Can reading influence the person's life seriously?

Moore · Post by **Moore** » 12 Oct 2009, 03:03

I still think that a book can turn one's life up side down, when the book is read at the right time of the life.
From my own experience some books helped me to make right decisions.
What about you?

Do you agree that reading can change our life?

kitty5495 · Post by **kitty5495** » 12 Oct 2009, 10:57

Sure! Even if all you get from the book is a neat little fact and some enjoyment, lol.
But a book can make you see a lot about yourself, and if it's realistic then you can kind of be prepared when something happens in real life like in the book.. and you wont be totally surprised. (like breakups, sickness leading to death, etc.) just by how the characters act in the book, then you'll be able to notice the real life actions.

WitterLouis · Post by **WitterLouis** » 12 Oct 2009, 14:57

Yes, if one takes reading seriously it can really impact one's decisions in life. In every book one reads, one will find a little piece of him/herself in it. Also, in books, one will find personalities that are quite unlike oneself and if one is mature, one will accept and respect the differences.

The Mythwriter · Post by **The Mythwriter** » 14 Oct 2009, 10:43

Yes, but I think the the person has to have the right attitude and be open to the ideas before a book can do anything. Otherwise, high school reading lists would be the cure-all to society's crime rates. I'm amazed at the bad attitudes with which I have seen people approach books.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » 14 Oct 2009, 15:00

Absolutely .... look the number of lives that have been changed for good or evil by The Bible or Koran etc

Classical is Classy · Post by **Classical is Classy** » 14 Oct 2009, 16:00

Pretty much anything can influence someone. I mean look at Archimedes, all he did was get into a public bath and discovered some....math things...(math isn't my best subject XD)

i_love_reading09 · Post by **i_love_reading09** » 31 Dec 2009, 02:44

Books have definitely influenced some things in my life. Most of them are for better changes. Sometimes you just happen to read a book with a very motivating story. It's definitely possible.

Journey · Post by **Journey** » 31 Dec 2009, 17:25

Yes!!! Books have changed my life for the better on more than one occasion. The right book at the right time can have amazing results.

victorian.noire · Post by **victorian.noire** » 31 Dec 2009, 21:24

they can definitely help you in everyday life. i find that they really help on getting alternative perspectives on certain matters, which is always helpful. or help me to see the truth in things...

and i agree with how high school reading lists being a life-changing thing would be excellent for todays youth. imagine if every high school reader could take something away from lord of the flies!

hania5 · Post by **hania5** » 03 Jan 2010, 03:04

Yes, they open your mind, broaden your knowledge and give you an opportunity to relax. I love it!

whatthedeuce · Post by **whatthedeuce** » 07 Jan 2010, 10:09

Most certainly.

When I was 14 I read Go Ask Alice, which terrified me to my very core. It was this book more than anything that has kept me far, far away from drugs. It did more to influence me than any PSA, anti-drug campaign or anything my parents ever said.

poomlie · Post by **poomlie** » 09 Jan 2010, 01:48

Reading has always been the constant in my life. No matter what horrid things might happen such as death, fire or just having to take care of an infirm person (all of which have happened to me or I am experiencing), one can always escape into a book. And what a great escape it is!!! You can go anywhere and be anything. So many marvelous worlds to explore!

we_olive_beatrix · Post by **we_olive_beatrix** » 10 Feb 2010, 05:53

I suppose I can speak from the other end of the spectrum. In late 2007, a series of events took place, very close together, that left me in a dark abyss. I was strongly captivated by the cover of a book and purchased it despite the ridiculous summary on the back. Its allure was disturbing and beautiful, and I could not put it down. I was content, in my escape from the harsh reality I was facing- it was easy to get lost in the characters and the plot. However, when the last word was read and the book was set in a drawer, not to be opened for months, my happiness was put in a similar place. I sank into a deep depression for over a year. For the longest time, I believed it was the book that made me feel this way, and the black only became blacker if I saw someone with this book, which was becoming more common as the books popularity grew and grew. I felt my sanity start slipping away so I took a trip to a destination far from where I reside, to run away. I ended up stuck on a multiple-hour bus ride beside a kid who was reading this book. Anyway, things got as bad as they could get before they started to get better, and it took a lot of time for me to stop blaming the book for the negative feelings it brought upon me and be thankful for the temporary happiness it DID bring me. I have learned now not to look to a novel for an escape, but to seek enlightenment through the endless universe it creates.

vsc_vet_tech · Post by **vsc_vet_tech** » 07 Feb 2014, 00:49

There are many books that I have read over the course of my lifetime that have influenced me. They have also insired me to do more with my life. One of the most thought provoking books that I have read was "Kindred" By Octavia E. Butler. It is a Science Fiction/fictional history book written in the the late 1970s, about a intra-racial couple who travel back to the Deep south during Slavery. It really makes you think about how we treated and continue to treat people of different races. I know we ahve come a long way, but still makes you think.