The Books They Gave Me

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The Books They Gave Me
256 pages; Simon & Schuster
Sometimes how a book reaches you is as important as the story inside it. Jen Adams' The Books They Gave Me reveals the circuitous and meaningful path these objects take to arrive in our life, culled from reader submissions to her blog by the same name. Each entry tells the real story of how a life was changed through the gift of literature, such as the woman who received 11,002 Things to Be Miserable About with the message, "His new girlfriend is much more cheerful than I am." What results is not only a testimony to the power of the written word, but a deeply moving account of the connections made through these books so that every story—be it a thriller, classic or mystery—turns out to be a love story. 
— Pamela Masin