Paulo Coelho

I like Paulo Coelho's books because they express this idea of seeing life as an adventure through how the characters interact with life. He teaches through showing rather than telling. It helps us to learn because we can see the story and the character in our minds, which is easier for the brain to remember than abstract theory. But non-fiction is important too because many people might read a story and not really understand the importance of what the characters are doing.

It's difficult to say which is my favorite, but I think it's The Pilgrimage. I also like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello, Eleven Minutes, and The Devil and Miss Prim. I highly recommend them all, but especially the first four because he is expressing this philosophy of life through the stories.