Books that changed your life.. - Page 3

Richey79 · 12-10-2010, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RarneyBubble

It might be a soppy one ...

I agree with the poster who couldn't see how the Great Gatsby is soppy. I think it's a great book - quite as bleak as Eliot's Wasteland, which Fitzgerald references with his own wasteland:

Fitzgerald's (and the reader's) conclusions about Gatsby's dream are not necessarily the same as Nick Carraway's. Nick is one of the greatest examples of the 'unreliable narrator' in literature. He always fails to ask the difficult questions about those things he imagines would be pleasant to believe in.

I love the book because it is not only thought-provoking, but Fitzgerald includes likable characters and notions at the same time. There's a really appealing lyricism and romantic feel to the novel - which is I suppose to say that it mirrors Gatsby himself perfectly.

For my own 'book that changed your life?'

I suppose Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Not by any means my favourite book, or even a particularly likable one, but the first book I studied under a really good teacher and spent longer thinking about than I had reading it. The first novel that made me realise how many different strands of life, culture, history and ideas can all be woven into such a concentration of language.

Pookeysgirl · 12-10-2010, 09:57 AM

This is going to sound stupid but: Stuart Little

It was given to me as a present from my 3rd grade teacher and I loved it. I always liked reading but this book was the beginning of my real love for books.

CazMar · 12-10-2010, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pookeysgirl

This is going to sound stupid but: Stuart Little

It was given to me as a present from my 3rd grade teacher and I loved it. I always liked reading but this book was the beginning of my real love for books.

If you ended up loving books then it wasn't stupid! Sometimes it doesn't matter what the book is so much as being able to open your mind to the written word.

wvcherrybomb · 12-10-2010, 08:14 PM

Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series.

It was the first time I realized that books don't suck. I haven't stopped reading since.

Jakie · 12-14-2010, 01:35 AM

I have been a voracious reader for decades, but the one, other than the bible, that had the most impact on me, was "Atlas Shrugged" (try to tie those two together

) I will always remember the politics of pull, and am constantly amazed/saddened about just how accurate it is in today's political world.

BookCat · 12-14-2010, 02:39 AM

Women Who Love Too Much, by Robin Norwood. I was in an addictive bad relationship at the time, and this book helped me get out of it.
That's what I call life-changing!

On the other hand, I bought a copy for a friend who thought it was "American psychobabble".

avantman42 · 12-14-2010, 04:29 AM

While I agree that books in general have had a great impact on my life, if I had to choose one, I'd have to say The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I joined the fan club, and through that, met my wife. We've been married for seven years, and have a three year old son.

bobavey · 12-14-2010, 01:53 PM

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I read it when I was 12 years old and I've loved reading ever since.

wvcherrybomb · 12-14-2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

Women Who Love Too Much, by Robin Norwood. I was in an addictive bad relationship at the time, and this book helped me get out of it.

Congrats on getting out of that and on to a happier life. You are right, that IS life changing.

DixieGal · 12-14-2010, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wvcherrybomb

Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series.

It was the first time I realized that books don't suck. I haven't stopped reading since.

Patricia uploaded almost all of them to the MR library, mostly because I begged her to. She was such a sweet person.

ManosHandsOfFate · 12-14-2010, 05:24 PM

For me The Lord of the Rings was my jump from children's lit to adult lit.

Dune was my first adult-level sci-fi.

kindlekitten · 12-15-2010, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

Venus Boy, by Lee Sutton. It was the first SF I ever read (my parents tried to keep me from reading the stuff). I have been trying to buy a copy for a decade or more, but it was apparently only sold to a few libraries, and prices are obscene. As in "could buy three or four whole ebook readers" obscene.

Star Man's Son by Andre Norton. It was the first SF I ever owned (despite parental oversight; it came from the Scholastic Book Club) and it made all the difference in the world.

Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. The movie is nothing at all like the book, by the way. It will make you think. A lot of my beliefs about honor and duty came from that book.

Silverlock, by John Myers Myers. It changed my life not so much for itself, but by introducing me to a whole world of literature. I'm still following up allusions, decades later.

There are more, a lot more, mostly SF and fantasy. Andre Norton's books, especially the early ones. The Robert Heinlein juveniles. Tom Swift and a few other products of the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Horatio Alger. Hugh Walters. H. Beam Piper. There are more that I'm not thinking of right now (one word: Cataclysm) but they contributed, too. Every book I read adds a little, pro or con. I think that's what being a reader, instead of just someone who happens to read books, is all about.

HUZZAH!!!!

I believe in those citizenship requirements!

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobavey

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I read it when I was 12 years old and I've loved reading ever since.

oh definetly!

I'm still having a hard time pointing to any one book in particular.

ManosHandsOfFate · 12-15-2010, 05:21 PM

And for the record, the "every book has changed my life in some small way" sentiment is super hokey and entirely uninteresting.

Latinandgreek · 12-15-2010, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pookeysgirl

This is going to sound stupid but: Stuart Little

It was given to me as a present from my 3rd grade teacher and I loved it. I always liked reading but this book was the beginning of my real love for books.

That's not stupid at all!

I'm going to have to think before I can answer that question. About 10 books came to mind when I read it.

Bilbo1967 · 12-15-2010, 05:36 PM

I first read Animal Farm when I was four years old and seem to recall enjoying it simply as a nice story. When I re-read it at school many years later I understood so much more of what it was about (obviously). I think it was this that started me thinking about the nature of books; about the way that they can be interpreted differently by different people at different times.

After that, the book that haas affected me most has been The Grapes of Wrath. Quite simply, in my opinion, the best book ever written; it gives an insight into the human condition that I haven't found anywhere else yet.

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12-10-2010, 09:57 AM	#32
Pookeysgirl Wizard Posts: 1,705 Karma: 12696746 Join Date: May 2010 Device: K3, Kobo Mini	This is going to sound stupid but: Stuart Little It was given to me as a present from my 3rd grade teacher and I loved it. I always liked reading but this book was the beginning of my real love for books.

12-10-2010, 08:14 PM	#34
wvcherrybomb Sharp Shootin' Grandma Posts: 847 Karma: 1123940 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sunny Florida Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Fire, Literati (has been adopted by my daughter)	Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series. It was the first time I realized that books don't suck. I haven't stopped reading since.

12-14-2010, 01:35 AM	#35
Jakie Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 225544 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Keremeos BC Device: Kindle PW5, Kobo Libre2	I have been a voracious reader for decades, but the one, other than the bible, that had the most impact on me, was "Atlas Shrugged" (try to tie those two together ) I will always remember the politics of pull, and am constantly amazed/saddened about just how accurate it is in today's political world.

12-14-2010, 02:39 AM	#36
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Women Who Love Too Much, by Robin Norwood. I was in an addictive bad relationship at the time, and this book helped me get out of it. That's what I call life-changing! On the other hand, I bought a copy for a friend who thought it was "American psychobabble".

12-14-2010, 04:29 AM	#37
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	While I agree that books in general have had a great impact on my life, if I had to choose one, I'd have to say The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I joined the fan club, and through that, met my wife. We've been married for seven years, and have a three year old son.

12-14-2010, 01:53 PM	#38
bobavey Bob Avey Posts: 117 Karma: 501082 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Broken Arrow, OK Device: none	A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I read it when I was 12 years old and I've loved reading ever since.

12-14-2010, 05:24 PM	#41
ManosHandsOfFate Addict Posts: 298 Karma: 1537324 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chicago Device: Nook, K3, Fire, Nexus 7	For me The Lord of the Rings was my jump from children's lit to adult lit. Dune was my first adult-level sci-fi.

12-15-2010, 05:21 PM	#43
ManosHandsOfFate Addict Posts: 298 Karma: 1537324 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chicago Device: Nook, K3, Fire, Nexus 7	And for the record, the "every book has changed my life in some small way" sentiment is super hokey and entirely uninteresting.

12-15-2010, 05:36 PM	#45
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 13,424 Karma: 81011643 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10	I first read Animal Farm when I was four years old and seem to recall enjoying it simply as a nice story. When I re-read it at school many years later I understood so much more of what it was about (obviously). I think it was this that started me thinking about the nature of books; about the way that they can be interpreted differently by different people at different times. After that, the book that haas affected me most has been The Grapes of Wrath. Quite simply, in my opinion, the best book ever written; it gives an insight into the human condition that I haven't found anywhere else yet.

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