Which books made you?

swillsy

swillsy

swillsy

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Are we talking about self help books as well?
The two books which had the biggest impact on me are:

Rich Dad, Poor Dad
The Subtle Art of Nog Giving a *** all swearing should be fully starred ***

The world would be a better place if everyone had to read these :)
 

DrToffnar

DrToffnar

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Tinker Tailor Solder Spy. In fact, the whole 'Karla Trilogy' really did a number on me when I was younger, but TTSS in particular struck home in a massive way. It still informs a great of my cynicism towards my Britishness today. Still think Le Carré is one of the great story tellers of the modern age, regardless of how informed it is or isn't as material.
 

SPG

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Hitch Hikers guide to the Galaxy.

Stunning work, that shaped a way of thinking i never knew existed. Life is only serious when your facing death :)
 

FortuitousFluke

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Love a good book thread, an abridged list for me:

Goosebumps - First books I ever really read, at least on my own for fun, and definitely kicked off my love of reading
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper - Given to me by one of my junior school teachers and kind of pushed me to look outside of the books I was already familiar with
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time - Cemented my love of fantasy
The Passion of New Eve and The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter - This is where I really started to appreciate more subversive work that fit within more niche sub-genres, without these two books I probably wouldn't have had some of my favourite literary experiences, for instance the works of Hunter S Thompson and Chuck Palahnuik
The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst - I feel like this book expanded my horizons a bit but I can't really articulate why, maybe making me more open to books that don't mirror my own experiences of biases.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand - This is an interesting one, for a week after I was sure Rand had the right of it, and then for the rest of my life beyond that point I have been sure she was entirely wide of the mark, probably the book that has made me examine my own philosophy the most closely, and which taught me that just because somebody speaks convincingly, it doesn't make them right.

I imagine there are a shedload more that I could come up with.
 

BowdonUK

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I probably read most of the traditional childrens books by authors mentioned already.

As I grew up I read more political books, including Mein Kampf, Al Franken's "Lies.. and the lying liars who tell them", Codex Magica, The Da vinci code, Michael Moores "Dude where's my country", Morals and dogma, The samson option, to name a few. I've got a whole bookcase of different types of books. I try to read books from different points of view to try and understand others thinking.

I also listen to a few audio books, including the audio book version of Dexter, Charles Chilton's book, Journey in to Space, as well as a current favourite McLevy played by Brian Cox etc

I don't think any book is dangerous or poisonous if you have a mind of your own and can make up your own objective opinion without being influenced by what you're reading. It is like a looking glass in to someone elses world.
 

Destination

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SixTwoSix said:
Most of my early teens were spent reading fighting fantasy "choose your own adventure books" by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Fantasy

I could probably still tread the same safe path through Island Of The Lizard King I read it so much.

Later teens moved onto Iain M Banks culture novels.
Click to expand...

Remarkably similar.
I've read the Dune saga, wishing i had stopped before his abortive son ruined it.
Various biblical references, but no actual bible reading except that which was taught, but does leave good knowledge for quoting back at believers when they start talking gubbins.
W2K rogue trader rulebook.... for more hours to the point I pretty much knew it by heart, followed by slaves to the darkness and the lost and the damned.

Now much more varied, but I think my mindset is relatively set.
I'm all for the Thanos Snap.
 

wesimmo

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Enid Blyton as a kid, the Secret 7 and Famous Five were magic. We ended up living in an old farmhouse with proper walls and a higgledy piggeldy layout and I was convinced I'd find a hidden entrance or tunnel there eventually!

Then as I matured in my reading LOTR was the only book I remember from the period, I read it multiple times and have always loved fantasy since. I also always pick magic wielders in games to this day as Gandalf was my hero.
 

moon man

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Apparently Dr Seuss books really brought on my reading skills at an early age, my mum had them delivered every few weeks, went on to errr Hardy boys books (yeh I know) early Stephen King and LOTR of course plus anything my mum read (coma, Sophies choice, world according to garp, every genre really)
 
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