A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

How I Found:  I encountered Isabel Allende for the first time as a literature major. With my limited world-experience, she opened my eyes to a literary and cultural experience that would forever change me as a reader and person.  When I came across this newest of her works, I was ecstatic to find my mentor still teaching me life-long lessons.  Traveling from the Spanish Civil War to Chile with Neruda, once again brought perspective and insight, connecting histories, people, and places I knew in a way I hadn't yet.  
Why You Might Read: Along the way, the war-beaten Victor and the resilient Roser will teach you that sometimes, the person who carries you through is not the person you expect to be there for eternity. Despite their marriage of convenience Victor discovered that,  "He felt certain that as long as she existed, he wouldn't be alone in this world of misfortune." A resonating lesson that in recognizing those constant in our lives, accepting them and being accepted, is where love that lasts across space and time is how we exist beyond this limited life experience.