Some books entertain us, books that teach us, and then there are the rare few that change the trajectory of who we become. My First Class Picks are those life-altering reads that stamped themselves on my heart long before I ever knew I’d be curating stories for others.

Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was placed in my hands when I was still a young girl, and her voice wrapped itself around me like truth I didn’t yet have words for. For years afterward, I wanted to be a poet, a writer, and a “phenomenal woman,” shaped by her strength and lyrical honesty.

Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, The Four Agreements, and The Autobiography of Malcolm X, written by Malcolm X and Alex Haley, opened my mind to what transformation could look like, from spiritual purpose to discipline to identity to resilience. These stories didn’t just inspire me; they became mirrors and roadmaps during some of the most defining moments in my life.

And then there’s Brené Brown’s Daring Greatly, the book that challenged me to stop performing strength and start understanding it. She showed me what it truly means to live with courage, authenticity, and emotional intelligence, principles I try to walk in daily, whether I’m leading, mothering, learning, or simply navigating the world.

These books sit with me still. They travel with me. They whisper reminders when I need them. They are the stories that helped build the woman behind Reise Reader and changed my life.

~RR