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'?!

For me it has to be The Secret History: Donna Tartt, Beauty by Sheri Tepper and quite possibly Terry Pratchett's Discworld books.

@CorianderQueen

The Name of the Wind - utterly beautiful, outrageously brilliant fantasy novel. I've been waiting 12 years for the third in the series though so be warned.

The Way of Kings - see above, heartbreakingly, magnificent world building.

Ooh Corriander I think we may have similar tastes, I've recently read The Name Of The Wind and The Wiseman's Fear. Will give The Way Of Kings a try! Do you have any other similar recommendations? I'm just reading The Witcher books which aren't bad but nowhere near as good as the Kingkiller Chronicles!

@MorrisZapp

I loved Fay Weldon as a teenager too!

Absolutely hated the Go Between but suspect it has a deeper meaning which I completely missed.

My life changers were Tales of the City, which led me to a life long friendship with my best gay mate, and Lonesome Dove, which I reread every year and obsess over. It's opened up new reading worlds to me.

Thanks, you have cost me pennies buying these . Just teasing, I love a good book rec and I wasn't aware of these books.

I have ordered Life and Loves of a She Devil, Lonesome Dove and the first Tales of the City .

I'm scared to read the rest of the thread, it's gonna cost me a fortune

I'm just reading The Witcher books which aren't bad but nowhere near as good as the Kingkiller Chronicles!

Same here! I'm finding them very clunkily written, or maybe it's the translation. Loved the series, though it was outrageously silly!

Lonesome Dove is very very long and you will have your heart ripped out many times over but it's funny, gripping, thrilling and a little bit sexy too. Enjoy!

A Room with View. It made me realise that reading isn't the literary equivalent of the bushtucker challenge - if you are half way through and aren't enjoying it, it's OK to stop reading.

Pride and Prejudice. It gave me a happy place to retreat to.

Also Terry Pratchett. Their humour hides a slow burning anger at injustice. I wept when he died for the loss of that mind.

And the Bullerby Children novels by Astrid Lindgren. I should have been Swedish.

@BestZebbie you are not alone in that - I remembered the story about saving a cow with mastitis by constantly milking it. And that is how I made a bad night much better when I got it with child #3.

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder was another one that changed me as a child - I sat and made plans about how I'd have tried to survive something like that. I've been a planning type of person ever since. And I take great comfort from it.

I was thinking I haven't read anything that's changed my life but I guess everything I've read must have had an influence one way or the other.

The Rules. It’s amazing. If you can see past the shallow exterior, it’s truly life-changing.

Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham.
Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
Birds Nest Soup by Hanna Greally

I think I might have to blame Jean Auel "The Clan of the Cave Bear" for this totally revolutionary and weird idea that it might be possible to live off the land and use natural resources. Totally weird to my family background anyway. I haven't got there, it's not possible at all with our demographics and is of course hard, but I'm the only person in my family with an allotment and gardening interests.

Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham.

Wonderful stuff

[quote LadyofMisrule]@BestZebbie you are not alone in that - I remembered the story about saving a cow with mastitis by constantly milking it. And that is how I made a bad night much better when I got it with child #3.

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder was another one that changed me as a child - I sat and made plans about how I'd have tried to survive something like that. I've been a planning type of person ever since. And I take great comfort from it.[/quote]
Omg is The Long Winter the one where the neighbour meets Santa by the creek? Or was that On the Banks of Plum Creek? I still well up thinking about it.

@MacbookHo

The Rules. It’s amazing. If you can see past the shallow exterior, it’s truly life-changing.

Yip. I didn't even buy it. I skimmed through it at a friend's house, denounced it for the regressive sexist shite that it is, then secretly applied it to my dating life.

It worked.

Ursula Le Guin - The Earthsea Quartet.
Nabokov - Lolita.

@MorrisZapp I think that is ‘On the banks of plum creek’. I love that bit. She is a teenager in ‘the Long Winter’ - it’s the one where they nearly run out of food when the town is cut off in a blizzard. I still re-read it sometimes as an adult.

The sword of honour trilogy by Evelyn Waugh is one of mine. It’s just such a different war story, it really changed how I viewed the experience of ordinary soldiers.

@fancyginglass

I love faction books and read The Island by Victoria Hyslop - inspired me so much I visited Spinalonga which is featured in the book last year.

Also remember reading Amitiville Horror as a teenager - couldn't sleep for weeks.

I loved The Island! I want to go to Spinalonga!

Women who run with the wolves
The secret history
Surely you're kidding Mr Feynman

(And Twilight, which is obviously shit, but meant I met some fucking awesome women on here )

Wuthering Heights. I was given it by my English teacher at about age 13 and i kept it over the summer holidays to read. I can still vividly remember how engrossed i became in the love story of Heathcliff and Cathy. It was the first time i realised books could have an effect on you.

probably didn't change my life much but found it ever so moving - The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

George Orwell the lion and the unicorn

Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance
Lots of others.

Mainly placemarking here!

Mine is in no way considered highbrow literature but 'Other Peoples Children' by Joanna Trollope. I first read it years ago and, over the years, have been able to relate to all the different characters as my life changes whether they are the child, the step child, the first wife, the step mother...my perceptions of the characters change each time I read it. It is dated as it was written years ago but I can still relate to the family dynamics.

Tess of the D'urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

The Regeneration Trilogy - Pat Barker. Phenomenal

Harry Potter - I grew up with Harry (10 when the first book came out) and I'm a massive Potter head to this day. It's not great literature but it's a great story.

Newkitchen123 you would love it but it's really busy in the area because the book has caused a lot of tourism. The whole area is now buzzing because of the book and has brought lots of employment. You should definitely go when we are allowed to travel again.