Books That Changed Your Life

[cmoudry]

I've had a couple, but I think my number one would have to be Latter Days. It's a beautiful book and helped me realize that being gay is not a sin, nor is it shameful...it's just who you are.

[Jesleigh]

Without a doubt, I would have to say that the book that changed my life most was "The Diary of Anne Frank". After reading it, I became obsessed with Anne Frank and her story. I read that book over and over again until I could recite parts of it word for word. I had grown up only looking at the story of the Holocaust from the perspective of an outside viewer. Anne Frank's personal diary helped me connect with the perspective I had never even really heard about. It forever changed the way I viewed the history.

[larissawilliams01]

The one book that changed my life was Tyrese's Book "How to Get Out of Your Own Way". This book helped me personally realize the things that I was doing wrong to sabotage my well being as well as my overall success in life. This book tremendously helped me gain a better perspective on my life.

[ambvoz1920]

My number one would be Atlas Shrugged. I was just out of college, and not being able to quickly find work in my field, I stuck with my job at a BBQ restaurant while I was looking for journalism jobs and to pay the bills, but didn't take it in any way seriously. Regardless of the different opinions so many people hold of Ayn Rand, about her take on philosophy to politics to religion, what I gleaned at 22 was that no work, that you do with absolution and determination, is without honor, and deserving of admiration. If you're going to make bbq sandwiches or sweep floors, you make the best sandwich you can and take pride in those clean floors. For compensation. Within months I was promoted to manager over several other long term employees, many years my senior. When things went wrong in the restaurant, I would think about Dagny Taggert taking whatever risks she had to, taking all the blame, to further her railroad, and I would accept responsibility for whatever happened that day, regardless of who was behind it. I was the training manager for 3 restaurants by the time I left at 24 years old to teach English overseas, with a completely different work ethic than I'd started out with, because of this book.
I also have to mention Stephen King's Carrie, The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen and The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. All (at different times in my life) made me say "I want to be a writer. I want to make people feel things through words like I have through theirs."

[Carrie R]

It didn't necessarily change my life, but the nonfiction book 'Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking' by Susan Cain was an eye-opener. It explained a lot about introversion and helped me realize some of my differences were actually quite common among introverts.

[rekha123]

A Stranger's Life by amel

-- 17 May 2013, 10:58 --

All the books have made their effort to insight me, so no particular book!

[darcyb123]

Fahrenheit 451
Made me think about the value of living life, not floating through it.

[dhaller]

I can think of two: John Green's Paper Towns and Orson Scott Card's Ender's Shadow.

Paper Towns taught me that people are flawed, and that real life isn't like it is in the books (an odd lesson from a book, granted).

Ender's Shadow showed me that being smart was awesome.

[rssllue]

First and foremost, the Bible (for pretty apparent reasons I hope)
Black by Ted Dekker (he did such an awesome job with the story-I had never read one that good before)
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (it may be one of the top ten books of all time-a true classic!)
The Keep by F. Paul Wilson (the best horror story I have ever read-just great)
The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis (he just pulls you into Narnia so well and makes you care right away)
All of these books opened my eyes and mind in one way or another to a different perspective on life, people, preconceptions, the LORD, etc. I have been quite blessed to have had these and other great books placed into my life!

[quadbrookie]

One book that changed my life and the outlook I had about my is Joni: An Unforgettable Story by Joni Eareckson Tada. This book really hit close to home with me because I, much like Joni, became a quadriplegic at the early age of 17. Like Joni, I also spent alot of time in the hospital reading because honestly there wasn't much else I could do! My relationship with the Lord became much closer after I was home from the hospital and read her book. Joni has become a role model to me through-out the years!

[rssllue]

One book that changed my life and the outlook I had about my is Joni: An Unforgettable Story by Joni Eareckson Tada. This book really hit close to home with me because I, much like Joni, became a quadriplegic at the early age of 17. Like Joni, I also spent alot of time in the hospital reading because honestly there wasn't much else I could do! My relationship with the Lord became much closer after I was home from the hospital and read her book. Joni has become a role model to me through-out the years!

Awesome! God bless!

[hannah_h]

One of mine would be "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclaire. I think that before that book, I was very convinced that people could rise above poverty if they just worked hard enough--pure capitalism was my answer to the question of economic policy. After reading, I began to lend a kinder ear to the socialist policies I had previously disdained, and allowed myself to believe that their are other, and more complex, aspects to the whole picture. I gained sympathy and a deep sense of pathos for the immigrant--both things I'm glad to grasp now.

[Heidi M Simone]

A few books that changed my life:

1) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling. Without this book, I don't know if I would like reading today.

2) Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. It opened my eyes to what kind of people can live in this world, and how we need to make sure we treat everyone with kindness no matter who they are.

3) The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene. I'll admit I watched the movie first, and blubbered at the end. It really helped me to appreciate the life I live and the love of my life.

Thank you, amazing, inspiring authors!

[Tanaya]

I'd say Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl definitely made me more optimistic about and appreciative for my own life.

[kathylapan]

Cosmos by Carl Sagan. It completed moving me from a maybe-believer to a Recovering Christian.