What Book Changed Your Life?

[sexywriterfla]

Pet Sematary by SK.

 

[Rob_Royale]

In 1977, a nine-year-old Rob Royale picked up Tarzan of the Apes, by Edgar Rice Burroughs for a quarter at a school book swap. I am still on the path, that book set me on.

 

[BadAmy]

"The subtle art of not giving a fuck."

 

[Deleted member 6607120]

"The subtle art of not giving a fuck."

I need to revisit this one. Good thing someone got it for me.

 

[hairball18]

"The subtle art of not giving a fuck."

Story by BadAmy, illustrated by Sally

 

[Inthesewalls]

The Bell Jar- Sylvia Plath

 

[Likeandthey]

Probably 'Naked Lunch'. Is one of those books that leaves the reader with a black mark after it is read. Then the reader realizes that, no, that mark has always been there but that this is the first time it's been noticed. 'Hustler's of the world', Burroughs wrote, 'there is one mark you cannot beat: the mark inside.'

Kafka's 'In the Penal Colony' would vie for top spot if it were a novel. Sadly, no, it is a short story.

 

[KenM77Florida]

The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.

I attended a couple of lectures given by him. Amazing trauma work

 

[KenM77Florida]

Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Green Eggs and Ham-by Dr. Seuss

The directions in the AA book saved my life several decades ago

 

[Deleted member 6607120]

I attended a couple of lectures given by him. Amazing trauma work

That's awesome, I bet that was an incredible healing space.

 

[KenM77Florida]

That's awesome, I bet that was an incredible healing space.

They were.

 

[Kat73]

Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road by Neil Peart

 

[AllAmericanMale]

Fate Is the Hunter by Ernest Gann

 

[FavoriteDream125]

Two books: The Story of O and Brother-Sister-Father
I’ve been fantasizing ever since

 

[Deleted member 6607120]

Owning Your Shadow: Understanding the Dark Side of the Psyche by Robert A. Johnson

 

[JustDave478]

1984

 

[mickyp123]

The World of Facesitting

 

[Deleted member 6592667]

To Kill a Mockingbird

 

[Lady2020]

Probably the Bible. When I finally realized it was weird af.

 

[Kittycity]

Probably more than I can think of right now but certainly these are a few biggies for me:

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield
The Communist Manifesto by Marx & Engels
You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

 

[SmokingFap]

I can't say that I've ever read a book that changed my life in any measurable way. But there are several out of the hundreds I've read that definitely affected me and come to mind once in a while. One of my all-time favorites that has one of the greatest closing paragraphs ever is The Once and Future King, my favorite telling of the King Arthur story. The Stand by Stephen King absolutely blew my mind. I have read The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway several times, and I'm always fascinated and haunted by it. A novella, I suppose, and perfectly simple, with no wasted words, no "filler". And someone above mentioned The Razor's Edge by Maugham. Read it in high school and it sticks with me today, even though I cannot even remember what it's about. It just really moved me, and I definitely need to read it again.

 

[orangecurious]

not sure about changing, as such, but (for fiction)

Dandelion Wine - Ray Bradbury

It just lives in my head, much like in Fahrenheit 451. It makes me cry most times i read it and I have bought numerous copies as I get into panic if i cannot find one!

The other would be by the other great Raymond.... Chandler. Yes, The Big Sleep is stunning, but The Long Goodbye. Such a beautiful work. Another that reduces me to tears. Just beautiful. For these who think Bradbury is sci-fi and Chandler is crime, read some and you'll realise it's pure poetry, pure magic, utterly wonderful

 

[Matt12191982]

"Heartland" (Mort Sahl)

Not sure if/what it changed, but I should also add the authorized biography written by Jim Curtis, "Last Man Standing And The Birth of Stand-up Comedy"