book relatively recently in comparison to the first four on my list, I have not been able to get it out of my head. Not only did this novel teach me not to judge a book by its historical setting, but it holds a powerful lesson about the connection between the past, present, and future. Beginning in Paris 1916, the plot eventually takes you on a journey to a century later when past events still contain veiled relevance. I loved being privy to both ends of the story, which reminded me that we are often clouded by our own limited perspectives and not always this privileged in real life to fully understand the other side.
Which books would you list?
