What Book Changed Your Life?

[badjanus]

Little women - which I imagine is an usual choice.

 

[Beholders_Eye]

C.S Lewis: 'Mere Christianity' - first time the whole nature of the religion made sense to me. Still does, many years later.
My go-to book when I need to re-set myself.

 

[Booboobear84]

How to win friends and influence people. I think the correct title is how to be nice to people

 

[lacandy]

I think I’ve posted this before and I know how it sounds, but it has nothing to do with the story, or how the book was written, but the rabid community that developed from it - Twilight.

 

[Booboobear84]

I think I’ve posted this before and I know how it sounds, but it has nothing to do with the story, or how the book was written, but the rabid community that developed from it - Twilight.

Various fandoms have very interesting people in them

 

[joe432]

Brave New World. Everyone thinks 1984 is some profound prophecy but Brave New World is way better and more accurate IMO Great themes on society and various aspects of it as well.

 

[Love_Is_Blonde]

Bridge to Terabithia, Anne of Green Gables- My firsts. These books made me fall in love with reading.

The Lottery - my introduction to the genius that was Shirley Jackson and her mastery of the short story genre.

How To Cook Everything - I know a cook book is strange to add here, but this book really changed the way I viewed cooking. It is a good read, not only for the recipes, but the basics of cooking and how easy it is to make a quality meal.

The Historian, Rebecca - two of my favorites. They’re dark and mysterious and wonderful.

The Anita Blake series - Vampires. Werewolves. Erotica. What’s not to like? Opened my eyes to how books could be truly breathtaking.

Greek Mythology and Grimms Fairy Tales - they’re sentimental and horrifying at the same time. I read them a lot as a kid.

 

[Milo_Grigsby]

"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" - Short piece by Ursula K. Le Guin

“A People’s History of the United States” - by Howard Zinn

“Guns, Germs and Steel” - by Jared Diamond

The AA Big Book

 

[Milo_Grigsby]

Brave New World. Everyone thinks 1984 is some profound prophecy but Brave New World is way better and more accurate IMO Great themes on society and various aspects of it as well.

Are we in a Huxleyan or Orwellian dystopia? I propose - both, as illustrated by the below Venn diagram (not original to me), with a little Bradbury thrown in.

 

[StillRain]

The Holy Bible


just jokes, fun tale though I guess but The Pillars of The Earth was better.

 

[Helpme01]

I'm curious as to what books have made you feel deep emotions, or have changed your life significantly.

Sometimes I listen to music and it ends up being so profound that it makes me want to cry. I've had books that I've fallen in love with the characters and I cry when they pass, but I'm talking about something that you don't forget easily, or something that had made you question things in your life. Maybe a character that you can relate to that helped you deal with a tough decision.

If you'd like to share what it made you change, that'd be interesting to read as well. Thanks.

The outsiders but I didn’t realize it just then. It was a couple years that I realized I was ponyboy. I did bad things cause I felt like I had no choice and I was going to be a laborer or inmate. But I never felt right doing it

 

[Sinstories]

Basic infantry skills field manual.

 

[BadAmy]

"Can't Hurt Me." Goggins. wwgd

 

[hairball18]

The number of times I was disciplined at school book.

 

[Psychprofgal]

"How To Win Friends and Influence People", and the "Bible"

 

[Lord Pmann]

Changed my life.

 

[RoanMtn]

The Nature of Personal Reality by Jane Roberts. Nothing published since in this genre can top this work.

 

[Shenanigans90]

The Bible, I’m not joking.

 

[Mikey1970]

I have 3 the first time I read the Bible cover to cover then compared it to the Koran, then I read Terry Goodkind's 'Wizards first rule' "People are stupid, they will believe any lie you tell them for 2 reasons one they want to believe it is true or they are afraid it might be true"

 

[Mikey1970]

I have 3 the first time I read the Bible cover to cover then compared it to the Koran, then I read Terry Goodkind's 'Wizards first rule' "People are stupid, they will believe any lie you tell them for 2 reasons one they want to believe it is true or they are afraid it might be true"

Sorry The books tittle is sword of truth

 

[BillTheKatt90]

So sorry to be late to this party.

1. Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse.
My dad made me read this when I was 15, and withheld some privileges until I finished it. I identified with young Siddhartha, and was pissed at dad for making me read it. Then I read it again when I was trying to make my fortune in my late 20s. Then I read it again as my kids moved on. So crazy how accurately Hesse described how I feel at each stage.

2. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams.
I had no idea that absurd science fiction comedy existed and that it could be the funniest stuff on the planet.

3. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.
I read this in the summer after I graduated high school and Holy cow did it light a fire of angst under me. Helped me start to develop my voice in the world (alongside the movie “Pump Up the Volume”).

4. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
Amazing writing. Great story. Just read it.

 

[BillTheKatt90]

Also, is there a thread about other forms of art (e.g., movies or music) that changed your life?

 

[Deleted member 6592667]

To Kill a Mockingbird. Reading this at a young age left an impression on me that resonated into my adult years. Such an important book and necessary for every young person I think.

Reading Bukowski in my 20s made me want to write.

 

[la_ruche]

Never Ending Story (And how I loved Noah Hathaway in the movie…)
Got me into fantasy.

 

[Hurricane78]

Tuesdays with Morrie