Author Topic: What books have changed your life?  (Read 207378 times)

kpd905

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #250 on: July 19, 2018, 03:39:01 AM »
A lot. Besides books, I think reddit and internet articles have really influenced the way I think.

Care to share anything specific?

peregrine

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #251 on: July 19, 2018, 06:38:45 PM »
The Razor's Edge, by W. Somerset Maugham.

I read this is college at the age of 19 but I was too young to understand.  Most of it passed right over my head.

I re-read it this spring after the death of a close friend. I don't know how I decided on this of all books, but now, at the tender age of 46, I was able to get a lot of meaning from it. So much of the characters' struggles were struggles people still have today, and there was so much truth displayed in the characters' actions.

This book helped show me to what depth the eternal questions of life have always been around. The author expressed a lot of the unanswerable questions more eloquently than I'd ever seen them before, and for that I am grateful.

jpdx

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #252 on: August 01, 2018, 01:29:19 AM »
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins allowed me to admit to myself that I didn't believe in god(s). This was a huge eye-opener and change my life for the better.

slow hand slow plan

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #253 on: August 01, 2018, 12:31:39 PM »
Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey.

Think of it as a kind of modern Walden. I read it when I was already hooked on the outdoors and minimalism, and it made me want more. I reread it every so often, as it reminds me about the things I value most. Simplicity. Wide open spaces. A few good friends. A cup of strong coffee on a cool morning with a stellar view.

Agreed! That is an incredible book. also his other stories are all great; A Fools Progress, Monkey Wrench Gang, Collected Essays , Heyduke Lives...etc

Vertical Mode

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #254 on: August 02, 2018, 09:47:09 AM »
Just finished Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. Deeply moving stuff in the first part, drawn from his experiences in the concentration camps, but also very timely discussion about the "existential vacuum" one can feel when forced to create structure or define purpose for oneself (I'm not currently employed and the lack of structure is beginning to drive me stir-crazy).

I checked it out after several people in Tim Ferriss' Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors books recommended it. Absolutely worth reading.

Adam Zapple

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #255 on: August 05, 2018, 05:24:30 AM »
Just finished Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. Deeply moving stuff in the first part, drawn from his experiences in the concentration camps, but also very timely discussion about the "existential vacuum" one can feel when forced to create structure or define purpose for oneself (I'm not currently employed and the lack of structure is beginning to drive me stir-crazy).

I checked it out after several people in Tim Ferriss' Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors books recommended it. Absolutely worth reading.

@Vertical Mode I went through this during a long stint out of work with an injury.  Unfortunately, the existential crisis continued even when I returned to work.  I've found creating a strict morning routine like the one outlined in "Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod to really be beneficial.  The book was just ok for me but the routine is solid and borrowed from several other sources on the subject.  It is slowly helping to shift my focus from the whole "what am I doing with my life" narrative in my head to enjoying the day-to-day and appreciating what I have.

Unique User

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #256 on: October 18, 2018, 08:27:29 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.”

By far one of my favorite books of all time.  My family hates it when I reread the series because I always insist on reading select passages while snickering. 

Don't know if they were mentioned, but I've always loved Blue Highways, Travels with Charley and Paul Theroux's travel books, especially Riding the Iron Rooster.  They have influenced our future plans of selling everything and traveling around the US in an RV for a couple years. 

Generation X is a pretty superficial book, but it helped me see that "normal life" or what everyone at my high achieving, upper class university thought how life was supposed to go was not the only way which may explain why I didn't get my first "corporate" job until 2011 at age 42. 

adventurestache

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #257 on: October 25, 2018, 06:45:27 PM »
The Beautiful and Damned by Scott Fitzgerald changed my perspective of time when I first read it at 22. Through it I saw that people 100 years ago were not all that different from us today, and in some ways the world really hasn't changed much since then. It sounds kind of cheesy, but it changed younger me's perception of 100 years ago from "ancient history" to "recent history". It always makes me wonder how we'll look back at today 100 years from now!

Also, it changed my perception of Fitzgerald from "boring old author I was forced to read in high school" to "author who writes books I enjoy"!

jnw

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #258 on: October 30, 2018, 10:37:02 PM »
I'm a severely insulin resistant diabetic and the low carb / ketogenic / intermittent fasting lifestyle has been a blessing to me.  Blood sugar is normalized and have lost over 100 lbs and kept it off without any effort.

1) The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living (Phinney & Volek)
2) Keto Clarity (Moore & Westman)
3) The Obesity Code (Fung)
4) The Complete Guide to Fasting (Fung)
5) The Diabetes Code (Fung)
6) Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution (Bernstein)
7) Cholesterol Clarity (Moore & Westman)
8) Blood Sugar 101 (Ruhl)

Regarding finance:  The Simple Path to Wealth (Collins)

TeamCoffee

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #259 on: December 02, 2018, 09:30:37 PM »
Meet the Frugalwoods
 - Something about how she writes and her story really resonated with me. My husband has tried for years to get me on the MMM/FIRE bandwagon, and it just didn’t stick.  I happened upon her blog and then book and BAM.  I’m on it.  This book was definitely a game changer.

I’m Proud if You
 - This is s book written by a friend of Fred Rogers (THE infamous Mr. Rogers).  Nothing else has quite impacted how I see life and my friends and family like this book.  Before, I always loved the idea of doing your best to be genuinely kind to everyone, but I failed. After reading this book, I was better able to dole out kindness to everyone, because of the insight provided into how Fred Rogers lived his life.

+1 for Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy.

alarswilson

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #260 on: January 25, 2019, 05:02:10 AM »
“Pacific Crest Trail Hiker’s Handbook” (updated as “Beyond Backpacking”, and now “Trail Life”). Do it yourself, make it yourself strategies to tackle the worlds longest trails while having fun on the cheap. Nearly every lesson is transferable to a frugal, self-determined life. And written by a guy who retired early to adventure. Made it possible for me to hike the OR and WA sections of the PCT 20years ago.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #261 on: January 25, 2019, 07:56:13 AM »
Early Retirement Extreme

I found it in 2015, and thought it was a little crazy, but understood many of the concepts at a high level

Re-read it in 2017 and derived much more actionable tactical and strategic advice

Re-read it over the past few weeks, and boy it was like reading a whole new book. The philosophical aspects, guiding principals, the systems/ecosystem approach to financial independence and lifestyle design, went a layer or two deeper.

For anyone who wants to get out of the rat race sooner than later, and is open to an alternative approach then the one popularized here, I highly recommend it.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #262 on: January 25, 2019, 07:57:29 AM »
Early Retirement Extreme

I found it in 2015, and thought it was a little crazy, but understood many of the concepts at a high level

Re-read it in 2017 and derived much more actionable tactical and strategic advice

Re-read it over the past few weeks, and boy it was like reading a whole new book. The philosophical aspects, guiding principals, the systems/ecosystem approach to financial independence and lifestyle design, went a layer or two deeper.

For anyone who wants to get out of the rat race sooner than later, and is open to an alternative approach then the one popularized here, I highly recommend it.

And I just realized I already posted about ERE after the second time I read it......but my point still stands. It's a book that can't be taken at surface level, and since it's written like a textbook, you can continue gaining new value from it on an ongoing basis.

Bloop Bloop

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #263 on: January 25, 2019, 08:20:48 AM »
1. How to Win Friends and Influence People (helped me understand how extroverts function and how to lubricate the social gears in conversation)

2. The Prince (helpful for understanding how companies and hierarchies operate)

ClusterMC

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #264 on: January 26, 2019, 02:11:05 AM »
Not sure any book i've read has changed my life. Many have influenced the way I think about certain aspects of my life. For example, Poor Charlie's Almanack helped me become more disciplined. This book has a lot of wisdom, quotes from well-known historical figures, and many proverbs to make you go.."wow, I've never thought about it like that."

Influence-The Psychology of Persuasion and Factfulness both explain, quite well i think, common logical fallacies, misconceptions, and implicit biases we all share. Being mindful of such pre-programmed deceptions, I was able to begin to exercise ways in which to recognize when others are attempting to deceive me by exploiting my programming.

Brave New World, Amusing Ourselves to Death, Medium is the Message, Understanding the Media, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, were some of the books I read that change the way I think about human beings within a society: how technology influences our perception of reality; technology is never one sided, it gives something but also takes something away (internet/connection and lack of individual privacy), etc.

Of course, Bogleheads Guide to Investing, Little Book of Common-Sense Investing, The Bond Book, The Intelligent Investor, Money Mustache Blog, Bogleheads forum, Investopedia, are some of the more frequent sources of my financial knowledge acquisition.

Vertical Mode

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #265 on: January 29, 2019, 05:45:27 PM »
Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey.

Think of it as a kind of modern Walden. I read it when I was already hooked on the outdoors and minimalism, and it made me want more. I reread it every so often, as it reminds me about the things I value most. Simplicity. Wide open spaces. A few good friends. A cup of strong coffee on a cool morning with a stellar view.

Second. That book was awesome!

philli14

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #266 on: February 07, 2019, 03:33:20 PM »
Diet/nutrition related:

"Big Fat Surprise" - Nina Teicholz

As a medical professional, this is now my go-to resource when talking to patients about nutrition studies and the pervasive inaccuracies of "nutrition" that is taught to us. As a frequent consumer of research and practitioner of evidenced based treatment, I appreciate how the research techniques, study flaws, etc were broken down on so many "landmark" studies. I've read through it multiple times and I plan on reading through it frequently.

jnw

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #267 on: February 07, 2019, 03:46:45 PM »
Diet/nutrition related:

"Big Fat Surprise" - Nina Teicholz

As a medical professional, this is now my go-to resource when talking to patients about nutrition studies and the pervasive inaccuracies of "nutrition" that is taught to us. As a frequent consumer of research and practitioner of evidenced based treatment, I appreciate how the research techniques, study flaws, etc were broken down on so many "landmark" studies. I've read through it multiple times and I plan on reading through it frequently.

I've read that book and agree.  I am diabetic and have eliminated all grains from my diet along with starchy vegetables.  I rarely eat beans, but if I do they are black beans.  I also like the following related books:  Why We Get Fat (Taubes), The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living (Phinney/Volek), Keto clarity (Moore/Westman), Cholesterol Clarity (Moore), The Obesity Code (Fung).


Geosoxs

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #269 on: March 01, 2019, 04:00:55 PM »
Mastery By George Leonard - This book was mind-blowing! It talks about the progress of change and improvement through application, improvement, and learning.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie - I'm introverted and social rules make no sense to me. This Helped me put things into perspective and taught me how to interact with people a lil' blt better.

As A Man Thinketh by James Allen - How my thoughts shape my life and decisions. I am the one in control and my thoughts influence....everything!

Great by Choice by Jim Collins - whoever has read this knows of the hedgehog, 20-mile march and bullets before cannonballs. This book on strategy has influenced my business strategies more than any other business book.



WannaStache

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #270 on: March 01, 2019, 04:17:47 PM »
Can't Hurt Me by David Higgins is not for everyone, but I really liked it. It takes embracing the duck to the next level.

If language offends you, definitely avoid this one.

Adam Zapple

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #271 on: March 11, 2019, 08:14:55 AM »
Can't Hurt Me by David Higgins is not for everyone, but I really liked it. It takes embracing the duck to the next level.

If language offends you, definitely avoid this one.

Goggins is very entertaining.  I listened to the audiobook and it was great.  My only critique is that I don't think his life lessons carry over particularly well outside of physical accomplishments.

Icecreamarsenal

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #272 on: March 17, 2019, 03:06:05 PM »
I put most of these books on my goodreads profile.  I excluded books about insulin dependent diabetes, eating 16 hours a day, starting a unicorn publicly traded company, as these don't interest me.  I also excluded books that are just listed without any explanation of how they changed a life.
goodreads.com/icecreamarsenal

Start reading!

Taran Wanderer

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #273 on: March 17, 2019, 09:20:02 PM »
I put most of these books on my goodreads profile.  I excluded books about insulin dependent diabetes, eating 16 hours a day, starting a unicorn publicly traded company, as these don't interest me.  I also excluded books that are just listed without any explanation of how they changed a life.
goodreads.com/icecreamarsenal

Start reading!

I'm thinking maybe you skipped this one, too...


https://www.amazon.com/Anal-Pleasure-Health-Couples-Paperback/dp/B00FGVM5TM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=anal+sex&qid=1550884799&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Hmmm...

BuffettMungerValues

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #274 on: March 20, 2019, 09:11:35 PM »
The Crime of Reason by Robert Laughlin.

thesis

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #275 on: March 29, 2019, 11:49:53 PM »
I am a bit of a knowledge hunter. I find myself browsing blogs or forums late at night, hoping to glean something new (...)

I read a ridiculous amount in my early 20s, only to discover that reading wasn't really changing my life in any meaningful way. I still suspect this is somewhat true. Many books were quotable, but not necessarily impactful.

That being said, there are a few I have truly enjoyed:
1. Early Retirement Extreme - dense and brilliantly applicable
2. Walden - useful for a broke college student, useful for a decently-paid software developer
3. The Wealth of Nations - dreadfully boring in parts, but brilliant at calling out simple observations about money, career, and labor. Plus, those concepts can be applied to modern occupations with some critical thinking. Book 1 minus the Digression on Silver is probably the most useful of the whole thing, IMO

I no longer possess #2 and #3, and don't necessarily feel worse off for it (maybe another read-through would fun, but probably won't happen). By this point, #1 confirms my world view much too thoroughly to relinquish, but that doesn't mean I don't stop learning from it ;)

(too many books are yappy BS. Part of why I hold ERE in such high esteem is that it's relatively short, but incredibly dense. It's not like reading an airy pop-sociology book from the library or bookstore, but it also doesn't leave you cross-eyed from math equations or the ideological soup so common in monographs)
« Last Edit: April 03, 2019, 12:28:50 PM by thesis »

AlotToLearn

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #276 on: April 01, 2019, 04:57:43 PM »
Ray Dialo, Principles was one of the best reads on a 4 day cruise ever.

Luz

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #277 on: June 24, 2019, 03:52:11 PM »
1) The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous- totally transformed my life; absolute and total change that permeates every area
2) The Art of Crossing Cultures- helped me see past my blinders while living in a foreign country and truly adapt to life there
3) Bringing up Bebe- helped me avoid the current pitfalls of modern parenting
4) The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up- converted me to minimalism
5) The Women's Health Big Book of Pilates- went from not exercising much due to old sports injuries to feeling super strong and centered on a daily basis
6) Off the Clock- recent read that is helping me overhaul my relationship to time in a big way
7) Mind Over Mood- taught me to navigate events, thoughts, and emotions more gracefully and see the connection there
8) Total Money Makeover- first step in my ongoing path to FI

For inspiration in my career: And The Band Played On, There's No Good Card For This, What is the What, Material World, Mountains Beyond Mountains, Where There is No Doctor, Where Women Have No Doctor, Disabled Village Children, Monique and the Mango Rains, The Glass Castle, A Thousand Naked Strangers, Fire in the Ashes, Unequal Childhoods
... and the following 101 textbooks: Anatomy and Physiology, Statistics for the Social Sciences, Communicating Science, Microbiology, Lifespan Development, Macroeconomics

I've fallen out of the habit of reading so much, but maybe should make it the one thing I focus on.

Up next on my "to read" list:
-Digital Minimalism

kaliyugasurfer

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #278 on: June 25, 2019, 10:30:00 AM »
I should have browsed all of the replies. But i really just want to say this. If i had read this book in middle school, or high school life would have been so different and so much better. Im 26 now, and read this book about 6 months ago. And i love how much information and perspective it gives. It is a lot like Mr money mustache if he wrote a book. Stop Spending and giving your money and use it to make more money. Stop having Liabilities (car loans, mortgage, credit card loans) and have Assets (investments, businesses)

Rich Dad Poor Dad  - Robert Kiyowsaki


And a shout out to Richest man in babylon  / an historical book that shows consumerism, and modern day spending habits also existed in the past.  And gives advice very similar to the above book just with historical context to it.
« Last Edit: June 25, 2019, 10:46:59 AM by kaliyugasurfer »

caracarn

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #279 on: June 26, 2019, 01:20:41 PM »
I should have browsed all of the replies. But i really just want to say this. If i had read this book in middle school, or high school life would have been so different and so much better. Im 26 now, and read this book about 6 months ago. And i love how much information and perspective it gives. It is a lot like Mr money mustache if he wrote a book. Stop Spending and giving your money and use it to make more money. Stop having Liabilities (car loans, mortgage, credit card loans) and have Assets (investments, businesses)

Rich Dad Poor Dad  - Robert Kiyowsaki


And a shout out to Richest man in babylon  / an historical book that shows consumerism, and modern day spending habits also existed in the past.  And gives advice very similar to the above book just with historical context to it.
That's a really interesting perspective.  I read that book about a decade ago, and have researched Robert and his empire of real estate investment and found things lacking and not felt the philosophy really lined up well with MMM/FIRE at all. Some of the thoughts, like finding things that did not require you to be present to make money were valuable, yet challenging to execute.  I think it has a lot to do with how you FIRE.  I am doing it all with savings from working.  If real estate is a big part of your process then maybe it fits.  My parents used to run apartment buildings when I was a kid, and seeing the work with managing tenants, all the work fixing things for them, how they never cared about the space because they were renting, turned me off to every seriously looking at this as a path to wealth.

philli14

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #280 on: June 27, 2019, 10:28:02 PM »
Diet/nutrition related: "Big Fat Surprise" - Nina Teicholz

Well I just got finished reading a book that has truly changed my life in a way I was not expecting:

"21 Lessons for the 21st Century" - Yuval Harari

As someone who doesn't read much, this is the first book ever that I had a hard time putting down. He writes so clearly and touches on so many current issues. I like it as a nice snapshot of what life is like today and some of the issues we have to face in the next few years. I have since put his other two big books higher up on my "to read" list, starting with Sapiens.

Budgie

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #281 on: July 17, 2019, 07:18:05 PM »
1) The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous- totally transformed my life; absolute and total change that permeates every area
2) The Art of Crossing Cultures- helped me see past my blinders while living in a foreign country and truly adapt to life there
3) Bringing up Bebe- helped me avoid the current pitfalls of modern parenting
4) The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up- converted me to minimalism
5) The Women's Health Big Book of Pilates- went from not exercising much due to old sports injuries to feeling super strong and centered on a daily basis
6) Off the Clock- recent read that is helping me overhaul my relationship to time in a big way
7) Mind Over Mood- taught me to navigate events, thoughts, and emotions more gracefully and see the connection there
8) Total Money Makeover- first step in my ongoing path to FI

For inspiration in my career: And The Band Played On, There's No Good Card For This, What is the What, Material World, Mountains Beyond Mountains, Where There is No Doctor, Where Women Have No Doctor, Disabled Village Children, Monique and the Mango Rains, The Glass Castle, A Thousand Naked Strangers, Fire in the Ashes, Unequal Childhoods
... and the following 101 textbooks: Anatomy and Physiology, Statistics for the Social Sciences, Communicating Science, Microbiology, Lifespan Development, Macroeconomics

I've fallen out of the habit of reading so much, but maybe should make it the one thing I focus on.

Up next on my "to read" list:
-Digital Minimalism

Luz, I like your list a lot. If you haven't read "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down", you might like it. It's in the spirit of some of your career inspiration reading list :-)

HerselftheElf

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #282 on: July 18, 2019, 08:14:26 AM »
First time poster! 

A random walk down wallstreet- Malkiel
Anything written by Brene Brown
Eat to Live (Joel Furhman)
Precious Little Sleep (Alexis Dubief) - the baby sleep bible IMHO

Jenny Wren

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #283 on: July 18, 2019, 08:33:59 AM »
"Dharma Bums" by Jack Kerouac. Defined most of my teens and twenties, still reverberates with me today.

More recently, "The Dirtbag's Guide to Life" by Tim Mathis. Short, concise little book, even has a nod toward mustachianism in it. Information is available elsewhere, but he did a great job gathering it together in one place AND sharing anecdotes about other well known outdoorsfolk are living the dream.


“Pacific Crest Trail Hiker’s Handbook” (updated as “Beyond Backpacking”, and now “Trail Life”). Do it yourself, make it yourself strategies to tackle the worlds longest trails while having fun on the cheap. Nearly every lesson is transferable to a frugal, self-determined life. And written by a guy who retired early to adventure. Made it possible for me to hike the OR and WA sections of the PCT 20years ago.

Added to my list, we have some long trail goals for the next couple of years!

Luz

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #284 on: July 19, 2019, 06:54:54 AM »
First time poster! 

A random walk down wallstreet- Malkiel
Anything written by Brene Brown
Eat to Live (Joel Furhman)
Precious Little Sleep (Alexis Dubief) - the baby sleep bible IMHO

Precious Little Sleep is fantastic! And so funny.

Luz

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #285 on: July 19, 2019, 06:57:10 AM »
1) The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous- totally transformed my life; absolute and total change that permeates every area
2) The Art of Crossing Cultures- helped me see past my blinders while living in a foreign country and truly adapt to life there
3) Bringing up Bebe- helped me avoid the current pitfalls of modern parenting
4) The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up- converted me to minimalism
5) The Women's Health Big Book of Pilates- went from not exercising much due to old sports injuries to feeling super strong and centered on a daily basis
6) Off the Clock- recent read that is helping me overhaul my relationship to time in a big way
7) Mind Over Mood- taught me to navigate events, thoughts, and emotions more gracefully and see the connection there
8) Total Money Makeover- first step in my ongoing path to FI

For inspiration in my career: And The Band Played On, There's No Good Card For This, What is the What, Material World, Mountains Beyond Mountains, Where There is No Doctor, Where Women Have No Doctor, Disabled Village Children, Monique and the Mango Rains, The Glass Castle, A Thousand Naked Strangers, Fire in the Ashes, Unequal Childhoods
... and the following 101 textbooks: Anatomy and Physiology, Statistics for the Social Sciences, Communicating Science, Microbiology, Lifespan Development, Macroeconomics

I've fallen out of the habit of reading so much, but maybe should make it the one thing I focus on.

Up next on my "to read" list:
-Digital Minimalism

Luz, I like your list a lot. If you haven't read "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down", you might like it. It's in the spirit of some of your career inspiration reading list :-)

I've added it to my list! Thanks!

Riikka

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #286 on: July 21, 2019, 03:10:42 AM »
Such a lovely thread!

Books that I’ve found useful:

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling
Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions by Brian Christian
The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells
Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by John Kabat-Zinn
The Five Elements of Effective Thinking by Edward Burger and Michael Starbird
The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science by Culadasa

Especially Factfulness and Algorithms to Live are likely to be appreciated by the Moustachians, as they both highlight ways of basing decisions/opinions/knowledge on statistics or actually working algorithms that will bring gains in the long run when applied consistently.

In the fiction / entertainment category:

Diaspora by Greg Egan
A rare gem. I highly appreciate Egan’s ability not only to describe futuristic scenarios but also imagining sentient human-like species that actually think different, not like they’d be picked up from Earth around year 2000 and stayed like it.
What Do You Care What Other People Think? By Richard Feynman (and other similar books from him)
Feynman’s books are very entertaining, sharing his very playful but rational way of seeing the world.

Also +1 for Thinking, Fast and Slow, Deep Work, Mindset, Getting things done, Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and Brene Brown's books

lindadiane1130

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #287 on: July 21, 2019, 01:04:21 PM »
Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else by Chrystia Freeland.
Freeland is a journalist and former editor of Times-Reuters who cut her teeth in the fall/privatization of the former USSR. The book completely changed my outlook on the global economy and where I fit in it. This should be required reading for all Millennials and anyone trying to give career advice to their kids.

Freeland is now Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs.  She is one politician who commands respect and appears to operate from integrity (background in journalism should be a prerequisite!) 

Books:  "Anatomy of an Epidemic:  Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America": Investigative Journalist Robert Whitaker became a hero to thousands of people whose lives have been irreparabley damaged by the Pharmaceutical companies" corruption of the development, approval, marketing, prescribing and distribution of psychotropic drugs.  Set me on a course to complete my degree and become involved in advocacy and activism.

Anything else by Whitaker.   




bmjohnson35

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #288 on: July 25, 2019, 07:30:03 PM »

The simple path to wealth

Born A crime

Enlightenment now

Outliers

Work Optional

The millionaire next door

The first is probably the one the most to change my life, but they are all very good books.

BJ

freedomfightergal

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #289 on: July 26, 2019, 06:52:00 AM »
"The War on Normal People", by Andrew Yang.  This book blew my mind.  I had already noticed changes in our economy and couldn't put my finger on what it was, this book totally explained the unease I had been feeling and lays out the trajectory we are on, in an engaging way.  I couldn't go to sleep until I finished the book.  After I read the book, I was in that zone of feeling like I had a new reality.  I looked up the Author to see what other books he had written and was incredibly surprised to see he's running for President!  So that was one of the best finds ever.  I'm not going to push him on you, but would say I don't think anyone would regret listening to him on a Podcast or reading his book. He is a flat-out genius with smart solutions to future problems heading our way.
 

slow hand slow plan

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #290 on: July 26, 2019, 11:39:53 AM »
Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey.

Think of it as a kind of modern Walden. I read it when I was already hooked on the outdoors and minimalism, and it made me want more. I reread it every so often, as it reminds me about the things I value most. Simplicity. Wide open spaces. A few good friends. A cup of strong coffee on a cool morning with a stellar view.

This is an incredible book!!! All of Edward Abbeys books are great.

bray144k

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #291 on: August 12, 2019, 03:33:13 PM »
I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi

lookingforadelorean

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #292 on: August 12, 2019, 06:04:20 PM »
I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi

I just listened to The Mad Fientist's podcast with Ramit, and I couldn't decide whether I agreed with the guy or not. Some of what he said felt kind of dangerous to me. Maybe I should read his book so I can get a deeper dive into his ideas.

bray144k

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #293 on: August 13, 2019, 01:34:53 PM »
I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi

I just listened to The Mad Fientist's podcast with Ramit, and I couldn't decide whether I agreed with the guy or not. Some of what he said felt kind of dangerous to me. Maybe I should read his book so I can get a deeper dive into his ideas.

I don't agree with everything he says. What he does say though is much more practical, and easy to implement than most personal finance advice. If someone's reading this forum they will probably not take much from the book. When I was 19 and knew nothing about personal finance it was life changing. Just read his updated second edition and still had some good take-aways.

He also doesn't agree with everything in the mustachian lifestyle. In fact, his slogan of "spend extravagantly on things you love, and cut costs mercilessly on things you don't," could be said to be anti-mustachian. It's a different point of view compared to FIRE is the end all be all.

Interested in knowing what ideas of his felt dangerous to you.

lookingforadelorean

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #294 on: August 13, 2019, 02:08:33 PM »
I don't agree with everything he says. What he does say though is much more practical, and easy to implement than most personal finance advice. If someone's reading this forum they will probably not take much from the book. When I was 19 and knew nothing about personal finance it was life changing. Just read his updated second edition and still had some good take-aways.

He also doesn't agree with everything in the mustachian lifestyle. In fact, his slogan of "spend extravagantly on things you love, and cut costs mercilessly on things you don't," could be said to be anti-mustachian. It's a different point of view compared to FIRE is the end all be all.

Interested in knowing what ideas of his felt dangerous to you.

For someone relatively new to the idea of FI, telling me to buy as many $3 lattes as I want seems counterintuitive. This is where I think his book might expand more on his ideas, though, because I believe he's saying that it's okay to spend however much you want on the little things as long as you have the big ticket items under control. In my situation, however, 1. good luck finding a $3 latte anywhere(!), and 2. we can't just walk away from our mortgage into a cheaper mortgage or rental agreement, and until we figure out how to get a better handle on housing costs, not buying frivolous items is making a huge impact in our budget.

I really wanted his take on housing, in fact, but they never got to it. Or if they did, I missed it.

bray144k

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #295 on: August 13, 2019, 03:16:18 PM »
I don't agree with everything he says. What he does say though is much more practical, and easy to implement than most personal finance advice. If someone's reading this forum they will probably not take much from the book. When I was 19 and knew nothing about personal finance it was life changing. Just read his updated second edition and still had some good take-aways.

He also doesn't agree with everything in the mustachian lifestyle. In fact, his slogan of "spend extravagantly on things you love, and cut costs mercilessly on things you don't," could be said to be anti-mustachian. It's a different point of view compared to FIRE is the end all be all.

Interested in knowing what ideas of his felt dangerous to you.

For someone relatively new to the idea of FI, telling me to buy as many $3 lattes as I want seems counterintuitive. This is where I think his book might expand more on his ideas, though, because I believe he's saying that it's okay to spend however much you want on the little things as long as you have the big ticket items under control. This is exactly what he's saying in the books

I really wanted his take on housing, in fact, but they never got to it. Or if they did, I missed it. He is a big supporter of buying a house isn't always better, Do the math.

Blissful Biker

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #296 on: August 13, 2019, 04:30:15 PM »
The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton

My dad asked each of us to read this when we were teenagers and it truly did change my life.  It's an easy read, written as a story about a barber, but teaches all the fundamentals from a Canadian perspective.  The compounding interest lightbulb came on, among others.

He has come out with an update, the Wealthy Barber Returns that I will give to my kids.

rafael777

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #297 on: August 25, 2019, 07:43:02 PM »
My list is nearly endless...
There are a ton of great niche-specific books I read over the years. But if I had to choose a handful of books that everyone can (and should) read:

  • The Guide for the Perplexed - Maimonides: The most important book I've ever read, period. Particularly recommended for people interested in philosophy and religion. Reading it felt like swallowing a bottle of red pills.
  • Thinking Fast & Slow - Daniel Kahneman: Us humans are littered with "bugs". Read this if you want to understand them, avoid them and "exploit" them in others. A must-read for anyone interested in investing, psychology, marketing, business, sales, communication... did I miss anything?
  • 4 Hour Work Week - Tim Ferriss: Definitely a paradigm shifter. Although there are some things I later came to appreciate less about the book (sensationalism, lots of survivorship bias, overly simplistic at times etc') - it's still the bible of internet businesses and lifestyle design
  • Letters from a Stoic - Seneca: The most practical Stoic philosophy book (and philosophy in general) I've ever read. Seneca's letters had a massive impact on my life... I applied many of his teachings in my own life and keep returning to his letters from time to time.
  • The War of Art - Steven Pressfield: A must-read for creators of all kinds (artists, entrepreneurs, authors etc')
« Last Edit: August 25, 2019, 07:54:55 PM by rafael777 »

bray144k

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #298 on: August 26, 2019, 10:23:00 AM »
My list is nearly endless...
There are a ton of great niche-specific books I read over the years. But if I had to choose a handful of books that everyone can (and should) read:

  • The Guide for the Perplexed - Maimonides: The most important book I've ever read, period. Particularly recommended for people interested in philosophy and religion. Reading it felt like swallowing a bottle of red pills.
  • Thinking Fast & Slow - Daniel Kahneman: Us humans are littered with "bugs". Read this if you want to understand them, avoid them and "exploit" them in others. A must-read for anyone interested in investing, psychology, marketing, business, sales, communication... did I miss anything?
  • 4 Hour Work Week - Tim Ferriss: Definitely a paradigm shifter. Although there are some things I later came to appreciate less about the book (sensationalism, lots of survivorship bias, overly simplistic at times etc') - it's still the bible of internet businesses and lifestyle design
  • Letters from a Stoic - Seneca: The most practical Stoic philosophy book (and philosophy in general) I've ever read. Seneca's letters had a massive impact on my life... I applied many of his teachings in my own life and keep returning to his letters from time to time.
  • The War of Art - Steven Pressfield: A must-read for creators of all kinds (artists, entrepreneurs, authors etc')

Working through the letters of Seneca right now. I'm really enjoying his philosophy.

WhiteTrashCash

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Re: What books have changed your life?
« Reply #299 on: August 26, 2019, 10:30:07 AM »
"The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous, and Broke" by Suze Orman. Good basic information on personal finance for people who have never been exposed to it before.

"Your Money or Your Life" by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez. Basically the bible of FIRE.

"A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle. Yes, a children's book but a very good examination of the fact that religion and science are not in opposition to one another but instead complement each other for human beings to live good lives.

"Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius. Good introduction to Stoicism and placing reason before emotion, in general.

 

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