Books that changed your life..

RarneyBubble · 12-08-2010, 11:56 AM

I've only just restarted kindling my love for literature and can't say that I'm much of a bookworm but there was this novel I read for an English Literature class that really opened my eyes. I can't say it changed my life but it sure sent me pondering about the way I interacted with others. It might be a soppy one but it was Fitzgerald's - The Great Gatsby. Have there been any books for you, MobileRead, that changed your way of thinking or life?

kindlekitten · 12-08-2010, 12:07 PM

welcome to the forums!

I think most of the books that have changed my life have actually been historical or classified as literature as opposed to novels

Maggie Leung · 12-08-2010, 01:05 PM

No specific books for me.

I'd say that reading many books changed my life, because they showed me myriad ways to live and think, despite my upbringing by immigrant parents of limited means, education and imagination.

Books also led me to become an editor, which gave me a lifestyle that my parents wouldn't have even known to wish for.

Mike L · 12-08-2010, 02:44 PM

I can't say that any one book has changed my life. But, like Maggie, I'd say that books in general have probably changed my life - in a thousand subtle ways. Who knows.

By the way, I like The Great Gatsby as well, although I'm not why you call it soppy.

rogue_librarian · 12-08-2010, 03:33 PM

Exactly: every book changes my life, little by little.

bearymore · 12-08-2010, 03:36 PM

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Godel Escher Bach

John Carroll · 12-08-2010, 03:45 PM

Piers Anthony's Xanth series. i began reading them when I was 14 and became an avid fantasy reader after that.

Figlilly · 12-08-2010, 03:54 PM

I can't think of any particular book which had a life-changing impact but, as others have said, books in general have given me so much over the years. I truly pity the non-readers. They miss so much.

I didn't like the Great Gatsby.

DixieGal · 12-08-2010, 04:17 PM

Rich dad, poor dad.

AlbertaCowboy · 12-08-2010, 04:34 PM

Vimy by Pierre Berton. I read it when I was in Grade 6, and it kicked off a newfound and very fierce rush of Canadian pride as well as igniting a lifelong love of Canadian history.

Doug Huffman · 12-08-2010, 04:39 PM

GEB, very good.

The Flight from Science and Reason, edited by Paul R. Gross, Norman Levitt and Martin W. Lewis (NYAS, 1996), proceedings of a conference of the same name sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences held in NYC 31 May - 2 June 1995

John Carroll · 12-08-2010, 04:49 PM

You know . . . I thought of another one. I read "Dan the Newsboy" by Horatio Algier when I was about 10 or 11. The rags to riches theme, the treat others respectfully themes have been with me my entire life. Since reading that book, I have always considered that I could become successful and well admired by being a good person and working hard.

I've also made it a point to be extremely strange, but that part wasn't in the book.

HistoryWes · 12-08-2010, 05:22 PM

Tom Swift and his Outpost in Space. I discovered it in my grandparent's basement and became a reader for the rest of my life.

rkomar · 12-08-2010, 05:43 PM

I can't remember it's name (maybe "We Look and See"), but it was the first Dick and Jane book I got in first grade. I felt like I entered a brand new world, and started writing and drawing my own picture books as soon as I could print. It wasn't the best book I've ever read by far, but it made me long to read more and more books.

This is probably not what the original poster had in mind, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway. As far as more serious literature goes, maybe it was R.J. Hollingdale's translation of "Beyond Good and Evil" by Nietzsche. It made thinking and introspection fun. "If one trains one's conscience it will kiss us as it bites."

dengar · 12-08-2010, 10:02 PM

Ian Slater's WW3 series. It got me reading.

12-08-2010, 11:56 AM	#1
RarneyBubble Banned Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle	Books that changed your life.. I've only just restarted kindling my love for literature and can't say that I'm much of a bookworm but there was this novel I read for an English Literature class that really opened my eyes. I can't say it changed my life but it sure sent me pondering about the way I interacted with others. It might be a soppy one but it was Fitzgerald's - The Great Gatsby. Have there been any books for you, MobileRead, that changed your way of thinking or life?

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12-08-2010, 12:07 PM	#2
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	welcome to the forums! I think most of the books that have changed my life have actually been historical or classified as literature as opposed to novels

12-08-2010, 01:05 PM	#3
Maggie Leung Wizard Posts: 1,449 Karma: 58383 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle, iPad	No specific books for me. I'd say that reading many books changed my life, because they showed me myriad ways to live and think, despite my upbringing by immigrant parents of limited means, education and imagination. Books also led me to become an editor, which gave me a lifestyle that my parents wouldn't have even known to wish for.

12-08-2010, 02:44 PM	#4
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	I can't say that any one book has changed my life. But, like Maggie, I'd say that books in general have probably changed my life - in a thousand subtle ways. Who knows. By the way, I like The Great Gatsby as well, although I'm not why you call it soppy.

12-08-2010, 03:33 PM	#5
rogue_librarian Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 4269175 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Europe Device: Pocketbook Basic 613	Exactly: every book changes my life, little by little.

12-08-2010, 03:36 PM	#6
bearymore Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 39270 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo Aura One	Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Godel Escher Bach

12-08-2010, 03:45 PM	#7
John Carroll kookoo Posts: 1,461 Karma: 7772454 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Colorado Springs Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook, LG4	Piers Anthony's Xanth series. i began reading them when I was 14 and became an avid fantasy reader after that.

12-08-2010, 03:54 PM	#8
Figlilly Zealot Posts: 122 Karma: 2514066 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis 2&3, Paperwhites, Kindle Touch, Kobo Clara, IPad Air2	I can't think of any particular book which had a life-changing impact but, as others have said, books in general have given me so much over the years. I truly pity the non-readers. They miss so much. I didn't like the Great Gatsby.

12-08-2010, 04:17 PM	#9
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Rich dad, poor dad.

12-08-2010, 04:34 PM	#10
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	Vimy by Pierre Berton. I read it when I was in Grade 6, and it kicked off a newfound and very fierce rush of Canadian pride as well as igniting a lifelong love of Canadian history.

12-08-2010, 04:39 PM	#11
Doug Huffman Banned Posts: 102 Karma: 7860 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Washington Island, across Death's Door, Wisconsin, USA Device: KINDLE 3 WiFi	GEB, very good. The Flight from Science and Reason, edited by Paul R. Gross, Norman Levitt and Martin W. Lewis (NYAS, 1996), proceedings of a conference of the same name sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences held in NYC 31 May - 2 June 1995

12-08-2010, 04:49 PM	#12
John Carroll kookoo Posts: 1,461 Karma: 7772454 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Colorado Springs Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook, LG4	You know . . . I thought of another one. I read "Dan the Newsboy" by Horatio Algier when I was about 10 or 11. The rags to riches theme, the treat others respectfully themes have been with me my entire life. Since reading that book, I have always considered that I could become successful and well admired by being a good person and working hard. I've also made it a point to be extremely strange, but that part wasn't in the book.

12-08-2010, 05:22 PM	#13
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	Tom Swift and his Outpost in Space. I discovered it in my grandparent's basement and became a reader for the rest of my life.

12-08-2010, 05:43 PM	#14
rkomar Wizard Posts: 3,067 Karma: 18821071 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada Device: PRS-505, PB 902, PRS-T1, PB 623, PB 840, PB 633	I can't remember it's name (maybe "We Look and See"), but it was the first Dick and Jane book I got in first grade. I felt like I entered a brand new world, and started writing and drawing my own picture books as soon as I could print. It wasn't the best book I've ever read by far, but it made me long to read more and more books. This is probably not what the original poster had in mind, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway. As far as more serious literature goes, maybe it was R.J. Hollingdale's translation of "Beyond Good and Evil" by Nietzsche. It made thinking and introspection fun. "If one trains one's conscience it will kiss us as it bites."

12-08-2010, 10:02 PM	#15
dengar Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 2810 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: PW2, K3, Ipad 4, Kindle Fire	Ian Slater's WW3 series. It got me reading.