'I never re-read a book - life's too short'

What book(s) are you reading?
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, The Atlas of Beauty by Mihaela Noroc and The Crow Girl by Erik Axl Sund. I like reading at least three to four books at a time, going by my mood. One is usually a thriller on my phone, one is a non-fiction or coffee table book and the third is a YA novel. Both of my fiction books right now are really intense so I'm trying to cut the tension by flicking through a glorious photography book whenever I can.

What are the books that changed your life and shaped your outlook?
There are so many books that have taught me various things. The Diary of Anne Frank, which I read in my teens, made me think of racism and how people can affect each other. July by Karen Roberts made me fall in love with Sri Lanka. One by Richard Bach made me question right and wrong and got me interested in the subjectiveness of morality. A Lonely Planet book of the most beautiful places in the world, that I flipped through as a child, made me come up with my biggest dream - of travelling around the world.

Most memorable literary character?
Sherlock Holmes who was emotionally messed up but still highly functional. He made me accept my idiosyncrasies and look beyond them. The way those mysteries were written enthralled me beyond belief and, to this day, I am fiercely protective of his character (hate the movies, love the BBC show).

Books that you never tire of re-reading?
I never re-read a book - life's too short and there are too many books to be read. But if I had to pick one book whose passages I could re-read, it would be Little Women. It was one of the first books my sister passed on to me and has been a firm family favourite. I used to think of myself as Jo, but now I know and have accepted that I'm Amy.

Your favourite book quote.
"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities." It's a line from The Fault in Our Stars where they discuss how from 0 to 1, there is an infinity of numbers but from 0 to 2 there's a bigger infinity. Just like that, our lives are made of so many infinities. It's an incredible quote that encompasses so much.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com