5 novels to inspire and energize nurses

Your profession may inspire countless others, but you, too, sometimes need an inspirational lift.

Here to help energize you from the inside out are five novels recommended by fellow nurses.

We urge you to read one—or all five! Then, add your recommendations to our comment board, below.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Recommended by Kate Genovese, RN, of Boston, Mass.

A historical novel set in the South, The Secret Life of Bees is ultimately a heartwarming story about women and mothers that will put you in touch with your inner “queen bee.”

Four more novels of hope and inspiration:

Life’s Golden Ticket: An Inspirational Novel by Brendon Burchard
Imagine being given a second chance at life. In Brendon Burchard’s new novel, a golden ticket to an amusement park gives his narrator just that. Using rides and carnival workers as metaphors, Burchard examines how when we become too self-involved with our own daily existence, we miss out on the actual reality occurring around us. Life’s Golden Ticket is a great book for anyone seeking the adventure of living the life they want right now, with no inhibitions.

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams & Reaching Your Destiny by Robin Sharma
An engaging fable about a lawyer, Julian Mantle, who seems to have everything society teaches us to want: money, power and a fancy car. But despite all his possessions, he isn’t happy or healthy. The story follows Mantle as he sells all his material goods and sojourns to India in search of a meaningful existence. With simple gems of wisdom like “What lies behind you and what lies before you is nothing compared to what lies within you,” this book will inspire anyone who yearns to discover that their own life’s worth cannot be measured by the corporate ladder.

Veronika Decides to Die: A Novel of Redemption by Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian writer famous for creating deeply spiritual and philosophical stories. Veronika Decides to Die follows a young girl who outwardly seems to have everything, yet is drawn to the “freedom” of sleeping pills and death. After a failed suicide attempt lands her in a mental institution, she is told that she has only days to live. Coelho skillfully uses the story of Veronika to examine the thin boundaries surrounding insanity and a person’s will to live.

The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler
Macon Leary hates to travel, yet makes a living writing travel books. When his only son is senselessly murdered and his marriage falls apart, he is forced to reevaluate his existence. Through a wonderful mix of quirky characters, a crazy Corgi and an unforgettable trip to Paris, Leary learns that he must stop letting life just happen, instead challenging himself to create his own destiny. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1985, The Accidental Tourist contains a surprising amount of wit and wisdom.