Books that changed you?

[Naltic]

Books have always been a gateway into deep thinking; this, of course, is in part of the whole reason they came into existence. For how does one make another feel and understand and think on what he feels if not to write it down and then let others pick and choose from what heap of words they put together that will end up evoking some deep emotion or thought in the reader. To that, then came the question of personal growth, as in every major leap and grand epiphany written down, others take from it and imprint it into their soul, to carry for decades to come, and maybe even pass it down so that others may learn from what they gained. This then brings me to the question for you! What book changed you, or has been such a big part of yourself that you can't imagine yourself being who you are if not having read that specific book, and why? What made it such a special book among the heaps of others? What made you choose it? Was it curiosity? Its cover? Its synopsis? The recommendation of others?

 

[bigstinkie]

it may be a very popular answer but i remember being around eight or nine years old when i happened across a copy of the lord of the rings novel trilogy
i think i attribute those three novels as creating my extremist and undying love for old world time periods, medieval history, european armours and castles and the like
my english was poor at the time so reading the books felt like reading proper ancient tomes i could hardly understand

 

[yyv7]

For me, it was the Harry Potter books. I discovered them after being grounded for the first time in middle school and I became engrossed in the world. They helped me find hope in a particularly dark time in my life (not just because of the grounding) and helped develop my love for reading.

 

[Max]

The five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom, a very good book about empathy and how other people influence your life. I would have cried if I hadn't read it on public transport.

 

[fake-kun]

The Unique and Its Property by Max Stirner.

 

[Chimera_Skeleton]

The five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom, a very good book about empathy and how other people influence your life. I would have cried if I hadn't read it on public transport.

Tuesdays with Morrie is an all time favorite from my middle/high school years. It taught me to not take loved ones for granted and cherish your time as much as you can, as much as life tries to make you forget.

 

[RepoOnly]

I never read or played or listen to any media that changed my life i´m not that easily manipulated. What chained me was a near death experience I had and it made me realize life to damn shirt and people are bloody zombies that is so brainwashed by their media it´s a no wonder they all get screw over and can barely afford to live.

 

[Max]

I never read or played or listen to any media that changed my life i´m not that easily manipulated. What chained me was a near death experience I had and it made me realize life to damn shirt and people are bloody zombies that is so brainwashed by their media it´s a no wonder they all get screw over and can barely afford to live.

Well, it seems that you have read "industrial society and its future" By Theodore J. Kaczynski

 

[Kamako]

Towards the Definition of Philosophy
Martin Heidegger

Not a very good introduction to Philosophy if you ask me, and not a very fun read. But I found a few of his arguments and thought exercises very engaging and challenging.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

Many did exactly that, but three in particular immediately came to mind:

"Wild Bird" by Wendelin van Draanen -- it offered me a deep, scarring look into what my messy teens were like and how they affected me and those around me. I'm still undecided whether I love it or hate it, even after dozens of re-reads (and even a listen). To me, that ambiguity defines literature.

"The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" by Stephen King -- it was my gateway to both King as an author and baseball as a sport, both of which I still deeply love.

"Mazes & Monsters" by Ronna Jaffe -- It taught me just how rich and engaging storytelling could be, and was actually the first book I re-read more than once and almost immediately after putting it down for the first time. It was also what got me to try my hand at this writing thing in the first place.

I'm sure there's more.

 

[_Lorenzo_]

A book I read when I was very young that I really liked for its subtle irony and its hidden philosophical teachings was Voltaire's Candide. I can't say that it changed my life, but it certainly influenced the way I viewed the everyday, which is no small thing.

 

[AntonioDP]

Too many books to list them, to be honest. Maybe I would suggest The Odyssey: A Moder Sequel, by Nikos Kazantzakis. I have never been so deeply touched by a piece of paper full of beauty, blood, pain, nothingness, darkness and light. I do love intense and thought-provoking books, of course, but maybe it's just I'm so easily manipulated. BTW, I have seen my father and my (really) young brother dying, I have almost died twice (car crash and measles) and I don't consider myself a zombie just because I love reading. In fact, is quite the opposite.

 

[_oBSOLEte_]

The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner gave me the keys to understand the world and it may be the anticipation novel that ended up being the most accurate. All of the Club of Rome Quartet series of novel are quite visionary.

This week the sky on Belgium is milky, not blue, due to the fumes from the forests burning in Canada, and I couldn't help but think, yeah, John Brunner already predicted that.

 

[Swagmata]

Too many books to list them, to be honest. Maybe I would suggest The Odyssey: A Moder Sequel, by Nikos Kazantzakis. I have never been so deeply touched by a piece of paper full of beauty, blood, pain, nothingness, darkness and light. I do love intense and thought-provoking books, of course, but maybe it's just I'm so easily manipulated. BTW, I have seen my father and my (really) young brother dying, I have almost died twice (car crash and measles) and I don't consider myself a zombie just because I love reading. In fact, is quite the opposite.

Kazantzakis is so good man, read last temptation of Christ a few years ago and it was one of my favorite books at the time. May re read it on vacation cuz of your post.

Post automatically merged: Thursday at 4:12 PM

I’m not traditionally religious in my personal life but the book of job from the Old Testament and its ambivalent portrayal of god is so incredibly compelling, and has done a lot to influence my world view.

 

[AntonioDP]

Kazantzakis is so good man, read last temptation of Christ a few years ago and it was one of my favorite books at the time. May re read it on vacation cuz of your post.

If you liked that one, maybe you would love Zorba the Greek: I haven't seen the movie. BTW, I cried when I finished it. I was travelling on a train. I didn't care.

I agree with about Job, of course!

 

[DanVzare]

I think the book that changed me was The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

I saw it for dirt cheap at a carboot sale while on holiday, and I knew about it thanks to cultural osmosis. So I got it. Then when I started reading it, I couldn't stop reading it! I read the entire book that very same day. Something I've never done before or since with a novel.

Needless to say, it gave me a newfound appreciation for books.

But in terms of changing my viewpoint on the world. I've yet to read a book that has achieved that. At best, I've either gotten a better understanding of the world as I already know it or a better understanding of myself as a person as I already know it. (Which makes me sound rather conceited now that I think about it.)

 

[Emerald Flowsion]

The Unique and Its Property by Max

Wow. I did not expect, that somebody knows Stirner here. That's amazing.

Post automatically merged: Thursday at 5:36 PM

For me:

The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky
On the Genealogy of Morals by Nietzsche
The World as Will and Representation by Schopenhauer
The Art of Worldy Wisdom by Gracián

All of these books basically shattered my known existing world views and perspectives on things. All of them made me question (minus Gracian) who I am and what life even means.

 

[AntonioDP]

Wow. I did not expect, that somebody knows Stirner here. That's amazing.

Post automatically merged: Thursday at 5:36 PM

For me:

The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky
On the Genealogy of Morals by Nietzsche
The World as Will and Representation by Schopenhauer
The Art of Worldy Wisdom by Gracián

​

Masterpieces, of course. I haven't read Schopenhauer's book, but I was suposed to do it this year. Will I dare?
It seems he adored Gracián (Did he learn Spanish to read him or Calderón? I can't remember). As a Spaniard, I'm glad I can read him with no translation involved.

 

[DOOP169]

Down Among the Dead Men by Simon R. Green, Grandma got it for me when I was 14 and it started me off down the fantasy rabbit hole for the rest of my life.

 

[Emerald Flowsion]

Masterpieces, of course. I haven't read Schopenhauer's book, but I was suposed to do it this year. Will I dare?
It seems he adored Gracián (Did he learn Spanish to read him or Calderón? I can't remember). As a Spaniard, I'm glad I can read him with no translation involved.

Yeah Schopenhauer spoke like 6 languages. He translated Gracians work into German and Don Quixote was one of his favourite books of all time.

I tried Spanish and gave up. I have to get back to it hopefully in the future. Beautiful language.

 

[Bonkers225]

Healing Back Pain by John Sarno

 

[AntonioDP]

Yeah Schopenhauer spoke like 6 languages. He translated Gracians work into German and Don Quixote was one of his favourite books of all time.

I tried Spanish and gave up. I have to get back to it hopefully in the future. Beautiful language.

I understand Spanish verbal system is a (S)pain in the ass. It's so complicated that even native speaker usually don't manage it well. But, as you say, it's a beautiful language. I consider myself very lucky. Although being a Spaniard has some drawbacks, like living in Spain.

 

[Merchant]

Books have always been a gateway into deep thinking; this, of course, is in part of the whole reason they came into existence. For how does one make another feel and understand and think on what he feels if not to write it down and then let others pick and choose from what heap of words they put together that will end up evoking some deep emotion or thought in the reader. To that, then came the question of personal growth, as in every major leap and grand epiphany written down, others take from it and imprint it into their soul, to carry for decades to come, and maybe even pass it down so that others may learn from what they gained. This then brings me to the question for you! What book changed you, or has been such a big part of yourself that you can't imagine yourself being who you are if not having read that specific book, and why? What made it such a special book among the heaps of others? What made you choose it? Was it curiosity? Its cover? Its synopsis? The recommendation of others?

1984 (The woman in the book was called the same name as the woman I was in love with for a bit) mario puzos godfather books were great. I love audio books, clockwork orange. Books get so much more fucked up than TV, movies or games.

Post automatically merged: Thursday at 7:14 PM

Books have always been a gateway into deep thinking; this, of course, is in part of the whole reason they came into existence. For how does one make another feel and understand and think on what he feels if not to write it down and then let others pick and choose from what heap of words they put together that will end up evoking some deep emotion or thought in the reader. To that, then came the question of personal growth, as in every major leap and grand epiphany written down, others take from it and imprint it into their soul, to carry for decades to come, and maybe even pass it down so that others may learn from what they gained. This then brings me to the question for you! What book changed you, or has been such a big part of yourself that you can't imagine yourself being who you are if not having read that specific book, and why? What made it such a special book among the heaps of others? What made you choose it? Was it curi

I mostly have read very well known books so far (audio books) but i will eventually start to listen to more obscure stuff, I'm reading some obscure ones but I take a long time to read where as an audio book is just a few shifts at work.

 

[Jill_Sandwich969]

The Epic of Gilgamesh

 

[Fray Guillermo]

Resisting the urge not to give the obvious troll reply that would surely get me banned