I was planning to major in psychology and minor in philosophy and religious studies. I was in conflict with the head of the psych dept. He was a raging behaviorist and had a picture of B.F. Skinner in his office. My heroes were Wilhelm Reich and Carl Jung, whom he poo-pooed. I was talking to one of the student counselors one day when I was having some issues, and she told me about a book by James Hillman and Michael Ventura: "We've Had 100 Years of Psychotherapy and the World is Getting Worse." Under the influence of this book I dropped out of college right at the turn of the millennium, went back home, got a job at the library, got on the radio, played in bands, hung out poetry readings, got married, have a family, haven't looked back. I'm re-reading it now and it is still spot on. Working at the library has given me an education I don't know I would have gotten if I had stayed in college and gotten sucked into the academic trap.
So many! to name a few; Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, Piranesi by Susana Clarke, The Remains of the Day by Ishiguro. For non-fiction; When Breath Becomes Air as well and Quiet by Susan Cain.
Thanks for reminding me I had wanted to read An Immense World:) A few of my world changers are: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Rae Hinton, and The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. I loved Four Thousand Weeks and When Breath Becomes Air from your list
One that stands out for me is The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin. It shook up my ideas about what science fiction could be and made me reconsider everything I thought I knew about sex/gender.
Close to fifty years since I first read it, it’s still the book I’d recommend first to anyone who says they don’t like science fiction l
Agree with When Breath Becomes Air and Four Thousand Weeks, both were impactful to me in different ways. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman also gave me something to think about, as did The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz. Lots of thinking coming out of these picks!
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone moved me. It took a bit to get into it, but I couldn’t put it down once I was. I remember wishing that I had that sort of drive and passion.
I have always been a fiction reader, but as an adult I have found myself adding more nonfiction to my list. There have been a few that have changed my life and perspective on the world.
Katherine May has three books out, Enchanted, Wintering and The Electricity of Every Living Thing. All three were life changing. Nature Obscura by Kelly Brenner changed my perspective of my own backyard.
In Fiction recently,, I'd say Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman is one that altered my life.
I have a rather long list of books that personally meant a lot to me, changed me, and ultimately lead me to become an author myself.
Dragon Riders of Pern
Wheel Of Time Series
The Harry Dresden Files
The Lost Apothecary
The Invisible lIfe of Addie LaRue
Narnia
The list can go on.
The written word truly is one of the most powerful things on Earth.
"When we cease to understand the world"- Benjamin Labatut. It lifted off the top of my head. Then I saw Oppenheimer. I keep staring at the stars. And if these quantum physicists see things I can't, what can others see - my friends, or artists, or musicians - that I can't. I am agog.
I was planning to major in psychology and minor in philosophy and religious studies. I was in conflict with the head of the psych dept. He was a raging behaviorist and had a picture of B.F. Skinner in his office. My heroes were Wilhelm Reich and Carl Jung, whom he poo-pooed. I was talking to one of the student counselors one day when I was having some issues, and she told me about a book by James Hillman and Michael Ventura: "We've Had 100 Years of Psychotherapy and the World is Getting Worse." Under the influence of this book I dropped out of college right at the turn of the millennium, went back home, got a job at the library, got on the radio, played in bands, hung out poetry readings, got married, have a family, haven't looked back. I'm re-reading it now and it is still spot on. Working at the library has given me an education I don't know I would have gotten if I had stayed in college and gotten sucked into the academic trap.
Oh interesting! Thanks for sharing. :)
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande and Beloved by Toni Morrison.
Haven't read either of those but they're high on my list!
Beloved was a revelation. Heartbreaking and so revealing.
Yes!
So many! to name a few; Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, Piranesi by Susana Clarke, The Remains of the Day by Ishiguro. For non-fiction; When Breath Becomes Air as well and Quiet by Susan Cain.
I've most of those, but not Cloud Atlas or Ishiguro. I'll move 'em up my list!
Anything on this list. These are the top 1% of books I’ve read in my life: https://www.tomwhitenoise.com/bookshelf
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard
Nixonland by Rick Perlstein
Don't know if it's recency bias if they've all been read in the last 5 years, but they've all strongly shaped my thoughts and actions.
Agreed about Newport — Deep Work could have made my list.
I've not read Perlstein but I have the first two books in that series on my shelf.
Thanks for reminding me I had wanted to read An Immense World:) A few of my world changers are: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Rae Hinton, and The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. I loved Four Thousand Weeks and When Breath Becomes Air from your list
I've not read those that you mentioned - thanks Renee!
One that stands out for me is The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin. It shook up my ideas about what science fiction could be and made me reconsider everything I thought I knew about sex/gender.
Close to fifty years since I first read it, it’s still the book I’d recommend first to anyone who says they don’t like science fiction l
Ah I love that book! Read it last year for the first time and made me immediately fall in love with Le Guin.
Agree with When Breath Becomes Air and Four Thousand Weeks, both were impactful to me in different ways. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman also gave me something to think about, as did The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz. Lots of thinking coming out of these picks!
Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales, especially The Ugly Duckling.
Holy Envy by Barbara Brown Taylor
Help Thanks Wow by Anne Lamott
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
I've not read any of those, thanks for the recs. :)
Silent Spring
Frankenstein
To Kill A Mockingbird
I haven't read Carson but she's high on my list.
Life after Life, Kate Atkinson. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson, The Body a Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott ❤️
I've only read Bird by Bird from that list — thanks for the recs. :)
The Power Broker by Robert Caro, for its deep dive into the ability of a unelected individual (Robert Moses) to gain tremendous power.
It's such a good book. I think about it regularly.
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone moved me. It took a bit to get into it, but I couldn’t put it down once I was. I remember wishing that I had that sort of drive and passion.
Sounds really interesting! I'll check him out.
I have always been a fiction reader, but as an adult I have found myself adding more nonfiction to my list. There have been a few that have changed my life and perspective on the world.
Katherine May has three books out, Enchanted, Wintering and The Electricity of Every Living Thing. All three were life changing. Nature Obscura by Kelly Brenner changed my perspective of my own backyard.
In Fiction recently,, I'd say Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman is one that altered my life.
I have a rather long list of books that personally meant a lot to me, changed me, and ultimately lead me to become an author myself.
Dragon Riders of Pern
Wheel Of Time Series
The Harry Dresden Files
The Lost Apothecary
The Invisible lIfe of Addie LaRue
Narnia
The list can go on.
The written word truly is one of the most powerful things on Earth.
Love this list — thanks so much Joyce!
Thomas Sowell, The Vision of the Anointed
"When we cease to understand the world"- Benjamin Labatut. It lifted off the top of my head. Then I saw Oppenheimer. I keep staring at the stars. And if these quantum physicists see things I can't, what can others see - my friends, or artists, or musicians - that I can't. I am agog.
I looooved The MANIAC. I definitely want to read more Labatut.