On stories and life: These are my favorite tales

A novel, a TV-series and a video game - these stories keep me coming back. They’ve become a stable presence in my life. Because of this, I wanted to look at what makes them so dear to me, and what I’ve learned from them.

For the past 10 years I’ve read the novel Sinuhe the Egyptian by Finnish writer Mika Waltari every summer. If you’re interested, it’s been translated to 41 languages. It’s somewhat of a routine now, but one I immensely enjoy. This summer, beginning the yearly ritual, I started thinking of other stories I return to time and time again—and why that is. 

Sipping on a damn good – and hot – cup of coffee, I compared these three stories. All were introduced to me by someone special, at a pivotal time in my life - or both. Each is a story masterfully told. But there is something special about each of them. 

A Finnish literature classic: Sinuhe the Egyptian

I read Sinuhe for the first time while still in grade school. At 779 pages the book did seem a daunting task for pre-teen me. Nevertheless, I wanted to make the effort since it was for a school assignment: ask a parent to recommend a book to read, then write a report on it. Reading Sinuhe was my mother’s recommendation. 

My mom, typically a friend of crime thrillers, sold me on Sinuhe by saying,

“I’ve read it multiple times at different points of my life, and always found something new.”

I’ve since found it to be true. Since reading the novel first as a school girl, I’ve read it through growing pains and early adulthood. Apart from Waltari’s now delightfully old-fashioned use of the Finnish language, the lesson I’ve taken from Sinuhe is this: Good stories stand time. They offer advice, points of view and experiences, which is relatable.  

A wonderfully weird TV-series: Twin Peaks

Just as Waltari’s delightfully dry and pessimistic Sinuhe and his opportunistic slave-turned-friend Kaptah are my companions each summer, I start pining for the small town of Twin Peaks when evenings grow dark come Fall. Not entirely unlike Sinuhe, I was introduced to Lynch & Frost’s Twin Peaks at a turning point of my life. I was studying art and living on my own for the first time and watching the mystery unfold with newfound friends. 

I was in a new situation, finding my footing as an adult. It all felt strange and clumsy, but at the same time exhilarating. I happened by Twin Peaks on accident, actually. I saw a group of friends watching the series, stood dumbfounded, watching the tiny man dance backwards for a bit and thought the show too tacky for my tastes. I changed my mind, some weeks later started watching from the beginning, and fell in love with the strange little town and its tacky nightmares. To me, Twin Peaks is a great example of storytellers sticking to their guns, stylewise. Trying to please everyone will leave the end result bland and useless. 

A world I want to explore: Dragon Age Inquisition 

Video games have a special place in my heart. I got my first game console, the PlayStation One, as a highly anticipated Christmas present when I was seven or eight years old. My father, little sister, and I would share the joys and frustrations of those early platformers and racing games together for years. 

My current XboX One was gifted to me by my SO on my 30th birthday. He also recommended the Dragon Age fantasy RPG game series to me – multiple times, because I brushed off the recommendations at first. At the time of writing this blog, I have played through the whole series and clocked hundreds of hours on the latest part in the series, Dragon Age Inquisition. In fact, I’m currently in the middle of yet another playthrough. 

An important reason these stories are dear to me are the people I share them with. Sinuhe was a suggestion from my mom, but one I still experience on my own - and that’s the way I like it. In video games however you can experience a story as it unfolds and take action, on your own or together as a team. After all these playthroughs, the world of Thedas feels like home. 

I think great games and great content have something in common. Read my blog and see if you agree!

The same old story from a new perspective

Here they are then, the stories that have become a permanent part of my life. After reading Sinuhe the Egyptian for the first time, I’ve grown up, after watching Twin Peaks I’ve learned the ropes of adult life, and after playing Dragon Age Inquisition the first time I’ve moved cities and changed jobs. 

The stories I return to stay the same, of course, but I don’t. To me they are great stories, because they haven’t lost their meaning to me yet. When I return to them in a new environment or after a life change, I always find new inspiration and perspectives.

What are your go-to stories and why? Share in the comments!