~My mostly old book haul~

Macmillan has launched a very interesting project called ReaLITy which focuses on books raising important issues, strong and valuable not only because of great writing but also social problems they concentrate on, sometimes really hard and often hushed up. 

All books (to be read and discussed) mentioned in the project are visible in the upper cover heading.

Here's how they talk about the project:

Books in the ReaLITy program are the kind of stories that stay with you long after the last page. They can inspire understanding of a life completely different than your own or make you realize that there are others out there just like you. These are the books that you can’t wait to share and discuss (...) Books can make it easier to figure out your place in the world and we think the titles in the ReaLITy program will do just that.

It's not so strange that literature may have strong influence on readers. Of course it depends on readers and reads. All books and all kind of readers are valuable, regardless of age, genre and style. But I think the books which make you think, consider, re-consider, imagine, ponder, take a stance or show different path have additional value.

Do you have books which have a special place in your heart, books that helped you out? Or maybe they made you ponder about issues you have never, or rarely, thought about?

I did. About imprisonment in 12 x śmierć. Piekło w raju - literal in Thailand prison, and other book about imprisonment but from totally different perspective and caused by illness, about autistic child in Poczwarka. Mój przyjaciel zdrajca on the other hand revealed some hidden facts of Polish history about a man who by some is perceived as a traitor and other as a hero. I love trilogy by Grzesiuk, sad, touching and full of hopes at the same time, Boso ale w ostrogach about his childhood; Pięć lat kacetu about his stay in concentration camp; Na marginesie życia about his struggle with illness. I pondered about friendship, love, devotion, illness and loss while reading The Girl with Glass Feet, Goodbye Tsugumi, Story for a Friend, On the Beach ... and highly recommend all of them.