What book, or books, have greatly influenced how you look at the world?

Answer 1

Tao Te Ching,
Legend, David Gemell
The Alchemist,
The Bible,
Sophie's World
Deep Survival

There are a bunch more.

I grew up in as a Christian so the bible influenced my childhood and youth. I still read it, but don't search for the will of God there anymore. It is interesting to see humanity in it though.

Sophies World is really good and a great suggestion for anyone interested in Philosophy and Existence.

Answer 2

Barbara,
this list is not inclusive of all; however, some that I consider to be important to me.

1. Fatherhood by Bill Cosby, Ph.D.
2. George Washington by Douglas Southall Freeman (abridged from the 7 volume set).
3. Great Republic by Sir Winston Churchill.
4. The Old Testament of the King James Version of the Bible while I lived in Egypt.
5. D-Day by Stephen Ambrose.
6. Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944 - 1945 by Max Hastings.

Answer 3

My reeading is done to escape from reality or into the past Barbara
So 90% of My Library is Sci Fi, Horror, fantasy and Military History
One Standout
Tom Clancy's "Red Storm Rising" first ignited My interest in The Lilitary and Military History
I owe that Man and that Book a lifelong obsession
Thanks Tom

Answer 4

The Bible and the Book of Mormon.

But all books do affect how you look at the world, its just that these two have had the greatest influence.

Answer 5

Almost any book by John Irving, Kurt Vonnegut, or Tom Clancy. But the one book that had the greatest impact on me was "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking.

Answer 6

Where to start?

As an atheist, let me acknowledge the Bible as one. No, not because I think it's brilliant philosophy or literature, but because the history of western society has been driven by Jesus, the Bible, and their believers.

But here's an off the top of my head list:

Guns, Germs, & Steel by Diamond
Breaking the Spell by Dennet
Women, Race & Class by Angela Davis
Ariel by Sylvia Plath
The Souls of Black Folk by WEB DuBois
The Michael Eric Dyson Reader by Rev. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson
A Testament of Hope by Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Why We Can't Wait by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley
Malcolm X Speaks by Malcolm X edited by George Breitman
Fences & The Piano Lesson by August Wilson
M. Butterfly by Henry David Hwang
Feminist Thought by Rosmarie Putnam Tong
L'etranger par Albert Camus
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler
Misquoting Jesus by Bart Ehrman
Worse than Slavery: Parchman Farm and the Ordeal of Jim Crow Justice by David M. Oshinsky

Answer 7

Although there are many a books, (excluding the religious one) that I gone through and those have changed my view point about life and this world , one book lingers on my mind. It is actually the last two words that struck the chord...
"Wait and Hope"..
The Count of Monte Cristo.

Answer 8

If someone says something about Twilight, I will barf. Umm, let's see here. A lot of my personality is similar to Griet from Girl With A Pearl Earring. She describes herself as "calm, quiet, and clean". I'm very similar to her, placid and unemotional on the outside, very controlled, etc., but I was like that before I read it. Hmm. I can only think of characters that I was already similar to.

Answer 9

Dictionaries. They help me understand all of the other books I read, as well as the English language, in general. To me, it's the most valuable type of book I've ever owned. I can't imagine not having a dictionary.
.

Answer 10

*Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

*The Autobiography of Malcom X as told to Alex Haley

*The Bible

*Night by Elie Wiesel

*The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

*all of the books by Mitch Albom