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We're all familiar with the old adage "patience is a virtue," but are you patient enough? If not, then these books are for you. The five books on the list are unique because they teach patience through different methods and perspectives. From novels to histories to memoirs, these books will help you develop courage and empathy in your everyday life.
1. Something Happened by Kate Atkinson
This book is one of the most suspenseful books I have ever read. It is set in a little town in England where nothing much happens. Then one day, a car bomb goes off, and it changes everything for everyone. I couldn't set this book down and am still trying to figure out what happened and who did it! It will never be finished because there are way too many story details that I want to know about.
2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Okay, this book is a tear-jerker, but it taught me to be patient with people who are dying. The characters in the book all suffer from a disease that will eventually take their lives. This opened me up to a whole new perspective on life and death. It really made me think about how I live my life and the tolls my decisions will make on others.
3. The Giver by Lois Lowry
I have to admit that this book really scared me when I was younger. It seemed so far-fetched that one human being could take over all of the population. I now know that Lowry really did think about this because she has written a sequel to the story of living in utopia.
4. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
What does patience have to do with being a Geisha? Everything! This is one of the most astonishing books that I have ever read. It shows the actual life of a geisha and how it affected their lives, especially Sayuri. It also shows their patience in Japan during WWII and how they survived under the harsh rule of Madame Butterfly.
5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This story is just a masterpiece. I read this book in high school and never forgot how it felt to be a part of the roaring twenties. It shows the true face of greediness and how money changes people. It also shows the true meaning of patience as Nick Carraway witnesses his friend's downfall as Gatsby's ashes are scattered to the wind over Long Island Sound.
I hope that you really try some of these books and come to understand the true meaning of patience. It is a virtue, after all, and one that we will need soon.