Books that inspired you

[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

My Sisters Keeper by Judy Picolt

This book is amazing...its not like a chick flick book...so like everyone can read it. This book left me crying though because of the whole plot of the book etc.

[dude__hi]

I don't know if these books are exactly life changing but I think David Eddings is worth mentioning...

The message of duty and serving humanity that he mentions in his books is something worth noting.

Another book that I really found to be helpful is The Catcher in the Rye

It really pulls me out of a slump to imagine that someone else's life is worse than mine.

[Laura 1547]

I'm currently making my way through The Lord Of the Rings series. The books have not exactly changed my life but I love LOTR, the books (so far) and the movies.

A couple years ago I read many books by Tamora Pierce. They were really, really good books and they're basically about women back in the Medieval (sort of) ages who could do anything. Yes they were fiction but the fact of a woman who became a knight is a nice thought. I've always wondered why women can't be knighted by the queen...hmm...

[Erics626]

A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving. It is a funny and heartwarming tale that really touched my heart. It was just really fun to read and it taught me so much about life.

[Conor Delaney]

Villa Incognito is a funny and Risqué book by the same author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Building.

Another good book series is Broken sky ( the third book is hard to find)

[RoboMom]

It's summertime! Time to step away from the keyboard and screens more often. Time to revive this thread.

Currently reading:

Kluge-the Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind. Gary Marcus. [Kluge is a slang word for a clumsy or inelegant solution to a problem- wouldn't it be great to have a FIRST Kluge award added for "the power of imperfection?"]

Just started Naomi Klein's The Shock Doctrine-The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. wow. wow. wow.

How Doctors Think. Jerome Groopman. For anyone interested in the health fields.

[Carlee10]

I'm SOOO glad I found this thread. I could read since I was three, and books are about as important as air to me. Some titles I've heard of, some I haven't. Here's some of my list; more will probably come later.


The Dune series- Frank Herbert/ others. Amazingly modern for the 60's, and he wound so many themes and ideas into them that I had to read them much slower than normal to get everything out of them. I still use the Litany Against Fear, too.

Dreamer of Dune; A Biography of Frank Herbert- Brian Herbert. I loved reading how this great man's mind worked; plus it was also a great love story about him and his wife. I did this for an english project and got extra points for enthusiam about the material.

Jodi Piccoult books- Most of her books are formula stories, but I love how each one has a theme, and they teach you a little about the human heart.

Harry Potter series- Taught me the power of love, and its redeeming qualities. Also the importance of being surrounded by people who love and suport you no matter who you are, what you are, or who you choose to be.

The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini. Interesting books suggested to me by another english teacher. Gives something to be said about loyalty.

The Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras books- Scott Westerfield.- Shows that you can think your way out of anything, and how your connections with other people are stronger than whats been done to your head.

Tamora Pierce books- I just read ALL of her book in the span of a week. That's 16 books. They all had an underlying thread of preserverance(sp), and how being determined can produce great things from a person.

Dante's Inferno- Its weird, but read it.

Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar- Shakespeare. So dramatic, and life changing. Love and power can make you do janked up crap, including murder/suicide.

A Face First-Priscilla Cummings. A really easy book for preteens, but one I've read many times. I love how its written, and the point of showing who you are inside, not a face first.

Wicked and Son of a Witch- Gregory Maguire. Taught me that what is perceived is not always true (kind of a don't judge a book by its cover thing.). That "evil" may not have always been so, and that being "wicked" to one person isn't to another, and you don't have to be what everybody thinks, and you don't have to follow in the footsteps of your parents.

The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald. Read in english; I actually liked it. I didn't think I would like, but I did. It said alot about the times and the author. The characters were in-depth, and I could see why they did the things they did.

Well, that's it for now. I'll have some more for later. My english teacher made me a booklist (at my request), one of the books was Atlas Shrugged, and I have it on hold at the library. I hope I get it soon!

[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.

[Richard Wallace]

^ reported

[Chris Fultz]

Team of Rivals - the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Doris Kearns Goodwin
* story of how Lincoln rose to political power and the presidency and how he created his cabinet, comprised of many political rivals, to succeed as president.


Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal
David McCullough
* exceptional story of the building of the Panama Canal, from the very early years of ideas through the actual completion of the canal.

[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.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Chris Fultz

Team of Rivals - the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Doris Kearns Goodwin
* story of how Lincoln rose to political power and the presidency and how he created his cabinet, comprised of many political rivals, to succeed as president.

If memory serves this was the last cross party political ticket. Just an interesting historical piece there for you all. I second this book.

1984 is certainly worth a read, if only to make you think.

The last question - Asimov (link) Stunning and it really makes you think.

The Watchmen - Alan Moore - not a book exactly, nor is it for kids, but it is worth a look in that it makes you really question right and wrong.

Enders Game - Just a good classic sci fi read

Something I thought was interesting was The Divine Trilogy by Dante.

[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.