Top books that changed your life

[Kipaste]

There are many and some have been mentioned before but here are a few:

Modern coral reef aquarium vol 1-5 -S. Fossa

Kalevala - E. Lönnrot

The origin of species - C. Darwin

1984 - G. Orwell

Catch 22 -J. Heller

Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas -H.S. Thompson

Hitch hikers guide to galaxy -D. Adams

Guns, germs and steel - J. Diamond. This one I recommend to everyone.

Catcher in the rye - J.D. Salinger

Dog soldiers - R. Stone

Never let me go - K. Ishiguro

Anna Karenina - L. Tolstoi

Slaughterhouse 5 - K. Vonnegut

A confederacy of dunces - J. K. Toole

Täällä Pohjantähden alla - V. Linna

Those are the ones that come in mind first. I'm sure there are many mores that I just can't think of right now.

 

[IconBasser]

I want to be an individual, just like the other eight people in this thread that stated her book was a favorite too.

lol, I'm a libertarian, so I already thought almost the exact same things as Rand before I even read her works.

 

[fdeck]

lol, I'm a libertarian, so I already thought almost the exact same things as Rand before I even read her works.

Like what, that we will be magically transported to utopia? That's what I got out of Atlas Shrugged.

 

[seanm]

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert Pirsig

+1 Forgot about this one!

There is Nothing Wrong With You: Going Beyond Self Hate - Cheri Huber

The last one is a self-help book with an introduction to Buddhist meditation. It's so short and simple that it looks almost childish, but it changed my life more than all the others combined.

You might like "Hardcore Zen" by Brad Warner

 

[Rattman]

1. The Bible

2. The Lord Of The Rings

3. The Hobbit

 

[IconBasser]

Like what, that we will be magically transported to utopia? That's what I got out of Atlas Shrugged.

then I'm afraid you completely missed the point of that book.

 

[KPAX]

Ethics (and others) by Dietrich Bonhoeffer - another nail in the coffin of trying to view christian doctrine as something coherent that lived up to its claims.
The Fountainhead - pulp fiction that stands up for individual freedom, work, creativity and capitalism.

 

[fdeck]

then I'm afraid you completely missed the point of that book.

What do you consider the point to be? How does Dagny arrive in Galt's utopia? Go easy on me, it's been almost 30 years. Like lots of people, I read Atlas Shrugged because the Wall Street Journal said it was the manifesto of Reaganism.

 

[burk48237]

The problem with these questions is that life is a journey IMO, and the books that drastically changed me when I was twenty five may have little influence on my views now. I'll list five that effected my world view, but keep in mind they may not have as much influence now.

"The Normal Christian Life" by Watchman Nee: A fascinating look at what should be "normal" life for Christians by a man who many consider the "apostle Paul" for modern China. He literally spent most of the last half of his life in Chinese prisons. And many of his books were smuggled out thru the guards. The Chinese had a problem in that if they would let prison guards spend to much time with him they would convert. Thru his leadership the underground church in China exploded. It is said he started 2500 churches on his own.

"The Road to Serfdom" by Frederick Hayek: A tough read, This book probably laid the conservative argument better then any other in the twentieth century like Locke in the 19th century before him. Hayek renewed the view that central planning is impossible to do in a limited way because every action of the individual in some way effects the macro of the entire economy. The limitation of personal freedom is the ultimate result.

"Liberal Fascism" by Johnah Goldberg: While the title is true, I wish Johnah would have used a different title. His argument is in effect all of the "isms" of the early twentieth century are just different branches the same statist tree. It is an in depth, well documented, thoroughly presented history of statism or progressivism in the early twentieth century. Considering it was the singularly dominant governing philosophy of the era until about 1960. It is a great read of 20th century history. (This book is almost a book end to "Road to Serfdom" it's amazing how many of Hayeks predictions in 1939 came true.)

"What's so good about Christianity" by Dinish D'souza: A great answer to "God is not Great" and "God Delusion" (yes I read both). And it does a very credible job of defending and explaining the argument of a personal God versus the alternative. I look at it in someways as as update of "Mere Christianity"

"America Alone" by Mark Steyn. While I don't agree with all of the books conclusions, Steyn has become my favorite political writer. He can be laugh out loud funny at times and is a great Satirist in the vein of PJ O'Rourke. The book does a great job of warning the west and presenting a strategy for dealing with Islamic Extremism.

My second Five:

Velvet Elvis: Rob Bell
Power, Faith, and Fantasy (the only comprehensive history of the USA in the middle east) by Michael Oram
The Language of God: Francis Collins (who was just appointed the head of NIH by Obama)
Peace Kills: PJ O'Rourke
Absolute Surrender: Andrew Murray

 

[southernrocker]

Bible
Escape! (from a North Vietnamise prison camp)
where the red fern grows

 

[IconBasser]

What do you consider the point to be? How does Dagny arrive in Galt's utopia? Go easy on me, it's been almost 30 years. Like lots of people, I read Atlas Shrugged because the Wall Street Journal said it was the manifesto of Reaganism.

Galt's utopia was IMO the most obvious weak point in the book. I think it would have been a merked improvement to have left that part out.

the "utopia" premise was an ideal better adapted to the Fountainhead, which was basically a glorification of the individual producer. Atlas Shrugged was the pontification of the argument that socialism and the sacrifice of the individual mind to a collective good is impractical and can only result in destruction, decadence, and decay. IMO, Atlas Shrugged for the most part focused on this idea and relayed it clearly, but the utopia chapters detracted from the intrinsic sense of horror conveyed throughout the rest of the novel.

not to mention, in terms of pure plot, it was utterly ridiculous. "Hey, we're just a bunch of geniuses hiding out in the woods, building stuff! Care to be indoctrinated?"

 

[WRXbase]

Bible(NIV) - no citation needed
Time Enough for Love [Robert Heinlein] - My first exposure to adult sci-fi. Heinlein has a very modern psychology given his time period
Memnoch the Devil [Anne Rice] - Rattled my cage. BIG TIME.
Gerald's Game [Stephen King] - Made me angry as HELL at my parents for some odd reason.
House of Leaves [Mark Z. Danielewski] The most creatively written fiction I've ever read. When people ask me what they should read, this is the first book I spit out.
The Celestine Prophecy [James Redfield] - Expands you mind while making the world smaller.

 

[hbarcat]

Edit:

Thought better about posting that. I shouldn't be upping the political content of this otherwise good thread.



I'll post this instead.

I don't know if this changed anyone's life, but this is certainly a great book.

 

[rcarraher]

I love this thread, other than the Hustler commenthows that whether or not we agree, we are impacted by great writers.

K. Vonnegut-An original voice, dern near everything he wrote wheter big or small said something important.
Memnoch the Devil - Ann Rice. She is considered "mostly: popular fiction, but she touches on many themes. I personally love her.
Escape! (from a North Vietnamise prison camp)-Haven't read this one. As a vietnam vet, who once opened a college text book and found his photo on a page near the middle, one of my favorites truly depicting hat "era in American life was Bang The Drum Slowly.
Where the Red Fern Grows- A classic
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert Pirsig
The origin of species - C. Darwin
1984 - G. Orwell
Catch 22 -J. Heller
Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas -H.S. Thompson
Hitch hikers guide to galaxy -D. Adams

A lot of good books hear, and I love the controversy that the mention of Rands Atals Shrugged caused. The fact that the arguement has been going on for three pages is evidence enough of the impact of that book. I noticed no one mentioned Mien Kampf. I know that probably out of everything I have ever read, that book impacted me the most. Oh, I didn't buy into it but it scared the living daylights out of me that a generation of people did.

The great thing about this thread is it shows that we all think, that we read, and not just the funny papers, although there's some thought provoking things to be found there, too. We don't have to agree. Hell, half the time we can't agree on how to play a particular scale, what strings are best, even what 12AX7 we should put in our amp. What makes anyone think we are going to agree on a list of books, or ideas expressed in them. But at least we think, and for ourselves.

 

[Marlat]

It would be interesting to know how these "great books i've read" have actually changed peoples lives. I am not sure I have read any books that have actually changed my life, and I have read most of the books listed in this thread. Burk's post is probably the most informative in the thread!

 

[kserg]

Just when I was going to coment on the wealth of intellectual individuals on TB......

Oh no! I failed you! I am not worthy of this intellectual TB community, but if you could, spare a few moments and show me the light. I am worth fighting for!

I love this thread, other than the Hustler commenthows that whether or not we agree, we are impacted by great writers.

Oh, and, thank you for pointing out my shortcomings once again. Please don't give up on me!


On serious note (because some people can not tell a joke from serious post so i feel the need to point out now when i am joking and when i am not): Book; they help you develop your mind, they guide you towards your opinion, however they shouldn't change your life. If they do, then you have a problem because no one persons opinion should be life changing for anyone. That's what a book is, ones persons opinion. You should take that opinion, keep it in mind, take all the facts you gathered and come to a conclusion and form your own opinion.


Now i am going to start my own list of books i've read so i can feel good and intellectually wealthy! See you guys there!


PS: I am sure Hustler, or playboy has changed everyone's life here, they are just too scared to admit me. <--- that was a joke again.

 

[Korladis]

PS: I am sure Hustler, or playboy has changed everyone's life here, they are just too scared to admit me. <--- that was a joke again.

I used to keep a couple of 70's Hustler mags that we found in the warehouse in my old head. My bandmates thought it was gross because of some of the um... aesthetics of the pelvic area... in that era.

My new head is all tube and gets much to hot for that, and doesn't have the space for the pr0n mags

 

[Steveaux]

Machine Tool Theory, 3rd Ed.

 

[burk48237]

One other book I should have mentioned and just finished is "The Unlikely Disciple" by Kevin Roose. It is one of the best books I've read in years. I think one of the problems in many of the great cultural issues of the day is that we refuse to "humanize" the other side. While we may think we have doubts and diversity in our own views. We tend to view those on the "other side" of cultural world views as a) ignorant b) unintelligent c) extreme (because our views are always "moderate") d) as true (almost brainwashed) believers who never doubt. In other words their not human like we are. Well Kevin lives with the "other side" for a college semester, takes their classes and participates in their rituals. In doing so he discovers that they are quite human. GREAT BOOK

 

[fdeck]

Galt's utopia was IMO the most obvious weak point in the book. I think it would have been a merked improvement to have left that part out.

the "utopia" premise was an ideal better adapted to the Fountainhead, which was basically a glorification of the individual producer. Atlas Shrugged was the pontification of the argument that socialism and the sacrifice of the individual mind to a collective good is impractical and can only result in destruction, decadence, and decay. IMO, Atlas Shrugged for the most part focused on this idea and relayed it clearly, but the utopia chapters detracted from the intrinsic sense of horror conveyed throughout the rest of the novel.

not to mention, in terms of pure plot, it was utterly ridiculous. "Hey, we're just a bunch of geniuses hiding out in the woods, building stuff! Care to be indoctrinated?"

The utopianism was the killer for me, because the problem with utopia is that it can only be achieved and sustained through repression and the acceptance of corruption. This is true of other utopias such as Marx and the various theocratic world orders. At least Marx was honest about this.

The other problem may not have been Rand's fault, but how she has been interpreted by some. I realize she was writing about a bleak future, one that we would all be horrified by, if it was within the realm of possibility. But I've heard a lot of people use her language of the government punishing successful people, as a description of the effect of liberal (with a small "l," not to get political) policies. If someone thinks this is why they are unsuccessful, then they are paranoid. There are plenty of inventors, entrepreneurs, and industrialists, who are successful, including me.