What book has had the greatest influence on your life & why?

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  • NostalgicMuse
    NostalgicMuse Posts: 340 Member
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    Francine Rivers - Redeeming Love
  • kabbit42
    kabbit42 Posts: 85
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    Not even being sarcastic, I would probably say Harry Potter. Not the best I've read or even my favourite book but I would not want to repeat ages 11-16 without it. It got my friends as excited about reading as I already was and we had so much silly fun with it and I wouldn't trade those times for anything.
  • glengiles
    glengiles Posts: 147
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    The Bible.
  • kikilieb
    kikilieb Posts: 118 Member
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    Lord of the Flies sunk deep into my subconscious as a child and teenager... it always stuck with me. On some level it comforted me, while horrifying me simultaneously.

    In college, several of the Existentialist philosophers hit me pretty hard.

    And as a writer... the 3 who've influenced me the most are probably Hemingway, Haruki Murakami & Jose Saramago.

    No way! You have honestly took the words right out of my mouth!

    I love Lord of the Flies, it was horrifying, but also very intriguing. I love the existentialists -- Nietzsche especially and Saramago is one of my absolute favorite authors :happy:

    Other than those, I was going to say, Gone with the Wind and I know why the Caged Bird Sings -- mostly because they showed me how to be a surviver rather than a victim. Sure, Scarlett was a self-involved *****, and I don't really want to be like that, but what I did take from her story was that she was a survivor. She made things happen rather than wallowing in despair or outdated social mores!

    The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins is also high on my list as well. I don,t always agree with Dawkins, but probably 99 percent of the time I do, or I at least appreciate what he is saying.
  • shannyfro
    shannyfro Posts: 641
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    The Bible! It has impacted my life in so many ways. Everyday I read it I learn something new. When I feel down, it lifts me up. When I need advice on something, it informs me. Best book ever!!
  • AllyBooMommyof2
    AllyBooMommyof2 Posts: 171
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    The last lecture by Randy Pausch

    and

    The shack by W.M. Paul Young


    Best books anyone could ever read.
  • elenathegreat
    elenathegreat Posts: 3,988 Member
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    The Shining by Stephen King...learned a lot about myself.
  • cgray
    cgray Posts: 132 Member
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    The Bible.
  • kikilieb
    kikilieb Posts: 118 Member
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    The Shining by Stephen King...learned a lot about myself.

    I love that book too :drinker:
  • Wen37
    Wen37 Posts: 218 Member
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    Bump
  • 10acity
    10acity Posts: 798 Member
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    I have to be honest and say #1 is probably the Bible. Most days I wish it would change me a lot more...


    Other great reads that have taught me and shifted my perspective:

    Cancer Ward by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (absolutely everyone should read it.)
    The Ragamuffin Gospel and Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning (a beautiful writer and a man so humbly human I can't imagine not relating)
    Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson (not really the story, but the writing. Oh, the writing...)
    Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive The Church by Philip Yancey
    Everything by F. Scott Fitzgerald, who deepens my love of words page by page.
  • yallcallmedeb
    yallcallmedeb Posts: 294
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    I can think of many books that were/are influential in my life, but you did ask for the "greatest".

    The Alchemist - This book taught me to have faith in myself and in my life path. It reminded me that I cannot always dictate the roads I travel, yet I shall reach my destination and I am exactly where I need to be at this moment. It showed me how to make the most of any situation. It helped me open my mind and heart so I could learn things in a new way with a positive attitude.

    I read this book each year on my birthday. I think about where my life has taken me... the good and the bad. I think about my future and where I hope my path leads me. I think about the things that I can do to work towards the end result.

    Who is the author? Sounds like a good book but getting too many hits on Amazon by too many authors :)
  • Briski1411
    Briski1411 Posts: 296 Member
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    The Dictionary!!! I go back to it often :happy:
  • LisaEileen
    LisaEileen Posts: 185 Member
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    This thread has inspired me to find the time to read more. I used to read so many books. But, life got crazy since having a child with autism and I have a ton of books on my shelf that are collecting dust and need some love. I'll have to try reading The Shack again since so many of you liked it. I read a few chapters and never got back to it. I have so many classics that need to be read too.
  • mevalentina
    mevalentina Posts: 362 Member
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    "Lolita"
    by Vladimir Nabokov
    One of my all time favorite reads I read it one summer from cover to cover in record time I was only 13..
    I still have my dog eared copy in my own personal library collection.
    Why because it was so taboo to my family and our religion, and it was the "first time" (definitely not he last) I defied my parents outright lol...
  • sa11yjane
    sa11yjane Posts: 491 Member
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    The Bible as it is just an amazing manual for life and fascinating to go back through history; The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath as it is a fantastic story about a girl with depression with which I can identify; Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier as I know what it is like to suffer all the insecurities of being a second wife; Through the Narrow Gate by Karen Armstrong as I always wanted to be a nun when I was younger!
  • sa11yjane
    sa11yjane Posts: 491 Member
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    Oh and of course the dictionary to which I refer each and every day!
  • velloxal
    velloxal Posts: 78 Member
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    “Healing the Gearson way” by Charlotte Gerson

    Charlotte father Max Gerson found Cancer and chronic disease cure in 1928. His method can cure over 90 % different Cancer. Some of his patients were on death list with several Cancer spreads and now they’re still alive after 20 years.

    Charlotte continues her father legacy to longer and healthier life.

    Cancer cells live on meat protein, therefore Gerson Therapy encourage patients to be Vegetarian in order to eliminate Cancer cells . Special Diet and Coffee Enemas detoxify affected organs.

    Since this book discovery I spread good news to anyone about new possibility.

    Below is link to You Tube 1hour and 30 min movie about Gerson Therapy and what is killing us slowly. I recommend it to anyone with Cancer or health problems.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZD5CFcJ08w&feature=plcp&list=PL5C79BD629567BBBB

    This is link to Gerson Institute.

    http://gerson.org/gerpress/

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