Books that inspired you

[Lisa Perez]

I'm in the middle of Life of Pi by Yann Martel right now. It's pretty good. The main character makes plenty of references to religion and to life, in general, and I'm happy to see that someone could set aside differences in belief systems to get the big picture.. what life's all about.

[Marc P.]

I saw Fahrenheit 451 mentioned a few times already. Great book on the social implications of censorship and information/free thought control. I'm a fan of Bradbury, and have also read The Martian Chronicles, and The Illustrated Man, both of which are a fantastic collection of short stories about the nature of humanity.

I also saw Flatland mentioned. Great examination of social order and acceptance of new ideas. I read it in 7th grade and loved it since.

I'll point to another Arthur Miller classic (besides Death of a Salesman, which is great to)- The Crucible. I worked on a production of this play senior year (having read it junior year), and this is a very powerful play. Between reading it and seeing it on stage, it's almost scary how easily people can be influenced and lied to, resulting in chaos and disorder at the whim of a select few.

And to add to the negative but influencing book list, White Oleander, by Janet Fitch. A rather disturbing book about the negative side of human nature- greed, revenge, etc, and the results thereof. It's a dark walk through the trials and tribulations of a young woman, and a side of humanity I've not forgotten (having read the book 4 or 5 years ago).

[Amanda Morrison]

I felt compelled to revive this thread.

Thank you to everyone who suggested Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. It only took me a week or two to get through, and I couldn't put it down. I am now looking forward to The Fountainhead and Anthem, among some of her other works.

I'm reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury right now. I forgot to mention this book before, and I'm sure a lot of people on these forums would like it - "Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins - The Paradox of Innovation" by Richard Farson and Ralph Keyes. Excellent, excellent, inspiring book. Go read it right now, kids.

[Kims Robot]

So I tried to post a reply before with better explainations, but it logged me out for some reason... here they are in a much quicker fashion:

1. young - Anything Nancy Drew!
2. High School - Douglas Adams' "Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy" four part Trilogy and the Tao of Pooh (winnie the pooh)
3. College - Braitenberg's "Vehicles" and Issac Assimov's I-Robot (read for my undergrad thesis project on robotics)
4. Recent - "What Happy People Know" Puts things in perspective for peopled out in the hustle and bustle of corporate society, social stress, etc.

All of these are fairly fast reads, and none of them heavy, so if you are looking for fun and interesting books, givem a shot

[Vin211]

Just like Homer Simpson, I would have to choose the TV Guide. It has never steered me wrong before and I reckon it never will!!!

[Matt Attallah]

The Giver (By Lois Lowry) - that is an awsome book...(or atleast I liked it, but I don't read too many books often)

[katomo]

MOBY DICK! thank you. I'd love to hear what you all have to say please reply

[Markeng]

The book that has inspired me most is definitely Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card. It is a sequel to Ender's Game, but I found it to be a much better and much more meaningful book. It really teaches how to look at different and sometimes seemingly alien cultures. I would also recommend Xenocide, which is the next book in the series. Its not as good as either Speaker for the Dead or Ender's Game, but still very good.

[M. Hicken]

Rocket Boys, the book of October Sky. I found this book to be very inspirational, its basically changed my life in the sence that i focus on a problem untill it is solved, it becomes an obcession, i can barely sleep during the 6 biuld weeks, im to anxious to work

[MisterX]

Originally Posted by MrToast

Ender's Game! After reading about all of the success Peter had, I want to take over the world too! (Also any book by Orson Scott Card. He's The Man)
The Book of Mormon: Because Mormons are cool.

MrToast

A. I completly agree with you there having first read it as a pip squek of a 5th grader Ender was my idol!!!!! I so wnated to beat the snot out of bullies and destory an entire race to this date I still do reports on the book when given the oppurtunity each time reading it anew

B. Never heard a group that cant drink or even date till 16 refer to as cool but whatever floats your boat (p.s.. I am sure you know this but Orson Scott Card is Mormon)

[Josh Hambright]

So i got bored with the book i was working on and finaly got around to reading "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", amazing book, I already loved the movie. I dont know if this book 'inspired me' persay but it definately made an impact on me. Hunter S Thompson is insane, yet a genius, has alot of fun with his life, yet at the end of the day he is still alive and still gets paid. Thats pretty inspiring to me.

I also started a book i picked up from a thrift store. its called "Cycles of War" cant think of the authors name but it discusses the idea that war comes in cycles based on societies needs and wants for power and need to be part of a group. it was writen in the 70's, definately an interesting read.

[MrToast]

Originally Posted by MisterX

A. I completly agree with you there having first read it as a pip squek of a 5th grader Ender was my idol!!!!! I so wnated to beat the snot out of bullies and destory an entire race to this date I still do reports on the book when given the oppurtunity each time reading it anew

B. Never heard a group that cant drink or even date till 16 refer to as cool but whatever floats your boat (p.s.. I am sure you know this but Orson Scott Card is Mormon)

A. Yes, I love to do book reports and whatnot on the Enders series. I did a report a while ago on how the names of characters describe their personality and also (in a different way) completely deny it. For example, Ender is the Ender of the war, the race of buggers, etc, but he's also the beginner of a colony, Jane, the resurrected buggers, etc.

B. Mormons are most definitely cool. Oh of course I know he's a Mormon. You can't read The Lost Boys and not know he's a Mormon. (Now there's a freaky book for you. Mormon horror novels...)

MrToast the Mormon

[dubious elise]

i feel compelled to add another... "the five people you meet in heaven"

its hardly religion oriented but it does make you think twice about every action you make!

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I have read 3 books that have left an impression.

1. Tuesdays with Morrie - It tought me that life is more than hanging out with friends, its about learning lessons.
2. Five People You Meet In Heaven - Death is not the end.
3. The DaVinci Code - Got me interested in math... not that I am any good at it. It was also a great adventure for me.. has to be my favorite book of all time.

[MissInformation]

A lot of you are mentioning Orson Scott Card. I've never read his more sci-fi series, but long ago I fell in love with his Alvin Maker series. And then I read Hart's Hope, which I think is one of his best. One of the main points behind Harts Hope is how very thin the line is between justice and revenge, and how powerful forgiveness is. I have always been the type of person who likes things to be fair, just... and this book really made me take a closer look at whether or not it was justice I sought out or revenge. I would like to say I never get revenge now (and I'm not talking about pranks and jokes between friends), but I wouldn't want to lie to you... I'm not that perfect

Now, Orson Scott Card... he seems to be a really nice man. Back when I was in high school, I was in a poetry reading hosted by the editors of the Maryland Poetry Review and one of them gave me Card's address, so I wrote to him, and he wrote back. We continued to write to each other until I went to college and got to busy to write to anyone. In one of the last letters I received from Card, he sent me a tape of a lecture he had given on writing. I must have listened to that tape a hundred times in one week! When my college advisor found out I was corresponding with Orson Scott Card, he told his 13 year old daughter, who then had to meet me because she loved Card. She was a very sweet kid, so I eventually gave her all of my letters from Card along with the tape, and made her promise that when she was no longer interested in writing to him, she would pass along his address to someone who loved his writing as much as we did.

Heidi