Top 10 Inspirational Novels

The world was shaken back in April 1986 as the nuclear reactor in Chernobyl went into meltdown. Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexeivich features extensive monologues from the people who actually lived through it. With the Russian government desperately trying to keep the truth behind the accident secret, it was a time when so many tales of staggering bravery went unheard – something that Alexeivich sought to rectify. This novel shines a light on the indomitable spirit of man and offers inspiration in spades.

A fleet of five ships manned by 270 sailors set sail from Spain to find the Spice Islands in 1519. The expedition achieved the first official circumnavigation of the globe by sea. However, only a fraction of the starting party returned three years later, one ship and 18 sailors making it back. This book follows the story of Ferdinand Magellan on his dramatic mission that was littered with tales of heroism and sacrifice. Another novel that makes it onto our list through sheer inspirational merit!

George Orwell penned his semi-autobiography which focuses heavily on the social injustice that was occurring at the time. Living in a seedy Parisien hotel, the young Orwell is scratching a living working in hotel kitchens across the city. He recounts his struggles with more than a touch of humor and remarkable insight. Before long, Orwell moves to London and his fortunes start to change with unexpectedly inspirational results. Want to know what we mean? Then you’ll need to read it to find out!

In 1959 Capote was tasked to write an investigative journalistic piece about the murder of the Clutter family in Kansas. As a result, Capote was thrown into the limelight as he detailed the story of the killers. Despite living in an almost constant state of fear for his safety, the diminutive Capote writes an amazing character study of the pair that took an incredible 6 years to complete. It’s a book that took such a toll on the writer that he never published a book again. For that, it very much deserves its place on our list.

CS Lewis was rightly lauded for his amazing fantasy tales set in Narnia, but many forget about his lesser known, but equally captivating work. Till We Have Faces put ancient myths into a modern context, with its hugely insightful and amusing prose talking of bus-driving angels and overly bureaucratic demons.

A tale of mental inspiration now which takes us into the world of competitive memorization. Offering readers an appreciation of just how complex and amazing the human brain is, this novel explores the limitations, the capacity and the sheer amazingness of the human mind.

A story of inspiration through perseverance now as we look at The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Edmond Dantes, a young and dashing ship captain during the Napoleonic wars is betrayed by the jealousy of those closest to him and he finds himself wrongly imprisoned for treason and it appears that his life is over.

As something of a modern phenomenon, the Alchemist by Paul Coelho has already been enjoyed by millions around the world. It’s a novel that has the power to change lives, as it centres on the importance of learning to listen to your heart and following your dreams.

Despite being incarcerated for more than a quarter of a century, Nelson Mandela remained a dignified and iconic person that inspired millions during his life. The great man’s memoirs feature in a Long Walk to Freedom with his inimitable voice coming across on every page.

Lastly we turn to inspiration of the equine that’s set during the tumult of World War One. Some 8 million horses lost their lives during ‘the Great War’ of 1914-18. However, this carnage could not stop one of the most inspiring friendships ever told from occurring.