I'm sure there's been some for you guys. Books that impacted your life in one way or another. Gave you a difference perspective. Changed your view on something. Opened new doors and interests for you.
Now, I'm not looking for your favorite books. There's books I've loved that, looking back, really didn't change anything significant for me. Provided me some enjoyment, but, not much lasting change. And then, there have been books I've hated, but, I think, have impacted me in one way or anyother.
Also, I understand that some books you might currently be reading are have read reccently are hard to judge as to their long term impact on you.
Anyway, just, list out what you can think of...


Some Bunny Book - Gosh. It was one of those chapter books, you know... really stupid. But, I remember I hate reading 'til I was, gosh, 9, maybe... and then, for some reason, some chapter book about bunnies just drew me in... and opened the doors to reading.
LOTR - well, it was really, really the thing that got me into reading. More then the bunny book, because, well, it showed me what I good book was. How it was beautiful. Though, I don't really think I understood what made it great until later...
The Wind in the Willows - uhm, I think this book was picked up when I was getting into reading, and thought books were just about the greatest thing... and then, uh... I shall remember this book, because, for me, it was torture to read... the first book of quite a few, really.
A Little Princess - I dunno. This book just... touched me in some way I can't really describe.
The City of Joy - The first nonfiction book I enjoyed. And, well, gave me a sense of extreme poverty... and how well off I was.
The Iliad - just, expanded on literary techniques. What makes a book great. Themes. Characters. Etc.
American Alone - well, it's too early to say, really... but this book has definitely hugely impacted the last 4 months of my life. Really solidified a political interest in me, and, well, I dunno...


So yeah. Anyone else?

I've read a lot of good books recently but it's been a while since I've read something that really left an impression. These come to mind though...


Norse Mythology. My grandmother read all the stories to me and my interest in fantasy most likely started here. So I'm grateful for that! It might have been what eventually and many years later lead me to this forum!

The Brothers Lionheart by Astrid Lindgren because it was one of the first books that made me cry. The book deals with the brothers dying and with real evil malice but also great friendship and indomitable hope. I didn't even grasp everything about death and new beginnings the first time it was read to me but I believe it was my first glimpse into a world where not all ends are sappy living-ever-after-happy. People were really suffering and dying but they were also fighting for a better life and a better world. Such a beautiful story.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Oh yes, a real classic. We read it in school, it might have been in 5th or 6th grade and I was shocked about the cruelty. I mean I was only a child and all of a sudden reading about other children being so savagely cruel to each other. I think I lost my innocent faith in mankind at an early age. But at the same time I learned something about how and why people become victims of circumstance. And voila, my interest in psychology may have started here!

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I've gotta second that. The book was amazing and I can't say I've ever read anything quite like it. I've had it for years and I don't think it's going to be one I get tired of.

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Was it Watership Down? That's the only chapter book about bunnies I can think of, and it's a very good book besides.

Books that changed my life
LotR - Taught me a lot about loyalty and faithfulness, not to mention about seeing a task through to its end. I draw constant inspiration from LotR.
The Phantom of the Opera - (The original one, mind.) The descriptions of music is this book taught me how powerful, sacred, and special music is. I think we take it for granted, and never really appreciate it's power to move us.
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl - I read this at the same age she wrote it, and I really identified with her and her issues with her family and the world.

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Books that changed my life

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - I remember telling my father when I was 4 years old that I didn't want to learn to read because I thought it was stupid. When I was 5 my sister gave me this book, and I became a reading fanatic. My childhood was filled with Harry Potter, I can't imagine what I would have been like without it.

Looking For Alaska by John Green - I can't explain how this book changed my life, but it has. It's just... amazing. And it introduced me to John and Hank Green, who make me believe that when a bunch of nerds get together, we can do powerful things.

LotR - My dad gave me The Hobbit when I was in first grade. I read all of the books in that grade, and that started my love for them. I've reread them several times since then, and have thus appreciated them more and more every time I read them. The series touches me deeply, and I can identify with the characters, and find myself swept away by the imagery and the pure beauty behind this masterpiece.

Dante's Inferno by Dante Alighieri - I can't explain this one either. I was blown away by the sheer awesomeness of this book.

The Iliad by Homer - Much the same as the Inferno, I can't explain this. It just... It's taken my appreciation for epics to a whole new level.

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Dr. Seeus. That's basically how reading started for me. I don't think you can get any more life-changing than that.

Lord of the Rings. Okay, I watched the first movie first then read all three books and this was what really got me into fantasy and deeper into Lord of the Rings. And it ended up being an awfully huge rabbithole where I ended up reaping my drawing and graphics talents

The Fountainhead. This one really made me question authority and demands of people and wondered what should I strive for. While there are some scenes that were rather iffy *coughloverapescenecough*, I think I would be remiss if I forgot it. Mind you, I also read Atlas Shrugged but it was just way. too. bloody. LONG! And it did what The Fountainhead already did.

His Dark Materials. This book was what really struck the first blow against the pillar of religion for me. Even if the books weren't too subtle about the message, they helped me realise that religion might just not be the most beneficial thing in my life.

The God Delusion. Sure, I read god is not Great and the End of Faith but it was really the God Delusion that severed the last threads I had with religion.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. You've probably heard me rave about this book but for good reasons. Although I understood that moral absolutism is basically nonexistent, through this book, I also grasped the idea of amorality, or the sheer lack of morality. In addition, it has changed my writing style completely and added emphasis to an often ignored sense.

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I was cured all right.

^ Aw, Caunion. His Dark Materials and The God Delusion? Those are what turned you away from religion...? Come on... I'm sorry, in any case. I just couldn't help making a brief mention of that...


Those are some great, and really interesting books listed, guys.


@Darkheart - It's a beautiful book, eh? Makes me smile...

@Taur - Mmm... I don't think so. I've read Watership Down, but that wasn't it... it was some unknown, obscure book, me thinketh.

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Chase a couple hearts, we could leave 'em in shreds
Meet me in the gutter, make the devil your friend
Just remember what I said, cause it isn't over yet

Get.Lost.In.The.Dark.To.Find.Yourself
-sig by Loafers-

Night by Elie Wiesel. A must read for anyone remotely interested in the Holocaust. It single-handedly changed what I think about human nature.

Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville. He was (one of?) the first who got me into fantasy and even inspired me to write fantasy.

The Andalite Chronicles and The Hork-Bajir Chronicles by K.A. Applegate. They taught me about war at a young age.



Heh. The Bible severed the last threads I had with religion.

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hm, I don't think that was absolutely necessary. However, it's understandable in a way because the Bible can be confusing if you haven't had someone help you to understand it and show you the Way. If you go into it with a hard, unbelieving heart it's obvious that you won't get anything out of it... or even find it difficult and awful.

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Chase a couple hearts, we could leave 'em in shreds
Meet me in the gutter, make the devil your friend
Just remember what I said, cause it isn't over yet

Get.Lost.In.The.Dark.To.Find.Yourself
-sig by Loafers-

... obviously, I'm a Christian, so where I stand on this issue should be... obvious. ... I think PD's right; like with a lot of things, what you bring into something dictates what you take out... But... it is fair to state the Bible as a book that changed your life too...

Uhm, keep it cool, though, guys. Everyone's entitled to their opinions... I just don't want a mod coming after anyone here, ya know? I'd be happy to have a PM convo with anyone about anything here... I'm sure PD would as well.

Undoubtedly, it would but unlike some, I do not make claims that I've read the Bible from cover to cover. Which I feel is necessary to gain anything more than a whimsical idea about a piece of literature. There are more thrilling works on my book list that merit my attention.

I forgot to add this:

Good Omens It gave a giant boost in my sense of humour. And has intrigued me in satire.

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I was cured all right.

Aerlinn, I wasn't really suggesting mod intervention with the lists themselves. I was just worried about a messy debate sparking from some of the comments (mine included. I take my share of the blame ). I understand what you're saying, though. While I respect and fully trust in the maturity of the members here, I also think the rules on the forum must be respect as well. I just wanted to say something before things got... into a debate. And I am sorry about my comment earlier to Caunion... We obviously have vastly different viewpoints. But yes... Sorry if I caused offense.

Loverly list, though.

You're totally right. The bible confuses and intimidates me and I go into it with a hard and unbelieving heart. I'm lost in the woods. Perhaps you can show me the Way?

Anyway... books that changed my life?

The Bible: Now that it's been mentioned. If I hadn't read it as carefully as I did, I would probably still be a christian right now.
Celtic, Norse, Greek, Roman mythology: [see above]
The Lord of the Rings: Speaks for itself, it's just a genius piece of work... best thing that ever happened to me.
The Secret Garden: Sort of changed my perspective on people a bit.

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I haven't been much of a book reader lately, since life has been filled with textbooks and I could probably do an indepth conversation about how knowing the function and purpose of pharmaceuticals have changed my life, but I won't 'cuz... that's just lame.

The books I can think of right now are...

<b>Number the Stars</b> by Lois Lowry. I read this my freshman year of highschool in between breaks at work and sitting at work and reading such a vividly exalting story about how so many people, not even truly involved in WWII, were affected by it. It's helped me appreciate the horrors in life, even with present-day war.

<b>Harry Potter Series</b> by JK Rowling. Yeah, I'm pretty lame, but Harry Potter was big during the years I grew up and this series is special in a way that it grows up with you. Starting out as almost innocent and lighthearted and all CHILD HERO from book 1 - 2, and then growing darker and more mature as the book series went on. It's a piece of great writing. It's not for everyone, but it is for me.

<b>The Hobbit</b> by JRR Tolkien. I feel sort of odd one out for not saying LOTR, but I think The Hobbit was what got me so involved in LOTR. Without the Hobbit, I would probably still have never read LOTR today. The Hobbit really helped introduce me to Tolkien's vision and his world. Reading it lead to Lord of the Rings, which lead to such an amazing group of people in this fandom.

<b>Mio, My Son</b> by Astrid Lindgren. This was my very first fantasy book that I read. I remember making a tent with blankets in my room and bringing a lamp inside and reading this book from start to finish and I <b>absolutely</b> fell in love with it. Without this book, reading fantasy would be a lot tougher for me growing up.

<b>Angel Child, Dragon Child</b> by Michele Maria Surat. This book was about a young Vietnamese girl who is constantly sad and remembering her mother who they had to leave behind in Vietnam when immigrating to the USA. The story focuses on the girl's emotional frustrations growing up in a new country, a new school, with very little friends and limited understanding of the language. I personally relate to this because I'm a Vietnamese immigrant myself, coming over to the US with my family at a very young age. I've had this book since I was 6, and I still cherish it more than any other piece of literature. The book itself is simply written, the story is clearly defined and the drawings are beautifully illustrated. I highly recommend this book.

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