Name one book that helped to change your life

05/01/18

[Simon Green]

Here's one that definitely influenced me: "Red Planet" by Robert A. Heinlein.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Planet_(novel)

It's the first novel I can recall reading, around age 8 or so. It was the start of a lifelong love of speculative fiction, and Heinlein's Libertarian(ish) philosophy certainly put its imprint on me.

(The main chsracter's father discusses getting a pistol permit for his daughter. The grandfather chimes in:)

"That a free citizen should have to go before a committee, hat in hand, and pray for permission to bear arms - fantastic! Arm your daughter, sir, and pay no attention to petty bureaucrats."

[PubliusMM]

The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand

[bagster]

The “Big Book” from Alcoholics Anonymous

Now it all makes sense.

[victim soul]

The Bible

Witness

Witness to Hope

[50mm]

Bradshaw on: The Family

Best book I've found for survivors of childhood abuse/neglect.

[Kartographer]

"Dick and Jane."

It was Dick and Jane who taught me the mechanics and Dr. Suess that taught me the joy.

[Pox]

Armor

[glennaro]

“Free to Choose” by Milton Friedman

[Chaguito]

The Saving Life of Christ by W. Ian Thomas.

[Ikeon]

I never thought about the road less travelled as a grief book. but now that you mention it , I did read it while I was in a bad state. and it is the book I pick behind the Bible as the most influential book for my life

[yarddog]

I have no idea of it’s influence but one book every Christian should own is “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance” I am not sure if there are versions for other translations but mine is of the King James Version.

[Southnsoul]

The Bible.

I fell in love with it and its Author at the age of 17 and have been reading from it ever since. (I’ve read it, cover to cover, 8 times.)

My life was to be a very challenging one, so I’m very grateful to God for drawing me to His Word at a young age, so I could know Him more intimately.

[glennaro]

Thanks for this thread. A compendium of fine reading from an excellent source (Fellow FReepers, of course!)

[untwist]

I loved The Happy Hollister’s!

[Savage Beast]

There have been so many, but one is Les misérables by Victor Hugo.

[RooRoobird20]

The main message of the book was that you must face pain head-on and go through it. Avoiding pain always leads to more pain. You can’t truly heal if you refuse to face your pain.

[MUDDOG]

The Memoirs of Claire Lee Chennault

His second wife Anna Chennault died a few weeks ago at age 92. She married him in 1947. Also known as the Dragon Lady, but nothing compared to Madame Nhu. Now there was a dragon lady.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“Fundamental Chemistry

I had spent about 5 years partying and wasting my life... and one night I was so bored at my stupid night shift job that I picked up the only book I could find to read, and it was like my brain sucked it in like a vacuum cleaner- and I immediately started college and ended up with 3 degrees in physics, computer science, and accounting.”

Wow, that’s an incredible story!

[minnesota_bound]

I started reading WW2 books back in the 1970’s. Written by those who participated or who interviewed those people.
I read about reality and purpose and good vs evil and how the United States was and is the greatest country with a little help from the British... : )

[Savage Beast]

Autobiography of a Yogi: me too.

[Ikeon]

“The Road Less Traveled” M.Scott Peck. completely sent my life a different direction. and “The Mask Of Sanity”