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Books that changed your life?

164 replies

Bluebellsinparadise · 11/08/2021 22:40

Please tell me about the books that changed your life. I am going through a period of change/ growth and would love some inspiration! Name changed as feels very personal, but have been on here years (I’m not trying to push any books!).

These are mine:

The seven habits of highly effective people- Stephen Covey It was a revelation to me as a 20 something learning the habits that many people around me seemed to have learned from their (professional) parents - it positively helped me grow as a person too. Wish I’d have been taught these at school.

You are a Badass by Jen Sincero Wow this book had such a profound effect on me when I read it a few years ago. Lots of reviews seem to say similar. I became happier after struggling with mental health, my career skyrocketed in less than a year, I suddenly got treated with more respect, and I doubled my income. It had an incredibly empowering effect on me and helped me overcome imposter syndrome. I’m re-reading it now as I feel a bit stuck and already I’m having lots of new exciting opportunities present themselves to me. It’s also helping me overcome another period of self doubt.

So I’d love to hear your recommendations! They could be from any genre.... fiction to science or self help.

OP posts:
FoolShapeHeart · 11/08/2021 22:42

Amanda Palmer's The Art of Asking

HummingBeeBox · 11/08/2021 22:44

I'm reading The Minimalists Love People Use Things and it's incredible. I've also been listening to their podcasts and watched their Netflix documentaries. Amazing.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is incredible. The entire book is dictated through blinks by a man locked in his body.

Bluebellsinparadise · 11/08/2021 22:46

Ooh forgot to say... please say what impact they had on you (rather than just being a great read iyswim)

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Bluebellsinparadise · 11/08/2021 23:14

@HummingBeeBox just looking up the minimalists book - very topical and would be great for next bookclub pick on climate change theme- thanks!

OP posts:
Defiantly41 · 11/08/2021 23:16

Daniel Goldman on Emotional Intelligence

Defiantly41 · 11/08/2021 23:16

Goleman. Bloody autocorrect

Graphista · 11/08/2021 23:37

Great idea for a thread

My contributions are :

Feel the fear and do it anyway - I need to reread. I have ocd and it really helped in the past I need to revisit this, gave me a way to approach things without denying my reality

Rachel's holiday - will surprise a few! But it gave me real insight and also lots of humour around addiction. Lots of addiction in my family and it helped me understand those relatives better

Games people play - Eric Berne - reaalllly old but very insightful and helps you unpick the behaviours of tricky people (and yourself!) and learn new ways to tackle certain "games"

marplemead · 11/08/2021 23:44

Veronika Decides To Die by Paulo Coelho - I read this at a very low point in my life, and it gave me the will to carry on living. I haven't read it since, and not sure I would even enjoy it now, but it was one of those books that I read at exactly the time I needed to.

ThisIsTrifficult · 11/08/2021 23:46

The big leap by gay Hendricks. Kicked my ass in almost every way.
A bit of meh in there, but I loved it for spotting my own sabotage.

orchidsonabudget · 11/08/2021 23:52

Getting things done by David Allen
Made me realise my head is meant for thinking not storing information

Bluebellsinparadise · 12/08/2021 07:52

@Graphista feel the fear is a classic! I need to read this finally, definitely have been held back by fear in my life. The games people play is another one I need to read- I am definitely not a game player and often struggle to understand others behaviour- I can sense game playing but don’t understand it.

@Defiantly41 I read books on EI when younger, really helped me and something I’m trying to teach to my children- by modelling good EI

@marplemead I also read this book and thought it was great, I know what you mean about timing. Stories can be really powerful and PC is the ultimate storyteller - it was like a parable.

OP posts:
Bluebellsinparadise · 12/08/2021 07:56

@ThisIsTrifficult I need to read this! Self sabotage is definitely a struggle- it sounds like a great book

@orchidsonabudget I haven’t read it but I’ve done a lot of work on productivity which has included some of his techniques among others. This is a classic - along with eat the frog book. It’s something I need to constantly work on as it’s so easy to slip into old habits.

OP posts:
LemonRoses · 12/08/2021 08:10

Perhaps my thinking rather than my life

George Orwell - Down and our in London and Paris.

Among the Righteous - Robert Satloff
After the Party - Cressida Connolly

ChickenSchnitzel · 12/08/2021 08:14

Banish Clutter Forever by Sheila Chandra

An easy read but really helped me declutter my house and get on top of cleaning and tidying at a time when I was feeling overwhelmed. Much better than Kondo.

coodawoodashooda · 12/08/2021 08:15

Thia is fantastic. Thank you.

Bluebellsinparadise · 12/08/2021 08:19

@ChickenSchnitzel I’ve read Marie Kondo but not this, it definitely helped me control the clutter in a small house with children. It can be life changing finally getting a grip on clutter.

OP posts:
HauteGirlSummer · 12/08/2021 08:28

I've read the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It's one of those books that stay with you.

2 books that impacted my life are;
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. It was my introduction to Atwood many years ago.
I was completely transported by her writing and I immediately went out and bought other books by her after finishing The Handmaid's Tale, she's phenomenal. I haven't watched the tv series based off the book but heard it might be just as good. I love a good dystopian tale.

The other book is The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. Spectacularly brilliant. So well written with memorable characters. I was hooked from page 1.

MistySkiesAfterRain · 12/08/2021 08:35

Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson. Fairly critical of school putting square pegs in round holes. Picked up in a tiny bookshop on a whim, 3 years later I had changed careers.

PamDenick · 12/08/2021 08:36

Caitlin Moran’s books… She just seems to be saying what my peers and are saying to each other, but in better prose.

But she also researched and brings things to our attention that expose the gender unfairness, such as…

Things that are tax deductible: childcare - no, golfing lessons / yes.

It reveals how the world is skewed towards men…

Haggisfish3 · 12/08/2021 08:37

Love this thread. Will have a think!

Jellybeanlovehearts · 12/08/2021 08:42

Anita Moorjani - Dying to be me

Nameswaptime · 12/08/2021 08:43

The Gift of Fear I had a very sheltered childhood and this book opened my eyes to the reality of male behaviour/violence.
It helped me to understand that it’s ok to suspect someone of having bad intentions, and to act/protect myself accordingly. I don’t always need to be polite or nice to people if that’s going to put me in danger.

Disneyblue · 12/08/2021 08:44

Stop thinking, start living by Richard Carlson.
I read it as a teen and it's always stayed with me. It explains our thought processes and how we can stop negative thought patterns.
It just made so much sense and there were so many quotes in there that stayed with me into adulthood.

Noshowwithoutpunch · 12/08/2021 08:47

At Last A Life -Paul David.
Existing for years in a haze of crippling anxiety I read this book and I can honestly say it improved my life.

Gonegrey31 · 12/08/2021 08:48

Family by Susan Hill.
Gave me hope through years of infertility. I carried a copy in my work bag for years, and I finally had a child .