Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
Cheryl Strayed is one of my favorite writers because of her book “Tiny Beautiful Things.” It is a collection of letters from her “Dear Sugar” advice column, and one of the entries called “Beauty and the Beast” opened my eyes to how we often see ourselves through a very different lens than others do and that anything is possible when it comes to love.
The Noonday Demon – Andrew Solomon
Andrew Solomon is an inspiration to me because of his book “The Noonday Demon” about depression. He not only writes exquisitely, he also gives a voice to those who feel voiceless.
The Prophet – Kahlil Gibran
I remember reading “The Prophet” for the first time and being completely floored by its poetic beauty. I find I’m always giving away my copy to someone because it is such an extraordinary book that everyone should read.
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou’s poems “Phenomenal Woman” and “Still I Rise” have carried me through so many difficult times. Her words have always made me feel like I had someone to turn to with all the wisdom in the world when I needed it.
This is How – Augusten Burroughs
There is a chapter in “This is How” called “How to Get Over Your Addiction to the Past” that helped me understand that we do not have to carry the weight of the pain of our past around with us forever. I let go of past pains of my own after reading that chapter, and I am deeply grateful to Augusten Burroughs for that.
Alice M. Curley is a published poet living in Boston, MA. She studied playwriting and theatre at Boston University, and now works at Harvard University for the Division of Continuing Education.