Author Topic: What books have changed your life?  (Read 207514 times)

IceNine

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #100 on: April 09, 2016, 07:30:50 AM »
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

Freeme

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 51
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #101 on: April 09, 2016, 09:01:11 AM »
Follow love this thread

solon

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2359
  • Age: 1823
  • Location: OH
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #102 on: April 09, 2016, 01:15:10 PM »
It would be great if everyone could tell us why you love a certain book.  The main point of this thread, for me, is finding new books I think I'd like. And I'm looking to you all to help!

Bracken_Joy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Location: Oregon
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #103 on: April 09, 2016, 01:17:01 PM »
It would be great if everyone could tell us why you love a certain book.  The main point of this thread, for me, is finding new books I think I'd like. And I'm looking to you all to help!

+1. I would love to know HOW and WHY and all that good stuff! Or your main take aways. Or even just a blurb on the topic of the book, if you prefer summary to analysis haha.

Also, I would encourage those who say "posting to follow" to come back and contribute... I bet if you find the thread interesting, you have something to add! Even if it's been said before, you will have your own WHY.

Taran Wanderer

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1406
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #104 on: April 14, 2016, 10:10:52 AM »
Guns, Germs, and Steel.  Changed my whole perspective on the development of different cultures, and the differences in people, culture, and wealth distribution in the world today.

Roboturner

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 535
  • Age: 35
  • Location: MCOL
  • No Snacks, Just Math
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #105 on: April 14, 2016, 11:04:26 AM »
Has a book ever changed your life? I'm 43 years old and I read about 30 books per year. And in all the books I've read, I can count on one hand the books that have changed my life. I mean literally, caused me to change the way I do something. I thought I might get fellow MMMers opinions on really great books in our lives.

To break the ice, I'll mention Your Money or Your Life. This book changed my thinking about money from something that I wish I had more of, to a tool that I can use to accomplish great things. It also changed how I track money and progress toward any goal. I recommend it so highly that I gave it as a Christmas present to everyone close to me. If you're looking for a great personal finance book, you probably can't do better than Your Money or Your Life.

Next?

Oddly enough, The Fountainhead drove me to get serious about FIRE

(or perhaps not odd - considering the 'fuckem' attitude)
« Last Edit: April 14, 2016, 11:06:34 AM by Roboturner »

Rusa

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #106 on: April 15, 2016, 02:39:29 PM »
Happiness is a Serious Problem by Dennis Prager. You have an obligation to be happy. I'm still trying.

The Vision of the Anointed by Thomas Sowell. This really explains liberal thought patterns, and confirmed my nascent conservative mindset.

attackgnome

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 63
  • Location: Denver, CO
  • It was a cold spring day in Casper, Wyoming.
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #107 on: April 15, 2016, 02:57:56 PM »
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

mrpercentage

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1235
  • Location: PHX, AZ
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #108 on: April 15, 2016, 06:38:05 PM »
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

This has come up so much that I will read it next. I like zen books anyway. I'm not sure how I missed this one

Sailor Sam

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 5731
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Steel Beach
  • Semper...something
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #109 on: April 15, 2016, 11:47:00 PM »
Jumper, by Stephen Gould. Its about a shy kid, who ends up being a teleporter. Takes some revenge, gets hunted by the govt, gets the girl, but never becomes a super hero. I first read it when I was 13, and it gave me hope

Overcoming Overeating, by Hirschmann & Munter. I had food problems. I decided to solve them, and this was the first book I read.

Farmer Boy, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It is, far and away, my favourite book. I've read it hundreds of times.

pbkmaine

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Age: 67
  • Location: The Villages, Florida
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #110 on: April 16, 2016, 01:11:23 AM »
I loved Farmer Boy, too. Some interesting details of Almanzo Wilder's life here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almanzo_Wilder

boy_bye

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2471
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #111 on: April 17, 2016, 09:13:17 AM »
Farmer Boy!!! I loooove this book and all the Little House books (at least up until Laura gets married, then they are super boring)..

But I wanted to post this, which lists every meal Almanzo eats in Farmer Boy. Do not read on an empty stomach!

http://thehairpin.com/2013/07/farmers-bo/

FrugalShrew

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2181
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #112 on: April 17, 2016, 03:41:37 PM »
ms madge, if you want to eat like they did in Little Prairie, there's even a cookbook :)

http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-House-Cookbook-Frontier/dp/0064460908

lifeoutside

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #113 on: April 18, 2016, 04:29:43 AM »
This is my first post on this forum, any forum for that matter!

1-Automatic Millionaire by David Bach.  This got me started on saving and living within my means long before I discovered MMM.  I read this book early on in college and started with the first paycheck I ever got. This book focused on living within your means and paying yourself first, i.e. auto investing your paycheck before it hits your bank account so you never miss it.  I would suggest for any MMM readers but it definitely put me on track at a young age.

2-The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery.  I also read this book during college.  Although I grew up recycling and my family had a garden and I understood not to litter and conserve our resources, this book made me aware of the global scale of our problem.  I really appreciate the scientific nature and references.

3-Growing up there were a number of books that I'm sure increased my love of the outdoors and adventure.  Anything by Gary Paulsen, Tolkien, Asimov and all the great mountaineering and adventure books out there.

And, slightly off topic, but two forums other than MMM that have changed by life are the Bogleheads forum which helped me establish my investing style and method as well as sprinter-source with helped my build out my sprinter van, which nicely compliments the MMM ethos. 


pbkmaine

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Age: 67
  • Location: The Villages, Florida
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #114 on: April 18, 2016, 06:03:23 AM »
Lifeoutside, please start a thread on the Sprinter van!

arebelspy

  • Administrator
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *****
  • Posts: 28444
  • Age: -997
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #115 on: April 18, 2016, 06:57:07 AM »
This is my first post on this forum, any forum for that matter!

Welcome!  :)
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

Gyosho

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 148
  • Location: us-west-1
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #116 on: May 08, 2016, 10:07:49 AM »
The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning, and Gambling Feel So Good


Fantastic book about dopamine, the pleasure circuits of the brain, hedonic adaptation. A warning manual for serious Mustachians.

http://www.amazon.com/Compass-Pleasure-Exercise-Marijuana-Generosity/dp/0143120751/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8



Cheddar Bob

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 20
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #117 on: May 08, 2016, 09:15:42 PM »
How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World by Harry Browne.  Excellent, easy-to-read writing that I've returned to over and over.  Almost written like a series of blog posts, and I mean that in a good way.  Short paragraphs and writing that is so clear and profound.  The gist of the book is that you actually have a lot of control over how you want to live your life.  A very practical guide to avoiding all of the "traps" that lead people to thinking that they are not free.

The Happy Philosopher

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 342
    • thehappyphilosopher
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #118 on: May 10, 2016, 04:38:37 PM »
How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World by Harry Browne.  Excellent, easy-to-read writing that I've returned to over and over.  Almost written like a series of blog posts, and I mean that in a good way.  Short paragraphs and writing that is so clear and profound.  The gist of the book is that you actually have a lot of control over how you want to live your life.  A very practical guide to avoiding all of the "traps" that lead people to thinking that they are not free.

Yes, if I had to recommend just 1 book it may very well be this one.

boy_bye

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2471
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #119 on: May 10, 2016, 05:06:10 PM »
Atlas shrugged by Ayn Rand

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

it cracked me up to see these two books one after the other. i can't think of any two books that are more opposite than these.

nora

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 215
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #120 on: May 11, 2016, 12:43:53 AM »
In defense of food, Michael Pollan. Made me realise that a lot of the things I was eating weren't actually food at all!

Change your thinking, Sarah Edelman. It really did change my thinking and help me relate much better to everyone around me, in particular my husband. I am going to re-read it if I start to slip back into the unhelpful ways I used to think.

Dmoneyzzz

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 28
  • Location: HTX
  • Life's either a daring adventure or nothing at all
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #121 on: May 12, 2016, 03:32:56 PM »
Wow there are definitely some gems in this thread.  The three books I have read that have the most profound impact on me are The One Thing, The Slight Edge, and The Richest Man in Babylon.

EricNYC

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 47
  • Age: 34
  • Location: New York City
    • My blog -- software engineering and various thoughts on life
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #122 on: May 12, 2016, 04:49:52 PM »
Two of my favorite books:

  • Meditations by Marcus Aurelius -- Powerful stuff. While the language was a little difficult to penetrate at first, I just stuck with it and was rewarded. There's a lot of brilliance in here about being true to yourself, what you think is right, and not letting yourself be completely controlled by what other people might think of you. That last one especially was a huge lesson for me.
  • The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley and William Danko -- I come from a pretty modest blue collar family. I'm the first person to get a four year degree from college. So there was a little pressure and temptation to go hog wild spending when I got my first snazzy cubicle job. I'm thankfully pretty frugal by nature, but even if I were not, this book would still have been a remarkable lesson on the power of money and why the idea of keeping up with the Joneses is absolutely nuts.

Tshaw21

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #123 on: May 13, 2016, 12:27:30 PM »
Thanks for all the suggestions. First post on the forum.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill This is the book that took me from good to great. Shows how the great innovators of the country thought and made them the business men they were.

mamagoose

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 354
  • Location: FL
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #124 on: May 13, 2016, 02:18:46 PM »
God, so many. But when I was a very young girl, around 12, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn was probably the first to shake everything up in my head.

This book is how I picked my middle name. After the character's dad.

wombat

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 16
  • FIREd July 2016.
    • The Retired Wombat
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #125 on: May 14, 2016, 07:22:56 PM »
The Four Pillars of Investing by William Bernstein.
This is a bit of a weighty tome but Bernstein's puts forward the clearest, most logical and compelling argument for passive investing. The four pillars he explores are the History (bubbles and busts), Business (financial systems that serves itself), Psychology (Why we Buy high and sell low), the Practise (how to create a portfolio). I borrowed the book from the library and then found the audio book at a garage sale. I listen to it at least once a year to remind myself of what I'm doing and why.

The Millionaire Next Door - Stanley and Danko
What I like about this book is A: It's researched based. B: It it contrarian to a lot of what we see in society. Let me explain the B. The book is a culmination of the research Stanely and Danko have undertaken in the area of wealth and the habits of those who have money. Their findings are logical but seem to be at odds with what we are constantly shown by the media. Most vast majority of wealthy people (not a small - erroneous - few who 'struck it lucky' like movie stars or IT moguls) have made their wealth through very mustachian ways. They look at wealth, not as an overall monetary figure, but as a function of income. For example some people may earn high wages but save little. Stanley and Danko look at a person's age, their income and how much more they should then have saved. They place people in one of three categories. Under accumulators of wealth (UAW), average (AAW), prodigious accumulators of wealth (PAW). How to become a PAW? Be frugal. Work hard. Spend less than you earn. Avoid lifestyle inflation. Invest. These people are not flashy with money because they understand that if they were, they'd have none. Also, by the time they actually have a lot of money, their frugal habits and lifestyle is pretty much set so the money does not change them. Lessons for us all indeed!

PhysicianOnFIRE

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 462
  • Age: 48
  • Location: Up North
    • Physician On FIRE
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #126 on: May 14, 2016, 07:38:16 PM »
Great suggestions here!

I expected to see it above, but I didn't, so I'll add The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley. [Millionaire Mind, a "sequel" was mentioned]

Also, Enough by John Bogle, which was reviewed and recommended by MMM in an older post.

Best,
PoF

Kriegsspiel

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 962
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #127 on: May 14, 2016, 07:51:45 PM »
Yikes. I hope you're not my doctor.

Kaybee

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 131
  • Location: Alberta
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #128 on: May 14, 2016, 11:34:43 PM »
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry -  It's a brick and it isn't a "happy" book but whenever I start to feel bad about my own life I read it because although its fiction, its based on the realities of what certain people and cultures have lived with.  That being said, I was admonished by a friend when she finally finished the book because she found it so depressing so I always warn people now.  I've probably read it 7-8 times now.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair -  Written as a fictional story by a journalist, it was meant to show the working conditions of immigrants in industrialized cities but the reason it created scandal was because it exposed the practices of food manufacturers.  It was responsible for changes in food production regulations (which ones specifically I can't remember and am too lazy to google).  Also a depressing book...

Glancing at the list I jotted down, I see most of the titles are stories (either fiction or non-fiction) of extreme poverty/personal difficulties; Grapes of Wrath, The Glass Castle, North of Normal, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Little House on the Prairie series,

IRL I'm a Nancy McHappyPants but maybe it's because those books helped me realize how lucky I am (even with my vaguely troubled spots in life).

Etihwdivadnai

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 47
  • Age: 60
  • Location: UK
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #129 on: May 15, 2016, 05:31:23 AM »
There are several books that I particularly remember (and occasionally re-read)
but there is one: "Energy and Equity" by Ivan Illich.
(available on-line as a website: https://clevercycles.com/energy_and_equity/index.html )

At the time of first reading I was just into cycling and I was cycling to school daily
and this book which is essentially about how unproductive using ever larger quanta of energy was
and that doing things that approximated to one human being's energy output,
augmented by use of a bicycle when it came to transportation, was possibly the optimum quanta of energy.

justajane

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2146
  • Location: Midwest
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #130 on: May 15, 2016, 06:49:08 AM »
Middlemarch by George Eliot

It's a long one, but I've read it three times, just started my fourth reading of it last week. At a young age, it upended my view of what's important in life. The simple yet powerful character of Dorothea Brooke, contrasted with the ambition of Lydgate, has resonated with me at multiple stages of my life. 

The novel's ending sums it up well:

But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

.x.

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 433
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #131 on: May 15, 2016, 10:31:12 AM »
Rising: Strategies for the broke, the at-risk, and those who love them
by Joon Madriga

I haven't even made it to the end yet, but this book is changing my money life, and as everyone here knows, that means all the other aspects of my life are being changed, too. 

I have tried reading many money books. I did read Your Money or Your Life about 15 years ago, and though I have tried reading others in the interim, Rising is the only other book I've been able to stick with.

I am a spendypants who has re-committed to changing her ways, but this feels like an uphill battle against a rather strong wind.  The other books were starting in a place that was already beyond my reach, often in a language I felt was off-putting, or didn't apply to my own circumstances/mind-set.  Rising is starting exactly where I am, broke and at-risk of being that way for the rest of my life. 

Joon Madriga's book is helping me through the emotional processes which have been the sticking point for me.  I have self-discipline, I have good intentions, I have intelligence, and now Rising is helping me use all that goodness to work through the underlying issues which have been defeating my best efforts for change in the past 11 years.

In the two weeks I have been using this book and doing the exercises, I've seen radical changes happen.

This has also been true of my equally spendypants 19yr old daughter, who is just getting ready to move out, and who I realize now, after reading the title of Joon's book, is at-risk of being just like me.  We are working through the book together, and she is seeing the light.  She is inspired by Joon's story, and I know this will ripple out as added compassion and empathy for those in our society who struggle with serious financial/housing/health issues, as well as an understanding that major change is possible for anyone with the right tools.

I.  Love.  This.  Book.

Luckyvik

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 237
  • Age: 45
  • Location: Sydney, Australia
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #132 on: May 30, 2016, 01:06:02 PM »
Rising: Strategies for the broke, the at-risk, and those who love them

Thank you for sharing, I have just finished reading it and although my circumstances are different I'm going to go back and do many of the exercises as  they are very useful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

GuitarStv

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 23129
  • Age: 42
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #133 on: May 30, 2016, 01:19:19 PM »
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy had a profound effect on my philosophy and understanding of life.

basd

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 186
  • Location: Netherlands
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #134 on: May 30, 2016, 02:35:24 PM »
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. This book taught me that instead of pursuing everything at once, a far more successful approach is to be very selective about the things you say 'yes' to. This isn't Gettings Things Done, this isn't about saying 'no' to everything, this is about saying 'yes' to the right things.

It taught me what has become sort of my life motto: Less but better. In friendships, in the things I buy, in the things I work on.

Choices

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 516
    • ChooseBetterLife
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #135 on: May 31, 2016, 09:35:52 AM »
You already found YMOYL, so my number 2 book is Boundaries by Henry Cloud.
It will change your whole mindset for the better.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2016, 04:48:58 PM by Choices »

lemanfan

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1271
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #136 on: May 31, 2016, 02:51:32 PM »
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. This book taught me that instead of pursuing everything at once, a far more successful approach is to be very selective about the things you say 'yes' to. This isn't Gettings Things Done, this isn't about saying 'no' to everything, this is about saying 'yes' to the right things.

It taught me what has become sort of my life motto: Less but better. In friendships, in the things I buy, in the things I work on.

Someone wise said "If it's not a HELL YEAH, then it's a no.".  :)

mrpercentage

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1235
  • Location: PHX, AZ
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #137 on: May 31, 2016, 06:59:14 PM »
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy had a profound effect on my philosophy and understanding of life.

I would love your analysis. I have learned a lot from both books and movies alike. Anytime I have listed my insights a different but equality valuable interpretation was listed by someone else.

basd

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 186
  • Location: Netherlands
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #138 on: June 01, 2016, 04:39:19 AM »
Someone wise said "If it's not a HELL YEAH, then it's a no.".  :)
That pretty much sums up my point of view :)

SimplyMarvie

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 215
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #139 on: June 01, 2016, 11:15:50 AM »
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle -- because it made me go "Hell yeah! That's what I want to do when I retire!". Which led me to decide that perhaps I'd best make a plan so that I could retire at an age where I could still plant a garden and pluck chickens.

Gospel, by Wilton Barnhardt. My favorite novel that no one has read, which is about an enormous literary road trip throughout the US, Europe and Africa in search of a lost first century Gospel. Led me to my job, my life as an expat and my husband (and my college major, and a religious conversion, although despite the title, it's not a religious book...)

basd

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 186
  • Location: Netherlands
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #140 on: June 01, 2016, 02:21:47 PM »
Gospel, by Wilton Barnhardt. My favorite novel that no one has read, which is about an enormous literary road trip throughout the US, Europe and Africa in search of a lost first century Gospel. Led me to my job, my life as an expat and my husband (and my college major, and a religious conversion, although despite the title, it's not a religious book...)
Saved to my to-read list!

GuitarStv

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 23129
  • Age: 42
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #141 on: June 02, 2016, 08:06:09 AM »
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy had a profound effect on my philosophy and understanding of life.

I would love your analysis. I have learned a lot from both books and movies alike. Anytime I have listed my insights a different but equality valuable interpretation was listed by someone else.

It's all there in the book!  It covers every sort of topic:

Intelligence
Quote
For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much—the wheel, New York, wars and so on—whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man—for precisely the same reasons.


Religion
Quote
“Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”


The Value of Money
Quote
This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movement of small green pieces of paper, which was odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.


The Value of Attentiveness
Quote
"You know," said Arthur, "it's at times like this, when I'm trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I'd listened to what my mother told me when I was young."
"Why, what did she tell you?"
"I don't know, I didn't listen."


Politics
Quote
Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.

Quote
The President of the Universe holds no real power. His sole purpose is to take attention away from where the power truly exists...


Philosophical study
Quote
“Perhaps I'm old and tired, but I always think that the chances of finding out what really is going on are so absurdly remote that the only thing to do is to say hang the sense of it and just keep yourself occupied.”

Quote
“Well, I mean, yes idealism, yes the dignity of pure research, yes the pursuit of truth in all its forms, but there comes a point I'm afraid where you begin to suspect that the entire multidimensional infinity of the Universe is almost certainly being run by a bunch of maniacs. And if it comes to a choice between spending yet another ten million years finding that out, and on the other hand just taking the money and running, then I for one could do with the exercise.”


Communication
Quote
“One of the things Ford Prefect had always found hardest to understand about human beings was their habit of continually stating and repeating the very very obvious, as in It's a nice day, or You're very tall, or Oh dear you seem to have fallen down a thirty-foot well, are you all right? At first Ford had formed a theory to account for this strange behaviour. If human beings don't keep exercising their lips, he thought, their mouths probably seize up. After a few months' consideration and observation he abandoned this theory in favour of a new one. If they don't keep on exercising their lips, he thought, their brains start working.”


The Value of Knowledge
Quote
“What does it matter? Science has achieved some wonderful things, of course, but I'd far rather be happy than right any day.”


True Evil
Quote
"But Mr. Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months."

"Oh yes, well, as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn't exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them, had you? I mean, like actually telling anybody or anything."

"But the plans were on display..."

"On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."

"That's the display department."

"With a flashlight."

"Ah, well, the lights had probably gone."

"So had the stairs."

"But look, you found the notice didn't you?"

"Yes," said Arthur, "yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard.”

Jaguar Paw

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 146
  • Age: 38
  • Location: Texas!!
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #142 on: June 05, 2016, 03:52:53 PM »
Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, and Anthem by Ayn Rand... WOAH, MIND blown and impactful at 22.

Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

The Sparrow and The Children of God by Mary Doria Russel

Born to Run.

Crumpet

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #143 on: June 08, 2016, 08:16:44 AM »
Middlemarch by George Eliot

It's a long one, but I've read it three times, just started my fourth reading of it last week. At a young age, it upended my view of what's important in life. The simple yet powerful character of Dorothea Brooke, contrasted with the ambition of Lydgate, has resonated with me at multiple stages of my life. 

The novel's ending sums it up well:

But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

I adore this book. I've read it four times. I plan to read it again in about a year.

I'll add:
Zero Waste Home - Bea Johnson
The focus is upon changes in the home that reduce one's footprint on the environment. My husband and I have applied many of these changes to our lives. We eat better food, feel healthier, enjoy our home more, save time, and save money. If you've been applying recommendations from this blog rigorously, you might have to spend more money on a few things, but I think if you went full Zero Waste that you would save. For example I now make our cleaning products (vinegar and water; baking soda), lip balm, tortillas, ice cream etc. This has saved us a bundle.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo
This book came into my life just after a friend of mine died. I spent a weekend helping her husband sort through her belongings. It was a terrible process. The day I got home, my local library had this book and I went through all of my own possessions thoroughly. My home is more organized, life feels less stressful, and everything is so much cleaner and simpler. Its been a year since I went through the process. I have not backslid. This book, paired with Zero Waste Home really helped us align our home, food, savings, and values.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Steven R. Covey
It is a remarkable book. I found it tough to read it through quickly since it requires a lot of thought and reflection. I plan to re-read each section now. The idea of changing paradigms is profound.

Anything by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Michael Pollan

Abe

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2647
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #144 on: June 08, 2016, 07:50:31 PM »
The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy. That was one of the first non-textbook works I read as a child in the U.S., and the first time I had hope the whole country may not be full of racist jerks like my hometown.

briefus

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #145 on: June 14, 2016, 11:57:54 AM »
"Meditations"
By Marcus Aurelius

Dmoneyzzz

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 28
  • Location: HTX
  • Life's either a daring adventure or nothing at all
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #146 on: June 16, 2016, 12:23:58 AM »
Wow this thread is like a digital library - very awesome!  I have many new books to add to my wishlist now.

Anyways, three of the books that have had a profound impact on my life would be:

The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson - Taught me the value of simple actions compounded over time to arrive at an undesirable or desirable end result

The One Thing by Gary Keller - Taught me the power of selecting one relevant and important task at a time and doing it to completion

Today Matters by John C Maxwell - Reaffirmed the value and importance of living in the moment and making each day an awesome day that matters

And others would include:  The Richest Man in Babylon, MONEY: Master the Game, Awaken the Giant Within, A Random Walk Down Wall Street, Outliers, and The Automatic Millionaire.

Thank you for this thread - its super high quality!

screwit

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 190
  • Location: Germany
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #147 on: June 16, 2016, 01:12:56 AM »
Z is for Zacharia by Robert C. Obrien  by I read when I was about 8. Teen book about the last survivors of a nuclear apocalypse. Probably the source of my love of science fiction and belief that we'll destroy the world's within my life span. (I just Googled it and discovered it was made into a film last year)

The Martian by Andy Weir. Yes,  the book the film was based on. It made my little scientist,  wanna be astronaut heart just explode with joy.

Getting Things Done by David Allen gave me tools to deal with my personality. I can't follow the full method because it breaks to easily when it isn't consistent,  but it helped me identify what I need to get through the work day.
Zen To Done by Leo Babuta followed up,  making it simpler for me and more likely to succeed.

Willpower by Roy Baumeister describes scientific studies into willpower and decision making.  It completely changed the way I deal with making decisions and using my own willpower to achieve things. I'm much more successful at these now!


SoccerLounge

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 240
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #148 on: June 19, 2016, 10:27:39 AM »
Fiction: The Discworld series, by Terry Pratchett. Just incredible social insight on both large and small scales. I used to say Terry was the greatest living English-language satirist, but.... :(

Non-fiction: An old-ass illustrated children's encyclopedia set my parents got me from a thrift store as a birthday present when I was a kid. I credit much of my adult career to this one decision. Seriously.

MonkeyJenga

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8894
  • Location: the woods
Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #149 on: June 19, 2016, 11:21:09 AM »
Fiction: The Discworld series, by Terry Pratchett. Just incredible social insight on both large and small scales. I used to say Terry was the greatest living English-language satirist, but.... :(

Non-fiction: An old-ass illustrated children's encyclopedia set my parents got me from a thrift store as a birthday present when I was a kid. I credit much of my adult career to this one decision. Seriously.

I looove the Discworld series. A few days after he died, I walked by a bar with a big Pratchett quote written on a chalkboard. It made me happy, then I realized why they did it, and it made me sad.

What is your career?

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!