Ever read a book that had a life changing effect on you? By life changing I mean shifted your perspective/changed your outlook in a big way. If so, what’s it called and who wrote it?

Irrationality, the enemy within.

Boris Vian: L’Arrache Coeur

Richard’s Bicycle Book

Embracing the ordinary . Michael Foley. Not Life changing but certainly inspiring.

Read the Celestine Prophesy years ago that was supposed to change people’s perspective…..load of cobblers really 🙂

Books that changed the way I think or see things in some way:

Bad Science – Ben Goldacre.
The Magic Mountain – Thomas Mann (incidentally, Sir Jimmy has scrawled something silly on the front cover of my copy when we were on a train once heading from Glasgow back to Leeds, not sure whether that enhances or devalues the book 🙂 )

Others have been life enhancing, but haven’t really changed anything as such.

@Mefty, Was that a Dorling Kingsly book about all aspects of cycling?

Hubert Selby Junior- His whole bibliography. Every novel & short story is significant at a particular time in my life, particularly the “Song Of The Silent Snow” collection which contains the story “The Jacket”.

Beautiful and a real friendship book.

As for Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake…It’s just part of who I am.

The Secret – Rhonda Byrne.

Definitely contributed (along with cycling) to turning my life around and ending six years of clinical depression and medication!

Jack Canfield – The Success Principles

Very enlightening and inspirational book, not just for those in business or whatever, more for anyone wanting to take stock of life, get in control and make the best of themselves. And before anyone says anything, the book (and Jack himself) pitch “success” as not necessarily being financial, but in terms of feeling fulfilled by life.

Really great reading, and something I go back to quite often….

The Secret – Rhonda Byrne.

Definitely contributed (along with cycling) to turning my life around and ending six years of clinical depression and medication!

Another excellent book here 🙂

Er, what Mefty said RIchards Bicycle Book is my desert island choice.

And To Kill A Mockingbird as a kid.

The Sun Also Rises by Hemmingway as a youth.

The Road Less Travelled by M Scott Peck

If only for his definition of love.

Plenty more books aswell, although I tend to believe the book finds us, when we are ready for it.

Richard’s Bicycle Book

+2 I wish i knew who has my copy of it.

The Easy Way – Allen Carr.
Understanding Organisations – Charles Handy.

Oh yes. Feet in the clouds. Richard Askwith. got into fell running in London. Moved to 100m away from the fells.

Richard Dawkins – The God Delusion
Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw – Why Does E=mc^2

We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families – Philip Gourevitch.

It was a Pan book I bought this edition

But I first read it earlier. There were later editions as well, I have one of those too.

Forgot A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.
The most important of the lot.

The Easy Way – Allen Carr.

This.

Not the most enjoyable, but potentially life saving! 😆

Mefty, the first edition was the best.
The one that told you exactly how to deal with troublesome dogs. 😐

The second one had that passage too – I presume you always carry a long pump.

Yup.

Or a slower companion.

Loved the last chapter too – we’re all allowed to dream.

American Psycho.

Mr Greedy.

The Grapes of Wrath – made me understand about human endurance.

Birdsong – awoke a huge interest in the two world wars and I have learned so much about them since.

The Grapes of Wrath

Actually I had forgotten that. It was a bit shocking when I finally ‘got’ it and a real eye opener onto what good writing really was

another one for:

Smoked from 13ish to 28ish.
Been smokefree for 8 years and feel TEH AWESUM!

Not Buying It – Judith Levine

Changed my views on money and materialism.

Actually I had forgotten that. It was a bit shocking when I finally ‘got’ it and a real eye opener onto what good writing really was

Yeah – the one and only book I have read and when I got to the end I was left in such a state – a perfect (if that’s what you can call it) ending.

Yeah – the one and only book I have read and when I got to the end I was left in such a state – a perfect (if that’s what you can call it) ending.

I finished it on the number 73 bus and I had an almost irresistible urge to stand up and read it out loud to the whole bus. I rather wish now that I had.

Without doubt for me – How to win friends and influence people – completely changed my view on everything

Inspirational – Alistair Humphries – moods of future joys

Its not about the bike-Lance Armstrong
That guy is a legend.

That guy is a legend.

Some might see this comment as being a teensy weensy bit controversial. 😯

Anyone successfully implented the “haul turn” described in Richard Ballantine’s book?
I never dared to try it.

Super-Cannes, J.G Ballard

The diving bell and the butterfly, perspective on life.

James and the giant peach. Loved books ever since.

Chasing The Sun

Richard Cohen

Topsy and Tim go on a Train