20 things I've learned thanks to books
Life lessons from literature to celebrate World Book Day
“Really, whenever you read something wonderful, it changes your life, even if you aren’t aware of it.”
The End of Your Life Book Club, Will Schwalbe
There are many reasons why I read. To switch off after a long day, to develop my skills as a writer, to make me laugh, to make me cry, to feel connected to other humans by putting myself in the shoes of characters…
But I also read to learn. I don’t mean that I read how-to-manuals and textbooks. Just that almost every book I read, whether a cosy rom-com or an interesting non-fiction book, gives me a new perspective on life.
Reading prompts me to think about the things that matter to me.
To celebrate World Book Day I thought I’d share some lessons I learnt from the books I read in 2024.
A big thank you to all the authors whose books have inspired me and taught me so much. And thank you to you for being here and supporting my writing. This World Book Day I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to call myself an author, as well as an avid reader.
20 things I learnt in 2024 thanks to books
It’s OK to sometimes find motherhood boring (even if you’re not supposed to admit it)
“‘How are you finding motherhood?’”
‘Boring and exhausting,’ she replied. She lit a cigarette and blew out smoke. ‘I do love Noah with all my heart, it’s just, we have very different interests.’”
Love is a Curse, Keith Stuart
The small, quiet moments keep you grounded (and might stop you from falling apart)
“I gave up reading and time alone and long hot baths and walking. I gave up silence, and standing in the garden at sunrise. I let those moments become overrun by work and care, and I was surprised to find that, without them, there was nothing left of me.”
Enchantment, Katherine May
It’s life’s ordinariness that makes it extraordinary
‘‘…my days are exceptional even when they are ordinary… existence doesn’t need to show us any of its more famous or spectacular wonders to fill us with amazement. We live remarkable lives because life itself is remarkable…”
Lost and Found, Kathryn Schulz
Life is a lot simpler when you stop worrying what people think about you
‘‘There is one thing that makes our lives a great deal more complicated than they should be: that is, that we are rarely far from the oppressive worry of what other people think.”
A Simpler Life, The School of Life
What to look for in a friend
“You need three types of friends to make it through life: the fun ones, the ones you can talk to, and the ones who can get you out of a mess. Ditch the rest. Ditch the ones who use you and give nothing back.”
Love is a Curse, Keith Stuart
Even when it feels like you’re stuck, things will change
“People’s lives never stay the same colour forever. There are times when the colour of life changes completely.”
Sweet Bean Paste, Durian Sukegawa
Life’s hardest moments have made me stronger
“… I didn’t need to be fixed. I’d gone through the worst day of my life by myself, and I came out the other side a person who survived it. That was not something to fix.”
The Seven Year Slip, Ashley Poston
How to get comfortable with carrying grief
“It was the kind of pain that existed because, once upon a time, so did she. And I carried that pain, and that love, and that terrible, terrible day, with me. I got comfortable with it. I walked with it.”
The Seven Year Slip, Ashley Poston
That good relationships require work
“… love is, first and foremost, a skill to be learnt, not an emotion to be felt.”
A Replacement for Religion, The School of Life
How to see the beauty in big feelings
“‘I don’t know how to feel anything in moderation…’”
‘Your big feelings are one of the most beautiful things about you.’”
Here We Go Again, Alison Cochrun
How to tell how much someone likes me when I go to their house and they offer me something to eat
“This is one of life’s great secrets: the status of the guest is directly proportional to the freshness of the snack food offered by the host.”
Standard Deviation, Katherine Heiny
It’s not just me who thinks books can be life-changing
“Sometimes, a book can change your life. It’s hard to explain that to someone who doesn’t read, or who has never felt their heart bend so strongly toward a story that it might snap in two.”
A Novel Love Story, Ashley Poston
How to survive burnout
“I’m burned out. I’m exhausted. I’m overwhelmed. But will I be forever? Already I feel so much more energized than I did.”
The Burnout, Sophie Kinsella
Why I love reading romance novels
“That’s why I love romance novels. When I read a really good one, I see how the world could be.”
Love Story, Lindsey Kelk
Why I write
“I don’t write because I think I have something to say. I write because if I don’t, everything feels much worse.”
Writers & Lovers, Lily King
To stop wasting time feeling bad about my body
“Don’t hate your body… Hate the culture that tells you to hate your body. Move the hate.”
Lobster, Hollie McNish
It’s not just me who feels like I’m winging it at life
“We know ourselves on the inside but others only on the outside. Remember that others are just as flawed, afraid and messy as us – we just don’t get to see those parts, only what they choose to share.”
On Confidence, The School of Life
What it means to be wise
“We are never so wise as when we live in the moment.”
When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi
The answer to the mystery of life
“Wasn’t that the point? Wasn’t that the great answer to the mystery of life? To make the most of what you have while you have it, the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.”
Under the Whispering Door, TJ Klune
Books open the world.
“The whole world, and beyond, is open to you if you read.”
The Last Book Wanderer, Anna James
What life lessons have you learnt from books? And which books have had the biggest impact on your life? I’d love to know!
P.S. Here are some book recommendations for you if you’re looking for something to read this World Book Day
Bookish books (books featuring bookshops, libraries and writers)
Thank you, as ever, for being here.
Yours bookishly,
That's a really interesting list Libby. Enchantment by Katherine May also connected with me - she speaks some wise words.
These are so good, thank you for compiling them!