‘Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort’- Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

You’re wrong if you think that only nerds can be called bookworms. Reading is the best therapy to all your miseries. And they stay with you forever.

Also, do you think that all that an actor reads is a script? Well, you’re about to be proved otherwise.

Some of our much loved actors have their very own go-to paperbacks which have inspired them in real life.

TellyChakkar.com spoke to a few to know which book has changed their life:

Sneha Wagh: I have always been a fiction lover. I love fantasy stories; they are like a mini-escape from reality. My reading started with books by Sidney Sheldon. The first book that I read by him was ‘The Stars Shine Down’ and it just stuck with me. It’s about women empowerment and since then, I have been reading his books because they teach you a lot of things you don’t know.

Vindhya Tiwari: I read more of non-fictional books because they are realistic and very inspirational. I love reading the Bhagwad Gita; it explains life so beautifully and has increased my knowledge and understanding of human life at a tremendous extent. People should read about different religions. I also read and loved Chetan Bhagat’s One Indian Girl. The author (being a man) has given a deep insight of a woman’s life which is very relevant for every girl who reads the book.

Piyush Sahdev: I don’t read much, but there is one book that completely changed the way I live my life today. The Magic by Rhonda Byrne is about a 28 day journey towards learning how to live with gratitude towards everything. It enlightened me to an extent where I thank every living and non-living thing in my life. If I go to the gym, I thank the treadmill and the weights. That’s how much it has changed my life.

Monica Khanna: The book that changed my life was ‘For the love of a son’ by Jean Sasson. It’s about an Afghani woman who’s tormented by the inequality and struggles of women; her son gets stolen and the entire story revolves around her fight against men. That book made me feel so blessed to have been born in a country where there are so many provisions for women. I’m also reading a book called ‘Behind bars’ by Sunetra Choudhury which is about prison tales of India’s most famous criminals. It’s thrilling to read real stories.

Aanchal Sabharwal: I started reading a lot of books while I was doing my graduation in English honours. My all time favourite is Paolo Coelho’s Alchemist. It’s the kind of book you keep coming back to. And the book that changed my view of the world is Oprah Winfrey’s What I Know for Sure. She has written everything about her life. It teaches you how it’s necessary to have a balance in life. It sheds light on how each person’s journey begins with a single choice. It is the most beautiful book I’ve ever read.

Ashita Dhawan: The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is the best book of my life. It is too precious to me. It is so women-centric and that is very inspiring. I would highly recommend this book to every avid reader. Another favourite is Tell Me Your Dreams by Sidney Sheldon as it was the first book I’ve ever read and I loved. I read the Quran, the Bible and the Mahabharata when I was pregnant; it had a very positive impact on me.

Woaaah! That’s quite an interesting list, isn’t it?

Do share your favourite books in the comment box below.