What books have changed your life?

Question

Tell me the title and author of a book that changed your life.
In what sense has it changed your life or view of the world? What makes this book so special?
Would you recommend it to others?
What genre is it?
Have you read other books from the author? Did they have a deep impact on you as well?
Your answer can include more than one book. I will be happy to read all answers (and maybe some of the books...) :))

Answer 1

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. Its an antiwar novel and it is fantastic.

It inspired me to write my novel, which I wont reveal the name of or when it is coming out because this isn't the place for that.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It is the only novel Wilde ever wrote. It is very philosophical. Reading that book took me from being a high school drop out at the time to an eventual college graduate and now a high school English teacher.

Answer 2

Reading the historical novel "Katherine" by Anya Seton was a complete revelation for me. It's a wonderfully romantic story, but Anya created some complex characters and a wonderful sense of place when she wrote that book too. I first discovered it over four years ago and it's haunted me ever since.

I've read other books by Anya Seton. And, for the most part, they're all pretty good. But none of them quite stack up to "Katherine." In a way, it's disappointing because I would love to be able to go back and do my "first read" of "Katherine" over again. I love that it's become familiar to me, but nothing quite beats the experience of reading a book you love for the first time.

Also, I almost didn't even think of it because it's had SUCH a big impact on my life, but the Bible has shaped my entire life and world view from the time I was a child. I guess you could say it's changed my life more than any other.

Answer 3

I'm another one who says the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling.

I've been writing stories ever since I learnt how to form words and sentences, but about six years ago, I had almost given up on writing all together. I still read books, but they never gave me any motivation to write anything. That was until I read the Philosopher's Stone. I was enthralled by it and quickly read the other three that were out at the time. Reading those books got my creative juices following again. Since reading the Philosopher's Stone four years ago, I have written two full-length fantasy novels in a series of ten that I am writing, and I've written about twenty Harry Potter fanfictions. It's not just the books that have encouraged me, JK Rowling's rags-to-riches story has as well. She is a great inspiration to me.

I would recommend it to other and I have. My sister-in-law is currently reading the books that are out right now and my dad is set to read them next.

The genre is fantasy.

Answer 4

my favorite genre is fantasy fiction, however i read everything. I read about 20 books a month and own around 3000 books and have read everyone and some more than once. im 28years old. and reading is what I do. My favorite author is George R. R. Martin, and my favorite series is "A Song of Ice and Fire." written by George R. R. Martin. Followed by a christian fiction series written by Tim Lahaye, called "Left Behind."
However out of all the books I've read the one book besides the bible that has changed the way I think is a book on financial success called "The Richest Man in Babylon." It was reccommended to me by every successful person I know and I've read the book 7 times. I reccomend it to any and everyone who wants financial success.

Answer 5

The picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde.
It made me realize that I love to read and how many different types of books there are. It made me love literature. The classics. I read it in 5th or 6th grade.
I would recommend to anybody
I've read a few more short stories and plays from Oscar Wilde but have yet to complete his whole collection of work.
The Selfish Giant I really recommend its especially good with a great message. Its a short stories which will only take about 10 mins to read.

Answer 6

The Holy Bible-because God speaks to me through it. It gives me strength, wisdom and hope. My favorite books in it are Romans, Proverbs, Psalms, and Matthew.It is timeless.

Some books that have changes my life, but not quite to the degree that the Word of God has are:
The Power of Positive Confrontation
Rise Above
One Hundred and One Famous Poems
To Kill a Mockingbird
Hail, Hail Camp Timberwood
Pollyanna
The Blue Bottle Club
Because of Wynn Dixie
Charlotte's Web
Christy
Julie
The Sister Circle
The Acorn People
A Gown of Spanish Lace

Answer 7

These are the books that came to mind when I read your question. With the exception of the first they're in no particular order:

"A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving
"Generation X" by Douglas Coupland
"Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand
"A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
"American Psycho" by Bret Easton Ellis
"Lamb (The Gospel According to Biff Christ's Childhood Pal)" by Christopher Moore
"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig

I don't really know that I can provide all the details on each book that you've requested....some of my thoughts and feelings on these books are very personal...and we don't know each other that well :o) Also, that would be rather time consuming.

All of these books have helped shape the way I think and process information...I identified w/ the protagonist (or another central character) on an almost sub-conscious level...you know that feeling where it seems as if the author can see inside your head and knows intimate/personal things about you!!

Yes...I've recommended these books to all of my friends/co-workers who enjoy reading...and I've read multiple books by most of the authors (some have only written 1 or 2 novels)...but these are my favorites. If you read only one from my list (I hope you'll read more, but...) read John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany". It's beautiful and magical...the characters have a depth and vulnerability that makes them so life-like...it's my all time favorite.

(In typical John Irving style, he introduces a least a dozen characters...some w/ strange or hard to pronounce names in the first 20 pages...stay w/ it... I promise it's worth it. :o)

Happy Reading!

Answer 8

I know many of people are probably going to post this answer...but this is truly how i feel.

Harry Potter *flinches* yeah, Harry Potter many people are going to post this....'How can a wizard book change your life? psh.'
Easy.

Harry Potter has taught me MANY MANY things.

It stresses the importancy of Friends and Families...and thats all you need.

It helps you realize there is actually evil and life isnt happy-go-lucky. That many people have to fight things...and even die.

It did have a deep impact. Why? Because it was a deep understanding book that helped you realize..life.

I mean many people can relate?

How many people have felt like they were growing up with a Vernon or Petunia? I have...felt like everything was MY responsibility. Reading Harry Potter makes me feel as if I'm not alone...

Also Harry goes through life things like normal people...
Dating.

Harry gets grabbed up in girls, like many people..or boys. But Harry's straight..so he likes girls...but girls like me like boys...yeah ok, I think you get it. ;)

One valuable thing you can learn is doing the difference between what is EASY and what is RIGHT. Yeah maybe cheating on a test is EASY but no, its not right. And both Harry, you, and I have choices like this daily.

Would I recommend it to others? - YES. and I have. I was got into Harry Potter when the first one came out. Since then I have recommended it to soo many friends..and you know what those friends actually thank me now.

Who's the author? - J.K Rowling, duhh. ;)

Have you read other books from the author? - Erm, do the other Harry Potters count? ;)

Answer 9

One of the books that has changed my life is a paperback I bought in 1997 at Dr. Johnson's house at 17 Gough Square, off Fleet Street, London in the UK. It's the famous biography entitled, "Life of Johnson" by James Boswell. I know there're many abridged versions of this unique book so I thought I'd try to read the unabridged one whenever I had my free time. I've learned how this man of letters and the great lexicographer of his "Dictionary of the English Language" (this monumental dictionary took him six years to complete) endured along his ailing life, that is, sometime he was tormented by melancholy. However, he found solitude and strength by working on and on regarding his essays, novels, criticisms, etc. as well as he founded 'The Literary Club' where he had many friends, colleagues and admirers to share his ideas and literary/informal discourses. I found his witty quotes interesting and applicable to my way of life, for example:
"When you are solitary, be not idle; when you are idle, be not solitary."
"Books and friends should be few but good."
Please visit the web site below for his biography with fine photos.

Answer 10

The Hobbit by Tolkien
I read it the first time in the fifth grade. If I hadn't read it I may never have realized how much I love fantasy books, or at least I wouldn't have known as early as I did.
I knew about SF, my parents are Trekkie's, but I had never encountered anything with elves that wasn't a fairy tale.