We asked our readers what books made the biggest difference in their lives, and here’s what they had to say. The list below tells you what books shaped their lives and why.
1984 “was the first book I actually enjoyed reading. It completely blew my mind at the time (I was 16) and it opened my eyes to the power of ideas and to the joy of reading a good book.” — Tim
A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson
“Wow this book is incredible. At close to 500 pages Bryson covers everything from the moment the universe expanded from the intensely dense matter that was (aka the big bang) to man’s origin. Reading this book has impacted the way I look at everything from bacteria to asteroids.” — Alex
“After reading through these suggestions, I realized there’s a big hole: Poetry! So much poetry has affected my life: Sylvia Plath’s _Ariel_; Campbell McGrath’s _Road Atlas_; James Wright’s _Above the River_; Brenda Hillman’s _Cascadia_…Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Robert Bly… Poetry may not be the “winning pick” here, but it definitely should be celebrated! And not just in April.” — Amanda
“This book reignited the pilot light of my imagination like no other book had done in quite awhile. The whimsy of its narrative, which ended with the utter destruction of our world thanks to mankind, was stark, shocking, yet refreshing when it seemed every other book I read was just an exercise towards getting to a happy ending. Great book!” — Spamboy
Crooked Cucumber – The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki
“Although I am not practicing Zen (yet), this book is like my Bible in that I plan to always read over it and reflect upon the messages therein. Suzuki had a humble vision that in order to change this world, we need to change the way people think and live, not just to change the symptoms of what is wrong. Not just to get rid of pop-prejudice and hatred, but to get rid of labels entirely, to `fight’ war and injustice with peace and understanding instead of anger…. That’s just some of the stuff that is shaping the way I think right now.” — Luella
Disturbing the Peace – Vaclav Havel
“I read it as a junior in high school, picked up on the bargain pile at a B. Daltons. It impacted me because it illustrated the concept of learning throughout life and how people can live with dignity. I’ve loaned it out several times and re-bought it at least three times.” — Emmett
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – Jonathan Safran Foer
“…It’s as though that book has taken so much life from the past and made it all tangible to us here in the present. I love the emotional complexity that’s replicated in the grandmother’s and grandfather’s manuscript and letters, how they show how memory is fragmented, overwhelming, and sometimes incomprehensible. Seriously, I could go on and on. And I can think of hundreds of other books that have changed me just as much. It’s just this one has been at the forefront of my mind ever since I read it a couple of months ago.” — Amanda
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
“I think it was the first time I had felt such a bond with a character. I triumphed with [Pip's] successes, felt the blow of failure in his defeats, and felt sorrow when he broke his own principles. I saw values in Pip that I wanted to emulate in my own life — a dedication to pursuing my dreams, overcoming my weaknesses, and treating others respectfully regardless of what frustrations I may have in my own life…” — Jamie
Healing Invisible Wounds: Paths to Hope and Recovery in a Violent World – Richard F. Mollica
“A stellar book released last year that I believe will quietly grow to classic status on par with Victor Frankl and Elie Wiesel… Mollica’s thesis, radical for a professor of medicine, is that humans have the tools to heal themselves from even the worst imaginable traumas. He gently shows the recipe for self-recovery, and reveals that the survivor is, in fact, the greatest hero for us all.” — Megan
“Hersey retells what happens when an atomic bomb falls on your city. Culled from interviews with survivors of the atomic bomb attack, this narrative was originally published as an entire issue of The New Yorker magazine. Haunting.” — Morgan
How to Read a Book – Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren
“Quite simply it has enabled me to get more out of the books that I’ve read.” — Greg
It was the first “adult book that I read upon graduating to the adult section of the Municipal Library in Krakow. Having read all the classic science fiction on the shelves, Capote’s matter of fact prose was as disturbing to me as it was new. No aliens here among far away stars but a world almost ordinary and within reach, tangible and so totally frightening. Reading it felt like being caged with a wild animal, a quick fear followed repeatedly by the mind’s pangs of pride to subdue the brute. This was no fiction yet it read stranger than anything else up till then.”
Language in Thought and Action – S.I. Hayakawa
A book that “provides a whole rationale for reading fiction that I have never forgotten. I grew up in a time and a household where reading fiction was analagous to wasting your time. Hayakawa writes of fiction as a tool to increase your experience of life, to increase the number and variety of experiences in your life, your appreciation of those experiences, to understand others and so much more!” — Terry
Love in the Time of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
–“It’s for me ‘life imitates art’ because an old lover appeared in my life after 31 years. And if I hadn’t read that book I think I would have refused him.” — Regina
–“Epic. Beautiful. My inspiration to become a writer.” — Valentina
Man’s Search for Meaning – Victor Frankl
“[It] is one of the best books I have read. The book describes the author’s imprisonment in several concentration camps. Faced with terrible suffering and loss he survives by finding meaning in the midst of this. He discovers that all of our freedoms can be taken from us….except one….the freedom to choose how we think and act under the very worst of circumstances.” — Andrea
“A how-to manual of human behaviour, one that should be required reading for all aspiring politicians and leaders.” — Carol
Narrow Road to a Far Province – Basho
“A quarter century ago, I set out on a bicycle trip across North America, and a friend stuck a paperback copy of Basho’s ‘Narrow Road to a Far Province’ in one of my panniers. ‘Narrow Road’ … is a diary kept by the Japanese poet Basho in 1689 as he made a journey into the northern provinces of Japan. When I was in the Sierras, delayed by snow, I read through ‘Narrow Road’ two or three times. I don’t know whether the book affected me more greatly because I was traveling or my traveling affected my perception of the book (one of those zenny questions), but I came away with a much better sense of the journey that we all make through life, both the physical and philosophical journey, and a more humble sense of my place among the sojourners.” — Charlie
Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction – Laura Berman Fortgang
“I’ve read this book 3 times over the past 2 years and it’s allowed me to overcome my fears, realize my dreams and start working toward new goals in my career, relationships, etc. It’s given me the courage to leave the things (marriage, career, etc.) that weren’t working for me and to face the fear of the unknown to start working toward a new future.” — Merlene
Slaughterhouse 5 – Kurt Vonnegut
“Read at 12 or 13 this book certainly opened my eyes to a whole new world.” — Jason
Teaching as a Subversive Activity – Neil Postman
“One title that has had a big impact on me throughout my teaching career has been Neil Postman’s Teaching as a Subversive Activity. His concepts of helping kids develop their instincts for evaluating and analyzing all the messages tossed at them during their lives (he called it their crap detector) are more valid today than when he wrote the book in the 70’s.” — Tim
The Brothers Karamazov – Fyodor Dostoevsky
“As a teenager I was mystified by the audacity of the grand inquisitor. I’d never read such a succint indictment of faith. As I got to my twenties I read the whole book, but in my late twenties I began to appreciate it. I’ve never read a more powerful and realistic testament to faith in my life, and as I’ve grown, my reading of the book has grown with me.” — Don
The Candles of Your Eyes – James Purdy
“If the devil were alive he would be writing the works of James Purdy. ‘The Candles of Your Eyes’ changed my outlook on literature forever.” — John
The Catcher in the Rye – J. D. Salinger
–“This novel touched my heart deeply.” — Ellen
–“I’m going to go back to high school and say that Catcher in the Rye had a big impact on my life. While the content of the book in terms of character and story were accessible to me at 16, that isn’t really what made the difference. It was only after reading some criticism and talking with others in school and out that I began to see all that was going on in a novel beyond the plot: symbolism, irony, language and the rest. When I saw how much could go on in a book, how many things were going on simultaneously, I became very impressed with the complexity of literature as art. From then on I was pretty well hooked on books.” — Jack
The Chaneysville Incident – David Bradley
This book “arrived in my library, as part of our rental collection, in the mid-70s. Since then, I have given away at least half a dozen copies, bought it for other libraries I’ve worked at, and had a brief correspondence with David Bradley, the author. It’s about time for me to reread it…. If only one of you, reading this, gets the book, I’ll be satisfied. Even if you don’t get past the dissertation on long distance public transportation.” — Papermaven
“I read this book as a teenager. I remember being completely fascinated with the Jewish culture portrayed in the novel, but the main impact came in the way Potok emphasized the values of intelligence, intellectual achievement, and compassion for others. I was incredibly moved by the conflict between these values, and find myself re-reading this novel and the sequel “The Promise” almost yearly for over 20 years.” — Judy
The Complete Stories of Edgar Allan Poe
“Short and punchy, his macabre tales pack a visual whollop that modern longer stories lack. He can create mood and tone in less than a page. When I need a break from student narratives, I read a short story by Poe. There is a reason the guy’s writing has survived.” — Chris
The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
“I read The Grapes of Wrath in the 7th grade. That was 43 years ago. Steinbeck’s tender and loving prose and voice have never left me. I don’t think it’s too much to say that I actually, factually, love that book, and its author, very, very much.” — Fuzzo
The History of Sexuality & Discipline and Punish – Michel Foucault
“Both of these books philosophically ushered me into the modern world, changing the way I saw power, sex, sexuality, school, and nothing less than the Modern Self.” — Dragon Management
The Journey to the East – Hermann Hesse
“For a young reader, this became a portal for enjoying books.” — Bob
The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
“The book that most influenced my life was “The Lord of the Rings” that I read when I was 15 years old. That book introduced me to the world of fantasy books. Ever since I keep reading this genre of books (plus a lot others of course), both in English and in Italian.” — Francesco
The Illuminatus! Trilogy - Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson
– “It’s chock full of free-thinking anarchism and did a lot to push me towards my current semi-libertarian view point.” — Dave
–“I would imagine this book had a similar effect on a lot of people who read it. This book really changed the way I think and introduced me to a lot of really great information. I went on to read almost all of Robert Anton Wilson’s books. He was a great philosopher who wasn’t afraid to state his mind. He recently passed away and I know a lot of people will and are missing him. His greatest effect on me was the introduction of `maybe logic.’” — Cyen
The Pleasure of Finding Things Out – Richard Feynman
“A collection of assorted writings by a great scientist shows the full palette of a sharp intelligence animated by all-around curiosity.” — Davide
The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
“I have two books that impacted my life; one from childhood and one from early adulthood. In the sixth grade, our teacher read The Secret Garden to us every day. I was captivated by the imagination, compassion, and touch of fantasy that this book awakened in me.” — Jan
“I love it so much. This book is for me pure philosophy.” — Ellen
“A book that first opened up my eyes to the fact that there are many ways that one can examine things.” — Darcy
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values – Robert M. Pirsig
–“Although I am not too much into philosophy, this book really made me see a lot of things differently!” — Harish
–“After 18 years exploring philosophies I still return to Pirsig for clarity. Although I see many parallels now with more “respectable” philosophers, such as Hume, there is also a very human dimension to these books which manages always to move me. There is a sensation for many who read Pirsig of re-connecting with some long-forgotten wellspring of wisdom long lost to the reductionism of our daily existences.” — David
[...] readers contributed to creating a list of books that left an indelible mark on their lives. You can review the original post here. But we figured why not add them to our “My Library” page on Google, a new product that [...]
[...] Life-Changing Books: Your Picks [...]
“Ishmael” by Daniel Quinn should be added to this list.
It’s a groundbreaking statement of and against humanity as a whole, about our past, our downfall, and how we must change this instant to change out future. It’s changed how I think about the nations, international interaction, and the human race as not the only nor the most important creatures on this planet.
“The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand should be added to your list too.
The introduction of Objectivism detailed in this work was truly inspiring. It shows the strength of a Dominique Francon, female lead character and the complex relationship she holds with Howard Roarke, the protagonist. The strife of Roark, from his struggles in an early life through the peak of his profession painted a world pitted against him – though he never compromised his vision.
In this work Rand designed characters we love to hate, and personalities in we which we all are familiar such as the sensationalist media, the opportunist, and the manipulators.
There are decisions we make as individuals contribute to the whole of our society. We can be empowered to make decisions to improve our lives. After reading this book, it was truly life-changing. The Fountainhead is truly the source for change, as it is where the source of information begins.
“manchild in the promise land” by Claude Brown
this guy grew up in harlem briefly met Eleanor Roosevelt at a reform school, he went on to finish Law school. No matter how low your station in life you can rise above it all
“Manchild in the promise land” by Claude Brown
this guy grew up in harlem briefly met Eleanor Roosevelt at a reform school, he went on to finish Law school. No matter how low your station in life you can rise above it.
I agree with Cat’s Cradle!
“The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck. It was the first book taught by Mrs. Billone my freshman year of high school in Deerfield, IL. I didn’t even like it very much. But it was the first time I realized that books offered much more than casual story — that the tricks of a skillful writer’s trade — language, symbolism, purposeful structure — could create a miraculous depth and richness.
My reaction wasn’t wonder. It was to be intensely ticked off. Here I’d been reading my whole life and no one had ever told me this! My fourteen-year-old self wanted to go back and re-read every book I’d ever touched — from “Hop On Pop” to “Caddie Woodlawn” — and find out what I’d been missing.
Where is the bible?
The little prince
i read this book a few days ago. I am 35 years old, but I think I could communicate with this book. the book described the differece between grown-ups and the children in a very simple and nice way. you can find the philosophy of life and a nice educational method in it.
Really surprised Enders Game and Fahrenheit 451 are not on here. The way enders game made me feel when i first read it in 7th grade I honestly can not tell you how excited i was through the entire book. I could not put it down at all. Ender being such a small boy impacted the entire human race and for some reason this story has stuck with me through the years. I could not describe in words to you how i felt reading this book. It touched me on so many levels heart,soul and mind. 451 was the same way. But no book will ever compare to Enders Game. Ever
Completely agree with Cat’s Cradle (also Sirens of Titan), Ishmael, and especially the Little Prince (the claymation movie is fantastic)!
Carl Sagan’s “The Demon Haunted World” really opened my eyes to how I look at and analyze the world. This and his other works show how important science is not as a subject but as a lifestyle.
I’d like to add Annie Dillard, “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.” Dillard connect me with the whole natural process involving all sentient beings and the whole cosmos. She is deeply loving without ignoring the often brutal realities of the whole rhythm of life living off life.
She is also writing some of the most beautiful prose in the contemporary corpus.
Milton’s Paradise Lost… because of the way the language (english) sounds when an epic lyric is well done. Non native-english speakers would do well to look at Milton. He’s not as flashy as Shakespeare, but the poem is more accessible, ie: it uses less devices, but has such a powerful force of language when spoken aloud and digested. I reread parts sometimes without even consciously understanding them just for the joy of his diction. But be prepared for the dreaded ‘classical references.’
[...] out there on the net. But here’s one from Open Culture I think is kind of interesting: “Life Changing Books.” It’s reader [...]
So many books have impacted my life that I could not feasibly list them all. However, there are a few which I feel deserve recognition and should be mentioned on this list. From childhood I must add Tuck Everlasting. I was utterly enthralled, along with every child my fifth grade class, with this book.
From early adult/adulthood I would like to draw attention to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice which is so well written, entertaining, and thematically complex, that I would recommend it to just about anyone.
I alos agree that Slaughterhouse 5 is one of the best books i have ever read. I loved it so much I passed it on to a friend who thanked me and says it was life changing for her as well.
Lastly, The Color Purple and The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker are to of thee most dearest books to me. I cannot even express the gratitude I have to Alice Walker for having written such beautiful, relevant and human works. I really hope that someone reading this makes the choice to read these two works, they really are worth your time.
Where’s “Atlas Shrugged?”
This is a great list I’m looking forward to reading some of the books on here. The books that have impacted my life the most are Good to Great, although the book is about business it really motivated me to pursue greatness. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People really helped to give me control of every aspect of my life. The last book I have to recommend is The Total Money Makeover, this book has taught me how to take control of my money. If you want more detail on why I enjoyed this books you can go to Life changing books.
definately tuesdays with morrie
this book changed my outlook on life and helped me get through every little curveball life has thrown no matter how insignificant. It helped me to appreciate all i had and taught me to always count my blessings
[...] Discover a life-changing book: great list of books and why to read them [...]
[...] more information on the books than that list provides, you might try the Open Culture post listing readers’ favorite life-changing books. The stories associated with the books are interesting, and this list, too, is pretty broad, and [...]
I would have to agree with the addition of “Fahrenheit 451″. One of the first books that really opened my eyes to the control that government can impose on a society and that societies’ general complacence about being controlled (think about the liberties we’ve quietly given up over the anti-terrorism act and other legislation). “Catch 22″ and “Confederacy of Dunces” also have a a special place in my heart for other reasons.
Atlas Shrugged formed the basis of my conservative thought many years ago. For that I am forever grateful. I truly feel like the world is imploding just like Ms. Rand foretold.
Who is John Galt?…
Above, I saw many books that have changed my life. However, one was blatantly absent. Books typically have different aims depending on their category. For example theory tends to change the process and content of peoples thinking whereas fiction usually expands one’s emotional and cultural life humor makes us laugh, drama makes our hearts race etc.
However, in truly great writing these aims are indistinguishable and dissolved into one another. Arundhati Roy’s “God of Small Things” affected my life profoundly, altering both my intellect and my empathetic capacities. I have read it several times and the beauty of her prose causes involuntarily giggle and tears each time.
For this books life changing qualities, I place Roy among other favorite authors such as, Borges, Derrida, Marquez, Foucault, Vonnegut and the like. It is my hope that eventually her name will carry similar weight and power of association to these, more historically famous, names.
The lord of the flies is by far my favorite book. I have never read a book that is so well intertwined with themes and can still make me stay up until 2 a.m. because of the page-turning action. I’ve read it three times, and still have not gotten tired of it
[...] time for a new group project. Last year, I asked you to tell us about your Life-Changing Books, and we pulled together an excellent list that many readers have enjoyed. Now we want to know where do you go for intelligent video? If you list the sites that you like [...]
[...] list of “Life Changing Books” recommended by readers came from OpenCulture (published Aug 19 2007). Note: The titles [...]
“American Psycho” by bret Easton Ellis
Maybe I’m alone with this pick, but it certainly redifined a few boundaries for me.
Awesome list ! Sort of counter intuitive that on ‘openculture’, all the books had Amazon store links, none had free sources. Providing a quick link to a store leads one to buy it without spending the time to find it, correct?
I’m very glad to see “1984″ top this list. It was definately the equivalent of taking the red pill pill in the Matrix and try as I may have in the last decade I have never been able fully climb out of the rabbit hole
Dr.Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” also changed my life. I believe that human strength lies in the mind and understanding of one’s self first, then one’s situation and others..
Lastly I’d like to offer up Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”. I struggled with the way Kafka places the completely absurd, with almost syringe like precision, into an otherwise ordinary enviorment. But the result is such a beautiful look at the psychology of human behavior, and naked truth of what vunerability and fear are and do.
[...] way. They have their original take. But if you want a more traditional list of life-altering books, then check out this collection created by our readers and feel free to add your own books to the comments. The more, the [...]
“Codependent No More” by Melodie Beattie
“The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins was the final nail in the coffin of my belief in a divine Creator.
I’ve heard it said of the theories of evolution and natural selection that “if you don’t believe it, it’s because you don’t understand it” – well, this is the book that will make you really, properly, understand (or to paraphrase George Orwell: “bellyfeel”) it.
[...] in Books, Daily life at 8:55 am by LeisureGuy Interesting list. The intro: We asked our readers what books made the biggest difference in their lives, and [...]
The Possibility of an Island, by Michel Houellebecq
For the Time Being, by Annie Dillard
Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
No specific book really changed my life. Each contributed incrementally to my current literate state.
When a child I would surf encyclopedias and dictionaries for hours. They did change my life. Later on, studying textbooks changed my life.
I’ll select a couple of books that made me realize years ago that there had been a few sane and brilliant people who lived more than two thousand years ago and who had written timeless and fascinating books:
‘The Histories’ by Herodotus; ‘Lucius, The Ass’ by Lucian.
The Future of Life by E O Wilson
A real eye opener – describing how man is causing mass extinction of species.
Tolstoy’s “A confession” and Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” were the ones for me.
Hunt for Red October… I had never really red much before this book. I got hooked.
[...] computer or mp3 player, then listen any time. (On a related note, you might want to see our list of Life-Changing Books, according to our [...]
[...] computer or mp3 player, then listen any time. (On a related note, you might want to see our list of Life-Changing Books, according to our [...]
The Dune series (6 books) by Frank Herbert, who took our entire civilization and made it a tiny part of his immense imagination.
The detail of his creation – after reading just the first book – leaves one with the feeling of a new existence, and the Earth a distant memory.
A delicious perspective.
[...] Life-Changing Books Share: [...]
“The Way of Peaceful Warriors” by Dan Millman,
“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho,
“Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint
MUST READ!
[...] for more good reads? Check out the collection of Life Changing Books assembled by our readers. [...]
It’s hard to believe no one mentioned one of the English language’s greatest books, “Alice in Wonderland.” This book has not gone out of print since it was published well over 100 years ago. It appeals to children and adults. The power of language never had so strong an examplar as this remarkable book. It never grows old, and it never stops being funny. I re-read it frequently, especially when I need to remind myself that humor can be found in just about anything; that little girls are made of a lot more than sugar and spice; and that the remarkably fluid and inclusive English language can be fashioned to say anything you want it to say, serious or silly.
[...] http://www.openculture.com/2007/08/life-changing_books_your_picks.html [...]