Books That Marked My 2014

I feel like this year has gone insanely quickly, especially these past couple of months! But as we say goodbye to the last of 2014, it's a good time to reflect, and in today's post I look at the books that marked my year in some way.

Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She "Learned" by Lena Dunham 

I did not want to read this book. I have a love/hate relationship with Lena Dunham (though I suspect it might have something to do with being unable to differentiate her from her character Hannah from Girls) and reading this book - out of sheer curiosity might I add - did not settle anything for me. I'm still not sure whether I like her, or even if I like this book at all (there were moments where I physically cringed) but it taught me something, and I can't hate on a book that teaches me something. Not That Kind of Girl taught me that it is okay to be unapologetically you. Lena Dunham is unapologetically herself in this and that is something to be admired.

#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso 

I feel like this is one of those books that is on every female creatives 'must reads' list. I was swept up in the hype of the #GIRLBOSS movement and I am happy I did. It's just one of those books that if you read it at the right moment, it spurs you and makes you feel like you can conquer the world - and that you will. The story of how she founded Nasty Gal and the nuggets of wisdoms peppered within are what spurred me to stop wishing about starting a blog and just do it. 

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield 

This was on my Amazon Wishlist for ages before I finally cracked and bought it to see if it lived up to its Amazon reviews. I was disappointed. At least after the first read; it was shorter than expected and I didn't feel particularly inspired to go out and 'fight the Resistance'. However, over the next couple of days after reading it, I started spotting patterns in my behaviour that Pressfield highlights as obstacles to creativity. When I read it a second time, I found I made good use of my Kindle highlight feature, and now reach for it every time I feel the creeping tendrils of 'writer's block' or other creative blocks. 

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

This is another book that I'd heard a lot about, and I thought 'why not' before adding it to my car. I have not looked back since I first read it about six weeks ago. It's one of those books that you either get or you don't, depending at what point you are in your personal journey, and if you get it you have a 'mind blown' moment. I feel like if I had read this book a year ago I would have been like 'What is this old man from an other era talking about? How is this stuff from the Great Depression applicable to me?' but at stage I'm at, I can see the 'secret' he's getting at. This books lays down the basic principles to success and leaves it up to you to figure out how to set them into place in yrur own life, and I love that.

What books marked your year?