To ask which book changed your life?

[SunshineYello]

I'm after some inspiration, as I realised I haven't read a good book in so long, mostly due to being glued to the same old rubbish on my 'smart' phone. Coupled with lockdown, I think my brain is grinding to a halt.
I will offer up Wuthering Heights; bit of an obvious one, but I love how my perception of it changes year to year, from 'how romantic' (impressionable teen) to 'dysfunctional much'?!

Also the poems of Wilfred Owen.

The joy of tidying by Marie Kondo

Allen Carr stop smoking

Oh so many new books I need to download x

These wonderful books by Frederick Bachman:
A Man Called Ove
My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologies

Beautiful, uplifting, funny and real

*backman

Why Love Matters by Sue Gerhadt

I will never look at people in the same way again-many lightbulb moments

That’s a great book, MobLife, I’ve recommended that on several threads on here.

Man’s Search for Meaning - Victor Frankl

Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe

I also thought of '100 Years of Solitude' when I saw this thread. I'd also nominate 'The Mill on the Floss' and Simon Singh's book 'Fermat's Last Theorum'.

When I was an older child, the books that sent me off on other reading tangents were 'The Body in the Library' and 'Dead Babies', by Martin Amis. I also loved 'The Catcher in the Rye' although I can't remember much about it now. I should re-read.

+1 for Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy. Just finished re-reading it for the 5th time

Arthur C. Clark - The end of childhood

Bradbury - Galaxies like grains of sand

Derida/Nietzsche - not sure if in a bad or good way still.

Gone with the wind for me. Scarlett O'Hara more to the point.

The Rules by Ellen Fein. Not popular on MN as it advocates getting guys to do the chasing but gave me self esteem boost in the world of dating and it worked - got married by using The Rules.

'Five people you meet in heaven' by Mitch Albom. It was amazing. I read this years ago but it still makes me think why certain people come into your life.

My other one would be 'Call me Elizabeth' - made me realise that you don't always know what is going on in people's lives. She became an escort after losing her job and still wanting to keep her children in private schooling.

Quiet: (The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking) by Susan Cain.
This book not only changed my outlook but I bought several copies for friends and family. It helped me explain to my shy sensitive child that there was nothing 'wrong' with not wanting to be the center of attention.

Going to have to buy some of these. Thank you for starting the thread OP.

I am currently reading Think Like A Monk by Jay Shetty and finding it very interesting.

Oh crap - I'm about to go to sleep after lingering on Mumsnet for way too long and then I come across this thread!!

Thanks OP - I'll go through it all tomorrow morning once my DH and DCs have left for work and school/college etc!

(as mentioned by a PP) George Orwell - The Road to Wigan Pier

Also
EP Thompson - The Making of the English Working Class

These books really helped me to begin to understand the real history of my own country and it's people. The actual real demographic, not the few posh types so often portrayed in books and films about us

Another one for the Female Eunuch here.

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie got me through some dark times.

Thank you for this thread @sunshineyello, I have a new to-read list 🤩

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaardner helped me (as a scientist) understand the "point" of philosophy.

Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond helped me understand why the world is the way it is...and how it might change in the future.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving is clever.

The Discworld series. I can't remember which I read first (possibly Reaper Man?), one of my parents had a few and I picked one up at a very young age.

I remember buying my very first book out of my own money at about 11, it was Witches Abroad (specifically went to buy a new Discworld book) and I read it so many times it fell apart and I had to buy a new one ha ha!

At the time I only understood some of the jokes but not many, got hardly any of the references but enjoyed the stories and the humorous way he wrote.

My sisters ex, bless his lovely socks, once stood in line for 2hrs to get me a signed copy of The Wee Free Men when my boss refused to give me the time off to go myself. I was gutted I didn't get to meet TP but will always have a special place in my heart for DsisEx for going for me and I treasure my signed copy.

It would be the thing I took out of my house if it were on fire

They've given me a lifetime of happy reading, taught me interesting tit-bits, science facts and how important the distinction between Apes and Monkeys can be

Every time I read them I understand a reference or joke I hadn't previously got before.

Just lots and lots of love for the world and characters Terry Pratchett created especially Granny Weatherwax and the Watch. Actually just all of the characters
Was genuinely sad when he passed away in a way I'd never felt for a stranger before.

I had a book called 'get rid of him' which empowered me to get rid of my ex. He was a highly intelligent guy but he didn't even notice me reading it, it had GET RID OF HIM in big letters on a pink background. Fkin muppet.

GET RID OF HIM by Joyce Vedral? Great stuff! Great advice served with humour. Loved it

So many great suggestions here! Makes me feel a little ashamed that I've become so lazy.... I used to be such an avid reader.

The book that changed my life is Precious Bane by Mary Webb. It's a beautiful, fable-like story about a girl who is cursed with a cleft lip and her brother who wants to become a rich man. I have a disfiguring scar and related so much to the protagonist when I first read the book as a teenager. The story gave me hope and helped me to appreciate all I have in life.