the book that inspired me the most essay

• Website Inauguration Function.
• Vocational Placement Cell Inauguration
• Media Coverage.
• Certificate & Recommendations
• Privacy Policy
• Science Project Metric
• Social Studies 8 Class
• Computer Fundamentals
• Introduction to C++
• Programming Methodology
• Programming in C++
• Data structures
• Boolean Algebra
• Object Oriented Concepts
• Database Management Systems
• Open Source Software
• Operating System
• PHP Tutorials
• Earth Science
• Physical Science
• Sets & Functions
• Coordinate Geometry
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Statics and Probability
• Accountancy
• Business Studies
• Political Science
• English (Sr. Secondary)

Hindi (Sr. Secondary)

• Punjab (Sr. Secondary)
• Accountancy and Auditing
• Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology
• Automobile Technology
• Electrical Technology
• Electronics Technology
• Hotel Management and Catering Technology
• IT Application
• Marketing and Salesmanship
• Office Secretaryship
• Stenography
• Hindi Essays
• English Essays

Letter Writing

• Shorthand Dictation

Essay, Paragraph, Speech on “The Book That Has Inspired Me Most” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

The Book That Has Inspired Me Most

My Favourite Book

In the evergreen garden of literature mellowed with innumerable blossomed flowers, I like one tiny flower and that is a small novella Jonathan Livingstone Seagull’ by Erich Bach. This book was given to me by my favorite teacher, who herself was a source of inspiration for me. It’s a story about a seagull—who aspires to fly very high in the sky—an act which is impossible for seagulls. But Jonathan makes up his mind and tries very hard. And in spite of many troubles caused by the ‘society of seagulls and fits of depression in the process of flying high, Jonathan finally wins. This book has always given me new vigor and energy to work hard and achieve my aim. Whenever I am depressed and sad, I pick up this book and go through it. And every time I get up with my spirit eager to fly high once again. I have learned from this book that only that man can win in the battle of life ‘who thinks he can’.

About evirtualguru_ajaygour

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Quick Links

Popular Tags

Visitors question & answer.

• Diksha on Official Letter Example “Write a letter to Superintendent of Police for theft of your bicycle. ” Complete Official Letter for all classes.
• Anchal Sharma on Write a letter to the Postmaster complaining against the Postman of your locality.
• rrrr on Hindi Essay on “Pratahkal ki Sair” , ”प्रातःकाल की सैर ” Complete Hindi Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.
• Mihir on CBSE ASL “Listening Test Worksheet” (ASL) 2017 for Class 11, Listening Test Audio Script 1
• Anska on Hindi Essay on “Parishram Saphalta ki Kunji Hai” , ”परिश्रम सफलता की कुंजी है ” Complete Hindi Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Download Our Educational Android Apps

Latest Desk

• Cowards Die Many Times Before Their Death, Complete English Essay, Paragraph, Speech for Class 9, 10, 11, 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.
• The Life of a Soldier, Complete English Essay, Paragraph, Speech for Class 9, 10, 11, 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.
• Success Comes to Those Who Dare and Act, Complete English Essay, Paragraph, Speech for Class 9, 10, 11, 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.
• A False Friend, Complete English Essay, Paragraph, Speech for Class 9, 10, 11, 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.
• Do Not Put Off till Tomorrow What You Can Do Today, Complete English Essay, Paragraph, Speech for Class 9, 10, 11, 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.
• Shabd Shakti Ki Paribhasha aur Udahran | शब्द शक्ति की परिभाषा और उदाहरण
• Shabd Gun Ki Paribhasha aur Udahran | शब्द गुण की परिभाषा और उदाहरण
• Virodhabhas Alankar Ki Paribhasha aur Udahran | विरोधाभास अलंकार की परिभाषा और उदाहरण
• Example Letter regarding election victory.
• Example Letter regarding the award of a Ph.D.
• Example Letter regarding the birth of a child.
• Example Letter regarding going abroad.
• Letter regarding the publishing of a Novel.

Vocational Edu.

• English Shorthand Dictation “East and Dwellings” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines.
• English Shorthand Dictation “Haryana General Sales Tax Act” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines meaning.
• English Shorthand Dictation “Deal with Export of Goods” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines meaning.
• English Shorthand Dictation “Interpreting a State Law” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines meaning.

• Collections
• Infographic
• Book vs Movie

Select Page

The Books That Influenced My Life

There are many parts of The Fountainhead that resonate with me, but my favourite part emphasises the importance of the independent mind and making, creating, and achieving things that not only make us happy, but also contribute to improving society.

Prarthana Banikya is a graduate in Sociology from Miranda House with a certificate in poetry. She spent her formative years in the valleys of Northeastern India from where she draws inspiration for most of her writing. Her work has been featured in several journals including Aaduna, Asia Writes, Aerogram, Danse Macabre, Poetry Super Highway, Namnai, and Pratilipi. In 2016, she was nominated for the Pushcart Prize for poetry and in 2018, was the recipient of the Orange Flower Award for poetry. She blogs at  prarthanabanikya.blogspot.in.

You can read her articles here . 

Related Posts:

The best literary content from around the web delivered straight to your inbox, every Sunday.

Check your inbox to confirm your subscription

We hate spam as much as you hate spoilers!

A TED book list: 68 reads that will inspire you

Share this idea.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

For this year’s holiday book list, we asked TED speakers, educators and podcasters: “What books have inspired you?” We hope their recommendations will help you refresh and recharge.

You can skim the entire list, or use the links here to jump around to the different categories, which are: Business ; Biographies and memoirs ; Children’s books ; Cookbooks and design ; Current events ; Essays and books on writing ; Fiction ; Graphic novels ; History ; Science, psychology and self-help .

Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: How Interface Proved That You Can Build a Successful Business Without Destroying the Planet by Ray C. Anderson In 1994, Interface Founder Ray C. Anderson experienced a life-altering epiphany when he read The Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawken. The book’s description of what happened to reindeer on “a little speck of rock in the Bering Sea” motivated Anderson to transform his take-make-waste carpet company into an environmentally sustainable corporation. As a businessperson and environmental scientist, I found Anderson’s quest for Interface to reach carbon neutrality by the year 2020 to be awe-inspiring. First read this book, then see if the company completed its Mission Zero by the target date here (and how): — Christine Ladwig (TED-Ed Lesson: Ethical dilemma — the burger murders )

The Messy Middle: Finding Your Way Through the Hardest and Most Crucial Part of Any Bold Venture by Scott Belsky A week doesn’t go by without my recommending this book to someone. Scott Belsky is a great storyteller who paints a vivid picture of how messy it is to create and innovate. Dealing with uncertainty often turns out to be messier than we anticipate, and those who are not prepared or who have the wrong expectations give up too quickly. We can achieve ground-breaking innovations only when we embrace uncertainty and set out to travel uncharted lands. Whether it’s in academia, business or any part of life, how we handle uncertainty defines the kind of impact we will have. I recommend this book to those venturing into the uncertain, to make sure they can withstand the messiness and emerge unscathed. ( Read an excerpt here .) — Ali Kashani (TED Talk: A friendly autonomous robot that delivers your food )

No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings (TED Talk: 3 secrets to Netflix’s success ) and Erin Meyer This is a book that I wish I had written. Stereotypes paint leaders as authoritative, dispassionate characters whose job is to make decisions and issue commands. With such images etched on our collective imagination, it is no surprise when some leaders imitate the stereotypes and I am inspired by books about highly successful leaders who break that mold. The Netflix CEO’s new book does just that — by painting a picture of a humanitarian-turned-entrepreneur who through failures and iterations has developed a leadership style that empowers teams to be autonomous, and thus highly creative, while also leaving space for compassion and vulnerability. — Ali Kashani (TED Talk: A friendly autonomous robot that delivers your food )

Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose by Tony Hsieh What makes Tony Hsieh’s recounting of Zappos’s journey from start-up to billion-dollar company inspiring to me — and I hope to many — is the power of believing in your mission when you’re trying to accomplish something that hasn’t been done before. Hsieh believed that providing outstanding customer service and increasing employee engagement and happiness are two sides of the same thing, each fueling the other, and I totally agree. And when done right, they both fuel the bottom line. — Gil Winch (TED Video: How we can use the hiring process to bring out the best in people )

The Cathedral Within: Transforming Your Life by Giving Something Back by Bill Shore As we think about what it will take to build systems of equity in our world, this book is a great remember of what it takes. Imagine, as the book describes, the work of the great cathedral builders of the world. They were building a beautiful legacy of structures that they knew they might never see completion in their lifetimes, yet it never deterred them. They never stopped building. They kept building anyway … just as we need to do. — Nita Mosby Tyler (TED Talk: Want a more just world? Be an unlikely ally )

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance Love him or hate him, you have to admit that Elon Musk has defied the odds to bring transformative innovations to market on Earth and in space. Vance’s biography shows Musk at his lowest points and culminates in his dual triumphs at Tesla and SpaceX. Musk is proof that it’s possible to pick the hardest problems — tackling climate change and making humanity a spacefaring civilization — and make meaningful progress through willpower, ingenuity and entrepreneurship. — Varun Sivaram (TED Talk: How India could pull off the world’s most ambitious energy transition )

Biographies and Memoirs

Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David Blight If you’re not a professional historian and haven’t read a biography of Frederick Douglass, you may have a rather vague sense — as I did until recently — that Douglass was an “important” abolitionist writer and speaker. You’re also probably aware that he escaped from slavery as a young man. Blight’s account book brings this gifted, imperfect, extraordinary man to life. And oh what a life! — John Biewen (TED Talk: The lie that invented racism )

So Many Olympic Exertions by Anelise Chen I didn’t care about sports until I read Anelise Chen contemplate what it means to give up, to succumb and to push through all over again. The book dances between melancholy and humor and you immediately get into the rhythm of the jig. — Mona Chalabi (TED Talk: 3 ways to stop a bad statistic )

The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger This is a beautiful memoir by a Holocaust survivor turned clinical psychologist, reminiscent of the great works of Anne Frank and Viktor Frankl. But it’s more than a book — it is a work of art. It gave me goosebumps, the kind that grace you in transcendent moments of appreciating a Mozart sonata, an Elizabeth Barrett Browning sonnet or the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. — Adam Grant (TED Talk: Are you a giver or a taker? and TED Podcast: Work Life with Adam Grant )

The Autobiography of Ben Franklin Although an autobiography, this is also America’s first self-help book. By telling the story of his own life, Franklin inspires others to achieve success. I am especially grateful for the sacrifices he made during the founding of America. — George Siedel (TED-Ed Lesson: Ethical dilemma — the burger murders )

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson This book was actually an “anti-inspiration” for me. After reading it, I realized I was so taken with Jobs’s genius I started to emulate him subconsciously at work — being more dismissive of my colleagues and trying to bend reality to my will. I realized it was not only jerk-like but bad for productivity. Almost always, the best and most transformative moves are made in groups, and it was then I drew the inspiration to truly create a bottom-up centered model at work, where I was aggregating inputs and empowering people instead of pushing them down. — Neal Katyal (TED Talk: How to win an argument at the Supreme Court, or anywhere )

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi An autobiographical account by a physician-turned-patient diagnosed with a terminal illness, as well as his emotional and physical trials through that experience. Paul Kalanithi’s sad tale provides rare raw insight into the human experience of finality, with inspiration derived through tragedy. As a physician working and forever learning in the art of cancer care, I gained insight into the patient experience, which can be difficult to account for in the bustle of clinic and the internal challenges that often come with these experiences. This book vicariously motivates us to value what we should treasure most in our world. — Hyunsoo Joshua No (TED-Ed Lesson: Performing brain surgery without a scalpel )

See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by Valarie Kaur (TED Talk: 3 lessons of revolutionary love in a time of rage ) See No Stranger is a perfectly timed book. When others see America descending into darkness, Valarie Kaur asks us to reimagine ourselves, our connection to each other and society. She presents revolutionary love as the call of our time — reclaiming love from mere sentimentality and recasting it as a potent force for social change. When loving our enemy seems hard, she offers practical advice. This book is a must-have guide on how we can walk through this darkness together and emerge better than before. — Nisha Anand (TED Talk: The radical act of choosing common ground )

Heavy by Kiese Laymon This book would never end up in a section of a bookstore labeled “inspirational.” In fact, the author states early on that he wanted to write a more uplifting book — but it would’ve been a lie. This is the memoir of a young, overweight Black man growing up with a single mother in Mississippi, and it is, well, heavy. But as an act of honesty and courage, as a work of art and as a piece of writing that is often about the process of writing, I found it inspirational. I bet a lot of readers come away inspired to be a little more honest and a little more brave in how they tell their own stories. — David Epstein (TED Talk: Why specializing early doesn’t always mean career success )

The Boat Who Wouldn’t Float by Farley Mowat I’ve only read two writings in my life that caused me to spontaneously laugh-out-loud — the play The Odd Couple by Neil Simon and the Wouldn’t Float adventures of Canadian Farley McGill Mowat’s wayward schooner. Filled with light-hearted humor and inspiring characters — not the least of which is the boat Happy Adventure — this is a great reading experience which I highly recommend! — Christine Ladwig (TED-Ed Lesson: Ethical dilemma — the burger murders )

Ecology of a Cracker Childhood by Janisse Ray I fell deeply in love with this book as it switched between a memoir of a poor childhood in a junkyard and the raw beauty of a rare, long-pine ecosystem. It made me consider how rural America is filled with both stunning landscapes and meaningful, but also difficult lives and the strength to overcome. I now search for both when I am in those parts of the country. — Leah Garcés (TED Talk: A lesson in turning adversaries into allies )

Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl Save Me the Plums is the memoir of writer Ruth Reichl as she moves from the free-wheeling food scene of Berkeley, California, into the often baffling world of corporate media when she becomes the editor of Gourmet magazine. It is, at times, fun culinary escapism — you get to plod along next to her as she zigzags between Parisian bistros, sampling plats du jour and carafes of unlabeled red wine. It also sings a song of encouragement to female leaders, to people looking to pivot in their careers, and underlines the all-too-often overlooked importance of having a few good friends along for the ride. It also gave me a few deep belly laughs, and those will always cure what ails you. — Erin Baumgartner (TED Talk: Big data, small farms and a tale of two tomatoes )

Walden by Henry David Thoreau This book has inspired me to reevaluate the way I live and simplify my lifestyle. The lessons from Walden are especially relevant during the pandemic. — George Siedel (TED-Ed Lesson: Ethical dilemma — the burger murders )

The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wulf A biography of the great adventurer, naturalist and ecologist Alexander von Hulmboldt. Living in an era and a social circle that is today, two centuries later, almost unimaginable, Von Humboldt was the world’s first great ecologist with global insights that foretold today’s environmental downfall. For me, Andrea Wulf brought to life the man whose name had always been familiar to me but whom I never really knew. — Menno Schilthuizen (TED Talk: How animals and plants are evolving in cities )

Children’s Books

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch A simple children’s book and one of the favorites of my own children. The story repeats in succession a mother’s personal nursery rhyme for her child as the family goes through multiple varying stages of life. Through its succinct simplicity, it characterizes the comfort of routine in our ever-changing world and inspires charging vehemently through life’s ambitions, knowing loved ones will provide stability. The story’s calming nature has brought inspiration in my life to help bolster my personal ambitions, while also recognizing the unconditional comfort of familial support and love. — Hyunsoo Joshua No (TED-Ed Lesson: Performing brain surgery without a scalpel )

Cookbooks and Design

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt An inspiring cookbook? Huh? I often tell people that one of my biggest responsibilities is to provide my team with courage: The courage to try new things, to look for innovative solutions and — oh no! — to be wrong on occasion. For anyone who doesn’t cook or is new to cooking, failure often accompanies those first few omelettes. J. Kenji López-Alt speaks to me! He makes success and the pathway to achieve it clear and attainable. His instructions and explanations are provided with the care and thoughtfulness that any good leader should, but doesn’t always take the time to do. This book serves courage — and some great food! — Tom Schuler (TED Talk: How we could make carbon-negative concrete )

The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design by Roman Mars (TED Talk: Why city flags may be the worst designed thing you’ve never noticed ) and Kurt Kohlstedt I usually read in bed, but now I tend to fall asleep so quickly that it’s difficult to read things like novels without forgetting the plot from one day to the next. This book — a spin off from an inspirational podcast — is perfect for dipping into. It introduces you to things in our everyday world that we’ve probably never thought about before, such as manhole covers, and celebrates them. The whole book is a marvelous celebration of all the creativity which goes into so many things around us. — Karen Scrivener (TED Talk: A concrete idea to reduce carbon emissions )

Current Events

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander This book is a modern classic on race and incarceration, and if you haven’t read it, you’ve probably been told to read it. I’m going to be the next person to tell you that you definitely should. While it is not beyond reproach, no other book will wake you up to the horrors of the American carceral system. So just read it already! — Lucas Husted (TED-Ed Lesson: Game theory challenge — can you predict human behavior? )

In the Ruins of Neoliberalism: The Rise of Antidemocratic Politics in the West by Wendy Brown From its title, this book may look like a downer — but this relatively slender volume may inspire you to take action. Anyone paying attention in the US and elsewhere can see that democracy is fragile and under attack. Wendy Brown’s incisive analysis deepened my understanding of how and why that is happening. — John Biewen (TED Talk: The lie that invented racism )

Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and the American Dream by Jonathan Gruber and Simon Johnson This is the book that inspired me to write my own newest book Energizing America . Here, Gruber and Johnson lay out a plan for the United States to invest $100 billion annually in research and development to jumpstart economic growth in an equitable way across American communities. — Varun Sivaram (TED Talk: How India could pull off the world’s most ambitious energy transition )

Beyond the Messy Truth: How We Came Apart, How We Come Together by Van Jones (TED Talk: What if a US presidential candidate refuses to concede after an election? ) Beyond the Messy Truth is an honest, empathetic and solutions-oriented look at the divides in the current US political landscape and, more importantly, how to heal them. Van Jones examines both political parties and the people behind them, presenting a roadmap for coming together to solve our toughest problems. Looking beyond the tribalism of today, Jones calls for a “bipartisanship from below” and invites us to find common ground with unlikely allies. Full of real-life examples and critiques of current paradigms, this book is essential for all bridge-builders. — Nisha Anand (TED Talk: The radical act of choosing common ground )

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson (TED Talk: We need to talk about an injustice ) This book is a searing, scathing examination of the national criminal justice system and the systemic racism that sits at its core. It is hauntingly sad and infuriating, but I saw it also as a call to action. It shows that even in the face of a system so impossibly large and complex, a small group of tirelessly dedicated people can make a difference. Bryan Stevenson inspires us to do something, anything, to fix the brokenness of inequity, and he showed me that doing nothing is simply not an option. — Erin Baumgartner (TED Talk: Big data, small farms and a tale of two tomatoes )

Essays and Books on Writing

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin This summer, as Black Lives Matter protests gripped the nation, I retrieved an old, dog-eared copy of The Fire Next Time , a long-form essay exploring civil rights unrest published in 1963 by the incisive African-American writer James Baldwin. I turned once again to him — not for comfort but for understanding — and once again he did not disappoint. It inspired me to keep seeking truth and to keep speaking truth. — Hasan Kwame Jeffries (TED Talk: Why we must confront the painful parts of US history )

Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark I have a double life: I am a scientist and an educator. The first requires my writings to be clear, precise and succinct; the second prompts them to be more engaging, inspiring, challenging. Writing Tools taught me how to improve the writing skills I use daily in both of my endeavors, even in a language that is not my own. In this short review, I used 6 out of the 55 strategies presented in the book — can you spot them? — Fabio Pacucci (TED-Ed Lesson: Could we harness the power of a black hole? )

Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper (TED Talk: The racial politics of time ) This book was such a powerful read for me. It brought me back to Audre Lorde’s words in her essay/presentation “ The Uses of Anger “. Brittney Cooper’s voice inspires the connection of head and heart to understand the world around us and unleash a fierce engagement with action. — D-L Stewart (TED Talk: Scenes from a Black trans life )

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott (TED Talk: 12 truths I learned from life and writing ) Anne Lamott is a beloved American writer for all the right reasons, and I originally sought out her book to help me get through a creative rut and spiritual ennui when all of us first found ourselves in quarantine. But when you read this book, it’s more than just practical writing tips (of which there are plenty). She uses her writing exercises or lessons as a way to help us more deeply understand ourselves and the human condition in all its messiness. If you’re looking for sense-making and meaning during this deeply destabilizing time, this book is timeless. — Elise Hu (TED Podcast: TED Talks Daily )

The Omni-Americans: Some Alternatives to the Folklore of White Supremacy by Albert Murray Famed jazz musician and social critic Albert Murray takes on “the folklore of white supremacy” in a series of essays in this book by criticizing both reactionary and so-called “forward thinking” solutions to solving racism in the US. One of its most compelling points is that America is a mixed-race country — something that we all too often forget. Murray also argues for a vibrant “impromptu heroism culture,” which is a tendency within African-American culture observed especially in the arts that esteems the value of meritocracy and resiliency, two modes of being that are important for Americans at large. — Chloe Valdary (TED Conversation: How love can repair social inequality )

This American Life Sef! by Rudolf Okonkwo This is an easy-to-read compilation of stories that sheds light into the lives of African immigrants in America. This book tells you what many of these immigrants deal with, but they will not share, for fear of being misunderstood. While chasing the American dream, there’s the pressure of family members back home endlessly asking for money even though the immigrants themselves might not even have savings. Many hope to move back home someday — but when they do, they realize their lives are now different from what they used to know. And of course, there is the struggle for American residency, including engaging in fake weddings. The book helped me to understand others better and to never take for granted the opportunities that I’ve had in a foreign country. (You can also watch the video review that I made for this book.) — Adeola Fayehun (TED Talk: Africa is a sleeping giant — I’m trying to wake it up )

Voicing Change: Inspiration and Timeless Wisdom from the Rich Roll Podcast by Rich Roll The author is a former lawyer who struggled with addiction, before turning his life around and becoming one of the best ultra-endurance athletes in the world. He now hosts a wide-ranging podcast that frequently highlights personal transformation. This book is a collection of stories, wisdom — and some original essays — from many of his most fascinating guests. It’s also stuffed with beautiful photography. Truly, you can just flip to any page and glean a bit of inspiration for the day. — David Epstein (TED Talk: Why specializing early doesn’t always mean career success )

Intimations by Zadie Smith I know, I know. You don’t want to read about quarantine or be reminded of the pain that is now. But Zadie Smith’s writing is calming in its sheer clarity — when reading it, you think, “Yes, that’s it exactly.” Of course, there is grief in the realizations that emerge from her sentences, but a little grieving is no bad thing. — Mona Chalabi (TED Talk: 3 ways to stop a bad statistic )

Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory: Stories by Raphael Bob-Waksberg This collection of deeply felt short stories comes from the creative mind behind Bojack Horseman , an animated dramedy that, to my mind, doesn’t get enough credit for its genius. 2020 is a year about introspection and stillness, as we fortify ourselves from travel and spontaneity and one another in order to keep our communities safe. What it allows for is stronger connection and meaning-making, and these stories, while infused with elements of fantasy, made me feel and feel more connected to the human condition. There’s a line at the end of one of the stories that I found particularly inspiring: “Life is terrifying and overwhelming and it can happen at any moment. And when you’re confronted with life you can either be cowardly or you can be brave, but either way you’re going to live. So you might as well be brave.” — Elise Hu (TED Podcast: TED Talks Daily )

Collected Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges Here’s a book that would probably never land in a self-help section, and quite frankly, if you’re prone to existential angst, you might not want to read it before bedtime. But so many of these wondrous stories are really philosophical thought experiments. I haven’t read one yet that didn’t inspire my mind to go somewhere new and to search online to see what others had to say. Sometimes we need to be inspired to stop and think about things outside of our daily experience. For that, Borges is our guide. — David Epstein (TED Talk: Why specializing early doesn’t always mean career success )

Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler This sci-fi novel presents an Afrofuturist vision of the possibility of Black life. Octavia Butler illustrates what could be if we practiced an ethic that puts people before profit and community before the self. — D-L Stewart (TED Talk: Scenes from a Black trans life )

Pafko at the Wall by Don DeLillo As the sports world ground to halt because of the coronavirus, a dear friend — knowing how much I was pining for baseball’s return — sent me his copy of Don DeLillo’s novella Pafko at the Wall , a poetic telling of what it must have been like for a motley crew of city kids to bear witness to one of the greatest moments in baseball history: Bobby Thompson’s 1951 walk-off home run against the Brooklyn Dodgers, a.k.a. the “shot heard ‘round the world.” It’s sports storytelling at its best, because you don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy it, and it inspired me to hold on by reminding me that the joyful sounds of sports and play would one day be back again. — Hasan Kwame Jeffries (TED Talk: Why we must confront the painful parts of US history )

Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn I thought about these characters for weeks after I read this novel — I wanted to call up Tru and find out how she was doing; I wanted to hear if Patsy got a better job. Nicole Dennis-Benn has written characters that are flawed and still lovable, cowardly and still brave, tragic and yet heroic. Just go read it. — Mona Chalabi (TED Talk: 3 ways to stop a bad statistic )

The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall To create systems of inclusion, we really have to expand our point of view and, more importantly, understand the points of view of those around us. Sometimes we can look at or be in exactly the same things and places and have an entirely different experience. This book gives us an alternative account of the American novel Gone with the Wind — but from the vantage point of an enslaved woman. Talk about perspective! You’ll definitely “give a damn” about this one, Scarlett. — Nita Mosby Tyler (TED Talk: Want a more just world? Be an unlikely ally )

In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddy Ratner When I travel, I’ve made a habit of reading a book set in the place I’m visiting. I read this novel while in Cambodia; it’s loosely based on Vaddy Ratner’s own childhood under the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Despite its bleak subject, the book is beautiful and even joyful — imbued with mythology, folklore and history. In the touching determination of a father to help his daughter see beauty amidst despair, I understood the true power of imagination. — Nirupa Rao (TED Talk: An illustrated kingdom of real, fantastical plants )

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift Though the work is seen as a work of entertaining fiction by many people today, it is — for me — a deeply philosophical work that invites the reader to consider the limitations and relativity of human knowledge. By the end of his journeys, Gulliver is a changed man who realizes that many of the things he thought he knew were, in fact, wrong and that there are other forms of knowledge and intelligence in the world. It is a work that is both thought-provoking and humbling at the same time. — Farish Ahmad-Noor (TED Talk: Why is colonialism still romanticized? )

Japanese Tales by Royall Tyler With over 200 medieval Japanese stories ( some less than a page), this is the book I reach for when I can’t sleep. It’s strange to call a book that helps me sleep inspiring, but in this insomniac year it really is. Each little story is a dreamscape and puts my mind in a different state. My grandmother is Japanese, but she never really told me too much in the way of medieval tales as a child. These are the stories I wish I’d heard. — Saleem Reshamwala (TED Podcast: Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala )

The Shack by Paul Young This popular book was also made into a movie. It’s a novel about a family tragedy that caused the main character to spiral into a deep depression and question his innermost beliefs and faith in God. I must have read this book at least eight times — it kept me going through the toughest time of my life after my father died suddenly in 2009. He died in Nigeria while I was in the US, and it was very very tough for me to overcome that darkness. He is the reason I am doing all I’m doing today, because he believed in me even more than I believed in myself. I’m from a society where the male child is usually seen as the potential child, but my father never bought into that. There are six of us — five girls and one boy — and he raised us all the same. So the book really helped me to navigate through losing him so suddenly. — Adeola Fayehun (TED Talk: Africa is a sleeping giant — I’m trying to wake it up )

Graphic Novels

My Favorite Thing is Monsters: Vol. I by Emil Ferris This is a book that inspires me just by existing — a massive, award-winning graphic novel, with 416 pages (in this volume) of densely cross-hatched drawings, done primarily in Bic pen. A regular ballpoint! Every time I see it, I’m reminded that I don’t need perfect equipment to make things; I just need to let my brain get weird and dive in. — Saleem Reshamwala (TED Podcast: Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala )

Moms by Yeong-shin Ma A graphic novel that includes a fight scene between two women in their 50s? Yes, please. The illustrations make you feel a little bit less dead inside, and the narrative of life’s consecutive disappointments has a strange levity. — Mona Chalabi (TED Talk: 3 ways to stop a bad statistic )

Building Stories by Chris Ware Chris Ware’s Building Stories , published in 2012, is so much more than a book. It is 14 individual experiences full of ennui, heartbreak, joy and elation, of humans living their lives stacked inside a box — 14 interlocking stories of the residents of a Chicago apartment building. The 14 pieces in Building Stories includes a game board, a newspaper, two hardcover books and various ephemera filled with lonely, frustrated people aching for connection. There’s the one-legged thirty-something woman, who is also the central character, living on the top floor, frustrated with her husband, gaining weight and wondering what happened to her dreams. There is a lonely old landlady living on the ground floor, a couple living on the middle floor with relationship problems and Branford, The Best Bee In The World, who is truly a thinking bee. The design is not limited to the story or to the presentation of the book — it is central to the narrative. Building Stories is remarkable and sets the stage for an entirely new way of storytelling. — Debbie Millman (TED Talk: How symbols and brands shape our humanity and TED Podcast: Design Matters with Debbie Millman )

The Power Broker: Robert Moses and The Fall of New York by Robert Caro This is, perhaps, the single greatest book about politics and power you could ever hope to read. It inspired Barack Obama in his 20s, and we saw where that led. It’s about a man you may not know anything about — Robert Moses — who did more to shape New York City and State and the broader American landscape than you could ever know. The book traces his rise from an aspirational youth into the complicated, problematic and power-hungry, ruthless individual he became (or maybe always was). Robert Caro is, perhaps, the greatest biographer of the last 100 years at least, and this is his only one-volume biography. So if you’ve ever wanted to check him out, there is no better book. It won the Pulitzer Prize! Need I say more? — Lucas Husted (TED-Ed Lesson: Game theory challenge — can you predict human behavior? )

Meet Me in The Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001 – 2011 by Lizzy Goodman This book chronicles a magic moment in rock and roll — a point where the Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, Regina Spektor and so many others were all in the same place at the same time. It’s not quite 16th-century Florence, but for the genre it basically was. Again, the cross fertilization of ideas and receptivity to new thinking was the engine that made it all possible. — Neal Katyal (TED Talk: How to win an argument at the Supreme Court, or anywhere )

The Structure of World History: From Modes of Production to Modes of Exchange by Kōjin Karatani It was around the time of the Sunflower Movement that I started reading this book by Kōjin Karatani. The “Exchange Mode X” inspired me to channel the Sunflower Movement’s energy of outrage and hope into practical social innovations. — Audrey Tang (TED Conversation: How digital innovations can fight pandemics and strengthen democracy )

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin (TED Talk: Lessons from past presidents ) Let’s see: A leader cobbles together a group of former rivals — with radically divergent opinions but extraordinary talent — to lead the country through a horrific national challenge. Sound similar to today’s world? Abraham Lincoln was a master at seeing the talent and common ground below the partisan patina of a group of people who had the skills to navigate the nation’s darkest challenges. Respect everyone, find the gem, and more importantly, help former antagonists see and use their strengths to break through. Team of Rivals is a master class in leadership and one that has guided my own leadership development over the years. It’s inspiration you can use! — Tom Schuler (TED Talk: How we could make carbon-negative concrete )

This book is all about the leadership skills of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. Among other things, it showed me how important it is to surround yourself with those who have demonstrated excellence in their chosen field — even if this includes those who are your political rivals vying for your seat. — Chloe Valdary (TED Conversation: How love can repair social inequality )

A History of the World in 21 Women by Jenny Murray Here’s a book that’s great for dipping into — I loved the diversity of the stories across thousand of years. Of course, 21 is an absurdly small number and I hope women today don’t have to be so exceptional to make history! — Karen Scrivener (TED Talk: A concrete idea to reduce carbon emissions )

Science, Psychology and Self-Help

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins Published in 1976, this early work of Richard Dawkins is still very relevant today. When I read it in the 1980s, the book was crucial in my development as an evolutionary biologist because it showed me, in crisp and clear language, how to reason out evolutionary processes and helped me to “think like a gene” and predict the ways in which evolution does and doesn’t shape our living world. — Menno Schilthuizen (TED Talk: How animals and plants are evolving in cities )

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth (TED Talk: Grit — the power of passion and perseverence ) This book inspired me because of the actual grit Duckworth (herself displays along her journey; She leaves a lucrative job to follow her heart but even more impressively she doesn’t linger in comfort zones and she pushes herself to constantly evolve and grow, despite the challenges and growing pains that often accompany such journeys. — Gil Winch (TED Video: How we can use the hiring process to bring out the best in people )

Ho’oponopono: The Hawaiian Forgiveness Ritual as the Key to Your Life’s Fulfillment by Ulrich E. Duprée This tiny little book inspired me by teaching me a simple way to see the divine in others and in myself. — Modupe Akinola (TED Podcast: TED Business )

Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know by Malcolm Gladwell (TED Talk: The unheard story of David and Goliath ) This book got me thinking a lot about remembering names as a way of honoring the beautiful souls of so many who have experienced untimely and unnecessary deaths in our society, because he names can blend in all too quickly. I also love the audio version of the book as Malcolm Gladwell uses existing audio from interviews and, as an added treat, infuses the book with Janelle Monae‘s song “ hell you talmbout “. — Modupe Akinola (TED Podcast: TED Business )

The New Sylva: A Discourse of Forest and Orchard Trees for the 21st Century by Gabriel Hemery and Sarah Simblet As a botanical artist myself, I found Sarah Simblet’s illustrations to be the stuff of dreams. Her 200 ink drawings of trees native to the British landscape — like oak, elm, beech, willow and juniper — are depicted with simultaneous fragility and strength. — Nirupa Rao (TED Talk: An illustrated kingdom of real, fantastical plants )

Seeing Science: How Photography Reveals the Universe by Marvin Heiferman  This book is like walking through an exquisitely curated museum exhibit from the comfort of your own home. It showcases the images that both inspired and changed the course of science as we know it. Much of my TED talk was about the power of imaging the invisible, and this book illustrates how scientific images have shaped our knowledge and understanding of the world. — Ariel Waldman (TED Talk: The invisible life hidden beneath Antarctica’s ice )

Illumination in the Flatwoods: A Season with the Wild Turkey by Joe Hutto This nonfiction journal follows Hutto as he finds himself raising two clutches of wild turkey eggs in the flatwoods of Florida. As he raises them and works to safely return them to the total wild, they change his life. Not only does the reader get a front-row seat to just how amazing turkeys are but you also gain all the wonder and joy that Joe Hutto experiences as he brings the turkeys into the wild. — Leah Garcés (TED Talk: A lesson in turning adversaries into allies )

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold Aldo Leopold was an author, naturalist and beloved professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and he’s largely credited as one of the founders of the modern environmental movement, especially in terms of the incalculable value of wilderness. I love Leopold’s simple and direct writing style, and in A Sand County Almanac , he essentially lays out the fundamentals for an ethics of environment. — Chris Fisher (TED Talk: Let’s scan the whole planet with LIDAR )

The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself and Win by Maria Konnikova On its face, this is a book about poker. But the psychology-PhD author really just used poker as a way to explore risk and luck and focus and how to learn a new skill. When she started the project, she didn’t know the number of cards in a deck. By the end, she was a poker pro. It’s an amazing journey, and a reminder of how invigorating and educational it can be to step outside of one’s comfort zone and try something completely new. — David Epstein (TED Talk: Why specializing early doesn’t always mean career success )

Fishing Through the Apocalypse: An Angler’s Adventures in the 21st Century by Matthew L. Miller As somebody who also fishes for obscure tiny fish in sewers, it is nice to know that I am not the only crazy one. Matthew Miller details his quest to catch as many species as possible, which sometimes takes him to scenic mountain streams but also to toxic drainage ditches under highway overpasses. While it is glib to think of fishing in such industrial, human-influenced areas, it also gives hope — showing that life persists even under the harshest conditions. Miller suggests how we can turn it all around so that future generations can enjoy pristine, sustainable fisheries just as the generations before us. — Noah Bressman (TED-Ed Lesson: The fish that walk on land )

Scatter, Adapt and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction by Annalee Newitz The thing I love most about this book is how Annalee Newitz started writing this book with a fairly gloomy outlook but after much fascinating research, she came out the other side feeling hopeful for humanity. Getting inspired by how we can survive the worst feels like an appropriate and cathartic read for 2020. — Ariel Waldman (TED Talk: The invisible life hidden beneath Antarctica’s ice )

Reflections From the North Country by Sigurd F. Olson I grew up on the shores of gichi-gami (a.ka. Lake Superior) and the waters of the Quetico-Superior country of northern Minnesota and Ontario — most often with a canoe paddle in my hands. I was gifted a wilderness education in those places that has directly influenced the direction and thinking behind my Earth Archive project. This land of incredible beauty and harsh contrasts is currently embroiled in a bitter fight between the interests of big mining over the intrinsic value of wilderness.  As a consequence this year, I found myself returning to old favorites and writers who most influenced me. One of them was Sigurd Olson, a prolific author, environmental activist and long-time North Country paddler who helped draft the Wilderness act of 1964 and is largely credited with the creation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) of Northern Minnesota (a place I dearly love). I could have put any of Olson’s works here but Reflections makes the case for the preservation of wilderness, and this is the work that I found myself returning to again and again this year. — Chris Fisher (TED Talk: Let’s scan the whole planet with LIDAR )

Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin Neil Shubin offers an easy-to-understand explanation of how life evolved from single-cell organisms into people. After reading this book, people will understand that they are literally fish, albeit super-smart fish that evolved to live out of the water — but fish nonetheless. — Noah Bressman (TED-Ed Lesson: The fish that walk on land )

“Happiness Won’t Save You” by Jennifer Senior (TED Talk: For parents, happiness is a very high bar ) When I arrived at Michigan to start my doctorate in psychology in 2003, I was stunned to learn that happiness expert Philip Brickman — who did the famous study which compared the happiness of lottery winners and accident victims — had died by suicide on campus. Ever since, I’ve wondered why, and this poignant New York Times article begins to unravel the mystery. It’s filled with empathy, evidence and wisdom on the human condition. — Adam Grant (TED Talk: Are you a giver or a taker? and TED Podcast: Work Life with Adam Grant )

The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard College Observatory Took The Measure of the Stars by Dava Sobel The Harvard College Observatory is an historical research institute founded in 1839 on a little hilltop in Cambridge, Massachusetts. To me, it is a splendid place which exudes history and science all over and I am lucky enough to call it my workplace. The Glass Universe tells the inspiring and breathtaking story of a group of very remarkable women who changed forever our understanding of the stars in the firmament. The so-called “calculators” included Annie Jump Cannon, Henrietta Swan Leavitt and Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, among others, who were living in a world of science dominated by men. They forever changed the history of astronomy and inspired generations of scientists for centuries to come. — Fabio Pacucci (TED-Ed Lesson: Could we harness the power of a black hole? )

• personal growth
• reading list
• recommended reading
• society and culture

TED Talk of the Day

How to make radical climate action the new normal

6 ways to give that aren't about money

A smart way to handle anxiety -- courtesy of soccer great Lionel Messi

How do top athletes get into the zone? By getting uncomfortable

6 things people do around the world to slow down

Creating a contract -- yes, a contract! -- could help you get what you want from your relationship

Could your life story use an update? Here’s how to do it 

6 tips to help you be a better human now

How to have better conversations on social media (really!)

3 strategies for effective leadership, from a former astronaut

The happy secret to better work: A reading list

Your gift guide: Books for all kinds of readers, from TED

Books to help you answer big questions about yourself

7 must-read books on work and productivity

Communication , Motivation

10 inspirational books that have changed my life.

Reading has a way of making an impact on our lives and changing the way we think and observe. I have been reading a lot. There are so many books that I have to write about. They have not only influenced me but instigated a lot of positive difference in my life. I believe if they can drive so much difference in my life, they will do the same to you. Some of these books unearth philosophies, drive spirituality and could be beneficial to your personal and career growth.

1.  Oh the places you will go by Dr. Seuss

If you are starting out on your independant journey through life, whether you are coming out of High School or college, this book shows how you can take charge of your life. It equipped me with the courage to pursue my purpose and direction in life. I believe it can also inspire you to discover yourself and take action to go the direction you chose to take.

2.  The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

Brene Brown tought me to be thankful in her book The Gifts of Imperfection. We tend to want to be perceived as perfect not only in our own eyes but in the eyes of others. This is something that could leave us drained. However we should always learn to be thankful of who we are and what we are. We should never judge ourselves and feel inadequate despite the inordinate flow of messages and images by the media.

3.  Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

This book is about how you can get your personal finance right. Reading through this book I found what was amiss in my life. It was not about just working for money but making sure my money worked for me. Finding out that hole or discovering that wealthy mentality of investing and seeing wealth not as an accident but as a result of action could make a lot of difference in your life.

4.  The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

This book by Robert Greene which has become popular amongst prison inmates, business leaders and celebrities makes you understand the philosophy of becoming great and managing greatness. With 48 amazing principles Robert Greene has taught me effective and strategic methods in handling power and greatness.

5.  Life of Pi by Yann Martel

What makes this story so great or inspiring is that after the protagonist lost his family on a journey he built a relationship with a tiger that made him see the world differently. A superb work of fiction by Yann Martel, the beauty of the journey in The life of Pi can make you realize and discover what should be truly important in your life.

6.  Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling

It is so difficult not to put Harry Potter on this list because it did hit me as a fantastical book that brought out human eccentricities and mystics through the eye of a boy. Through your challenges Harry Potter will make you see the amusing and fascinating angle in it.

7.  The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell

This book started me on a spiritual journey to find out the special quality inside of me. It is a book that makes you discover yourself. It breaks beyond whatever religious opinion you may have but broadens your insight into your own spiritual life which you might have already established.

8.  The One Thing by Gary Keller

This book helped me prioritize on what is important and it will help you discover that too. If you are having hectic days and are overwhelmed with work you should read this to evaluate your priorities and pursue those things that are really important.

9.  On Writing by Stephen King

We all get broken sometimes. Stephen King in his memoir On Writing discusses how he was able to pass through depressing times to hit into the next stage. There were rejections and many times he downed bottles to get through depressing times. This book helped me understand how to make it through difficult times and that we are not alone with our experiences.

10. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

This book showed me the importance of not playing the victim. Complaining and throwing blames do not solve problems but speaking and taking charge of whatever situation you are presented with by acting erases your difficulties.

These are ten books that have inspired me, what are yours?

Featured photo credit: http://www.pixabay.com via pixabay.com

How to Use a Planner Effectively

How to Be a Better Planner: Avoid the Planning Fallacy

5 Best Apps to Help You Delegate Tasks Easily

Delegating Leadership Style: What Is It & When To Use It?

The Fear of Delegating Work To Others

Why Is Delegation Important in Leadership?

7 Best Tools for Prioritizing Work

How to Deal with Competing Priorities Effectively

What Is the RICE Prioritization Model And How Does It Work?

4 Exercises to Improve Your Focus

What Is Chronic Procrastination and How To Deal with It

How to Snap Out of Procrastination With ADHD

Are Depression And Procrastination Connected?

Procrastination And Laziness: Their Differences & Connections

Bedtime Procrastination: Why You Do It And How To Break It

15 Books on Procrastination To Help You Start Taking Action

Productive Procrastination: Is It Good or Bad?

The Impact of Procrastination on Productivity

How to Cope With Anxiety-Induced Procrastination

How to Break the Perfectionism-Procrastination Loop

15 Work-Life Balance Books to Help You Take Control of Life

Work Life Balance for Women: What It Means & How to Find It

6 Essential Mindsets For Continuous Career Growth

How to Discover Your Next Career Move Amid the Great Resignation

The Key to Creating a Vibrant (And Magical Life) by Lee Cockerell

9 Tips on How To Disconnect From Work And Stay Present

Work-Life Integration vs Work-Life Balance: Is One Better Than the Other?

How To Practice Self-Advocacy in the Workplace (Go-to Guide)

How to Boost Your Focus And Attention Span

What Are Distractions in a Nutshell?

What Is Procrastination And How To End It

Prioritization — Using Your Time & Energy Effectively

Delegation — Leveraging Your Time & Resources

Your Guide to Effective Planning & Scheduling

The Ultimate Guide to Achieving Goals

How to Find Lasting Motivation

Complete Guide to Getting Back Your Energy

How to Have a Good Life Balance

Explore the time flow system.

About the Time Flow System

Key Philosophy I: Fluid Progress, Like Water

Key Philosophy II: Pragmatic Priorities

Key Philosophy III: Sustainable Momentum

Key Philosophy IV: Three Goal Focus

How the Time Flow System Works

• Research Paper
• Book Report
• Book Review
• Movie Review
• Dissertation
• Thesis Proposal
• Research Proposal
• Dissertation - Abstract
• Dissertation Introduction
• Dissertation Review
• Dissertat. Methodology
• Dissertation - Results
• Admission Essay
• Scholarship Essay
• Personal Statement
• Proofreading
• Speech Presentation
• Math Problem
• Article Critique
• Annotated Bibliography
• Reaction Paper
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Statistics Project
• Multiple Choice Questions
• Resume Writing
• Other (Not Listed)

The Book that has Inspired me the Most (Essay Sample)

formatted in APA style, double spaced, with more than 200 words. talks about a Book That Has Inspired Me Most.

Book That Has Inspired Me Most Student Name Institution Affiliation Instructor Date Book That Has Inspired Me Most Thoreau writes as if he has no control over what he experiences or what happens to him (lake Walden). It provides a realistic depiction of reality for a brand-new purpose. He doesn't preach, he doesn't preach the gospel, and he doesn't try to get into your head. He states the facts, asks himself why things are the way they are, tries to interpret the issue, and encourages you to reflect and reach your conclusions. Thus, this isn't to imply that his thinking and work aren't a little hazy. It's just that they're not like the works of other writers. Most of them have a set tone, black and white, reflected in people's actions, which means precisely where their honesty is. It is also not a book about living alone in the woods. He, during his stay, thinks about his life before Walden, the passing of the outside world, human nature, books, and countless other things that capture his fascination and attention at that moment. This book encourages every page

Other Topics:

• Consumer Behavior Associated with Online Shopping Description: Online shopping has recently become a solution to the hectic modern environment. A company's primary aim is to provide products and services that better meet the needs of its customers. A company that offers excellent customer service is more competitive than its rivals because happy customers are more ... 1 page/≈275 words | 2 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Essay |
• Reflective Essay: Living, Learning and Working on the Web Description: In the process of completing “Living, Learning and Working on the Web” unit I have improved and gotten valuable insights in issues related to the web. In particular, I am glad I was exposed to the damaging effects of cyber bullying (Dudley, 2020). While most have heard of the term and know someone or ... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 2 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Essay |
• Implications and Misconceptions Brought by Single Stories About Sexual Orientation Description: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks about the impact of a single story on people's lives and their perceptions of others. If consistently told by the right narrators, a stereotypical narrative can lead to numerous implications and misperceptions on society. In the identity profile, sexual orientation and body ... 2 pages/≈550 words | 2 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Essay |
• Exchange your samples for free Unlocks.
• 24/7 Support

My Book My Inspiration Essay & Paragraphs For Students

Books have always been a source of knowledge, of enjoyment, of wisdom, and, most importantly, of inspiration. Throughout my academic journey, one book has significantly impacted my life and thoughts. That book is “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. It has been a beacon of inspiration, guiding me through various life situations with its profound themes and characters.

Table of Contents

Essay On My Book My Inspiration Essay

Personal impact.

The book, set in the Great Depression era, explores themes of morality, justice, and the loss of innocence. It’s the moral compass of Atticus Finch, one of the central characters in the book, that has inspired me the most. His unwavering commitment to justice, along with his constant compassion and respect for others, has taught me the importance of standing up for what’s right, even in the face of adversity.

Understanding Others

To Kill a Mockingbird has also taught me the importance of empathy. The book’s quote, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it,” has deeply resonated with me. It has made me more open-minded and understanding of the perspectives of others, helping me in all my interpersonal relationships.

Facing Prejudices 

The book provides a candid depiction of racial and class prejudices prevalent in society. This portrayal has made me aware of my inherent biases, and has inspired me to consciously work towards being more accepting and less judgmental of others.

Courage and Perseverance

Finally, the book is a testament to the power of courage and perseverance. Despite the odds stacked against him, Atticus fights relentlessly for justice. His character has instilled in me a drive to face challenges head on, with courage and resolve.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, “To Kill a Mockingbird” continues to inspire me in many ways. It has shaped my character, influenced my thought process, and guided my actions. I believe that books are not just for reading, but also for learning and drawing inspiration, and “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a perfect example of such a book.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

Related Posts:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. We’re on a mission to change that. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ.

Books That Have Influenced Me Most

John Piper Twitter @JohnPiper

Don’t devour one another, god decides the future, the emotional roller coaster of bible reading, god rules babylon, how does love fulfill the law, seemingly insignificant providence.

Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org

These, except for the Bible, are not in any order of priority but only in the order that they came to mind. I may well have forgotten some significant ones.

1. The Bible

There has been no period in my life as early as I can remember when I have not loved and longed to understand the Bible. And there is no way to estimate the enormity of its impact on the shape of my life and thought.

2. a. Hermeneutics by Daniel Fuller (unpublished) b. The Unity of the Bible by Daniel Fuller (Zondervan, 1991)

The influence of these two books is indistinguishable from the influence of Dr.. Fuller as a living teacher. Through these two books and his teaching I found my way into a method of biblical theology which has been immeasurably fruitful both in the scholarly and spiritual dimensions of my life. He taught me the importance of seeing what is there, the importance of asking hard questions , the importance of seeking unity in theology and the importance of a Spirit-given, docile, humility before the text of Scripture.

3. Validity in Interpretation by E.D. Hirsch (Yale U. Press, 1967).

From this book I came to believe very strongly in the real possibility of rethinking another person's thoughts after him. This meant that "meaning", defined as what an author willed to communicate, was a discoverable reality outside my own consciousness. This confidence provided for me a thrilling incentive to read what great thinkers have written, because it meant that I might be able to actually understand and appropriate what they thought. The possibilities for growth still seem unlimited on the basis of what I learned from Hirsch.

4. How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren (Simon and Schuster, 1972).

While Hirsch gave me the philosophical foundation for the task and hope of reading for understanding, Adler provided for me the methodological superstructure for carrying out the task. It is a beautifully written book and is eminently reasonable and full of common sense wisdom. Perhaps the most stimulating thing about it was the challenge it gave to stretch my mind by reading books which are harder than I can presently handle. Doesn't it make sense that, if we are to grow in our understanding and in our ability to reason clearly and deeply, then we must try to read those "great books" which go beyond our present ability to fully comprehend? So Adler gave me great encouragement to get on with the business of enlarging my understanding and my appreciation of things that great men have thought and written.

5. Books by C.S. Lewis

I discovered C.S. Lewis through Mere Christianity my freshman year in college. Since then I have read over 20 books by Lewis. He has had a tremendous influence on me in several ways.

1) He has made me wary of chronological snobbery. That is, he has shown me that "newness" is no virtue and "oldness" is no fault. Truth and beauty and goodness are not determined by when they exist. Nothing is inferior for being old and nothing is valuable for being modern. This has freed me from the tyranny of novelty and opened for me the wisdom of the ages. He said one: every third book you read should be from outside your own (provincial) century.

2) He demonstrated for me and convinced me that rigorous, precise, penetrating logic is not inimical to deep, soul-stirring feeling and vivid, lively, even playful imagination. He was a "romantic rationalist." He combined what almost everybody today assumes are mutually exclusive: rationalism and poetry, cool logic and warm feeling, disciplined prose and free imagination. In shattering these old stereotypes for me, he freed me to think hard and to write poetry, to argue for the resurrection and compose hymns to Christ, to smash an argument and hug a friend, to demand a definition and use a metaphor.

3) Finally, Lewis has given (and continues to give) me an intense sense of the "realness" of things. This is hard to communicate. To wake up in the morning and to be aware of the firmness of the mattress, the warmth of the sun rays, the sound of the clock ticking, the sheer being of things (quiddity as he calls it). He helped me become alive to life. He helped me to see what is there in the world--things which if we didn't have them, we would pay a million dollars to have, but having them, ignore. He convicts me of my insensitivity to beauty. He convicts me of my callous inability to enjoy God's daily gifts. He helps me to awaken my dazing soul so that the realities of life and of God and heaven and hell are seen and felt.

Among the books I have read and enjoyed with much profit are: Mere Christianity, Screwtape Letters, The Problem of Pain, The Abolition of Man, Miracles, Pilgrim's Regress, Poems, Letters to an American Lady, Letters of C.S. Lewis, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (cf. The other 6 Narnia books) ,Perelandra, Out of the Silent Planet, That Hideous Strength, Christian Reflections, Experiment in Criticism, God in the Dock, The Four Loves, The Weight of Glory, A Mind Awake (anthology ed. by C.. Kilby).

6. Books by Jonathan Edwards

Along with Daniel Fuller and C.S. Lewis, Jonathan Edwards ranks as a dominant influence upon my thought and upon my devotion. I think I was attracted to him for the same reason I was attracted to C.S. Lewis. One day while I was in seminary, Dr. Fuller got upset in class because some student said we were being too rational and that this was damaging to faith and devotion to God. Fuller retorted that he saw no reason why the two should be inimical to each other, that is, rationality and warm devotion. In the process of defending this, and as my heart was beating fast with pleasure and expectation, Fuller said: "Jonathan Edwards could move easily from lucid, complex logical argument into a devotional style that would warm your grandmother's heart." That was all I needed; I was off to the library to find the hidden treasure.

Edwards is a giant intellectually and worked as hard as anyone has, probably, to solve some of the hardest theological problems. To make it your aim to understand Jonathan Edwards is to set one of the highest and most fruitful theological goals possible. I have plodded along in pursuit of this goal for years and the effort has been rewarded one hundred-fold in profundity of theological, ethical, psychological insight. But more than that, Edwards has ushered me closer into the presence of God than any other writer has. He has done this by depicting God in a way so authentic and so powerful that to read and understand is to experience the Reality beyond the description. Edwards has been there where few of us ever get to go in this life and he has sought and found words that, for me at leas, not only inform but transport. Penetrating logic and spiritual responses of the affections mingle in Edwards like branch and fruit, fire and heat, pain and weeping. They are inextricably wed. It is impossible to have understood Edwards and ever to be satisfied again with "rationalism" or with "enthusiasm." Logic and affection are happily married in the healthy heart of Jonathan Edwards.

The most influential book was Freedom of the Will which, so far as I know, has not been shown wrong. Its thesis is that "God's moral government over mankind, his treating them as moral agents, making them the object of his commands, counsels, calls, warnings, expostulations, promises, threatenings, rewards and punishment is not inconsistent with a determining disposal of all events, of every kind, throughout the universe, in his providence; either by positive efficiency, or permission."

Next to this in shaping my thought would be his Dissertation Concerning the End for Which God Created the World. Here both reason and an amazing plethora of Scriptures are amassed to demonstrate that God makes Himself the end of all his acts in creation and redemption. "All that is ever spoken of in the Scripture as an ultimate end of God's works, is included in that one phrase, THE GLORY OF GOD." Along with Dr. Fuller's Unity of the Bible this book has caused many things to fall into place for me.

The other works I have read in the order of their impact are Religious Affections, The Nature of True Virtue, Unpublished Essay on the Trinity, The Great Christian Doctrine of Original Sin Defended, Charity and its Fruits , and other sermons.

7. Books by George Ladd

In understanding the theology unique to the New Testament no one has influenced me more than George Ladd. This is true especially concerning the message of Jesus and the message of Paul and how they have a unified view of redemptive history. From Ladd's books , A Theology of the New Testament and The Presence of the Future , I came to appreciate the centrality of the coming of God's Kingdom into history in advance of its apocalyptic manifestation at the end of history. "Fulfillment without consummation", as Ladd puts it is the "mystery of the Kingdom" which we as believers are given to know. The essence of Christianity is "the already". The center of history is in the past. The decisive battle has been won against Satan. It was fought in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We now live in a tension as Christians for we are delivered from this present evil age and have our citizenship in heave, but we are not yet perfected and the flesh, the world and Satan are not yet wholly abolished. Therefore we are more than conquerors but we still must fight.

Many others might have taught me this (Oscar Cullmann, Geerdhardus Vos, etc.) but in the providence of God I learned it best from George Ladd and I am deeply grateful to him for his labor in study and writing.

8. Other authors

There have no doubt been many other books that have influenced me, some of which I can't even remember. Authors like G.K. Chesterton, William Wordsworth, Paul Tournier, John Calvin, Leonhard Goppelt, Bill Piper (my father), Stuart Hackett and Clyde Kilby still come to my mind. But such a list begins to be too inclusive to be useful.

Nor, in conclusion, do I want to leave the impression that reading many books is important. Reading great books and reading them well is what is important. Meditative reading, reading which stops and ponders, reading which sees deep into reality - that is the kind of reading which profits. That kind of reading should never end for you. Growth and stimulation and transformation will never end for you. You will be in the company of the greatest minds and hearts for the rest of your life, and you will become their peers if you read for understanding and for life.

New Resources in Your Inbox

A digest from Desiring God

‘Abraham, Take Your Son’

Where Heaven Touches Earth

Describe a book that had a major influence on you

You should say:, what is the name of the book, how did you first hear of the book, what’s the main story of the book.

Well, I have quite fond of reading books. In fact, I love to read all types of books such as religious, comic thriller and motivational books. As you ask me to talk about a book that influences me most so I strongly believe that one book named “The Power of Subconscious Mind” has changed my whole life in a positive way.

This is a motivational book which is written by Dr. Joseph Murphy. My husband told me about this book and I decided to read it. Then, I purchased this book from the Amazon store. When I started to read it, then I realize that the real meaning of conscious and subconscious mind and how it works? As I have told you before that this is a motivational book and it is all about different stages of our mind. In this novel, so many short real stories which show that with the help of our subconscious mind anyone can get anything which they want.

One story that attracts me most in this book is about one old lady who is suffering from physical disability and doctors said to her that she would not be able to walk herself in her whole life but she knew about the power of subconscious mind. So, she did not give up. When any person asked her about her illness, then she smiled and replied she is alright and will walk on her feet very soon. After one month she stands properly and walks as well.

Moreover, in this book, there are so many other stories which told me that the will power of our internal mind works for us. This book influences me a lot. Before reading this book, I always thought about the negative and positive aspect of anything. I was less confident as well. However, After reading the stories in this book,  now I am more self-confident as well as I always see the bright side of anything.

I live my life as I want and achieve so many things with the power of the subconscious mind. According to my own perspective,  this book is just like a miracle and everyone should read it once.

Well,  I have fond of reading books. So, I like to read books in my leisure time. Today, I have asked to talk about a book that had a major influence on me. So, Here, I would like to talk about a book ‘The secret’ which is written by Rhonda Byrne the famous writer.  This book had changed the way of my thinking and motivates me a lot as well.

Furthermore, I heard about this book around 7-8 years before. I remember, I felt very low at that time and was very disappointed with every thing. But, my cousin brother had told me about this book and said to read it and he also said that it will definitely change your vision point.  As I already said that I fond of reading books. So, I borrow it from him and went to the home. Then, begun to read it. When I read one or two pages, I didn’t know that it will become my life changing book.

It solved all my problems and ultimately answered my all questions. ‘The secret’ book was based on the belief of law of attraction which claims that thoughts can change a person’s life directly. It doesn’t contain any particular story. Actually, it was based on truths of life and a motivational book. A number of things related to our life like how to get happiness, how to get more money, how to stay healthy only with the law of attraction means our mind thoughts. All the above things are mentioned in this book.

I must say, after reading this book, I google it and found that this book was based on a movie that was released before it. Then, I decided to watch this movie and found everything which I read in the book. And also tried all the tricks in my life mentioned in the book and movie as well.

Really, I got everything changed in my life and got things according to my vision or dreams. For all these changes, I will always be thankful to my brother and felt blessed a lot, having a brother like him who encouraged me. And he told me a secret of life, for life.

FOLLOWUPS QUESTION:

Question: how often do you read books?

Answer: Actually, I don’t read books very often because I do work and I do not have enough time to read books but when I was younger that time I read books related to my study and some story books which gifted by my parents. When I was 16 years old that time I read a history book of Mahatma Gandhi Ji and I really loved it as well as, some time I like to read computer software books.

Question: How books can impact on a man’s life?

Answer: Books are a very useful source of knowledge. Reading books is a good way to spend free time and remove tightness and stress. I also like to read books as compared to the internet, when we read books and, we know about the imagination of the writer as well as, the concept also. Moreover, there is a possibility for someone to change the view about a specific topic such as culture, religion, gender parity and so on. with the help of it, people are become open-minded by reading books. when folks read books and, they learn other languages as well as, they also learn a foreign language with the help of books.

Question: Name some of the famous writers of your country? 

Answer: In my country India, people like to read all types of books. there are many famous writers such as; Rabindranath Tagore, Khushwant Singh, Vikram Seth, and Arundhati Roy. Rabindranath Tagore wrote many stories, novels, poems, and dramas. He is also very well known for composing music as well as, he won the Noble Prize in literature. He was the first Asian to win the prize. Vikram Seth published in 1993. He is an Indian novelist and poet and, he has written several novels and poetry books. He has received many awards including; Padma Shri, Sahitya Akademi award, Pravasi Bharatiya Saman and many more.

Question: Have you ever thought about writing books?

Answer:  To be honest, I’m not interested in writing a book as well as, my writing skill is not good. Imagination power also blunt as compared to others and, I cannot imagine things without any experience and, I easily jump in conclusion with thinking but In future, I prefer to share my personal life stories and experience with my family and friends in verbal form as compared to written form.

Describe a cool winter morning cue card Ieltsfever

Also, like our facebook page  ieltsfever.

• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

Pages Content

About The Author

IELTS FEVER

1 thought on “describe a book that had a major influence on you”.

Its a really amazing website

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Wednesday, Apr 29

35 inspirational books to change your life 🌅.

Inspiration comes in many forms, particularly when it comes to books. Fiction can propel us to grow just as the characters did. And non-fiction is not far behind, with its steady guidance on how to and how not to do everything from poetry to professional development.

But inspirational books go a little bit further, especially for those among us in need of extra hygge, a Danish saying that encompasses that feeling of cozy contentment. Hygge is perhaps just another way — a fancy way — of saying: let's curl up by the fire with a book that will calm and ease the soul. Within these 35 inspirational books , you'll encounter a variety of genres, tastes, and perspectives from a diversity of authors. Yet despite their differences, they all seek to guide you to a better future — and a better you . Without further ado, let's check out the books that will motivate you to change your life for the better.

1. The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins ⭐ Indie Spotlight

In its blurb, The 5 Second Rule promises to teach you how to become confident, break the habit of procrastination and self-doubt, beat fear and uncertainty, and be happier. As big of an ask as that might sound, Robbins more than delivers in this wildly popular self-help book , which is built on the titular 5 second rule: the five seconds you should take every time you need to push yourself. Robbins launched the 5 second rule in her incredibly successful Ted Talk, which has been watched by more than 8 million people around the world. You can watch that Ted Talk here — or you can read this motivational book, which delves even deeper into the science of habits and productivity.

2. The Alchemist by Paul Coelho

This slim, enchanting fable of a book is worldwide bestseller — and a favorite of celebrities from Will Smith to Madonna. It’s not hard to understand why: The Alchemist packs a lot of wisdom in only 163 pages, which Coelho wrote in a two-week fit of inspiration. Even better, it packages self-help-style advice with a spell-binding story. Follow along as the Andalusian shepherd boy Santiago, beset with prophetic dreams, sets off for the Egyptian pyramids in search of a glorious treasure. Along the way, he’ll hobnob with kings, encounter betrayal. and even fall and love — teaching us how to reach for our own dreams in the process.

3. The American Spirit by David McCullough

You don’t always think of historians as literary stars, but David McCullough is the exception that proves the rule. When it comes to accolades, he’s won everything that can be won, from the National Book Award to the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This deeply inspiring book collects nearly thirty years’ worth of his speeches, delivered before Congress members, college grads, and everyone in between. Erudite but never stodgy, uplifting without being saccharine, The American Spirit ranges widely — treating us to the fascinating stories of doctors, artisans, and performers across the history of the United States. No matter where you hail from, he’ll have you waving the red, white, and blue before you turn the final page.

4. The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler

According to the Dalai Lama, “the very motif of our life is towards happiness.” Still, reaching that final destination can be easier said than done. Fortunately this philosophically rich, compassionately written handbook is here to guide the way. The Art of Happiness spotlights compassion for others as the key to personal fulfillment — appropriate, since it's the work of a Nobel Peace Prize winner. The Dalai Lama tag-teams the capacious topic of happiness with psychiatrist Howard C. Cutler as his coauthor, so you can expect scientific as well as spiritual insights here. In the end, this book's central lesson is at once humbling and deeply motivating: true happiness isn’t a fleeting state, but an art that requires practice.

5. Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living by Krista Tippett

Krista Tippett is the quintessential thought leader when it comes to inspirational speech. Based on her sixteen-year-old radio show On Being , this collection gathers the wisdom of theologians, poets, scientists, and Buddhists alike to address our fractured world with acceptance, grace, and educated hope. Using what she calls “moral imagination,” Tippett pushes us to lean into our inner empath to create a new universe that uses our creativity for social good and justice. The sheer volume of voices in Becoming Wise will give you a lifetime of ideas on smarter living that will feel like a TED talk on steroids — in the very best way.

6. The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker

Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature comes with an endorsement from Bill Gates himself: “If I could give each of you a graduation present, it would be this — the most inspiring book I've ever read.” Pinker’s thesis — that violence in the world has actually declined in both the long and short run — is famously controversial, particularly if you care to point at all the major wars and genocides that the twentieth-century has witnessed. Yet Pinker draws upon a large amount of hard data and statistical analysis to persuasively argue his case, even presenting several political and psychological causes to explain how we might today be living in the most peaceful moment ever in our species’ existence. The next time you’re feeling cynical about the news of the moment, this is the book to pick up to remind yourself of the positive, more hopeful direction we’re heading in the future.

7. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert is no stranger to the art of motivation: she is perhaps most famous for writing Eat, Pray, Love and inspiring a generation to travel. But you don’t need to leave home in order to unlock Big Magic, which is about drawing out your inner creative whenever you need. This is a love letter to the artist inside of you, written in Gilbert’s conversational, no-frills, no-BS style. Whether your goal is to write a book, make a painting, or create music, Big Magic will help you accomplish it. Funny, honest, illuminating, and encouraging, it is a celebration of art on every level.

8. Black Elk Speaks: The Complete Edition by Black Elk, John G. Neihardt, Philip J. Deloria, Vine Deloria Jr.

A modern classic celebrating the voice of one of the world’s most influential members of the Lakota tribe, Black Elk Speaks has been compared to the Book of Revelation and the Kabbalah for its prophetic likeness. Here, nineteenth-century mystic and healer Nicholas Black Elk of the Oglala Lakota tribe takes center stage with a testimony that’s been adapted by poet John Neihardt. While the ethnography’s been criticized for its questionable depictions of the Lakota people and imperialist undertones, Black Elk’s descriptions of his spiritual visions for humanity and desire for unity on earth have long outweighed those recriminations. A close but respectful reading of Black Elk’s journey is hopeful, even in its heartbreak. A must-read voice to keep in your pocket through the next decade, especially as we face climate change.

9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The New York Times actually called this book “life-changing” and we agree. Told from the perspective of Death in 1939 Nazi Germany (yikes!), it centers on Liesel Meminger — a young girl who has a curious habit for pick-pocketing books. But these measures end up becoming a saving grace for her own welfare and the welfare of others, most notably a man of Jewish faith hiding out in her father’s house. The Book Thief is an intense but inspiring book, a testament to the transformative power of stories and sentences, even during the very darkest of times. It’s a sobering yet hopeful reminder that no one, no matter how authoritarian, can take away our imagination or capacity to care.

10. Congratulations, By the Way by George Saunders

“Down the rough ages, a traditional form has evolved for this type of speech, which is: Some old fart, his best years behind him, who over the course of his life has made a series of dreadful mistakes (that would be me), gives heartfelt advice to a group of shining, energetic young people with all of their best years ahead of them (that would be you), and I intend to respect that tradition.”

Thus begins George Saunders’ Congratulations, By The Way , a convocation speech to graduates — or more a aptly, little masterpiece that will inspire and humble you by turn. Humorous, warm, wise, modest, and articulate, Saunders is at his brilliant best in this short manual that lays out a few basic principles and tips for a more fulfilling life (one of which is the gentle reminder to always “err in the direction of kindness.”)

11. Educated by Tara Westover

Tara Westover was 17 years old when she stepped into a classroom for the first time. Before then, she lived with her Mormon survivalist family in rural Idaho, working in her father’s junkyard and stockpiling herbs for her midwife mother. Raised with her father’s non-mainstream views, Tara had no conception of the Holocaust, slavery, or World War II — that is, until she found a thirst for knowledge and set out to acquire a formal education.

Educated is the eye-opening, transformative memoir that details this insatiable quest, which spans decades, continents, and universities. Westover is today a Cambridge-educated Ph.D. historian and Gates scholar. How she got to this point is a coming-of-age story of self-invention that delves seriously into the meaning and importance of education without brushing aside the cost at which it can come — in Westover’s case, family.

12. Emma and I by Sheila Hocken

An autobiography written with candor and heart, Emma and I centers on the purest bond of all — the love between a guide dog and her human. Born with a condition that led to progressive vision loss, Sheila Hocken could no longer navigate her own home by sight by the time she turned seventeen. That’s when she met Emma, the chocolate lab who would change her life. With her loyal canine companion at her side, Sheila learned to tackle anything life threw her way, from devastating disappointments to medical miracles to love — the human kind this time. A must-read for all dog lovers, this sweetly touching book will warm your heart (and possibly make you cry).

13. Endings: Poetry and Prose by William Poe ⭐ Indie Spotlight

If the Greeks got by with catharsis, then what makes us any different? While William Poe’s Endings goes headlong into the deep end of despair, the stories and poems here give new language to describe death, loneliness, and the broken parts of our lives. This new “language” can not only help you cope, but name emotions that might otherwise dissipate back into tension, or worse: trauma and guilt. Plus, for those who are ready to face difficult times, Poe’s take on art itself as a tool for healing will be sure to help your spiritual growth this 2020.

14. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

This slim, inspiring book draws on Toltec traditions to help readers attain freedom, happiness, and love. The Four Agreements centers on four promises you’re encouraged to make to yourself, from following through on your word to always doing your best. Ruiz’s advice was compelling enough to snag him an interview with Oprah in 2001 — an appearance that earned his motivational handbook a spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. Full of no-nonsense, actionable tips, The Four Agreements continues to inspire readers two decades after that fateful interview.

15. The Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Anne Morrow Lindbergh took the world by storm with her miniature but massively powerful 1955 memoir, The Gift from The Sea. As she muses on a short break from motherhood and society’s growing technologies while on an ocean-view vacation, readers get an intimate look into Morrow Lindbergh’s thoughts as she tries to slow down to a mindful state. And since she thinks brilliantly in metaphor, you’re in for a treat — from seashells to the flow of the tides, get ready for new connections and ideas that you simply won’t find in modern self-help books. 

What’s particularly relevant are Morrow Lindbergh’s tools for integrating a sense of calm back into a busy life outside of vacation. While she never would have anticipated the blessing and curse that smartphones bring in the 21st century, those who feel burned out from technology will feel especially inspired to take a break after digging into this gift from the sea.

16. Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant

The most common career advice for getting ahead is to put yourself first before others, and keep your good ideas close before someone else steals them and takes the credit. But Wharton professor Adam Grant noticed that study after study showed a different story: helping others actually improves your career’s trajectory dramatically. This mini-bible of charitable case studies will quite simply just blow your mind — and change the way you think about how you behave at work. Even the Scroogiest of Scrooges will find value (and perhaps relief) with Give and Take , now knowing that there’s scientific proof to goodwill. 

17. Hidden Solutions All Around You: Why Some People Can See Them and Some Can't by Daniel Castro ⭐ Indie Spotlight

Why do some people spot the right opportunity and others let it pass by? Author Daniel Castro is one of the first to notice “the why” behind this trash or treasure dynamic. Using neurological and psychological research on the subject, he explains the phenomenon with the intention of helping readers put the knowledge into action. That is, help you see where your blind spots are, why they’re there, and how to supersede them effectively - aka the Hidden Solutions All Around You . So, if you’re amiss at solving problems these days, you might just be missing the obvious: and quite obviously are missing out on Casto’s advice.

18. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Before Maya Angelou became the Nobel laureate and an award-winning writer, she was a poor Black girl growing up in southern America. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is a window into Angelou’s childhood from 1928 to 1944 — one of the most tumultuous eras in American history, fraught with racial tensions and the fight for civil rights. Angelou experienced the lows of Jim Crow and segregation, growing up amidst ignorance and prejudice in almost unendurable circumstances. But she writes about it with her signature grace, humor, and compassion, and the result is a seminal work by a seminal author about the strength that’s required to rise above it all.

19. Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart by James Doty

As the child of an alcoholic father and a depressive mother who had a stroke, Jim Doty grew up in an environment that was all but stable. But when he met a magic shop owner named Ruth, her lessons on thinking your way out of suffering fundamentally changed the way he viewed his life. Her seemingly simple techniques had a lot to do with neuroplasticity, which inspired him to help others by becoming a neurosurgeon. In this honest memoir and self-help manual, Dr. Doty shares his long journey towards Ruth’s final lesson — the meaning and importance of love — and its role in caring for others as a physician and human being. Into the Magic Shop is the ideal motivational book for anyone feeling ‘stuck’ in their lives, or looking to open their hearts and give more to the world.

20. The Journey is the Destination by Dan Eldon

Dan Eldon was one of Reuters' youngest photojournalists when he was stoned to death while on assignment in Somalia. Eldon was only 22 when he died, but he had accomplished more in those years than most people might have done in a lifetime: he traveled to 46 countries, spearheaded a number of humanitarian fundraising campaigns in Africa, and worked in war zones for newspapers and magazines around the world as a war photographer. Haunting and sad, the journals he left behind in The Journey is the Destination are also uplifting to read — giving us a brief, wonderful glimpse at a short life that was well-lived.

21. Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

If we could revise this title, we might call it Letters to a Young Artist , since this classic text supersedes poetry lessons (and arguably art, with its contents mirroring life lessons more than anything). A thin but rich volume, Letters to a Young Poet charts the correspondence between Rainer Maria Rilke and a burgeoning cadet struggling to write — and, worse, struggling to accept his circumstances. When the young poet asked Rilke if he thought that he should keep writing, Rilke famously responded: “Go into yourself and test the deeps in which your life takes rise; at its source you will find the answer to the question whether you must create.” 

The lessons shared in this inspiring book are subversive in that sense: instead of seeking approval from others, seek approval from yourself. Rilke goes on to say that if you can’t find inspiration in the life around you at present, then dip into the stories and tragedies of your childhood. For anyone who struggles with a lack of self-confidence, Rilke’s letters is an essential step to help to pull you out of reassurance seeking and into self-acceptance.

Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo's clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).

With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house \'spark joy\' (and which don't), this international best seller featuring Tokyo's newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home - and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.

22. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Marie Kondo might be the most famous tidying expert in the world, triggering an international craze with her mega-popular Netflix TV show that resulted in millions around the world decluttering their homes — and lives. Yet it’s easy to overlook the pocket-sized, inspiring book that started it all. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is a wondrously charismatic, straightforward text that tries to help you “spark joy” in your life simply by organizing it. But Kondo goes one step further and argues that tidying doesn’t just mean a cleaner house — it will also transform your mindset and very being for the better. This is one of those rare books that lives up to its title: as evidenced by the millions who swear by it, Kondo’s method is life-changing, and it does seem like magic when you apply her method to your own house and see the results for yourself.

23. Listen by Joseph Kerman and Gregory Tomlinson

This weighty classic might have made its debut in the ‘70s, but it holds up well today. Leaf through its 480 pages, and you’ll be inspired to use your ears in a completely different way. Written by two eminent musicologists, Listen is a crash-course in music appreciation, from the haunting plainsong of the Middles Ages to the jaunty rhythms of modern jazz. This book might be standard fare in college music classes, but don’t be deterred — Kerman and Tomlinson write with clarity and force, and their lucid explanations will shine a light on the most arcane corners of music history. Who knows, it just might make you hear your favorite tune in a completely new way.

24. Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life... And Maybe the World by William McRaven

Navy Seal Admiral William McRaven went from commencement speaker to bestselling author with this little manual of hard-won lessons from his experiences on the sea. When 10 million people watched his University of Texas at Austin speech to graduates in 2014, he adapted it into Make Your Bed : an ice-bucket challenge on self-care that not only builds character, but also puts you in the mindset of service in the world. The ten principles described in the inspiring book aren’t just Navy Seal jargon — they’re life lessons direct from the Admiral’s own experiences keeping his head above water while resisting bullies, failure, and the urge to quit when things get tough. McCraven’s humorous yet humble manuscript is for meaning seekers and how-to lovers alike — and will teach you how the simplest shifts of behavior can change your life.

25. The More You Do The Better You Feel by David Parker ⭐ Indie Spotlight

Procrastination, meet David Parker. Parker’s handbook on getting past everyone’s most dreaded hump breaks down how to overcome avoidance issues step-by-step. Recognizing that these symptoms may come from depression, The More You Do The Better You Feel speaks kindly and sensitively to the exhausted and overwhelmed by encouraging them steadfastly to face the fears that hold them back. In return, readers will be able to walk away with mental health-informed tools for mobilization in work and life. Informed expertise, this is one of the most motivational books on the market.

26. My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer by Christian Wiman

No one would have dreamed that Christian Wiman, long-time editor of Poetry Magazine, would end up a professor at Yale Divinity School teaching religious literature. But after a brush with death from a rare cancer diagnosis, his atheist leanings collapsed as he felt an unexpected calling back to his religious roots. My Bright Abyss touches on the pains and gains that a spiritual person must face in a secular world, and is especially helpful for those questioning their faith. This inspiring book touches believers and non-believers equally, addressing the meaning of life and the questions that come out of the search for it.  

27. Networking Karma: How Today's Cutting Edge Networking Trends Can Help You Connect and Conquer by Gail Tolstoi-Miller ⭐ Indie Spotlight

Nowadays, the word networking just sounds plain spooky! With LinkedIn and the like doing it for us while we sleep, who has the time to RSVP or even go to a speed network event at the town hall? Author Gail Tolstoi-Miller does — that’s for sure. She’s an all-star entrepreneur and CEO with expertise in interpersonal branding. Her theory is to help out, corroborating social scientist Adam Grant’s research on how giving is a key ingredient to personal success.

Networking Karma will explain, in great detail, how to actually cut through the networking nonsense and cultivate a cutting-edge persona that gives instead of takes. By doing things like offering a hand with an office move, advising pro-bono for an hour or so, or making a connection for someone, Tolstoi-Miller argues that this spirit of selflessness will help you relax, boost confidence, and make a difference in the world. Seen through such lenses, networking will no longer teeter on the edge of being too boring (business card swapping) or too extreme (sauna events). This motivational book will help you take control of your career destiny.

28. No One Belongs Here More Than You : Stories by Miranda July

An internationally acclaimed artist and filmmaker’s foray into fiction culminated eleven years ago in this awe-inspiring collection of short stories that’s been translated into multiple languages. Whether it be a tale of two high school graduates trying to “make it” in the world or the legend of a swim coach forced to teach a class on dry land, July’s gems all demonstrate humankind’s desperate yet beautiful attempts to make progress in our lives. Her searching and sarcastic style illuminates the poetry of everyday existence — just like Lorrie Moore’s Self Help . And for the sentimental among us, No One Belongs Here More Than You is a cathartic experience that will stick forever.

29. Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss

Published just one year before his death, Oh, The Places You’ll Go! was one of Dr. Seuss’ last books. It might also be his wisest, packed with all the insight and wit (and he had plenty of both) he had accumulated in his twilight years. With his lively illustrations, inimitable verse, and boundless optimism, Dr. Seuss reassures us that we’re not alone in the maze of life — and that we’ll reach where we need to be eventually! If you need a quick and wonderfully uplifting pick-me-up, Oh, The Places You’ll Go! still can’t be surpassed. 

30. The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton        

Today, The Seven Storey Mountain is considered one of the most influential works of religious literature. But when it was originally slated for a 7,500-copy run in 1948, demand took its publisher by surprise, and the book quickly sold out. This is emblematic of the Seven Storey Mountain itself: a quiet book that snowballs into a transformative story of peace, meditation, and personal enlightenment. When he was 26 years old, Thomas Merton turned his back on a promising literary career and converted to Roman Catholicism. How did he get to that point? This is the profoundly moving account of what motivated him to take his vows with the Trappist monks and enter monastery life at the Abbey of Gethsemani.

In his New York Times bestseller Steal Like an Artist , Austin Kleon showed readers how to unlock their creativity by “stealing” from the community of other movers and shakers. Now, in an even more forward-thinking and necessary book, he shows how to take that critical next step on a creative journey—getting known. Show Your Work! is about why generosity trumps genius. It’s about getting findable , about using the network instead of wasting time “networking.” It’s not self-promotion, it’s self-discovery—let others into your process, then let them steal from you. Filled with illustrations, quotes, stories, and examples, Show Your Work! offers ten transformative rules for being open, generous, brave, productive. In chapters such as You Don’t Have to Be a Genius ; Share Something Small Every Day ; and Stick Around , Kleon creates a user’s manual for embracing the communal nature of creativity— what he calls the “ecology of talent.” From broader life lessons about work (you can’t find your voice if you don’t use it) to the etiquette of sharing—and the dangers of oversharing—to the practicalities of Internet life (build a good domain name; give credit when credit is due), it’s an inspiring manifesto for succeeding as any kind of artist or entrepreneur in the digital age.

31. Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon

Ever get down as a creative because you feel that no-one actually sees or read your work? Austin Kleon, bestselling author of Steal Like An Artist , is back with another series of important life lessons to help you fix that. In Show Your Work! , Kleon runs through ten universal ways to get known as an artist or entrepreneur (the “You Don’t Have To Be a Genius” and “Stick Around” chapters are particularly useful — and good examples of his simple, to-the-point way of distilling advice.) Short and entirely actionable, this inspiring book will inspire you to unblock your life by helping you reach the audience you deserve.

32. Through the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey between Genders by Joy Ladin

For forty years, people told Joy Ladin she was a man, but deep-down, she identified as a woman. And while she may have made headlines when she transitioned as the first trans professor at the Orthodox Jewish Yeshiva University, there was more to the story: her own internal wrestling with religiosity and an obligation to keep the peace with her family. Inside Through the Door of Life is an intimate portrait of the kinds of philosophical questions that come with growing into a new self. Anyone who’s questioned their own identity or felt called to starting over would benefit from this brave look at uncovering authenticity against all odds.

33. Trove: A Woman's Search for Truth and Buried Treasure by Sandra Miller ⭐ Indie Spotlight

Underneath it all, Sandra Miller’s life makes sense. She has a lot to be grateful for: she writes for big-name publications, has a family of her own, and even managed a night with the stars: notably, Sting himself. But achieving happiness wasn't always easy, especially coming from a sometimes dysfunctional family and a half-on, half-off mother. This is why treasure hunting was always her go-to — and now, the subject of her debut memoir Trove . Yet, with poetic gusto, Miller sees the meaning behind her search: a physical manifestation of longing for spiritual enlightenment. And for armchair yogis or gurus alike, her story is sure to hit a nerve - and lead you to that mindful state you’ve been after all along.

Check out what Reedsy Discovery reviewer Nicole Dieker has to say about Trove: A Woman's Search for Truth and Buried Treasure !

34. Unf*ck Your Brain: Getting Over Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Freak-Outs, and Triggers with Science by Faith Harper, PhD ⭐ Indie Spotlight

If you’ve ever been at odds with your own mind, this clear, no-nonsense guide to brain chemistry and the basic workings of the brain is here to help you out. Faith Harper's Unf*ck Your Brain navigates this complicated minefield expertly, writing in non-academic prose in order to articulately and effectively explain what happens to our brains whenever anxiety, anger, addiction, or depression take over. Most motivating of all are the actionable techniques, exercises, and tips that she provides, which lay a clear route forward for the reader, particularly those who have — or are — struggling with trauma.

35. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

For anyone who has experienced loss, you’ll know there’s a period of grieving in which we blindly hope our loved one will return, despite recognizing its impossibility. Joan Didion captures this feeling expertly in her memoir on the death of her husband. Through the ruins of grief, though, she manages to find a silver lining and a sense of recovery, even as she memorializes his faults as well as his strengths. At once tremendously calming but chillingly honest, The Year of Magical Thinking will make life manageable in the face of death. A must-read for anyone going through the inevitable.

Looking for some inspirational poetry? We’ve also got you covered with our definitive list of the best poetry books of all time.

Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

The Best Books of 2018

Where oh where did 2018 go? It seems like only yesterday we were cracking open our literary-themed planners of choice and writing down our list of 2018 resolutions — at the top of which, in big bolded letters, was the phrase “Read more!” ...

The 40 Best Leadership Books of All Time

In this post, we've put together the 40 best leadership books filled with trusted advice for both your professional and personal life.

How to Sell Books on Amazon: A Failsafe Guide for 2024

Need to cull overstuffed bookshelves, or fund your book-buying habit? Check out our guide on how to sell books on Amazon, and be up and running in no time!

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

• Submit your book
• Reviewer directory

Meet the writing app you'll fall in love with

Our free app lets you set writing goals and track your progress so you can finally write that book!

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Life

Essay Samples on Someone Who Inspires Me

At its core, inspiration is a powerful force that ignites passion, propels dreams, and molds individuals into extraordinary beings. It is the vibrant pulse that surges through our veins, pushing us to achieve greatness even in the face of adversity. Crafting an essay about someone who inspires you allows you to shine a spotlight on the transformative power of such individuals.

How to Write an Essay on Someone Who Inspires Me

Here are some useful example you shpuld consider when writing a college essay about someone who inspires you:

• Consider beginning with a heartfelt introduction that captivates the reader’s attention and sets the stage for the awe-inspiring journey to come.
• Share a personal anecdote or a defining moment that sparked the connection between you and your inspirational figure, allowing the reader to empathize with your experience.
• Delve into the qualities and actions that make this individual so inspiring. Explore their accomplishments, perseverance, and unwavering determination. Showcase how their words and deeds have impacted your life, shaping your values and aspirations. Be vivid and descriptive, illustrating the profound influence they have had on your personal growth and development.
• Weave in personal reflections throughout your essay. Share introspective thoughts and revelations, highlighting the lessons you have learned and the ways in which your perspective has evolved. By doing so, you invite the reader to embark on a transformative journey alongside you, creating a powerful emotional connection.

To aid you in your writing process, we provide a sample essay about someone who inspires you. It serves as a guiding light, illustrating the structure, tone, and depth needed to craft an outstanding piece. Drawing inspiration from this sample, embrace your unique voice, infuse your essay with passion, and let your words leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the readers.

A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

There are moments in life when we cross paths with someone who transforms our world in inexplicable ways. For me, that person is someone special who has walked alongside me, sharing laughter, tears, and countless memories. Our relationship is a testament to the beauty of...

• Someone Who Inspires Me

A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

Amidst the myriad of individuals who have crossed the path of my life, there is one who stands as a beacon of inspiration, illuminating the way with her unwavering determination, boundless compassion, and unyielding spirit. Her name is Emma, and her presence in my life...

A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

Throughout our lives, we encounter countless individuals who leave a lasting impact on us. Among them, there is always that one person who stands out — a person whose presence, actions, and words etch a permanent mark in our memories. In this essay, I will...

• Influential Person

My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

The identities of Americans are diversified. One’s identity is made up of a person's culture, heritage, personality, and how they strive to succeed. The identity of a person is created, through the hardships faced and their history, whether it is that one is born in...

• Grandmother
• Grandparent

My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

Heroes can have a massive superb have an effect on on your life. My heroes are my mother and my dad. They are heroes to me each day and I have continually seemed up to them. I have always wanted to be just like my...

Stressed out with your paper?

Consider using writing assistance:

• 100% unique papers
• 3 hrs deadline option

Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

When I think of an individual who I look up to and aspire to emulate, the first person that comes to mind is Audrey Hepburn. Audrey Hepburn’s career in both entertainment and humanitarian work is a path I know I will follow because it is...

• Audrey Hepburn

Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

Oprah Winfrey was born in Mississippi on January 29,1954. Her parents were not married and broke up soon after she was born. Oprah Winfrey’s grandmother was strict and gave her plenty of discipline as she grew up on an isolated farm. Her grandmother taught her...

• Oprah Winfrey

St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

The qualities that St. Bernadette of Soubirous has that I admire are; being humble, being modest, being obedient, and loving. I admire these qualities because they make a person better. Saint Bernadette was modest and humble because, she didn’t brag about seeing Mother Mary, and...

• Catholic Church

Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

Simone-Ernestine-Lucie-Marie-Bertrand de Beauvoir was a French writer, political activist, feminist thinker and existentialist philosopher. She had worked alongside other famous existentialist such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus and Maurice Merleau-Ponty and was able to produce wonderful works such as She Came to Stay, Pyrrhus and...

• Existentialism
• Simone De Beauvoir

Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

Ned Kelly was a bushranger and was born in June 1855 at Beveridge, Victoria. His father was John Kelly and his mother was Ellen Kelly. Ned became the father of his family at a very young age because of his fathers early death. In 1869...

Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

Joan of Arc was one of the most heroic women in French history. She has claimed to hear voices that told her to lead France in the Hundred Years War leading France to some victories. Although some believe that the Joan of Arc heard the...

• Joan of Arc

Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

To me, nursing is a selfless job. You put the patients’ needs before yours to provide them with the care that they deserve. As a nurse, you are the healing hands. With the energy, compassion, and dedication you build with the patients, you make a...

• Life Changing Experience

Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

A question simply arises in my mind that how someone can be a great leader. I thought on this and then I came across various leadership qualities which leaders are having in them. Let me explain first about the leadership qualities. Leader is a word...

The People Who Shaped Me

At a young age of 7, I subconsciously started noticing my mom reminisce about her past and it made me see the way music connected her to her roots and in a way, made her human. It was waking up and witnessing a scene that...

Three People Who Influenced Me Throughout My Life

My parents are undeniably the people who gave me the most profound influence. I would not talk about them separately because they are truly in one flesh. My parents met each other at bible college, and after they married, they served in church and drug...

• Personal Life

Life Lessons in the Diary of Anne Frank

Anne Frank was a 13-year-old Jewish that has made a big impact on people around the world. Making us realize the crimes we create are destroying all of humanity just because some of us have different views and beliefs are certain things. If you don't...

• The Diary of Anne Frank

The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich: An Inspiration to All  

How would one respond to the most miserable and unpromising situation? In The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, the main character, Anne Frank, is deprived of her freedom and forced to hide in a secret annex. As a Jewish girl...

Tara Curb, Her Acts of Kindness Association, and Her Unique Vision of Kindness

It is a late-afternoon, November 7, 2019, on a freezing thirty-five degree and gloomy Thursday at the University of Oklahoma Bizzell Memorial Library. In one of the conference rooms held a Acts of Kindness Association meeting. Running the organization meeting was a smart young woman,...

Biography of Jackie Robinson - National Hero

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” (Jackie Robinson). In the United States in the 1940s, segregation was the way of life. You probably know Jackie Robinson as number 42; the first black man to play major league...

• Jackie Robinson

Life And Art Of Andy Warhol

I remember the first time I saw Andy Warhol’s artworks was about ten years ago at an exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan. At that time, I was not a big fan of Andy Warhol and I didn’t understand why all the works that only show some...

• Andy Warhol

Best topics on Someone Who Inspires Me

1. A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

2. A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

3. A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

4. My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

5. My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

6. Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

7. Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

8. St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

9. Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

10. Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

11. Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

12. Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

13. Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

14. The People Who Shaped Me

15. Three People Who Influenced Me Throughout My Life

• Perseverance
• Personality
• Career Goals
• Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Hero — Someone Who Inspires Me

Essays About Someone Who Inspires Me

My dad is my inspiration: a story from my life, my favorite person, my friend vie, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

My Parents – The People I Admire The Most

How my grandfather inspires me throughout my life, my mother is a true hero for me, one of my heroes – my cousin, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Why My Mother is My Hero

My father – a person i admire the most, ash ketchum – my inspiration to be the very best, my older brother: my hero and inspiration, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

Allen Lau – an Entrepreneur I Admire

The people i consider to be my heroes, reason why my mother is the person i admire the most, my hero: elon musk, why my role model is my mother, me hero: forensic expert henry chang-yu lee, the life and accomplishments of mother teresa, my hero: larry page, bo jackson: an american hero and legend in sports, oprah winfrey as a nowadays hero, who is your role model: my father's influence on my life, why jesus inspires me and other poeple, an entrepreneur i admire the most, my hero: timothy john 'tim' berners-lee, emma watson as my role model, ellen degeneres – a person who inspires me, my hero: michelle obama, my role model at work, my favorite tv presenter and why i admire her, kobe bryant - an example of genuine leader, relevant topics.

• Helping Others
• Personal Strengths
• Jackie Robinson

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Bibliography

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• School Life

My Book My Inspiration Essay in English: Long and Short Paragraphs

My book my inspiration essay in english : check here sample essays, tips and quotes to write an engaging essay on my book my inspiration in english in 150 words, 500 words..

How to Write Essay on My Book My Inspiration in English

Step 1: Think of the book that you would like to write upon.

Step 2: Jot down the name of the book, the author’s name, the major themes covered, the main characters.

Step 3: Introduce the book and its author and the reason why you like it.

Step 4: Elaborate upon the characters, the background and plot of the book, the themes covered in the book.

Step 5: Conclude by summarising it all.

Quotes About Books in English

• "There is no friend as loyal as a book." - Ernest Hemingway
• "A room without books is like a body without a soul." - Marcus Tullius Cicero
• "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss
• "I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library." - Jorge Luis Borges
• "So many books, so little time." - Frank Zappa
• "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R. Martin
• "Books are a uniquely portable magic." - Stephen King
• "Books are the mirrors of the soul." - Virginia Woolf
• "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." - C.S. Lewis
• "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." - Joseph Addison

My Book My Inspiration Essay 150 Words

Books, with their extraordinary power to inspire, ignite our imaginations, and shape our perceptions. Books have always been my source of inspiration because they have the power to transform lives in profound ways.

Ever since I was a young kid, I loved to read because it transported me to distant lands and introduced me to unique characters. These literary adventures ignited my creativity and instilled a deep appreciation for the beauty of language. I also developed emotional appreciation for different cultures and languages, transcending cultural boundaries.

Books are my best friends. Books have provided me solace in challenging times. As I grew up, my passion for diverse genres of literature deepened. Each book that I have read, has broadened my understanding

My Book My Inspiration Essay 500 words

Books have always been an integral part of my life, serving as portals to new worlds and inspiration for personal growth. Among the countless books I have read in the past few years, one book stands out as a profound source of enduring wisdom and motivation. The book that holds a special place in my heart is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. From the moment I turned its first few pages, I was spellbound by the narrative  and the wisdom embedded in the book. It has profoundly shaped my worldview and inspired me to strive for a more just and compassionate society.

From the moment I first opened its pages, "To Kill a Mockingbird" captivated me with the way it has maintained its captivating storytelling while exploring complex themes such as racial injustice, moral courage, and the power of empathy. At the heart of the story lies the unforgettable and most remarkable character of Atticus Finch, a lawyer who defends an innocent black man, Tom Robinson, against a charge of rape in the deeply segregated Alabama community. Through Atticus's unwavering commitment to justice and his unwavering belief in the inherent goodness of humanity, I was inspired to confront my own biases and to stand up for what is right, even in the face of adversity.

One of the most profound lessons I learned from "To Kill a Mockingbird" is the importance of empathy and understanding. Through the eyes of the character Scout Finch, a young girl growing up in the turbulent 1930s, I gained a deeper appreciation for the challenges faced by marginalised communities and the need to bridge the divides that separate us. Scout's innocence and her willingness to challenge societal norms taught me to question preconceived notions and to seek out the truth, even if it is uncomfortable or inconvenient.

The book's enduring message of hope and resilience has also been a source of inspiration in my own life. Atticus's unwavering belief in the power of education and his determination to instil in his children a sense of justice and compassion have resonated deeply with me. His unwavering commitment to his principles, even in the face of overwhelming opposition, has served as a guiding light for me in my own pursuit of personal integrity and social justice.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has been more than just a book to me. To me, it is a testament to the power of literature to inspire, challenge, and transform. It has shaped my understanding of the world, ignited my passion for social justice, and instilled in me the courage to stand up for what I believe in. As I will move ahead in life, navigating the complexities of daily chores, personal and professional life, I know that the lessons I learned from Atticus Finch and the unique characters of "To Kill a Mockingbird" will continue to guide me, reminding me to always strive for a better world.

• About Chandrayaan 3 Essay in English for School Students
• Teacher's Day Essay and Lines in English for School Students
• Essay on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in English
• Essay on Lal Bahadur Shastri in English

Get here latest School , CBSE and Govt Jobs notification and articles in English and Hindi for Sarkari Naukari , Sarkari Result and Exam Preparation . Download the Jagran Josh Sarkari Naukri App .

• Bihar Police Constable Exam Analysis 2024
• UGC NET Admit Card 2024
• AFCAT Admit Card 2024
• IBPS RRB Exam Analysis 2024
• IBPS RRB Clerk Exam Analysis 2024
• UPSC CAPF Question Paper 2024
• SSC CHSL Answer Key 2024
• IBPS RRB PO Exam Review 2024
• India Post GDS Cut Off
• Education News

Latest Education News

(Updated) Paris Olympics Medal Tally 2024, Day 16: Who is leading the Total Medal Count? Check

Seek and Find Puzzle: Think You Have Sharp Eyes? Find the Bowling Ball in 7 Seconds

Olympic 2024: आजादी के बाद से अब तक भारत ने जीते है कितने ओलंपिक मेडल? देखें सबके नाम

Brain Teaser: Can Your High IQ Help You Find the Different Apple in 11 Seconds?

Paris Olympic Medal Table: किस देश ने जीते सर्वाधिक Gold Medal, किसके नाम सर्वाधिक पदक, यहां देखें पूरी लिस्ट

The 5 Longest Bridges in the US

[Latest] Paris 2024 Olympics Medal Tally India: भारत ने जीते कितने पदक? देखें सबके नाम

Math Puzzle: Only highly intelligent readers can solve this math puzzle in 10 seconds!

Optical Illusion IQ Test: Only 1 in 20 Can Spot the Snail Hidden Among the Turtles—Can You?

Picture Puzzle IQ Test: Can You Spot the Hidden Gift Among the Sea of Dice in 5 Seconds?

(Updated) Paris Olympics Medal Tally 2024, Day 15: Who is leading the Total Medal Count? Check Here

(Updated) Paris Olympics 2024 India Medal Tally, Check Total Medals Count List

NEET PG 2024 Tomorrow, Check Documents Required Exam Day Guidelines Here

KCET Mock Allotment 2024 Out: Download Allotment PDF by 6 PM Today at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in

IBPS RRB Clerk Exam Analysis 2024: All Shifts Paper Review, Difficulty Level, Good Attempts

AFCAT Exam Analysis 2024, Aug 10: Shift Wise Question Paper Review, Difficulty Level, Good Attempts

Optical Illusion IQ Test: Only 1% Highly Observational Can Spot The Hidden Animal In 5 Seconds!

Optical Illusion IQ Test: How Many Cows Can You Find In This Picture In 5 Seconds?

Picture Puzzle IQ Test: Only A Sharp Mind Can Find The Pencil Among Carrots In 6 Seconds!

Optical Illusion IQ Test: Can You Spot The Correct Spelling Of 'GARLIC' In 5 Seconds?

• Latest Posts
• LSE Authors
• Choose a Book for Review
• Submit a Book for Review
• Bookshop Guides

January 1st, 2013

Reading list: most-read academic inspiration essays 2012: the books that inspired….

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Since launching in April 2012 we’ve published over 30 short essays from academics on the books that have inspired them from their student days right through to teaching and writing today. Here are the top three most-read essays.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The books that inspired John Van Reenen: “I think I always enjoy reading Conservative thinkers more than leftist ones. It’s much more fun to have books that really challenge your positions rather than confirming your prejudices”

The books that inspired Ting Xu: “Law is not just located in the textbooks, cases, or statutes. Law is alive, and it is often changing”

My earliest memory of books is in my grandparents’ study. Both taught in a Chinese university and survived the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Despite the abuse and humiliation they suffered as intellectuals in that ‘Dark Age’, they never lost their love and passion for books. That ‘Revolution’ also adversely impacted the next generation. As teenagers at that time, my parents lost the opportunity to go to university. The world outside China – in particular the ‘western’ world – was little known to them: the door of China was closed; books, as an important medium to disseminate information and knowledge, were also scarce. As a child, my father used to have to rent books from other people. And this expense constituted a significant portion of the limited family budget. Without enough money, my father even exchanged his lunch box for a little book from his friend (in that period between the late 1950s and the 1960s, many Chinese people did not have enough food to eat). Needless to say, in those afternoons, his stomach was empty but he always told me that this did not matter too much because his mind was full. Like many Chinese parents, my mother and father have put their hope in their children. Although they lived modestly, they never hesitated to buy books for me and to encourage me to explore and learn about a wider world. Read the full essay…

The books that inspired Imani Perry: “Whitewashing Race by Michael K. Brown has a human sensitivity that is often lacking when we talk about race and power”

My mother recently reminded me that when I was 7 years old I announced to her that I wanted to read “all the books about famous Black people.” I suppose that was the first inkling that I was going to find my way to teaching in African American studies.

About the author

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Related posts.

Book Review: Horizon Work: At the Edge of Knowledge in an Age of Runaway Climate Change by Adriana Petryna

October 20th, 2022.

The Monthly Roundup: What Have You Been Reading in October 2015?

November 4th, 2015.

Book Review: Barbed-Wire Imperialism: Britain’s Empire of Camps, 1876-1903 by Aidan Forth

May 1st, 2018.

Book Review: The Art of War in an Asymmetric World: Strategy for the Post-Cold War Era by Barry Scott Zellen

August 12th, 2013, subscribe via email.

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address

GK SCIENTIST

Essay on Inspiring Books or My Favourite Books

Essay on Inspiring Books:

Books are a great blessing and their study is a source of great pleasure. They are the storehouse of man’s experience and wisdom of ages. They are the fountainhead of most of our knowledge. They broaden our outlook, sharpen our intellect and enlarge the sphere of our sympathies.

A good book is more precious than riches even. Milton is right when he says, “A good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit”. A good book inspires us to make our lives noble and sublime.

I have read a large number of books. Books on science have added to my knowledge and information. Books on travel tell us a lot about foreign lands. Religious books improve our morals and build our character. Autobiographies of great men teach us how to become great in the world.

Of all the books I like “The Ramayana” most. I have read it again and again. The Ramayana is full of great wisdom and I study it to derive some moral lessons. Mahatma Gandhi also liked it for this very reason. He looked upon Rama as an ideal man, as an ideal king and as an ideal son, brother and husband. This is why he was anxious to see the establishment of “Ram Rajya” in the country.

The Ramayana is the story of love and sacrifice. It throws light on the qualities that one should have in order to lead a happy and noble life. Being an ideal son, Rama obeyed his father and stepmother and went into exile for fourteen years. He sacrificed everything, his throne, kingdom, worldly comforts, etc. His faithful wife Sita also went with him into jungles. She stood by her husband through thick and thin, Lakshman was an ideal brother. He too went with Rama into exile. He remained with him in his joys as well as sorrows and did not care for his own comforts. His supreme sacrifice is a source of inspiration for us all.

Bharat too was a sincere brother. He shed bitter tears when he learnt of the self-exile of Rama. He was shocked at the cruel behaviour of his mother. He followed Rama into the forest and persuaded him to return and accept the kingdom. When Rama refused to do so, he returned with the pair of the wooden chappel which he placed on the throne. Thus he ruled the kingdom for fourteen years on behalf of Rama as his servant. Wealth and power did not make him greedy.

The Ramayana teaches us an immortal lesson of the victory of the good over the evil. No doubt good people have to face hardships and troubles in the beginning but they are successful in the long run. The path of truth and goodness leads to glory. The path of evil leads to destruction. Rama who stood for truth and goodness came out victorious at long last.

The Ramayana is a highly useful book. Every boy and girl should read it to make his or her life useful. So far as I am concerned, it is a valuable treasure of my life. It has influenced me most and changed the entire course of my life.

Related Posts

Essay on Dowry System

Short Essay on Wonders of Science

Essay on The Uses and Abuses of Leisure

Essay on Poets are the Unacknowledged Legislators in the World

Essay on “If I were the Education Minister”

Essay on The Desire for Fame is the Last Infirmity of Noble Minds

Essay on Corruption in Public Life

Essay on Communal Harmony

Comments (no), leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Essay on The Person Who Inspired Me the Most My Mother

Students are often asked to write an essay on The Person Who Inspired Me the Most My Mother in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on The Person Who Inspired Me the Most My Mother

Introduction.

My greatest inspiration is my mother, a woman of strength and kindness.

Her Strength

Despite life’s challenges, she never gives up. Her resilience motivates me to face difficulties with courage.

Her Kindness

Her heart is filled with love and compassion. She treats everyone with respect, teaching me the value of kindness.

In all, my mother is my inspiration. Her strength and kindness guide me, shaping me into a better person.

250 Words Essay on The Person Who Inspired Me the Most My Mother

Unyielding strength.

My mother’s strength is one of the most influential aspects of her character. She has faced many trials and tribulations in life, yet she never succumbs to despair. Instead, she transforms adversity into stepping stones towards success. Her strength in the face of adversity has taught me the importance of resilience and perseverance in life’s challenges.

Selfless Love

Her love is a beacon of selflessness, illuminating the path I tread. She has always put the needs of our family above her own, and her sacrifices have not gone unnoticed. This selfless love she embodies has instilled in me the value of empathy and compassion towards others.

Life’s Teacher

My mother is not just a parent; she is my life’s teacher. She has taught me lessons that no textbook could ever impart. From her, I learned the significance of hard work, the essence of patience, and the power of kindness. These lessons have shaped my character and guided my actions.

In conclusion, my mother’s influence on my life is immeasurable. Her strength, selfless love, and invaluable life lessons have inspired me to become a better person. She is not just my mother; she is my mentor, my guide, and my inspiration. In her, I see the person I aspire to become.

500 Words Essay on The Person Who Inspired Me the Most My Mother

The person who has had the most profound impact on my life, engraving an indelible mark on my character and worldview, is my mother. She is the epitome of strength, resilience, and love, continually inspiring me to strive for greatness and kindness in all that I do.

Embodiment of Strength

Beacon of love.

My mother’s love is boundless, reaching beyond the confines of our family and extending to everyone she encounters. She has a heart that knows no bias or prejudice, and her love is unconditional and non-discriminatory. She has shown me that love is a powerful force that can heal, unite, and inspire. It is her love that has taught me to be compassionate and empathetic, to understand and appreciate the beauty of diversity, and to always treat others with kindness and respect.

Epitome of Sacrifice

The sacrifices my mother has made for our family are innumerable. She has always prioritized our needs and happiness above her own, often going without so that we could have. She has worked tirelessly, often juggling multiple jobs, to provide for us and to ensure that we have the opportunities she never had. Her sacrifices have instilled in me a deep sense of gratitude and a profound understanding of the value of hard work and dedication.

Role Model for Life

My mother’s strength, love, sacrifice, and wisdom have shaped me into the person I am today. She is my inspiration, constantly motivating me to be the best version of myself. Her life is a testament to the fact that with determination, hard work, and love, one can overcome any challenge and achieve greatness. My mother is not just my parent, she is my hero, and I am forever grateful for her unwavering faith in me and her unending love.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Book That Has Influenced Me write give your opinion.

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Writing9 with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Fully explain your ideas

To get an excellent score in the IELTS Task 2 writing section, one of the easiest and most effective tips is structuring your writing in the most solid format. A great argument essay structure may be divided to four paragraphs, in which comprises of four sentences (excluding the conclusion paragraph, which comprises of three sentences).

For we to consider an essay structure a great one, it should be looking like this:

• Paragraph 1 - Introduction
• Sentence 1 - Background statement
• Sentence 2 - Detailed background statement
• Sentence 3 - Thesis
• Sentence 4 - Outline sentence
• Paragraph 2 - First supporting paragraph
• Sentence 1 - Topic sentence
• Sentence 2 - Example
• Sentence 3 - Discussion
• Sentence 4 - Conclusion
• Paragraph 3 - Second supporting paragraph
• Paragraph 4 - Conclusion
• Sentence 1 - Summary
• Sentence 2 - Restatement of thesis
• Sentence 3 - Prediction or recommendation

Our recommended essay structure above comprises of fifteen (15) sentences, which will make your essay approximately 250 to 275 words.

Discover more tips in The Ultimate Guide to Get a Target Band Score of 7+ » — a book that's free for 🚀 Premium users.

• Check your IELTS essay »
• Find essays with the same topic
• View collections of IELTS Writing Samples
• Show IELTS Writing Task 2 Topics

More and more countries are making university education completely free for their citizens. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

Task 2: some think that physical strength is important for sucess in soprts, while others think that mental health is more important. discuss both views and give your own opinion., the grapgh below shows china's population by age group starting in 1960 and including forecast to 2050., some people believes that parents force their children to get sucess but other believes they need to teach them values of cooperation give your opinion with relevant examples, you have just read an article in a national newspaper which claims that darwin centres in your country or look very similar to each other. you do not fully agree with this opinion. write a letter to the editor of the newspaper. in your letter say which points in the article you agree with explain ways in which your town centre is different from most other town centres over to give a guided tour of your town to the writer of the article.

Advertisement

Supported by

An Olympics Scene Draws Scorn. Did It Really Parody ‘The Last Supper’?

Some church leaders and politicians have condemned the performance from the opening ceremony for mocking Christianity. Art historians are divided.

• Share full article

By Yan Zhuang

A performance during the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony on Friday has drawn criticism from church leaders and conservative politicians for a perceived likeness to Leonardo da Vinci’s depiction of a biblical scene in “The Last Supper,” with some calling it a “mockery” of Christianity.

The event’s planners and organizers have denied that the sequence was inspired by “The Last Supper,” or that it intended to mock or offend.

In the performance broadcast during the ceremony, a woman wearing a silver, halo-like headdress stood at the center of a long table, with drag queens posing on either side of her. Later, at the same table, a giant cloche lifted, revealing a man, nearly naked and painted blue, on a dinner plate surrounded by fruit. He broke into a song as, behind him, the drag queens danced.

The tableaux drew condemnation among people who saw the images as a parody of “The Last Supper,” the New Testament scene depicted in da Vinci’s painting by the same name. The French Bishops’ Conference, which represents the country’s Catholic bishops, said in a statement that the opening ceremony included “scenes of mockery and derision of Christianity,” and an influential American Catholic, Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota, called it a “gross mockery.”

The performance at the opening ceremony, which took place on and along the Seine on Friday, also prompted a Mississippi-based telecommunications provider, C Spire, to announce that it would pull its advertisements from Olympics broadcasts. Speaker Mike Johnson described the scene as “shocking and insulting to Christian people.”

The opening ceremony’s artistic director, Thomas Jolly, said at the Games’ daily news conference on Saturday that the event was not meant to “be subversive, or shock people, or mock people.” On Sunday, Anne Descamps, the Paris 2024 spokeswoman, said at the daily news conference, “If people have taken any offense, we are, of course, really, really sorry.”

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

How to cite ChatGPT

Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.

We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.

In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.

Quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper

If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.

When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).

Creating a reference to ChatGPT or other AI models and software

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.

The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:

• Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
• Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

Other questions about citing ChatGPT

You may have noticed the confidence with which ChatGPT described the ideas of brain lateralization and how the brain operates, without citing any sources. I asked for a list of sources to support those claims and ChatGPT provided five references—four of which I was able to find online. The fifth does not seem to be a real article; the digital object identifier given for that reference belongs to a different article, and I was not able to find any article with the authors, date, title, and source details that ChatGPT provided. Authors using ChatGPT or similar AI tools for research should consider making this scrutiny of the primary sources a standard process. If the sources are real, accurate, and relevant, it may be better to read those original sources to learn from that research and paraphrase or quote from those articles, as applicable, than to use the model’s interpretation of them.

We’ve also received a number of other questions about ChatGPT. Should students be allowed to use it? What guidelines should instructors create for students using AI? Does using AI-generated text constitute plagiarism? Should authors who use ChatGPT credit ChatGPT or OpenAI in their byline? What are the copyright implications ?

On these questions, researchers, editors, instructors, and others are actively debating and creating parameters and guidelines. Many of you have sent us feedback, and we encourage you to continue to do so in the comments below. We will also study the policies and procedures being established by instructors, publishers, and academic institutions, with a goal of creating guidelines that reflect the many real-world applications of AI-generated text.

For questions about manuscript byline credit, plagiarism, and related ChatGPT and AI topics, the APA Style team is seeking the recommendations of APA Journals editors. APA Style guidelines based on those recommendations will be posted on this blog and on the APA Style site later this year.

Update: APA Journals has published policies on the use of generative AI in scholarly materials .

We, the APA Style team humans, appreciate your patience as we navigate these unique challenges and new ways of thinking about how authors, researchers, and students learn, write, and work with new technologies.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Related and recent

Comments are disabled due to your privacy settings. To re-enable, please adjust your cookie preferences.

APA Style Monthly

Subscribe to the APA Style Monthly newsletter to get tips, updates, and resources delivered directly to your inbox.

Welcome! Thank you for subscribing.

APA Style Guidelines

Browse APA Style writing guidelines by category

• Abbreviations
• Bias-Free Language
• Capitalization
• In-Text Citations
• Italics and Quotation Marks
• Paper Format
• Punctuation
• Research and Publication
• Spelling and Hyphenation
• Tables and Figures

Full index of topics