All my life I have been a voracious reader. The library was my second home. As an only child, I spent a lot of time reading, immersed in other worlds. Looking back at my teenage years, I always refer to periods of my life based on the book or book series that I was reading at the time.
These books meant more to me than ways to pass the time. They were my window into another world. Here are the four books that defined my teenage years.
1. The Series of Unfortunate Events
The Series of Unfortunate Events tells the story of the recently orphaned Baudelaire siblings as they are transferred from guardian to guardian while being endlessly pursued by Count Olaf, who desires the fortune their parents left behind.
As a young child in fifth or sixth grade, I thought this series was dark, but that quality ended up being what I liked most about it. The series doesn’t even hint at a happy ending. In fact, the narrator tells you that there is no happy ending, or beginning, and very few happy parts in the middle.
In some ways, it was like a metaphor for life. Nothing will always be objectively happy all the time, but I always found comfort in the theme of making your own happiness despite how bleak a situation may be.
The resilience of the three Baudelaire siblings in the face of repeated danger shines throughout the series, as does their resourcefulness and problem-solving skills. These features are portrayed in the clever and creative solutions to life-threatening situations, such as inventing a tool to switch train tracks that the children were stuck on using the seat cushion cording, a cushion spring, and the head of a bobble-head doll, to escape an oncoming train.
2. Harry Potter
Like thousands of other teenagers during the early 2000s, Harry Potter was my life. I would count down the days until the next book would be released, reserve an advanced copy from the bookstore, and stay up way too late on a school night so I could read “just one more chapter.”
As the franchise expanded into movies, computer games, and other merchandise, Harry Potter culture was everywhere in my life. Not only did J.K. Rowling create a magnificent story, she also created a world so inviting (and yes, magical!), that everyone wanted to be in it. My Harry Potter phase has spanned the longest of any on this list, from having the first book read to me during story time in first grade to reading those last few bittersweet pages in high school.
Even today, I still look forward to Harry Potter weekend movie marathons and nostalgically watch the Harry Potter Puppet Pals video on YouTube for the 1,000th time.
3. Jurassic Park (& other Michael Crichton books)
Around seventh or eighth grade, I became obsessed with Jurassic Park. As a kid interested in science, genetically engineered dinosaurs was the most fascinating subject. When I went to the library after reading The Lost World, I discovered that Michael Crichton was a hidden gem in the science fiction category.
I then began to read almost every book he had written, from Sphere and The Andromeda Strain to newer works such as Next and Micro (published posthumously).
I distinctly remember when I found out that Michael Crichton had passed away. I cried upon realizing that I would never read a new book from him again. It was like losing a friend. But, like the loss of a loved one, I can revisit memories from his words printed on the page.
4. Pride and Prejudice (& other Jane Austen novels)
In my second year of high school, my aunt let me borrow a DVD of Pride and Prejudice. Usually, I’m a stickler for reading the book before seeing the movie adaptation. However, seeing the 2005 movie version of Pride & Prejudice sparked my love for English literature, and specifically all things Jane Austen.
After watching the movie twice in 24 hours (I’ll admit it, no shame), I went to the store and bought the DVD, the book, the soundtrack, and the sheet music for piano.
Unlike for Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, this was love at first sight. In reading Jane Austen’s other novels (Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion), the strength of each lead female characters was inspiring, and their weaknesses were still relatable even in 2009. Discovering Jane Austen’s works also lead me to read Charlotte and Emily Bronte, and Charles Dickens, introducing me to the world of English literature.
