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[Fe] Books that changed your life

Lily flower

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Have you read a book that literally changed your life?

One book that changed my life was Sit, Walk, Stand by Watchman Nee. It helped me to realize that because of Christ, God saw me as completely sinless and pure, and that I didn't have to perform to please God.

Another book that changed my life was a personality book by Barron-Tieger. I don't remember the title, but it opened my eyes to the whole personality type concept and changed the way I looked at other people. I am much more accepting of people now than I used to be and I am more accepting of myself as well. Nurture by Nature, the book they wrote about children really helped me to be a better parent to my children because I was working with their personalities instead of against them.

Another life changing book was How to be a People Magnet. I used to be horribly shy, and this book was the first book that I read that made me realize that I could actually change my personality. It wasn't the best book that I ever read on the subject of social skills, but it was the book that opened me up to possibilities.
 

KLessard

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Have you read a book that literally changed your life?

The Bible is one, but I grew up with it, so it progressively changed my sinful nature instead of producing a big, sudden change.

David Keirsey's Please Understand Me books and every good book on personality type has changed the way I see and interact with people, a bit like you. I am also more accepting of them and I can appreciate my own personality instead of feeling hopelessly defective and different.
:hifive:

Any book by C.S. Lewis opens up my mind to tons of great ideas.

Works of fiction that have really moved me are Jane Eyre, Emily of New Moon, The Pilgrim's Progress, The Member of the wedding and The Moorchild.
 

KDude

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The Bible as well (the book of Matthew specifically).

An MLK Jr. compilation.. "A Testament of Hope". He relieved me of this nagging sense of guilt I had.. Reinforced that I could be spiritual and secular at the same time. That life is meant to be both thoughtful and relevant.. not sitting up in some ivory tower, analyzing and bemoaning the whole thing. I still struggle with it though.

World Religions - Huston Smith's classic/textbook primer. If anything, it was a springboard.
Plato-The Apology
The Once and Future King-TH White
Frank Herbert's Dune.. I loved the expansiveness, the syncretism, mix of fantasy and futurism, multiple viewpoints, the unspoken history and sideplots in the story.. this is how I'd like to write. He could have been INXJ, I think.

A Season in Hell, Wiseguy, Story of My Life by Giacomo Casanova, Please Kill Me..all equally illuminating to me, in a depraved sense.
 

Xellotath

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Intellectually -
Plato's Crito and the Apology
Nietzsche's the Gay Science
and
Lyotard's the Postmodern Condition

Emotionally -
Plath's the Bell Jar
Rand's Atlas Shrugged
Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray
 

anarchos

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Since most people who posted in this thread are Christians, I thought I should share the book that triggered an existential crisis within me:

Humility - Andrew Murray

Note: the updated version of the book is much easier to read than the free ebook version from the link above. Beware though - the book is not to be read lightly, lest you be burned (like me).

And if you ever find yourself in despair after reading the book at how far Christianity has derailed since the day of Christ (like me), it's this book that restored my faith - albeit in a rather radical form more commonly known as Christian existentialism.

Provocations - Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard
 

Lightyear

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Red Moon Rising by Pete Greig - It taught me about being a Christian and creating a church environment without becoming completely insular/living in your little Christian bubble.

Oscar Wilde's fairy tales - He is my inspiration, I want to write exactly like that.

Infidel and Nomad by Ayaan Hirsi Ali - She opened up my eyes to a lot of the world

How to lose friends and alienate people by Toby Young - This book simply comforted me during a hard time in my life.
 

Valiant

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walkingdrum.jpg


Many, many pieces of good advice. It also gave me part of my awesome attitude and a lot of belief in myself at a crucial time.
It learned me my most important lesson, that success and money come and go, but what I have committed to my mind is mine forever.

Many, many books have had an impact, but that one is the biggest.
I read a lot of books. I went through two and a half books last week, one of which was like 800 pages or some such.
So... Every one of them is special in some way and teaches me something.
 
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