Books that changed your life-ish

[StillWearingOddSocks]

Thought it would be interesting to see which books changed your life. Either a spiritual book (any religion/denomination), self-help, creative or philosophical book.

I think different books have had an influence at different times, as my spiritual journey has taken me down many different roads. There are a lot of texts on paganism that have influenced me in the past, and these days i'm mostly interested in yoga philosophy.

I think the books that have endured the most in affecting my world view are:

Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu (i think it will take an entire lifetime to really understand what is otherwise a very small book)

The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran (something wise to say about most situations)

The Miracle Of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh (also books by Jon Kabat-Zinn, but this was the first i read on the subject)

Women Who Run With The Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes (hugely empowering, and a book i would encourage anyone to read who hasn't already come across it)

I have been recommended to read Quiet so when I do I will add my thoughts

The Mother Trip by Ariel Gore.

The Second Sex, Simone de Beauvoir.

Read at 18, it showed me the world from a wholly new viewpoint. I would be apprehensive to reread it now and find it less profound, so I'll leave it be for the time being.

What lovely choices. Out of all the ones below I've only read the prophet...haven't read women who run with the wolves but seen it around a lot. So will read it this year...ditto second sex which I have at home

I've read another TNH book & he had got a lovely style...

Love reading the responses to this.

I should add my own. For emit would be 'the artist's way' by Julia Cameron. Had a profound & practical effect on how I view/approach creativity & honouring / accessing true self. Plus the links between creativity & spirituality...

Please keep suggestions coming - this is lovely.

The Spiral Dance by Starhawk.

I Capture the Castle - I read this when I was 15 years old and fell in love with Cassandra and England. Obviously I don't live in interwar Norfolk but it sparked an interest in England that eventually lead to emigration. So it did change my life.

The bumps are what you climb on

It has just about all answers for christians for when life gets more difficult.