Our assignment today: Pick a book and assign it a fragrance or fragrance combo that would make a nice candle.
My mind is in perpetual emergency mode these days. Please forgive me, but I can't seem to do this today.
Instead, I'd like to go in another direction.
The Daily Stoic message today reminded me that not everyone has had the same education that we have, and that sometimes others can’t imagine what it's like to be someone else.
That's something we can get from reading books, I think---we can develop empathy for people who have had different experiences than we have had.
I've been thinking about books that gave me empathy for others, both fiction and nonfiction.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
L'Assommoir by Émile Zola
Germinal by Émile Zola
James by Percival Everett
Roots by Alex Haley
How about you?
What suggestions do you have to help us develop empathy for others?
This was a tough topic but then I feel like yours is tough for me too! Lol. I guess mainly because my kinds of read don't gear in that direction! Great topic and picks though!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
I think you have identified the reason why I haven’t ever gotten into the shared topics for blog posts. That’s a great reading list, whatever the reason for it!
ReplyDeleteI love this list.
ReplyDeleteSending peace to you.
Fabulous list, Deb! We need empathy for each other more than ever. The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld comes to mind. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletehttps://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2025/09/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-literarybookish.html
Empathy is essential these days and always. I think the only way it can truly be taught is by living it and, for the young, explaining it. But who knows? Perhaps the books have the right idea.
ReplyDeleteOoh I like the way you are thinking. I read One More Mountain by Deborah Ellis which is a ya story about children in Afghanistan. I also read A Contrary Journey with Velvel Zbarzher, Bard by Jill Culiner which was an investigative search into 19th century European Jewish communities.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my own TTT post earlier.
Honestly, I feel like nearly every book I read helps create empathy for others because every one shows me the world through other eyes. I have read five of the books on your list and I certainly agree with your assessment of them. "The Good Earth" particularly stands out for me maybe because I read it as a teenager and it helped form my sense of the world.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea: books that gave me empathy for others - I would recommend Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange.
ReplyDeleteNice topic, Deb. Don't think I'd be able to think up the candles either. I've really enjoyed some of the perspectives that books by Lisa See have presented to the reader. I've learned things that I didn't know and also felt a bit of 'walk a mile in my shoes' with them.
ReplyDeleteA great topic! Though at the moment I can't think of any particular book I've read that has taught me empathy. That said, I have read many a book that has made me stop and think about what I would do if I was in the main characters shoes.
ReplyDeletePam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/bookish-candles-i-want-based-on-recent-reads/
I think it's a great topic. I once read A Child Called IT by Dave Pelzer, and the following books as well. I already had empathy for abused children, but this was very eye opening for me. I also think everyone should have to live in a different country for a year. Even better if it is a third world country. It will for sure give people more empathy for others, and they would really appreciate how good we have it here in the states.
ReplyDeleteA Much-Needed post these days! Empathy is strength!
ReplyDeleteEmpathy is the one quality I wish everyone had in large measure.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew how to teach empathy to others. The only way I know is to live it myself and try to be a light. Teach by example.
ReplyDeleteOne of the very best things about reading is that it exposes you to cultures, religions, challenges, lifestyles, customs, and viewpoints outside of your own. This lifelong hobby of mine has definitely opened my mind and heart, making me a more empathetic person along the way. Thanks for sharing your list of empathy-inducing books. I've only read a couple of them.
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
I'm not sure you can teach empathy to someone. They either feel it or they don't.
ReplyDeleteIt was a hard topic this week. I like your list. I can get emotional when reading so I tend to avoid books that I think will make me cry.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2025/09/16/top-ten-tuesday-literary-bookish-candles-id-make/
Wonderful topic, Deb! Empathy is something that we need more of! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteApparently, lots of bloggers changed topics this week.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see Zola in this context
Thank you for this, Deb, I think it's much needed. I have Nickel and Dimed, and James, on my tbr already, but there are a couple of others here I want to read as well and I'll try to get to them sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteI love the topic that you've gone for! Quite a few of these books are on my TBR and I can't wait to read them—I'm especially looking forward to finally reading James after seeing it mentioned everywhere!
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