# Forget about favorites: the one book that changed your life.



## attahinatho (Oct 27, 2010)

Greetings!

Yes, we all have our 15 favorites, or maybe the 3 that we would take with us to a desert island, alone with the sea and sky. But there is 1 book that has changed your life, and you would not be reading this post today without it. We all have different paths, so the book could have initiated you on the quest of reading/writing, lifted you up from addiction, radicalized your politics (left or right), or reconciled you with family.

So, let's hear it.

What is the one book that changed your life, and why.

I am going to say the play by Rabindranath Tagore called, _The Ascetic: Sanyasi_. It convinced me that becoming a monk wasn't the most worthwhile pursuit in life, that the small fold of love, even if painful, could be much greater.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Nope . . . can't really think of any book that was a life-changing experience for me.


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## miss_fletcher (Oct 25, 2010)

I read the Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold when it first came out, and I had just turned 13. After reading it I was very suspicious of all my neighbors.

I guess it made me open my eyes and realize no matter how nice people seem they could have evil intentions in mind, and not to trust _everyone_ as soon as I meet them. That may seem like an obvious life lesson, but I was brought up in a very loving and trusting household, so I was a little naive when it came to how cruel people can be on occasion in the big bad world.

Not life changing, but I think that is the only book that has had an actual, lasting effect that I am consciously aware of.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

See:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,29903.0.html

for a similar topic.

Mike


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## attahinatho (Oct 27, 2010)

jmiked said:


> See:
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,29903.0.html
> 
> ...


It is a similar topic, yes, but quite different also. In that topic, the question is, "what book did you read as a young person that changed your thinking?". Whereas my question is a bit more broad in scope, possibly with more depth, "what book _changed your life_?"

I hope you can see the difference.


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## Monica of NY (Jun 3, 2009)

NogDog said:


> Nope . . . can't really think of any book that was a life-changing experience for me.


Neither can I.


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## Cardinal (Feb 24, 2010)

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

I was the youngest in my class and didn't see the point of school.  When I was seven, my mom read me The Hobbit and when Bilbo was going to go into Smog's liar my mom snapped the book shut and said that was for tomorrow night.  I sneaked the book to my bedroom to find out what would happen next and got upset the words were to big to read.  Within two months I was put into the highest reading group, and at the end of the year was given an award for most improved in the class.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

attahinatho said:


> I hope you can see the difference.


I can. That's why I said similar. Just trying to be helpful. 

Mike


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## Danielleqlee (Jun 21, 2010)

Life in the World Unseen.


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

I can think of two books (other than scriptures of course) that really changed if not my life, than really the way I looked at the world.

Go Ask Alice
and
The Diary of Anne Frank

I read both of them in high school and they both had such a huge impact on my life. I can still remember so much about their stores as well. I don't think I will ever forget the lessons and life experiences in those two books.


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## Pinworms (Oct 20, 2010)

The Bible.  

I'm not a Christian, but my parents are.  My childhood was heavily influenced by the Bible, for better or worse.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Star-Persecution-Europe-1933-1945/dp/0823223906/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1288223244&sr=1-1

I don't think any book can change my life, but this book "The Yellow Star" did blow me away emotionally and in spirit. I been to a few concentration camps as I am from Bavaria and Dachau is pretty close. 
Even closer is Flossenburg a smaller not so well known camp, just a short drive from where I grew up. I read stories, I talked to older people in the communities, but this book for some reason gave it a face. 
It is very powerful and not easy. It was part of our class when I was around 13 or so. It has lots of pictures and details.
I think it says its been revised some, I read the older german version of course.


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## Guest (Oct 28, 2010)

A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield. One of my all-time favorite books!


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## monkeyluis (Oct 17, 2010)

foreverjuly said:


> A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield. One of my all-time favorite books!


I have some of his stuff and need to read it. Seems like the American HHDL.


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

Atunah said:


> http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Star-Persecution-Europe-1933-1945/dp/0823223906/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1288223244&sr=1-1
> 
> I don't think any book can change my life, but this book "The Yellow Star" did blow me away emotionally and in spirit. I been to a few concentration camps as I am from Bavaria and Dachau is pretty close.
> Even closer is Flossenburg a smaller not so well known camp, just a short drive from where I grew up. I read stories, I talked to older people in the communities, but this book for some reason gave it a face.
> ...


That looks like a really good book! I remember watching a movie (actual film) in eleventh grade History from when the war was over and the Germans were trying to "clean up" the concentration camps and get rid of evidence (bodies and such) and it was horrid. I think those images will forever haunt me.


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## Travis haselton (Jul 24, 2010)

Probaly "Tom Brown's field guide to nature observing and tracking" Made me feal guilty about moving to the city.


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## Margaret Jean (Aug 31, 2010)

DON QUIXOTE by Miguel Cervantes (1547-1616).  Considered the first modern novel. The be-knighted knight on a skinny nag out tilting at windmills in the hopes of defending the honor of his fair Dulcinea (So what if she's actually a whore?  She's a princess in his eyes.)  The loyal page Sancho Panza . . . .  Poor Quixote's dementia was a result of . . . reading too many "novels!"  It's available in many different editions and formats.  I highly recommend it.


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## rsullivan9597 (Nov 18, 2009)

Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis - I saw way too many similarites between Gregor Samson's work-o-holic nature and myself.


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## Paul Clayton (Sep 12, 2009)

I can't think of one book either, but here's a few.  Eric Hoffer's The True Believer.  Known as the stevedor philosopher, he wrote about life, society, personality, etc.  He was especially interested in group movements and I think he opened my eyes to 'group think,' which, sadly, is prevalent these days, especially among the young and on the internet, big time.  And another writer who I wish everyone would read is The Captive Mind by Czeslaw Milosz, a nobel prize winner.  Written in the fifties in Stalinist easter Europe, Milosz strips communism and it's anemic twin, socialism of all its sweet cream topping and shows it for the mind rot it is.  There really was an iron curtain and they erected it to keep in the millions who hated life under the true believers.  Two books for our time, says this free thinker.


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## Eric C (Aug 3, 2009)

The Kama Sutra by Vātsyāyana.

Okay, that was a joke. The real answer: I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew by Dr. Seuss


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## N. Gemini Sasson (Jul 5, 2010)

Miss_Fletcher said:


> I read the Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold when it first came out, and I had just turned 13. After reading it I was very suspicious of all my neighbors.
> 
> I guess it made me open my eyes and realize no matter how nice people seem they could have evil intentions in mind, and not to trust _everyone_ as soon as I meet them. That may seem like an obvious life lesson, but I was brought up in a very loving and trusting household, so I was a little naive when it came to how cruel people can be on occasion in the big bad world.
> 
> Not life changing, but I think that is the only book that has had an actual, lasting effect that I am consciously aware of.


You know, being aware of that possibility - that not everyone has good intentions - can actually be lifesaving.

I'd like to say that some great literary work was life-changing for me, but actually the book that saved my sanity, and thus changed my life for the better, was one called _Dealing with People You Can't Stand: How to Bring out the Best in People at their Worst_. This was because I'd run into a string of people in quick succession who were pushing my buttons. It helped me understand people a whole lot better and then to be able to cope with them.


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## SpearsII (Jan 16, 2010)

_The Intelligent Investor_ by Benjamin Graham changed my life. I started thinking about money in terms of value and not just spending it on whatever I wanted. It opened me up to a whole new way of thinking. I went from living pay check to pay to living with some savings and no debt. It helped me realize I enjoy economics as a field of study. It was just one of those books that changed the course of my life.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

Some people will hate me for this but...

The Da Vinci Code. I'm not going to claim everything in it is fact but I can't deny it introduced me to the gnostic gospels and inspired me to look at religion in a whole other way. 

I can't say The Lovely Bones changed my life but it did deeply affect me for personal reasons.


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## AmberLi (Sep 15, 2010)

My life changing book was "It's all Too Much" by Peter Walsh - yes, the Clean Sweep host!  

A couple of years ago, my engagement fell apart and I had to move back home with my parents, but I had accumulated FAR too much stuff to go from my 9 years of independent living and a 2 bedroom apartment into a room in their house. 

I was faced with some serious purging.

I don't know that I would have gotten through it without this book, honestly, about how much better your life can be with less STUFF.  

I can't say I am a minimalist today (umm, especially with all of my e-reader accessories!), but I did manage to let go of most of my furniture and get many of my belongings into a 5x15 storage unit with plenty of room to spare.

My boyfriend collects a lot of stuff and I really hope to someday get him to read this book and see the light the way I did!

I had emotional attachments to SO MANY THINGS that I would never use again, and his line from his book always comes back to me, because I started crying when I read it - "Do you believe your best memories are behind you or in front of you?"


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## StaceyHH (Sep 13, 2010)

Two books, one primed me for reading the next one.

First was _Chapterhouse: Dune_ (Frank Herbert, Dune #6) because it opened my eyes to the manipulations of spiritual abusers. Shortly thereafter I was given a copy of _Crisis of Conscience_ by Raymond Franz. It was an insider look at the abusive fundamentalist christian group in which I was raised. That book saved my life and my marriage by giving me the push I needed to leave my natal religion. I sincerely believe I would not have been disillusioned enough with my spiritual leaders to read _Crisis_, had I not first read _Chapterhouse._


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## KaseyCaye (Jan 23, 2010)

Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn - without a doubt the most life changing book I've ever read! I seriously recommend it!!! (see I even used 3 exclamation points)


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## carl_h (Sep 8, 2010)

"What's so Amazing about Grace?"  Phillip Yancey


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## egh34 (Jan 11, 2009)

I have 2...Watership Down because it was the first "adult" book I read and finished (I was 9) and The Stand because it made me look at the world differently.


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## PraiseGod13 (Oct 27, 2008)

No-brainer for me..... the Bible


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## mattposner (Oct 28, 2010)

Certainly The Hobbit made me aware of the possibilities of literature that I hadn't perceived before, which has shaped me as a writer.

John Berger's Ways of Seeing alerted me to the possibilities of art and of news ways of looking at the arts in general.

The Occult by Colin Wilson for exploding my ability to analyze and understand the paranormal.


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## Alice Y. Yeh (Jul 14, 2010)

I have two, actually.

1) Bible (for obvious reasons)

2) _Baby Alicia is Dying_ by Lurlene McDaniel. The book is about a high schooler doing volunteer work with AIDS babies, and it's what made me want to go into healthcare.


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## k-newbie (Nov 13, 2010)

Protecting the Gift - Gavin DeBecker


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## kindlequeen (Sep 3, 2010)

For me, it absolutely has to be Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. Talk about learning you can't trust.... our most trusted organization (the FDA) is supposed to be working to keep us healthy, but they really don't. I was in culinary school when I read this book and it startled me how our sources of food are treated, the farmers who provide for us, and so on. The real underbelly of our food sources is startling and I wish more people we educated about where the food we buy comes from.

Do I still eat fast food? Absolutely! But I make smarter choices and I certainly appreciate where good food comes from. I also frequent my farmer's market as often as I can and I make sure to let the people there know that I'm grateful for their hard work.

Amber Li- thanks for recommending It's All Too Much, the DH and I are considering moving onto a boat and letting go of "stuff" will be an emotional challenge for me. I'm sure this will be a major help!!!!


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## katsim (Apr 19, 2009)

Right now, it is "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes for much the same reason as the post above about Fast Food Nation. It really makes you distrustful of our nutrition authorities and their grasp on science. I'll check back in a month or two and see how much it has changed my life, but it sure has changed my thinking on food.


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## MrMiracle (Oct 28, 2010)

I'm not sure how big this board is on comic books, but Superman: Peace on Earth by Paul Dini and Alex Ross really gave me a new perspective on world hunger.  Not just in terms of the magnitude of the problem, but the sheer obstacles that the charitable face when trying to actually do something about it.


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## Mark_A_Lopez (Oct 24, 2010)

When I was in grade-school, you couldn't catch me without a book. But somewhere between fifth and sixth grade, I discovered video games, and for the next three years I didn't go anywhere near books. Then, as a graduation gift, a teacher randomly gave me a book called The Sapphire Rose, the last book to David Eddings' fantasy series, The Elenium. When I went to shelve it, I noticed that in the same untouched shelf was a book called The Diamond Throne, which just so happened to be the first in the very same series. Surprised by the coincidence, I decided to go ahead and give them a read...

Haven't stopped reading since.


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## Mark_A_Lopez (Oct 24, 2010)

MrMiracle said:


> I'm not sure how big this board is on comic books, but Superman: Peace on Earth by Paul Dini and Alex Ross really gave me a new perspective on world hunger. Not just in terms of the magnitude of the problem, but the sheer obstacles that the charitable face when trying to actually do something about it.


Superman was my first role model. I never heard of this particular comic, but now I'm going to have to check it out!


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## MrMiracle (Oct 28, 2010)

Mark_A_Lopez said:


> When I was in grade-school, you couldn't catch me without a book. But somewhere between fifth and sixth grade, I discovered video games, and for the next three years I didn't go anywhere near books. Then, as a graduation gift, a teacher randomly gave me a book called The Sapphire Rose, the last book to David Eddings' fantasy series, The Elenium. When I went to shelve it, I noticed that in the same untouched shelf was a book called The Diamond Throne, which just so happened to be the first in the very same series. Surprised by the coincidence, I decided to go ahead and give them a read...
> 
> Haven't stopped reading since.


I was 13 when I saw the dust jacket to The Seeress of Kell on a hardback copy in a Bookstop window. I loved knights but wasn't familiar with Eddings writing. The jousting, horses, and heraldry really caught my eye, though. The Belgariad and Mallorean didn't really emphasize knights, but the Elenium sure did.


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## Mark_A_Lopez (Oct 24, 2010)

MrMiracle said:


> I was 13 when I saw the dust jacket to The Seeress of Kell on a hardback copy in a Bookstop window. I loved knights but wasn't familiar with Eddings writing. The jousting, horses, and heraldry really caught my eye, though. The Belgariad and Mallorean didn't really emphasize knights, but the Elenium sure did.


It's a great feeling, being that age and reading about knights disemboweling their enemies. I have many fond memories of discussing favorite scenes with friends I had convinced to read about Sparhawk's adventures...good times.


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## Stan (Jun 10, 2010)

Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon. It showed me that novels can be poetry.


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## sal (Aug 4, 2009)

I have two as well:

*Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny* -- because of the visual way he writes, and because it was one of the first 
books I read that was heavily influenced by mythology (vedic). It made me interested in a lot of different 
religions and mythologies.

*The Nature of Personal Reality by Jane Roberts* -- I thought it was fascinating, deep, and very metaphysical; and the
whole idea that she went into a trance and dictated essentially complete novels to her husband still blows my mind (and 
although I remain skeptical, the book is quite interesting)

Sal


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## Sunset (Nov 10, 2010)

KaseyCaye said:


> Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn - without a doubt the most life changing book I've ever read! I seriously recommend it!!! (see I even used 3 exclamation points)


This really is a great, profound book. I find it insightful on so many levels. It's my hope that more people do check it out because there are just so many stories and ideas about how we could be making the world a better place.


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## Iwritelotsofbooks (Nov 17, 2010)

Confessions Of A Yogi by Parmahansa Yogananda


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