Did it change you in any way? If so, how?
2007-01-21 14:50:07 · 7 answers · asked by Way2Be 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
For me, it would have to be The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. It's a book about an architect who only designs houses according to his own artistic vision. The plot isn't that gripping, to be honest, but it's the ideas behind it that are the engine of the book. I read it when I was 16, and it was highly influential for me. At its core it's about living your life to its absolute fullest, and not letting other people get in the way of your dreams. Ayn Rand makes the point convincingly that you should not be selfless as society demands you to be, but that you should in fact be selfish, living your life according to your own standards and goals. This doesn't mean trampling on others, nor being short-sighted. One of the characters, Gail Wynand, is such a "selfish" individual, according to the normal use of the term, but Rand shows that, like most others, he is actually a second-hander, someone who depends upon others for his own happiness. Because he exploits others, he needs them, and you shouldn't need anyone else to be happy. The protagonist, Howard Roark, is the truly selfish individual, who does not depend upon anyone else for happiness, not even his lover, and he is concerned primarily with living a fulfilling life. If you've heard of Ayn Rand, you may know about Objectivism, the philosophy she created. And you may know that a lot of Objectivists can be arrogant and close-minded. I'm not like that anymore, but The Fountainhead was still highly influential for me. I try to live my life according to my own standards, apart from what society expects of me, and I try to follow the path of reason whenever I make any decision. I highly recommend it over Rand's other major book, Atlas Shrugged.
2007-01-21 15:06:46 · answer #1 · answered by Leon M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Um, I've never read any good religious books...
Anyway... Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, 1984 by George Orwell, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, and more.
2007-01-21 15:09:08 · answer #2 · answered by trypanophobic34 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins And Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy by Douglass Adams
Richard gave me a new found respect and pride in my atheism. Douglass made me dream farther then I thought possible. Both these books are like the only books where ive felt like they were directly written for me.
2007-01-21 14:57:02 · answer #3 · answered by Beaverscanttalk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov
2007-01-21 15:01:41 · answer #4 · answered by Lee W. 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fifth angel because i like the way the guys killed the child molesters and it did not change me any but I must say that the character in the book made me really proud and if it really happened I would support his actions 100%
2007-01-21 17:17:31 · answer #5 · answered by Ynu 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have read so many good books one that stands out is Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor. It made me laugh and it lifted my spirits at a time when I needed it. I recommend this book to everyone who wants a special light hearted experience.
2007-01-21 15:04:16 · answer #6 · answered by thmsnbrgll 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd have to say Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment", or "the Brothers Karamazov"
Dostoevsky just has a way to describe human nature in such depth and complexity. I think he was probably one of the sharpest psychologists history ever produced. I suppose it changed me in the sense when you're immersed in one of these novels you can sort of see people around you and yourself in a new light and it gives you genuine new insights into human nature and motivations.
2007-01-21 14:57:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋