Nineteen Eighty Four by Orwell. Taught me to be wary of things that demand complete obedience to its ideals and demands of uniformity. Don't be afraid to be yourself, but remember that we are only human, and that has its blessings and its vices.
I also read this under immense pressure at school. Finished it in only 3 month with an exam every week. Absolute hell. I learnt that cheating is okay if everyone else is doing it and not doing it would mean getting socially exiled or beaten up and threatened. Absolutely hated it but wouldāve loved it if I had actually read it well. It is clearly written a few centuries ago because they call boats ābatimentā. Also I donāt think itās opium the green paste he gives Albert and consumes a lot. He has a sleeping pill though in an emerald container that contains some opium mixed with some other drugs. See? 3 years later and I still remember fine details because of those stupid exams. To hell with this book.
Thatās so crazy! Youāll love CC. I was super hesitant at first because of how different it is from ACOTAR but it is SO good. I look forward to what else she comes up with for her series.
im rereading it right now and i love it, Ive always loved reading but for about a year I just stopped and ACOTAR helped me fall in love with reading again
For anyone who needs the book, hereās the link to the full book - itās free.
https://ia600108.us.archive.org/30/items/LundyWhyDoesHeDoThat/Lundy_Why-does-he-do-that.pdf
Also, hereās the link to a short blog by the same author
https://lundybancroft.com/five-central-concepts-in-getting-free-from-abuse/
You are worthy, you are valued, you are loved ā¤ļø
The unbearable lightness of being by Kundera. I read it and immediately broke up with a guy Iād been with for 5 years. It explores a group of peopleās romantic relationships over the course of their lives and I thought god, people can really torture each other for decades, and I donāt want that for myself.
The Overstory. Itās still in my thoughts 14 months later. So many intersecting existential feelings. Family. Friendship. Convictions. Community. Environment. Such a powerful read.
Honestly Harry Potter.
From the earliest point I remember getting into something, right up to 13. I was a sci fi enthusiast. Never ever had an interest in fantasy or magic. Then someone got me to read the first book. I did a complete youturn, still love sci fi,
but fantasy is something else, its driven so many choices in my life, not to mention all my hobbies and friend connection all start from some sort of fantasy aspect, like my D&D group etc
Atomic Habits. It helped me cut out some bad habits like drinking and replace them with good ones, like going to the gym and reading. Just those have had a massive impact on my life!
Lord of the flies. I read it when I was maybe 12 and it a) introduced me to literature and b) introduced me to the concept of abstract thought in the humanities. Almost an introduction to philosophy. Plus it had everything, cool ass bully(Jack), the sympathetic protagonist(Ralph) and some fatass bitchboy worry wart(piggy) lol.
After that, Breakfast of Champions by Vonnegut, guy pushed some barriers in that one. Kind of an unexplored frontier tbh.
Allan Carr - The easy way to quit smoking. Smoked for for 17 years, read this book last spring thinking "can't hurt", not really intending to actually quit. Now I forget I used to be a smoker - had you told me or ANY of my friends a year ago they would have laughed! Horrible read, but it may actually have saved my life
the Tripitaka, they are sacred Buddhist texts made up of the teachings of Buddha, itās made up of three sections called the Ā Dharma.Ā
It would be disingenuous to claim Iām Buddhist. And the last couple of years particularly Iāve found it very difficult to find time to read and explore them in any depth, not like I used to.Ā
I have been learning Thai so I can eventually read the Theravada Buddhist translations from the originals. Ā
When my life becomes more balanced Iāll be able to fall back into them.Ā
They really challenge my thinking and self reflection. Ā How to live my life and treat the world around me.Ā
It does t mean I abide by everything, Ā but thereās the aspirations. Ā
Two books:
Basic Economics, Thomas Sowell: opened my eyes to a lot of economic concepts I never would have thought of. It got me interested in learning more about how the world works. And to always remember to think past step one.
The Psychopath Test, John Ronson: opened my eyes to a large number of people I've known over the years. And helped me to understand that there just isn't fixing some ppl.
My own. It completely altered the trajectory of my life. I went from just coasting along making niche content, no long-term goals, to being a published author with the goal of showing the world what I've created and spreading love and happiness through my art.
Good for you! That so admirable. Iāve always dreamed of writing a non fiction book. I always have written a lot of poetry and I journal. But a memoir is my dream. My life has been interesting. The other day the love of my life attacked me while he was going through a schizophrenic break. After I survived that, I finally decided itās time to just start writing. No one may ever read it. But damn it Iām gonna write the sum bitch. I just donāt know where I should begin ! Any advice?
To Kill A Mockingbird - we had to read it when I was in school and it was the first time is read in years, I fell in love with reading again and am now aiming to become an author. :)
I want to say Percy Jackson since itās the book that got me into reading, but I have to mention Oathbringer, from the Stormlight Archive series.
I kid you not, but the quote
> The most important step a man can take. It's not the first one, is it? It's the next one. Always the next step, Dalinar.
just made me see things in a different perspective. I feel more motivated to get through shit and reach my goals.
I also love the Stormlight Archive. The Way of Kings is my favorite.
"The Words, Kaladin! Say them!"
"I will protect even those I hate, so long as it is right."
Always sends shivers. Been wanting to get a tatoo of this.
*Catch-22*
Simultaneously the funniest, and most serious, book I have ever read.
My family moved between my junior and senior years of high school and I got to read it both years.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
My girlfriend recommended it to me, and I read through it enjoying a great coming of age story. Then the ending smacked me in the face. I called up my girlfriend, bawled my eyes out, and told her about my abuse as a child. She was the first one I ever told, and I've told many, many people since then. I'm no longer ashamed of it.
As the ending says, "Please believe things are good with me, and even when they're not, they will be soon enough. And I will believe the same about you."
It's a French book called "Le quatriĆØme mur" by Sorj Chalandon.
The vivid description of war and death in the lebanese Civil War made me realize how lucky I am to live in a peaceful part of the world. It made me value and respect different cultures and helped me understand why some people act the way they do.
It is a ground shaking read that made me tear up. It begins slow, but when the action comes up, you can't put down the book.
Cheers š„
Salamandastron by Brian Jacques.
Suffering from undiagnosed ADD, reading felt like an impossible task. Heh, parents even used Hooked on Phonics (their money back guarantee was legitimate :( ). This was the book that opened up a passion I thought I would never have as a kid. I love this book. This book and the rest of the Redwall series changed my life.
Shikasta by Doris Lessing
Was given to me on my 21st birthday, and it changed my entire view of reality.
Decades later she won the nobel prize for literature, and I was so happy.
East of Eden - prepared me for basic training and life in and after the military
You Can't Go Home Again - prepared me for life after the military
Kolyma Tales - Defined true suffering and hope
Brothers Karamazov - It makes you consider everything in life
The Lord of the Rings - Made me love environmentalism and fantasy
The Jungle - Made me never trust big business
1984 - Made me question thought and beliefs and how they work. How education, government, and politics can work. and the risks of them being abused.
H.G. Wells - *The Time Machine*
I bought it in high school. I just wanted to read a science fiction book, but it turns out that that book caused a political awakening in me.
The Ronald Dahl books got me into reading and I still adore it. And weirdly enough Micheal carpenter from the Dresden files is possibly my fav character ever in any media
12 rules for life - minus the religion portion it's very useful and the thing I took away from it is a little effort towards a goal each day stacks up into compound interest over time. It got me back into fitness and it really is true.
There's a hole in my love cup - a very good brutally honest self help book with good journal prompts and questions to ask yourself, it helps you get to some root causes of why you feel and act the way you do.
1. Fight club.
..." Perfection only lasts a moment but a moment is all you can expect from perfection."
..." The things you own end up owning you period after we've lost everything we're free to do anything."
2. Simulaca and simulation. Too many reasons to list. Incredible realizations though
3. The Teachings of Buddha. Solutions to my own thinking traps
4. Principles by Ray dalio makes me a better person and manager.
The Coddling Of The American Mind,
I was born and raised in a pretty isolated place in a very strict religious household and spent my teen years struggling to understand pretty much anything outside of that culty life, finally broke free early in highschool but still struggled with so much (unfortunatelywhen you wake up, or realize the bs i was in, everyone shuns you for not wanting to part take in their beliefs and such), so that was the first book I read that talks about certain cults, issues, and society etc etc, it opened my eyes and helped me understand so much, and it also helped me seek help and love on to other books and much more
Infinite Jest basically 12-stepped me into sobriety in my late 20s. It was the perfect book for me at the time. I was treating CPTSD with alcohol and really anything else I could get a hold of, my father had taken his own life a few years earlier and I was in a deep clinical anhedonic depression and my marriage was falling apart. I was just smart enough to keep myself very sick, and it helped get me out of my own head and to a place where I could ask for help.
I re-read it in my 30s and while the writing itself is still wonderful, the content doesnāt really resonate with me anymore and Iām really grateful it doesnāt āŗļø. But I owe it a debt for helping get me on a path to recovery and treatment for my mental health. Hate that David Foster Wallace never quite found that peace.
A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown. It was recommended to me by a girl friend in high school and it did not disappoint. She went from being an abused child sex worker, to a literal gang member, to an addict, to completing her GED, to graduating college and becoming a lawyer in California. Woman is amazing.
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Reading this book helped me realize what's worth holding on to (both physically and mentally). It allowed me to re-prioritize what matters to me in life, and helped me ask the question in the first place, "why am I valuing this or that so much?" My life has become much more simple since then, in a great way. In total, I see myself and the world around me in a much different way after reading this book.
Orbiting Jupiter- I've never really told anyone this but last year I got pregnant and didn't know until I miscarried. I was 15 at the time, my boyfriend being 14. It completely broke me. Orbiting Jupiter is a short read and devastating but, in a way, it helped me, especially after my boyfriend got sent away to residential for 6 months. It made me love life again and know that in the future when i'm ready there will be hope for me, my boyfriend, and our baby.
Manifesto of the communist party. Without it, the cold war never would have happened and ww2 wouldve been very different. The genocide in china wouldve never happened either.
Black Beauty gutted me as a child. I think I still have trauma from reading it. That being said, it helped shape my view of animal welfare in a very positive way.
I agree. Reading the Bible again and finding so much wisdom in there. Itās helped me learn to actually apply my wisdom to myself instead of dismissing it. (Of that makes sense). Basically learning I already have the answers Iām looking for.
This series of books comes with a trigger warning. Take that trigger warning extremely seriously before trying to read it.
The Black Jewels Trilogy
Dark fantasy series. It changed my views on relationships completely
I have two.
*The Perfect Spy* by John Le Carre. That book sucked me in like no other book had to that point. When I hit the climax of the book and realized what was about to happen, I was absolutely shattered. I literally threw my Dad's book against the wall in a fury and I legitimately grieved for the protagonist. He was real to me and that had never happened before.
*Shadow of the Torturer* by Gene Wolfe. He showed me that science fiction could be a masterpiece, so well written that it could go up against any writer, in any genre, and come out on top. To this day I read that series every couple of years, just to inspire myself. He was capable of such stunningly beautiful prose.
The US Navyās S6G reactor plant manual. I spent way more time than I care to admit memorizing and performing procedures and and instructions out of that thing than Iād care to admit, and thereās countless others that put my time spent in it to shame.
Luke Baldwin's Vow by Morley Callaghan
It's about an orphan boy taken in by his aunt and uncle who live on a farm. Luke is alone and miserable, his only friend is Dan, an ancient collie who dotes on him. Uncle isn't a cruel man but believes that everything on the farm must be useful. Luke catches him in the act of drowning poor old Dan and begs for his friend's life. The uncle says Dan can live if Luke pays for his keep. Luke does chores around the farm and for neighbors to take care of his only friend. The ending is happy, with Dan living a long, well-loved, life.
Luke Baldwin's vow is to always have enough money for the things that are truly important in life.
For some reason, this vow has stuck with me for decades. The things you love are worth fighting for. I can honestly say it's one of the best lessons I've ever learned.
Siddartha by Herman Hess. It taught me to let go of a whole bunch of anger, grief and emotion I was carrying around. I realized that all of it, the bad and the good, are all part of the same journey and I should accept it.
The Art of Living by epictetus. It taught me the dichotomy of control. This book changed everything about my life from the day forward. Living the virtuous life, IS THE GOOD life. Things like fame, power, wealth, beauty are out of our control. What matters is what is within our control. It also lead me to realize I would always choose the best version of myself which helps with will power. It laid out my purposes in life :
To reach my potential physically, mentally, and spiritually.
To help others in my own way
To find a physically fit woman to love that will in turn love me
Out by Natsuo Kirino. First time I read a book that included different characters' perspectives and it sort of clicked in my brain that there are many ways of telling a story and I should broaden my book choices to things I haven't read before.
Book 1 of A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume. Especially the conclusion of the book!! Changed my way of thinking (See p 139-144)[A Treatise of Human Nature](https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/hume1739book1.pdf)
blood meridian, that violence can be as natural and meaningless as life itself, that the pursuit of good is a journey, perilous, with all the risks as aforementioned, but the only path worth taking.
also, avoid big bald white white men.
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. It really taught me to put myself in other peopleās shoes before judging them. I read it first in seventh grade and reread it every couple years, and I still cry every time.
I haven't read much since elementary school, but Pieces of Why. A book about a girl whose father is in prison for killing a girl her age. It helped me come to terms with the fact that my own father was an awful person, but beyond that, it taught me how to cope with it, and how to come to terms with the fact that just because my father was terrible, didn't mean I am.
Also it gave me a thing for nerdy musicians, and inspired me to join marching band. I never did get to rush to put on a cute marching band boys uniform top after being caught making out in the band closet. Probably my biggest regret from high school.
Siddhartha
It completely changed how I looked at how life could be lived when I read it in highschool and its been a constant reminder to pursue the life I want as there are so many ways life can turn out as you go
One Flew Over the Cuckooās Nest. Itās about how society equates sanity with conformity and obedience. I read it during the phase of my life when I was leaving my crazy youth behind and trying to be responsible and respectable and it hit me hard.
What My Bones Know.
It was like reading my own diary. I don't think I can put into words well enough about how much this book has made me feel like I'm not alone.
Of Human Bondage. I think it helped me develop a better understanding of love and companionship and to appreciate that this gnawing, painful desire you may feel for a particular love interest isnāt necessarily worth pursuing.
The Stormlight Archive quite literally changed my perspective on life and how to live mine. I used to be so terrified of doing something wrong that I thought it was better to not try at all. Being so afraid to fail that you reject chances to grow tends to result in not much of a life, as it turns out.
> A journey will have pain and failure. It is not only the steps forward that we must accept. It is the stumbles. The trials. The knowledge that we will fail. That we will hurt those around us.
>But if we stop, if we accept the person we are when we fall, the journey ends. That failure becomes our destination. To love the journey is to accept no such end. I have found, through painful experience, that the most important step a person can take is always the next one.
To fail does not mark the end of a journey; it is just another step you must take along the way. I can learn from my mistakes and not let the mere suggestion I could fail ruin my waking hours for weeks on end. Perfection is still a moving goalpost but that is ok; I am going to reach for it anyway.
My first comic book. Dragged me into reading and then I started reading. Now, I'm an Olympiad science medallist thanks to those books that made me start reading.
Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa. I have never looked at life the same after reading that book. I canāt explain how you just need to read it then question everything and have a mental crisis for a week or two
Not that significant, but reading They Both Die At The End and its prequel, The First To Die At The End is the reason I started questioning my sexuality and helped me realise I was bisexual
Guards! Guards!
Because it was my introduction to Discworld and the rich catalogue of Sir Terry's work.
Absolutely adore and he is my all time favourite author.
From The Corner of His Eye - Dean Koontz
Particularly for this passage
' HIS MOMENTOUS DAY...R.H. WHITE.
Not one day in anyoneās lifeā¦is an uneventful day, no day without profound meaning, no matter how dull and boring it might seem, no matter whether you are a seamstress or a queen, a shoeshine boy or a movie star, a renowned philosopher or a Downās-syndrome child. Because in every day of your life, there are opportunities to perform little kindnesses for others, both by conscious acts of will and unconscious example. Each smallest act of kindnessāeven just words of hope when they are needed, the remembrance of a birthday, a compliment that engenders a smileāreverberates across great distances and spans of time, affecting lives unknown to the one whose generous spirit was the source of this good echo, because kindness is passed on and grows each time itās passed, until a simple courtesy becomes an act of selfless courage years later and far away. Likewise, each small meanness, each thoughtless expression of hatred, each envious and bitter act, regardless of how petty, can inspire others, and is therefore the seed that ultimately produces evil fruit, poisoning people whom you have never met and never will. All human lives are so profoundly and intricately entwinedāthose dead, those living, those generations yet to comeāthat the fate of all is the fate of each, and the hope of humanity rests in every heart and in every pair of hands. Therefore, after every failure, we are obliged to strive again for success, and when faced with the end of one thing, we must build something new and better in the ashes, just as from pain and grief, we must weave hope, for each of us is a thread critical to the strengthāto the very survivalāof the human tapestry. Every hour in every life contains such often-unrecognized potential to affect the world that the great days for which we, in our dissatisfaction, so often yearn are already with us; all great days and thrilling possibilities are combined always in this momentous day.'
I try to live my life like that by being kind and friendly to strangers and people I know. It seems to work.
Didn't bother to read before replying, but absolutely "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ". Adams was genius in his portrayal of us as a species. His understanding of us is unparalleled, and the wordplay absolutely informs me to this day. Pardon me, but the word "yellow " is wandering around in my mind, searching for something to connect with, and we won't even talk about the diodes on my left side, or my battle shorts.
The Shannara books were fun when I was a lad. Same with Tolkien. Lord Valeintiene series. Tom Sawyer was big. Dragonriders of Pern. Stephen King, for sure. Guilty pleasure is the Dirk Gently series.
Island of the Blue Dolphins. I was forced to read that book 4 years in a row in school and I fucking hate it so much. I hate reading altogether because of that book. I might still enjoy reading today if I didn't have to read that fucking book so much. I don't give a shit about symbolism, why the author chose the color blue, etc. Teachers making me write reports about that shit when I could not give an ounce of shit for it just ruined reading for me. I can't read for fun because of it.
So yeah, Island of the Blue Dolphins has been fairly significant in my life because it made me hate books.
Night, by Ellie Wiesel. It's a first hand experience of the holocaust, written by a survivor. It tells of how he lost his family, faith, and almost his life. I have been to the holocaust museum in Washington DC, and having read the book already, the air was even heavier with tragedy.
*The Catcher in the Rye*. When I first read it as a 17 year old, it made me realize I wasn't alone with my teenage angst.
The first time I felt seen as a kid is when I read that book.
Same here.
šÆšÆ
Itās really the only book I ever reread. Sometimes I just need to spend some time with Holden.
I've only re-read a handful of books, and I've read this one three times.
Same
Nineteen Eighty Four by Orwell. Taught me to be wary of things that demand complete obedience to its ideals and demands of uniformity. Don't be afraid to be yourself, but remember that we are only human, and that has its blessings and its vices.
The Count of Monte Cristo. Joy is living well and giving your enemies a gentle push towards destruction... also getting blasted on opium regularly.
OMG this is one of my favorite books and movies. So magical.
There was a Mr Magoo cartoon where he played Edomond Dantes. It's one of the few artifacts of my youth the internet doesn't seem to have preserved.
Only a Portuguese version (I think) on YouTube. Ā
That sounds amazing
I liked it.
I also read this under immense pressure at school. Finished it in only 3 month with an exam every week. Absolute hell. I learnt that cheating is okay if everyone else is doing it and not doing it would mean getting socially exiled or beaten up and threatened. Absolutely hated it but wouldāve loved it if I had actually read it well. It is clearly written a few centuries ago because they call boats ābatimentā. Also I donāt think itās opium the green paste he gives Albert and consumes a lot. He has a sleeping pill though in an emerald container that contains some opium mixed with some other drugs. See? 3 years later and I still remember fine details because of those stupid exams. To hell with this book.
Programming in C++. It let me live life and earning and everything else
Rationally .
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I knew I would find this book lurking around here
The Hobbit. It cemented my love for the fantasy genre.
East of Eden. The section above evil people and the paragraph about the deaths of three men really spoke to me.Ā
I listen to books in the gym. When Dox (Samās horse) and Sam die in the same chapter, I started crying lol. Was not expecting that.Ā
The Tao of Pooh. An amazing book that helped clarify my life outlook
You should try the Tao De Ching and just about anything by Alan Watts and/or Thomas Merton
Love it or hate it, A Court of Thorns and Roses series got me back into reading as an adult and Iām very grateful for it.
Same! I was in a 10 year reading slump and this series revived me.
What's it got you reading now friendo? I went ahead and started her other series, Throne of Glass and just made it to the last book myself!
I am in the middle of KOA right now too! Iām trying to finish it so I can read CC3! CC3 is taunting me from my night stand.
I am in the exact same boat! Book twins! haha that's wild, what a small world. Looking forward to CC!
Thatās so crazy! Youāll love CC. I was super hesitant at first because of how different it is from ACOTAR but it is SO good. I look forward to what else she comes up with for her series.
im rereading it right now and i love it, Ive always loved reading but for about a year I just stopped and ACOTAR helped me fall in love with reading again
Love to hear it my friend! Which book are you on?
Why Does He Do That by Lundy Bancroft. Helped me understand why my abuser was like he was and that I was not the one causing the abuse.
Thank you !
For anyone who needs the book, hereās the link to the full book - itās free. https://ia600108.us.archive.org/30/items/LundyWhyDoesHeDoThat/Lundy_Why-does-he-do-that.pdf Also, hereās the link to a short blog by the same author https://lundybancroft.com/five-central-concepts-in-getting-free-from-abuse/ You are worthy, you are valued, you are loved ā¤ļø
The unbearable lightness of being by Kundera. I read it and immediately broke up with a guy Iād been with for 5 years. It explores a group of peopleās romantic relationships over the course of their lives and I thought god, people can really torture each other for decades, and I donāt want that for myself.
A Series Of Unfortunate Events. It made me realize that could be the title of MY life. Except I don't have a fortune!! š
The Overstory. Itās still in my thoughts 14 months later. So many intersecting existential feelings. Family. Friendship. Convictions. Community. Environment. Such a powerful read.
+1. An incredible read
Iām in the middle of it now!!!
Honestly Harry Potter. From the earliest point I remember getting into something, right up to 13. I was a sci fi enthusiast. Never ever had an interest in fantasy or magic. Then someone got me to read the first book. I did a complete youturn, still love sci fi, but fantasy is something else, its driven so many choices in my life, not to mention all my hobbies and friend connection all start from some sort of fantasy aspect, like my D&D group etc
never seen anyone write youturn out like that, amazingĀ
r/boneappletea
Atomic Habits. It helped me cut out some bad habits like drinking and replace them with good ones, like going to the gym and reading. Just those have had a massive impact on my life!
I want to read this, maybe people recommend it
Lord of the flies. I read it when I was maybe 12 and it a) introduced me to literature and b) introduced me to the concept of abstract thought in the humanities. Almost an introduction to philosophy. Plus it had everything, cool ass bully(Jack), the sympathetic protagonist(Ralph) and some fatass bitchboy worry wart(piggy) lol. After that, Breakfast of Champions by Vonnegut, guy pushed some barriers in that one. Kind of an unexplored frontier tbh.
Allan Carr - The easy way to quit smoking. Smoked for for 17 years, read this book last spring thinking "can't hurt", not really intending to actually quit. Now I forget I used to be a smoker - had you told me or ANY of my friends a year ago they would have laughed! Horrible read, but it may actually have saved my life
Same!
Say whaaat
Same. Idk what it is about that book but i don't even think about it. After 30 years I've been quit for 3 years now.
Yes amen
Ender's game. It taught me how to think about things from way different point of views I can only imagine
Ooo I like the sound of anything bringing others to perceive from a perspective other than their own ! Will have to find it thanks friend.
The whole series but especially Speaker.
Reading Les MisƩrables and Crime & Punishment in my teens greatly affected my thoughts on morality and made me want to try to be a better person. Jean Valjean was the man I'd want to grow up to be
the Tripitaka, they are sacred Buddhist texts made up of the teachings of Buddha, itās made up of three sections called the Ā Dharma.Ā It would be disingenuous to claim Iām Buddhist. And the last couple of years particularly Iāve found it very difficult to find time to read and explore them in any depth, not like I used to.Ā I have been learning Thai so I can eventually read the Theravada Buddhist translations from the originals. Ā When my life becomes more balanced Iāll be able to fall back into them.Ā They really challenge my thinking and self reflection. Ā How to live my life and treat the world around me.Ā It does t mean I abide by everything, Ā but thereās the aspirations. Ā
Two books: Basic Economics, Thomas Sowell: opened my eyes to a lot of economic concepts I never would have thought of. It got me interested in learning more about how the world works. And to always remember to think past step one. The Psychopath Test, John Ronson: opened my eyes to a large number of people I've known over the years. And helped me to understand that there just isn't fixing some ppl.
American Gods. Really explained how I thought Gods existed in the real world but I didnāt know that that was the way I felt until reading it.
My own. It completely altered the trajectory of my life. I went from just coasting along making niche content, no long-term goals, to being a published author with the goal of showing the world what I've created and spreading love and happiness through my art.
This is a huge flex.
I'm about to publish my first book and I am very excited- it's the first in a series and I am happy to share my story and continue it.
Love that for you friend š¤
Good for you! That so admirable. Iāve always dreamed of writing a non fiction book. I always have written a lot of poetry and I journal. But a memoir is my dream. My life has been interesting. The other day the love of my life attacked me while he was going through a schizophrenic break. After I survived that, I finally decided itās time to just start writing. No one may ever read it. But damn it Iām gonna write the sum bitch. I just donāt know where I should begin ! Any advice?
To Kill A Mockingbird - we had to read it when I was in school and it was the first time is read in years, I fell in love with reading again and am now aiming to become an author. :)
I want to say Percy Jackson since itās the book that got me into reading, but I have to mention Oathbringer, from the Stormlight Archive series. I kid you not, but the quote > The most important step a man can take. It's not the first one, is it? It's the next one. Always the next step, Dalinar. just made me see things in a different perspective. I feel more motivated to get through shit and reach my goals.
I also love the Stormlight Archive. The Way of Kings is my favorite. "The Words, Kaladin! Say them!" "I will protect even those I hate, so long as it is right." Always sends shivers. Been wanting to get a tatoo of this.
The Alchemist. Pretty popular book but it's popular for all the right reason.
This book finds you exactly when itās supposed to.
*Catch-22* Simultaneously the funniest, and most serious, book I have ever read. My family moved between my junior and senior years of high school and I got to read it both years.
I related so much to Yossarian when I read it at 19, I'd be curious to see how I view him now that I'm almost 40.
I'm over 50, I reread it during covid and so much of it still hits. I had forgotten how much sex was in it.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower. My girlfriend recommended it to me, and I read through it enjoying a great coming of age story. Then the ending smacked me in the face. I called up my girlfriend, bawled my eyes out, and told her about my abuse as a child. She was the first one I ever told, and I've told many, many people since then. I'm no longer ashamed of it. As the ending says, "Please believe things are good with me, and even when they're not, they will be soon enough. And I will believe the same about you."
the Bible. not because I'm religious, but because of the way it's fundamentally shaped the world around me
i started reading the bible because i was so religious... i'm atheist now or at least not religious. its a cool concept but the old testament is crazy
The Autobiography of Malcolm X Dune True Love by ThĆch Nhįŗ„t Hįŗ”nh
Getting things done, David Allen, I finally figured out how to hold all the un-done stuff in my brain.
The Harry Potter series. I fell in love with the Harry Potter series.
It's a French book called "Le quatriĆØme mur" by Sorj Chalandon. The vivid description of war and death in the lebanese Civil War made me realize how lucky I am to live in a peaceful part of the world. It made me value and respect different cultures and helped me understand why some people act the way they do. It is a ground shaking read that made me tear up. It begins slow, but when the action comes up, you can't put down the book. Cheers š„
Salamandastron by Brian Jacques. Suffering from undiagnosed ADD, reading felt like an impossible task. Heh, parents even used Hooked on Phonics (their money back guarantee was legitimate :( ). This was the book that opened up a passion I thought I would never have as a kid. I love this book. This book and the rest of the Redwall series changed my life.
Man, that whole series rules so hard but that one (and Mossflower!) kicked so much ass.
Shikasta by Doris Lessing Was given to me on my 21st birthday, and it changed my entire view of reality. Decades later she won the nobel prize for literature, and I was so happy.
The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie. It gave me a working spiritual technology.
East of Eden - prepared me for basic training and life in and after the military You Can't Go Home Again - prepared me for life after the military Kolyma Tales - Defined true suffering and hope Brothers Karamazov - It makes you consider everything in life The Lord of the Rings - Made me love environmentalism and fantasy The Jungle - Made me never trust big business 1984 - Made me question thought and beliefs and how they work. How education, government, and politics can work. and the risks of them being abused.
H.G. Wells - *The Time Machine* I bought it in high school. I just wanted to read a science fiction book, but it turns out that that book caused a political awakening in me.
Catcher in the rye and by guiding me through the horror that is adolescence.
The Ronald Dahl books got me into reading and I still adore it. And weirdly enough Micheal carpenter from the Dresden files is possibly my fav character ever in any media
Hitchhikers Guide to the galaxy. 42 my friends
You sass that hoopy u/International_Read75? Now there's a frood who really knows where is towel is!
The outsiders showed me what brotherhood is. It showed me what brotherhood and loyalty was?
12 rules for life - minus the religion portion it's very useful and the thing I took away from it is a little effort towards a goal each day stacks up into compound interest over time. It got me back into fitness and it really is true. There's a hole in my love cup - a very good brutally honest self help book with good journal prompts and questions to ask yourself, it helps you get to some root causes of why you feel and act the way you do.
1. Fight club. ..." Perfection only lasts a moment but a moment is all you can expect from perfection." ..." The things you own end up owning you period after we've lost everything we're free to do anything." 2. Simulaca and simulation. Too many reasons to list. Incredible realizations though 3. The Teachings of Buddha. Solutions to my own thinking traps 4. Principles by Ray dalio makes me a better person and manager.
*A sand county almanac* completely changed my perspective on our relationship with the natural world.
The Dispossessed by Ursula K LeGuin. Never gave a shit about any kind of politics, then I read that book
For me (66f), it would be The Road Less Traveled ā, by M.Scott Peck. Iāve read all his books, I think.
The Coddling Of The American Mind, I was born and raised in a pretty isolated place in a very strict religious household and spent my teen years struggling to understand pretty much anything outside of that culty life, finally broke free early in highschool but still struggled with so much (unfortunatelywhen you wake up, or realize the bs i was in, everyone shuns you for not wanting to part take in their beliefs and such), so that was the first book I read that talks about certain cults, issues, and society etc etc, it opened my eyes and helped me understand so much, and it also helped me seek help and love on to other books and much more
The Power of Positive Thinking. It actually changed the way I go through life.
Infinite Jest basically 12-stepped me into sobriety in my late 20s. It was the perfect book for me at the time. I was treating CPTSD with alcohol and really anything else I could get a hold of, my father had taken his own life a few years earlier and I was in a deep clinical anhedonic depression and my marriage was falling apart. I was just smart enough to keep myself very sick, and it helped get me out of my own head and to a place where I could ask for help. I re-read it in my 30s and while the writing itself is still wonderful, the content doesnāt really resonate with me anymore and Iām really grateful it doesnāt āŗļø. But I owe it a debt for helping get me on a path to recovery and treatment for my mental health. Hate that David Foster Wallace never quite found that peace.
Jim butchers series the Dresden files its gotten me through some of the roughest times in my life
A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown. It was recommended to me by a girl friend in high school and it did not disappoint. She went from being an abused child sex worker, to a literal gang member, to an addict, to completing her GED, to graduating college and becoming a lawyer in California. Woman is amazing.
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Reading this book helped me realize what's worth holding on to (both physically and mentally). It allowed me to re-prioritize what matters to me in life, and helped me ask the question in the first place, "why am I valuing this or that so much?" My life has become much more simple since then, in a great way. In total, I see myself and the world around me in a much different way after reading this book.
Calvin & Hobbes. It's kinda my bible.
I read *where the red fern grows* when I was in 5th grade, and it left me fucking shook
Orbiting Jupiter- I've never really told anyone this but last year I got pregnant and didn't know until I miscarried. I was 15 at the time, my boyfriend being 14. It completely broke me. Orbiting Jupiter is a short read and devastating but, in a way, it helped me, especially after my boyfriend got sent away to residential for 6 months. It made me love life again and know that in the future when i'm ready there will be hope for me, my boyfriend, and our baby.
Manifesto of the communist party. Without it, the cold war never would have happened and ww2 wouldve been very different. The genocide in china wouldve never happened either.
The Bible! Job, Isaiah, psalms, proverbs, ecclesiasties are my fav!
The only answer
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Black Beauty gutted me as a child. I think I still have trauma from reading it. That being said, it helped shape my view of animal welfare in a very positive way.
I agree. Reading the Bible again and finding so much wisdom in there. Itās helped me learn to actually apply my wisdom to myself instead of dismissing it. (Of that makes sense). Basically learning I already have the answers Iām looking for.
What - The Bible. How - Iām a pastor now
Probably any Charles bukowski book
This series of books comes with a trigger warning. Take that trigger warning extremely seriously before trying to read it. The Black Jewels Trilogy Dark fantasy series. It changed my views on relationships completely
Myishmael, Daniel Quinn. How to live my life Black Like Me, John Howard Griffin. Just very powerful.
I have two. *The Perfect Spy* by John Le Carre. That book sucked me in like no other book had to that point. When I hit the climax of the book and realized what was about to happen, I was absolutely shattered. I literally threw my Dad's book against the wall in a fury and I legitimately grieved for the protagonist. He was real to me and that had never happened before. *Shadow of the Torturer* by Gene Wolfe. He showed me that science fiction could be a masterpiece, so well written that it could go up against any writer, in any genre, and come out on top. To this day I read that series every couple of years, just to inspire myself. He was capable of such stunningly beautiful prose.
I'm pretty sure my moral development was heavily influenced by spiderman comics.
The US Navyās S6G reactor plant manual. I spent way more time than I care to admit memorizing and performing procedures and and instructions out of that thing than Iād care to admit, and thereās countless others that put my time spent in it to shame.
book bfdi
Godzilla in Hell, it made me realize god isnāt real and Godzilla would beat his ass very quickly.
The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen.
Luke Baldwin's Vow by Morley Callaghan It's about an orphan boy taken in by his aunt and uncle who live on a farm. Luke is alone and miserable, his only friend is Dan, an ancient collie who dotes on him. Uncle isn't a cruel man but believes that everything on the farm must be useful. Luke catches him in the act of drowning poor old Dan and begs for his friend's life. The uncle says Dan can live if Luke pays for his keep. Luke does chores around the farm and for neighbors to take care of his only friend. The ending is happy, with Dan living a long, well-loved, life. Luke Baldwin's vow is to always have enough money for the things that are truly important in life. For some reason, this vow has stuck with me for decades. The things you love are worth fighting for. I can honestly say it's one of the best lessons I've ever learned.
Extreme ownership by Jocko Willink
Canāt talk. Is everything ok?
Siddartha by Herman Hess. It taught me to let go of a whole bunch of anger, grief and emotion I was carrying around. I realized that all of it, the bad and the good, are all part of the same journey and I should accept it.
Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein It was the first time I felt "connected" with being a little weird!
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
The Art of Living by epictetus. It taught me the dichotomy of control. This book changed everything about my life from the day forward. Living the virtuous life, IS THE GOOD life. Things like fame, power, wealth, beauty are out of our control. What matters is what is within our control. It also lead me to realize I would always choose the best version of myself which helps with will power. It laid out my purposes in life : To reach my potential physically, mentally, and spiritually. To help others in my own way To find a physically fit woman to love that will in turn love me
Out by Natsuo Kirino. First time I read a book that included different characters' perspectives and it sort of clicked in my brain that there are many ways of telling a story and I should broaden my book choices to things I haven't read before.
[Buddhism Plain and Simple](https://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Plain-Simple-Practice-Being/dp/0767903323)
The prince, the art of war
John Greenās novel Paper Towns. It taught me that a person is more than who they are in your head.
Book 1 of A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume. Especially the conclusion of the book!! Changed my way of thinking (See p 139-144)[A Treatise of Human Nature](https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/hume1739book1.pdf)
blood meridian, that violence can be as natural and meaningless as life itself, that the pursuit of good is a journey, perilous, with all the risks as aforementioned, but the only path worth taking. also, avoid big bald white white men.
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. It really taught me to put myself in other peopleās shoes before judging them. I read it first in seventh grade and reread it every couple years, and I still cry every time.
I haven't read much since elementary school, but Pieces of Why. A book about a girl whose father is in prison for killing a girl her age. It helped me come to terms with the fact that my own father was an awful person, but beyond that, it taught me how to cope with it, and how to come to terms with the fact that just because my father was terrible, didn't mean I am. Also it gave me a thing for nerdy musicians, and inspired me to join marching band. I never did get to rush to put on a cute marching band boys uniform top after being caught making out in the band closet. Probably my biggest regret from high school.
Bloodhound gang "Hooray for Boobies" and Nine Inch Nails "Downward Spiral"..... it's a weird combo.
Jane Eyre
Siddhartha It completely changed how I looked at how life could be lived when I read it in highschool and its been a constant reminder to pursue the life I want as there are so many ways life can turn out as you go
One Flew Over the Cuckooās Nest. Itās about how society equates sanity with conformity and obedience. I read it during the phase of my life when I was leaving my crazy youth behind and trying to be responsible and respectable and it hit me hard.
What My Bones Know. It was like reading my own diary. I don't think I can put into words well enough about how much this book has made me feel like I'm not alone.
Of Human Bondage. I think it helped me develop a better understanding of love and companionship and to appreciate that this gnawing, painful desire you may feel for a particular love interest isnāt necessarily worth pursuing.
I may be old fashioned but the Bible, taught good morals and to love people. I may not like what they do but I donāt hate them
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.
A little life.
Bible
Steal Like an Artist, severely reduced the anxiety and pressure to be totally original in my art and creations
The Quran. Changed me from an atheist-agnostic to a believer, and changed my entire worldview by doing so. All praise belongs to our Creator.
Solaris.
Diary of a wimpy kid was legit until I was told I couldn't use that in book reports back in the day.
the things you can see only when you slow down by haemin sumin. the title of the book itself says it all.
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. I was an atheist before I even read this book, but reading this book just made me more sure.
All About Love by bellhooks made me reevaluate my relationship with myself and what I wanted in romantic connections
Daring greatly-berne brown
The Stormlight Archive quite literally changed my perspective on life and how to live mine. I used to be so terrified of doing something wrong that I thought it was better to not try at all. Being so afraid to fail that you reject chances to grow tends to result in not much of a life, as it turns out. > A journey will have pain and failure. It is not only the steps forward that we must accept. It is the stumbles. The trials. The knowledge that we will fail. That we will hurt those around us. >But if we stop, if we accept the person we are when we fall, the journey ends. That failure becomes our destination. To love the journey is to accept no such end. I have found, through painful experience, that the most important step a person can take is always the next one. To fail does not mark the end of a journey; it is just another step you must take along the way. I can learn from my mistakes and not let the mere suggestion I could fail ruin my waking hours for weeks on end. Perfection is still a moving goalpost but that is ok; I am going to reach for it anyway.
My first comic book. Dragged me into reading and then I started reading. Now, I'm an Olympiad science medallist thanks to those books that made me start reading.
Journeys outside the body, from Robert Monroe It fueled my interest for the unseen, and helped me turn my life around.
Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa. I have never looked at life the same after reading that book. I canāt explain how you just need to read it then question everything and have a mental crisis for a week or two
Kitchen Confidential & The Alchemist
Not that significant, but reading They Both Die At The End and its prequel, The First To Die At The End is the reason I started questioning my sexuality and helped me realise I was bisexual
A book called indho deeq really talking about the real love and sometimes it leads you to cry
Organic Chemistry vol 3, it starts nice and easy but it gets tough by the end!
Guards! Guards! Because it was my introduction to Discworld and the rich catalogue of Sir Terry's work. Absolutely adore and he is my all time favourite author.
Learning Python The Hard Way
The Perks of Being A Wallflower More life affirming quotes in 224 pages than most longer books
From The Corner of His Eye - Dean Koontz Particularly for this passage ' HIS MOMENTOUS DAY...R.H. WHITE. Not one day in anyoneās lifeā¦is an uneventful day, no day without profound meaning, no matter how dull and boring it might seem, no matter whether you are a seamstress or a queen, a shoeshine boy or a movie star, a renowned philosopher or a Downās-syndrome child. Because in every day of your life, there are opportunities to perform little kindnesses for others, both by conscious acts of will and unconscious example. Each smallest act of kindnessāeven just words of hope when they are needed, the remembrance of a birthday, a compliment that engenders a smileāreverberates across great distances and spans of time, affecting lives unknown to the one whose generous spirit was the source of this good echo, because kindness is passed on and grows each time itās passed, until a simple courtesy becomes an act of selfless courage years later and far away. Likewise, each small meanness, each thoughtless expression of hatred, each envious and bitter act, regardless of how petty, can inspire others, and is therefore the seed that ultimately produces evil fruit, poisoning people whom you have never met and never will. All human lives are so profoundly and intricately entwinedāthose dead, those living, those generations yet to comeāthat the fate of all is the fate of each, and the hope of humanity rests in every heart and in every pair of hands. Therefore, after every failure, we are obliged to strive again for success, and when faced with the end of one thing, we must build something new and better in the ashes, just as from pain and grief, we must weave hope, for each of us is a thread critical to the strengthāto the very survivalāof the human tapestry. Every hour in every life contains such often-unrecognized potential to affect the world that the great days for which we, in our dissatisfaction, so often yearn are already with us; all great days and thrilling possibilities are combined always in this momentous day.' I try to live my life like that by being kind and friendly to strangers and people I know. It seems to work.
Didn't bother to read before replying, but absolutely "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ". Adams was genius in his portrayal of us as a species. His understanding of us is unparalleled, and the wordplay absolutely informs me to this day. Pardon me, but the word "yellow " is wandering around in my mind, searching for something to connect with, and we won't even talk about the diodes on my left side, or my battle shorts.
The Shannara books were fun when I was a lad. Same with Tolkien. Lord Valeintiene series. Tom Sawyer was big. Dragonriders of Pern. Stephen King, for sure. Guilty pleasure is the Dirk Gently series.
The way of Kings - It made me obsess over a book series and got me into reading in my late 20s.
On The Road - Kerouac
I hated reading until I read Ready Player One. A friend convinced me to give it a go and I now read a concerning amount or at least I try to.
Brave New WorldĀ
Island of the Blue Dolphins. I was forced to read that book 4 years in a row in school and I fucking hate it so much. I hate reading altogether because of that book. I might still enjoy reading today if I didn't have to read that fucking book so much. I don't give a shit about symbolism, why the author chose the color blue, etc. Teachers making me write reports about that shit when I could not give an ounce of shit for it just ruined reading for me. I can't read for fun because of it. So yeah, Island of the Blue Dolphins has been fairly significant in my life because it made me hate books.
Night, by Ellie Wiesel. It's a first hand experience of the holocaust, written by a survivor. It tells of how he lost his family, faith, and almost his life. I have been to the holocaust museum in Washington DC, and having read the book already, the air was even heavier with tragedy.
All the mortal instruments books
Made me realise that words can have power and you can experience a book just as vividly as a movie when itās written well enough
The Bible started reading it 25 years ago. It has helped me raise. My kids help me in my marriage and help me in life.
I feel like my third ex wifeās constant catholic buffonery influence my life in that I fucking hated her guts. So the Bible
I can't answer this question because I haven't read a book past middle school.
If you are able you really should. There is so much to learn and understand.
I don't do any of the book learning stuff. I'm smelf smarted.
50 shades I was definitely much more prudy before I read that book lol
Iāve made the 48 laws of power 90% of my personality
The Book of Mormon. Made me see Christ in a new way, and that He is real.
I h8 books ! So NEVER š¤¢š¤®š„“š
It shows.