avdave2 - Zen and the Art stands up to repeated readings with just the same, if not more Impact. Have you read Lila too?
Each to their own winston 🙄
[i]In these days of electronic communication and perceived lack of time, long may people pick up books and assimilate them.[/i]
yeah, I mostly use my Kindle these days 🙂
[i]Nice try. Serviceable rod, wrong bait.[/i]
huh? Was a serious question. You post The God Delusion in a thread about books that changed your life... why would I have been baiting you??
Still, you don't have to answer, I really couldn't care less either way.
Hmm good thread this...
I don't think any of these books particularly changed my life but they certainly made me think about the world in a different way
In no particular order:
1984 - George Orwell, I've read it a few times now and its frightening how close we are to the world described in the book. Its easy to imagine it coming true, that's its power.
Catch 22 - Its just brilliant on so many levels, a parody of war, of capitalism, the pomposity of position and power. Its funny and at times shocking and sad - I need to read it again soon.
Moby Dick - "And he piled upon the whales white hump the sum of his whole races hatred and general rage from Adam down. If his chest had been a mortar he would have fired his heart's hot shell upon it" Enough said. The fact I can remember passages of it - almost - verbatim says it all.
HHGTTG - On the surface its just really daft, ridiculous in fact, but also very funny. But underneath its really clever - the futility of Arthur Dent lying in front of a council bulldozer to stop his house getting demolished when the Earth is about to receive the same treatment. Its quintessential Britishness is an absolute joy as well.
Have you read Lila too?
Yes binners, also a long time ago now, I think the real reason I haven't re read Zen is that I might look back at the younger me and think what a ****er but you have persuaded me that I should re read it, so once I finish Cannery Row I'll download it.
he he, funny thread. There's a lot of people here who are either joking or very easily influenced. To Kill a mockingbird? A clockwork Orange? I mean they're good books and I enjoyed them myself but they're hardly life changing.
Why not? Some books have the ability to change how you see the world.
Surprised to see God Delusion though, I thought it was poorly considered and poorly written.
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and a William Blake's poetry
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+ However many for The Secret (although written in an American erksome style)
+ However many Zinn and the art of (still my reference guide when I **** up my bike maintenance
The Dice Man - Luke Rheinhartt. Been times when I have been close to reverting to Dice Therapy 🙂
Roald Dahl - Boy.
Now I'm a father I can still recall the direct and honest way he explained the importance of love and reassurance above everything else. Particularly relevant as I went to boarding school and didn't have a father at home
Loads of other amazing books but I can't say they've changed my life, Hugh Fearnleys Meat book aside....
Almost every book has some effect, mostly its minor or insignificant but the following stand out to me as the most formative with GEB by far the most significant.
Goedel, Esher, Bach an Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstatter.
Johnathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
Surely you're joking, Mr Feynman by Richard Feynman
No Logo by Naomi Klein
Chaos by James Gleick
