For some it might be a dystopian novel and for others it might be an uplifting memoir, but almost everyone has a book, poem or essay that left a meaningful impact on them. We asked some of the brightest folks around town to tell us about books that have had a lasting impact for them.

Brisco Brooks | Custom Designer

The one book that stayed with me from high school is their eyes where watching god. A lot of people don’t see the book like I do, I took from that book that your life is your and not anymore one else’s. The world may think you should live one way and follow a set path but the moment you start living your life you will open up a whole new way of life and outlook on life. Growing up think that I had to get a degree and work my way up in a company to be rich ann successful changed that day. After finishing that book I new I wanted to run my own life the way I wanted and I wanted to build an empire of my own that I could sit in the ceo seat and still make people happy. Read more>>

Betty Booker Morning, Ph.D. | Senior Scientist, Research & Development – Genomics

One of most impactful books in my earlier years was the “Third Life of Grange Copeland” by Alice Walker. It’s a must read for those of us hoping to understand the complexities of people or hoping to become better versions of ourselves. The main character goes through several iterations of himself before becoming a morally responsible and is unrecognizable, in those aspects, to his earlier adulthood. It’s also based during a time when African Americans were subjected to many psychological and economic hardships at the hands of America, so this also provided a look at how we are often doing our best with what we have at the moment. Overall, the book helped me understand and give more empathy to those I encounter. I encourage professionals to read and understand that we are all “works in progress” as we transition throughout life. Read more>>

Mirian Hubbard | Mirian Hubbard | Founder and Curator of The Bitters Reality

When I was younger, I was an avid reader of mostly the fantastical and dramatic. From Dragonlance, The Once and Future King to The Babysitters Club. I even ventured into the realm of history and medicine; skimming through the family’s Britannica collection to my father’s medical journals. I loved visiting the bookstore. Then for a time, my interest waned and to this day I can’t put my finger on it except that perhaps it was a heightened focus on religious literature. As a result, I hadn’t completed a whole novel in years until I came upon a book titled, Mortality, by Christopher Hitchens. It was his impromptu “memoirs” of his last days on the earth; his last words. Read more>>