Monday, May 24, 2010

Life-changing books

Currently, around the world, thousands of people are reading Neil Gaiman's American Gods (including me). It's part of the One Twitter, One Book project (1b1t2010, #1b1t on Twitter). As part of the online discussions, someone asked what book or books changed your life. This is a compilation of responses. I thought they were pretty interesting, and can certainly see why most are on there (the largest exception being I Capture the Castle, which our book club read and which no one really liked, and some really hated it. I was lukewarm. Not life-changing for me!) Several of my most powerful, life-changing books are there - most prominently To Kill a Mockingbird. Anyway, I'm sharing it, because it's an interesting list, and has some books that are probably Worth Reading. Enjoy!
Age of Innocence Edith Wharton
Alan Mendelsohn, The Boy from Mars Daniel Pinkwater
Alchemist Paulo Coelho
All Quiet on the Western Front Erich Maria Remarque
American Gods Neil Gaiman
Anthropologist on Mars Oliver Sacks
Antigone Jean Anouilh
Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand
Beyond Civilization Daniel Quinn
Bible
Black Jewels Trilogy Anne Bishop
Blue Highways William Least Heat Moon
Brave New World Aldous Huxley
Cannery Row John Steinbeck
Catch-22 Joseph Heller
Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
Clockwork Orange Anthony Burgess
Complete Sherlock Holmes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Dark Tower series Steven King
Darksword Trilogy Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman
Dispossessed Ursula K. LeGuin
Dragonsong Anne McCaffery
East of Eden John Steinbeck
Elric of Melnibone Michael Moorcock
Etty Hillesum: Interrupted Life the Diaries, 1941-1943 Etty Hillesum
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues Tom Robbins
Far Pavilions M. M. Kaye
Four Agreements Don Miguel Ruiz
Friday Robert A. Heinlein
Giver Lois Lowry
Good Omens Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood
Happy Death Albert Camus
Harry Potter Series J. K. Rowling
High Rise J. G. Ballard
Hobbit J. R. R. Tolkein
I Capture the Castle Dodie Smith
Illusions Richard Bach
Infinite Jest D. F. Wallace
Intelligent Man's Guide to Science Isaac Asimov
Ishmael Daniel Quinn
L'Invitee Simone de Beauvoir
Liar's Poker Michael Lewis
Life of Pi Yann Martel
Lord of the Flies William Golding
Lord of the Rings J. R. R. Tolkein
Matilda Roald Dahl
Mists of Avalon Marion Zimmer Bradley
Moon of Three Rings Andre Norton
Narnia Chronicles C. S. Lewis
Neverending Story Michael Ende
On The Road Jack Kerouac
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Dr. Seuss
Pillars of the Earth Ken Follett
Poet Michael Connelly
Power of Myth Joseph Campbell
Prayer for Owen Meany John Irving
Quran
Road Cormac McCarthy
Road Less Traveled M Scott Peck
Room of One's Own Virginia Woolf
Sam, Bangs and Moonshine Evaline Ness
Shannara Series Terry Brooks
Sorrow Beyond Dreams Peter Handke
Story of B Daniel Quinn
Stranger in a Strange Land Robert A. Heinlein
Till We Have Faces C. S. Lewis
Timbuktu Paul Auster
Time Enough for Love Robert A. Heinlein
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
Unbearable Lightness of Being Milan Kundera
Way of the Peaceful Warrior Dan Millman
Weirdstone of Brisingamen Alan Garner
Wit Margaret Edson
Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L'Engle

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