Your Most Influential/Favorite Book

[Angie]

What is the most influential book you have ever read? Or your favorite? Could be anything from The Bible or Koran or what-have-you, to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, to Fifty Shades of Grey.

My favorite books are numerous, I even more have favorite authors than anything. JD Salinger is probably my favorite overall, with Catcher in the Rye being not only one of my two favorite books (along with Pride and Prejudice), but also one of the most influential. Kurt Vonnegut is my other favorite author.

Other than Catcher, I would choose The Bible​. (Let's not discuss religion in this thread, though, so it can stay out of the Cave. Thanks!)

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

Mine is Dennis Rodman's "Bad As I Wanna Be."

Errrr....

 

[MLawrence]

I think my last favorite book that read, which was in college, was The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

 

[CycloneNorth]

I have a couple. Like Angie I'm a big Vonnegut fan, but I'd also include The Brother's Karamazov and Atlas Shrugged.

 

[JP4CY]

A few books I read in grade school come to mind:

To Kill a Mockingbird (All time fav)
The Chosen
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest

 

[Cyclonepride]

Really depends on how each influenced me:

Politically

Animal Farm by Orwell (along with 1984)

Watership Down by Richard Adams

Spiritually

The Bible

Motivational

Awaken the Giant within by Anthony Robbins

 

[oldman]

I'd have to go with the Bible New Testament as far as trying to lead my life a certain way. I have been influenced to some degree by "Das Energi" by Paul Williams, "A Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, and the Carlos Castaneda books about his encounters with Don Juan. Also, "The Prince" By Niccolo Machiavelli and "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu have (perhaps negatively) influenced me on life's realities. Still, I try to see the good in people.

 

[CLONEing around]

I would say the books that most influenced my world view would be "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity" by John Stossel, "Somebody's Gotta Say It" by Neal Boortz, and "Freakonomics" by Steven Levitt. I have, of course, read more "classic" books on Liberty and Libertarianism since then, but those are the books that steered me in that direction.

 

[Mr Janny]

Really depends on how each influenced me:

Politically

Animal Farm by Orwell (along with 1984)

Watership Down by Richard Adams

Spiritually

The Bible

Motivational

Awaken the Giant within by Anthony Robbins

Watership Down is way, way up there for me. Fantastic book.

 

[klamath632]

I'd like to say the book that influenced me most was a classic, but unfortunately I'm just not that cool.

Robert A. Heinlein "Starship Troopers" Yes, I know that the chapters about Juan Rico's History & Moral Philosophy class were just Heinlein preaching his thoughts and values, but I believe whole-heartedly that someone who has signed up to give his life to serve his country (or hers, let's not be sexist) is someone who has earned his citizenship. I wish more people knew more about their duty than about their rights.

 

[Angie]

I couldn't help multi-quoting...

Mine is Dennis Rodman's "Bad As I Wanna Be."

Errrr....

I actually read that. :shocked: Jeremy had it when we were growing up, and I figured I'd give it a shot. Rodman is an interesting man.

I think my last favorite book that read, which was in college, was The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

I've never read any Wilde, or any Truman Capote. I love classic lit, though, and have heard great things.

I have a couple. Like Angie I'm a big Vonnegut fan, but I'd also include The Brother's Karamazov and Atlas Shrugged.

I read both Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. My personal philosophy is different than Rand, but she's an incredibly well-written woman. Only Dostoevsky I've read was Crime and Punishmen, the summer of my 10th grade year, but it was fantastic.

A few books I read in grade school come to mind:

To Kill a Mockingbird (All time fav)
The Chosen
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest

Never read The Chosen​, but the other two are fantastic.

 

[keepngoal]

The Power of Now. By Robert Tolle.

 

[Angie]

Some GREAT books in this thread.

 

[klamath632]

I just know that somebody is going to say Madonna's "Sex" book was their most influential.

 

[bawbie]

From a political/ideology stand point, I'd say A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn.

Also LOTR, of course.

 

[Mr Janny]

I'd like to say the book that influenced me most was a classic, but unfortunately I'm just not that cool.

Robert A. Heinlein "Starship Troopers" Yes, I know that the chapters about Juan Rico's History & Moral Philosophy class were just Heinlein preaching his thoughts and values, but I believe whole-heartedly that someone who has signed up to give his life to serve his country (or hers, let's not be sexist) is someone who has earned his citizenship. I wish more people knew more about their duty than about their rights.

I damn near wrote down Starship Troopers, but ever since that stupid movie came out, a stigma has been attached. The book was fantastic. I'm a big fan of the "utopia" genre, Starship Troopers, Brave New World, 1984, etc, and Heinlein's take was really really interesting.

 

[MLawrence]

Only Dostoevsky I've read was Crime and Punishmen, the summer of my 10th grade year, but it was fantastic.

I read that book in high school too, and I hated it.

 

[3TrueFans]

I damn near wrote down Starship Troopers, but ever since that stupid movie came out, a stigma has been attached. The book was fantastic. I'm a big fan of the "utopia" genre, Starship Troopers, Brave New World, 1984, etc, and Heinlein's take was really really interesting.

Stupid movie???? STUPID MOVIE!?!??

 

[klamath632]

Frank Herbert's "Dune"
Isaac Asimov's Foundation series
Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. Masterharper Robinton is probably my favorite literary character of all time.
Robin McKinley "The Blue Sword" and "The Hero and the Crown." "Beauty" was amazing as well.

 

[klamath632]

Stupid movie???? STUPID MOVIE!?!??

I'd give my take but I already received enough abuse in the Futurama thread.