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It was difficult to narrow my answer down to only one book this week.
There are so many amazing biographies and autobiographies out there, but in the end I had to go with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou for reasons I’ll get into below.
One, Ms. Angelou had a unique story to tell. Her childhood included very difficult experiences like moving between multiple households/caregivers as a small child and recovering from sexual abuse a few years later. (The incident itself was not included in her autobiography from what I recall, but I thought I should mention it for anyone who would rather not read about the after-effects of that topic). With that being said, she was also surrounded by adults who loved her and who did everything they could to help her heal.
Two, the author had a poetic and descriptive writing style that is well-suited for an autobiography. She brought the heartwarming moments of her childhood to life in exquisite detail, and there were quite a few of them.
Three, everyone goes through tough times at one point or another. I find comfort in reading about the coping skills other people have relied upon when they experienced loss, trauma, grief, or other hard stuff. No two stories are every alike, but you can find many common threads in them if you pay attention. It’s also encouraging to see examples of people persevering and eventually finding their way to happier chapters in life.
1. It’s a healthy form of escapism.
Title: This Time Around – A Canadian Werewolf Story
Malala Yousafzai
Title: 300 Down
The saddest book I’ve ever read was 
The instructions for this week’s prompt said to list the top 10 books you’d love to own and include a link to a wishlist so that people can grant your wish.
Title: During the Dance