What novel changed your life?

Question

When I was 9 years old I read Jim Bouton's Ball Four and theimage of my heroes was destroyed.

Answer 1

Several things have changed my life, not necessarily for the better.

In JHS, I was given a book by an elderly neighbor to read, "Animal Farm," and after reading that book, I went to the library and borrowed, "1984." Those two books motivated me to become an avid reader.

While in HS, a bully told me, "Move, stupid," and I gave him one of my patented replies, "Talking to yourself?" and he turned around and asked, "What, you think I'm stupid?" and I replied, "Don't flatter yourself... I don't think of you at all!" After the class, the teacher asked me if I had read, "The Fountainhead," by Ayn Rand. I had never even heard of the book, so the next day she brought me in her copy and gave it to me. That book has since become my bible.

Years later, I read Richard Bach's "Jonathan Livingston Seagull," "Illusions, the Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah," and "There's No Such Place As Far Away." These books inspired me to want to go to college, at 29 1/2 years of age!

I was living with bitterness when I started college; I had put my wife through college with the understanding that I would go afterward; her family interfered constantly, and finally succeeded in driving a wedge in my marriage with accusations of my being a philanderer! My nature is not to defend myself but to ignore; I never expressed my feelings outwardly to anyone (it's my nature never to let others know they've annoyed or hurt me). I separated from my wife under very unpleasant circumstancees. I came across the book written by Richard Bach's son, who grew up having divorced parents, and sensing his mother's hostility and resentment toward his absent father... the book, "Above The Clouds: a Reunion of Father and Son," helped me understand how my own child was poisoned against me, even though we were inseparable prior to my separation from her mother, who is to this day very bitter and moreso now that she has discovered how wrong she was for listening to her sister!

Answer 2

I'd have to say either 1984 or the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

1984 is a real eye-opener because of the Big Brother stuff. It wasn't until I read the book that I understood that being tracked could really happen.

And, Huck Finn, because it is such a great tale of friendship. Huck was brought up in the time of slavery, but he helped Jim to escape and after a while on the river, he didn't really see Jim as being any different than himself. I thought that was great! :)

Answer 3

Curious George

Answer 4

1984

Answer 5

Party of One: A Loner's Manifesto, by Anneli Rufus.

Answer 6

"Stop-Time", which is actually a memoir written by Frank Conroy; he later incorporated much of the material into a novel called "Body & Soul". It's just a great story of growing up in a dysfunctional family and making something of yourself despite it.

Answer 7

in hs i took a class called read tech.. i thought it was a class for dumb people but it made me love to read more... at one point i need a book to read and asked the teacher for sugestions.. he told me to read speak by Laurie Halse Anderson,,, it has become my favorite book

Answer 8

tons
secret life of bees, educating esme, pictures of hollis woods....