As an international student, I found it very difficult to read books when I came to the United States but reading has helped me a lot in improving my writing and grammar skills. Below are some of the books that I have enjoyed reading.

1. “Becoming” by Michelle Obama: This is one of my favorite books I read in the summer of 2020. This book explains the life of Michelle before becoming the First Lady: “Becoming Me”; when she was a First Lady: “Becoming Us”; and after becoming the First Lady: “Becoming More”. My favorite quote from this book is “for me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving a way to reach continuously towards a better self. The journey doesn’t end” (Obama). Reading this book has made me realize that no matter where you are from, you can achieve your dreams. You just need to believe in your ability to make a change and work towards that goal.

2. “Sold” by Patricia McCormick: This is a book about a young girl from Nepal named Lakshmi who was sold into sexual slavery in India when she was only thirteen years old. Lakshmi’s stepfather says she must live at home and find a job in the city to support her family since they were very poor. This book talks about Lakshmi’s journey to India and how she learned the unthinkable truth that she was sold into prostitution.

3. “Othello” by William Shakespeare: I enjoyed reading this book because after reading each chapter I was curious to know what happened next. This is the only book that I read in 3 days and it was worth it; it made me realize how much I am into reading drama books! William Shakespeare was a great writer and Othello is one of his best works.

4. “Think Like a Monk” by Jay Shetty: If you are a person that wants to seek peace, be a good leader, or desire to become the best version of yourself, this book is for you. Think Like a Monk has thought me so many things about people and life in general. For example, he touches on controlling anger and stress in addition to taking responsibility for your actions and mistakes.

I hope you like these books as much as I did.