Researching the Self

I find it difficult to pinpoint just one book that has made a difference in my life. Books have always been some of my favorite companions and, of course, different books have been important to me at different stages in my lifetime, something I think we can all relate to. That being said, if I had to pick a book, or an author, that has made a great difference to me, I would have to pick books by the brilliant children’s writer Roald Dahl, especially Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, James and the Giant Peach, and The BFG.

My relationship with Roald Dahl’s books began when my mother used to read me Charlie and the Chocolate Factory before bedtime. It was one of her favorite stories and she passed this love for the story on to me, an important bond for us. I remember the time when I was finally able to read it myself was a great feeling of success for me. I began to read other books by Roald Dahl, and my favorites, in addition to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, were always The Witches and James and the Giant Peach. These stories were an important part of my childhood, and I would say they made a great difference at a key part of my development as a reader and an independent thinker.

Roald Dahl’s books made a difference because they were my favorites during the stage of my life when I was cultivating a love for reading on my own. I would spend long summer days reading at my grandmother’s house, the kind of days where I wanted nothing to do with the world because all I wanted to do was read. Books like The BFG and The Witches captured my imagination and my attention and I loved them so much I would read them over and over. It was also fun for me to find a favorite author, prompting me to start a collection of Roald Dahl books. I was proud to put them next to each other in a big row on my bookshelf.

Not only did these stories encourage my love of reading, they also awakened my creative side and I began to take an interest in writing. I used to write lots of stories when I was younger, just for fun, mostly inspired by Roald Dahl’s incredible ability to create fantastical tales and characters. I have these books to thank for my interest in thinking outside the box and in reading and writing in general.

Of course, now I am much older and prefer to read the likes of Malcom Gladwell and Elizabeth Gilbert, two authors who have written books that have also made a difference in my life. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the other books by Roald Dahl, however, will always be special to me because they were key companions in forging my imaginative spirit and love of reading, characteristics that have become such an important part of my life.