Books that inspired you

[Jonathan Norris]

Earth: The Sequel

Amazing book about the futures of renewable energy sources, and the economics and science that surrounds them. A great resource for anyone interested in the topic.

[acdcfan259]

I Am America (And So Can You!)

Very insightful, worth picking up.

[fredliu168]

Eragon (Eldest) - Perhaps an odd choice, but I learned a lot from one part of this book. I'm too tired to find the exact quote, but it mainly says that no one in this world ever thinks of themselves as evil. They will always think that they made the best choice they could given the situation.

The World According Garp - This book taught me that the World and the people in it are flawed; but if you look beyond the flaws you can find meaning and peace.

[IKE]

This isn't my list, but a list worth sharing. During High School I was blessed with a teacher that chose to teach history, government, and economics through books. I only remember a couple of the History books:
Frontiersman: A very gripping story of early american exploration.
Citizen Tom Paine and Common Sense- American revolution.
Killer Angles: Civil War book that Glory was based off of.
Night- Holocaust 1st person perspective. Warning do not start reading this unless you plan to finish. You will miss whatever else you were planning to do.
The Longest Day: Amazing D-Day book
Black Like Me- Post civil rights racism written by a white man that made himself black in the deep south.

For Government and Economics:
Essays on the Making of the Constitution: Very interesting perspectives and theories on "why" the founding fathers did what they did.
Watership Down: Basically the book version of Meerkat Manor (only Rabbits)
The Jungle: Will make you believe in the power and right of Unions. It will also make you never want to eat processed meat.
and lastly
Atlas Shrugged: To show you that "Charity" can be a bad thing among a ton of other themes.

I am sure that there were many others, but those were the ones I remember most. Looking back this teacher was a great teacher in that he truly made you think.

One of my personal Favorites I did not see of this list was "The Way Things Work" by David M. My mother got this book for me when I was in the 4th grade after the guidance counselor told her I was cursed and would likely become an engineer.

[Carlee10]

The Story of Lucy Gault- Wm.Trevor- Sad, but good. Lots of lessons on forgivness, love, and saying what you think and feel.

[AndyB]

Originally Posted by acdcfan259

I Am America (And So Can You!)

Very insightful, worth picking up.

Hahaha. I love that book!

It will make anyone love or hate Stephen Colbert.

[Stephi Rae]

Ah, books. I love summer just because I finally get the chance to read again!

I enjoyed 1984, but since last year, I am just more partial to 1983... ok, down to business.

Survival in Auschwitz - Primo Levi: Thought provoking story about a chemist thrown into the death camp at Auschwitz and how he survived

The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand: Given to me by a teacher, and good friend. It impacted him when he read it in high school, as well as another teacher from my school. They both recommended it when I was going through a rough time last year. Very good book.

Rocket Boys: Classic

I, Robot - Isaac Asimov: Haven't finished yet, but was given to me by another favorite teacher for graduation a couple weeks ago. I am really enjoying it.

Lies my Teacher Told Me - James Loewen: The stuff you were never told about American History

The Jungle - Upton Sinclair: Interesting author, thought provoking book that had the opposite affect that the author had in mind

Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier
Thirteen Moons - Charles Frazier: Great author, both meaningful books. The first about a man and woman separated by the Civil War. Her struggle to keep her father's farm, and his experiences after ditching the war and trying to walk home. Thirteen Moons is about a man's life, from orphanhood, to fame and fortune, all the while trying to do best by the world and himself.

Red Badge of Courage - Classic


That's pretty much all I've got for now... I am definitely going to be reading some of the other books posted in this thread. I am excited!

OH! I almost forgot!

Self Reliance - Emerson

and pretty much anything else from the Transcendentalists. They are pretty inspiring and thought-provoking. It is also pretty interesting to compare them to the hippies. Some of the similarities are quite remarkable.

[Pavan Dave]

The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay and Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey have been pretty impactful books for me. I am currently reading Atlas Shrugged and that is also very good. I think it is the realizations I recieved after the first two books that made me different afterwards. Those shall be on my shelf for a very long time.

[Herodotus]

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

Made me realize that you can't force people to change. You have to lead by example, and let people draw from your life what they will. It also taught me not to cast judgment on others.

[MissInformation]

Hmmm... since I last posted in this thread there are a few books that stand out in my mind:

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz. Nonfiction book about a man who goes south to try to unravel America's fascination with the Civil War. Parts of this novel are frightening and sad and other parts are hilarious.

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller. A memoir about growing up in Rhodesia as a long civil war raged in neighboring Mozambique: all leading towards an independent, African Nationalist regime. It's both a brutal and yet beautiful life.

As I Lay Dying by Faulkner. One of my "life goals" was to get through a Faulkner novel (his short stories are easy, his novels not so much). To get through it and "get" it. Because it is told in stream of consciousness style by 15 different narrators in 59 chapters, it is very hard to follow and keep track of. After a while, it didn't matter to me who said what and when, the beauty of Faulkner's language was what I had to "get."

A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland Indiana by Haven Kimmel. One of the funniest memoirs I've ever read. Kimmel's use of humor is so well done you almost ignore what is an almost nearly tragic childhood.

and I could again go on and on with books but I'm feeling sleepy so I think I'll go sleep instead.

Heidi

[Akash Rastogi]

I actually just finished The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and I recommend it to any student or adult involved in FIRST who's life is consumed by robotics. I might make reading sections of the self-help book mandatory for MORT students in the future as it is a great way to learn about time management.

Also, I haven't read the following yet but I was told to by my uncle: 5 People You Meet In Heaven. and The Kite Runner The film was amazing and was a masterpiece. You should all really watch it.

[Carlee10]

Originally Posted by MissInformation

A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland Indiana by Haven Kimmel. One of the funniest memoirs I've ever read. Kimmel's use of humor is so well done you almost ignore what is an almost nearly tragic childhood.

I read that when I was younger and I don't really remeber it much. I had an English teacher reccomend it to me, also. I think I might reread it; I'll probably get more out of it now than I got out of it the first time.

[qzrrbz]

This one is a wonderful "techie" kind of read. I think it would resonate well with the readership here!

I very much enjoyed it!

__Orbit__

John J Nance

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

Wow it has been a long time since I wrote in this thread. I would like to share another title. Tracy Kidder was mentioned earlier - I would like to recommend another one of his works.

Mountains Beyond Mountains is the story of Dr. Paul Farmer, a global health hero who on many counts has changed the way that international reform is approached. This book is breathtaking, regardless of whether or not you hold aspirations in medicine. It describes, in great detail, the challenges and successes of Farmer and his colleagues throughout Haiti, Peru, the United States, and many other locales.

The book is an eye-opener. When I first encountered this book it was in a terrific class called "Managing Global Health Challenges." It illustrates the extreme differences between the states of healthcare and lifestyle between industrialized and developing nations, as well as within both the former and the latter.

[Akash Rastogi]

Just finished A New Earth this morning. Its an awesome book by Eckhart Tolle. Some of my favorite quotes from it:

"You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you, and allowing that goodness to emerge" - Page 13

"Not what you do, but how you do what you do determines whether you are fulfilling your destiny. And how you do what you do is determined by your state of consciousness." - Page 294 (lol BCR)