What books have taught me (an incomplete list):
// The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell – the comfort of solitude
// D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths taught me that I could love a book so much that I refused to return it to the library
// A book on French cooking taught me that my brother loved this book enough to never return it to the library
// Agatha Christie’s mysteries taught me about human behavior
// Sidney Sheldon’s books made me want to travel
// Edgar Allen Poe’s stories and poems taught me new words and that some things are best spoken out loud
// Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt – a book can be too depressing (and I stopped reading it)
// Betty Crocker’s Cookbook taught me how to follow directions
// The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis taught me that I could get in trouble for reading a book out loud to my first grade class
// Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert taught me that just because a book is popular doesn’t mean that I’m going to like it (couldn’t get past the first chapter)
// Travel guidebooks taught me to loathe the lack of details and that the key word was “guide”
// Wayne Dyer‘s books taught me to be a more grateful person
// The Sunfire Series taught me about American history through young female characters
// A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson taught me how to forgive
// The Dragonlance Series brought my love for Dungeons & Dragons role-playing to life
// Harlequin Romances – they usually do it midway through the novel
// The works of Shakespeare – reading can be hard work but equally rewarding
// A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles – you don’t have to go anywhere, in fact, you could stay only in a hotel for thirty years and have a gorgeous beautiful life
What books have taught you?
Life, the Universe, and Lani 
The Sunfire series sound like a good place for me to start learning American history because I don’t remember and I’d like to teach my kids someday. I’ve never read Eat Pray Love, only saw the movie but I couldn’t get why it was popular besides the fact the Julia Roberts was in it *shrug
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The Sunfire series is quite old, so I’m not sure if you’ll be able to find it. They’re also YA romances (very innocent though), but I truly loved them as a teen.
There are though a lot of YA historical fictions that you might have an easier time finding though. I just love the genre in general, as YA used to be (not sure about these days) violent-free and crafted in a more positive way.
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When I was a teen, I didn’t see many historical YA books around. I didn’t know they exist, or I would have been better in history haha
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😀 They blend in with the other books. But you should have no problem these days with internet searches and such.
OH! I just remembered. Check out these authors, Avi and Ann Rinaldi. Yes. They are good.
Good luck! such a great way to learn about history.
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Thank you
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Totally agree with you about Angela’s Ashes (and other things on this list). I’m embarrassed to say I couldn’t stop reading Eat Pray Love, haha.
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Heheheh. So much about books is timing. As for Gilbert, I couldn’t relate to her crying because of her marital differences. Maybe I was in an insensitive mood or not mature enough? In any case, that part killed it for me.
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Amen to Amor Towles! I could read his books, especially that one, over and over. Can’t wait to read his next. Funny though, Angela’s Ashes is prob my favorite memoir. Though devastatingly sad, that book taught me how a book can sing.
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I’m glad you liked it. I think I’m too sensitive and I need something good or hopeful to string me along. It was just too much after another. It was very well liked, so I know I’m in the minority.
And yes, I can’t wait to read more from Amor Towles 🙂
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