Books that changed your life?

[tiger20]

Anyone read anything that really changed your outlook on life, or convinced you of something. It's so hard to find a good book these days. Share your story.

[BadMagick]

Of Mice and Men.

I kinda realized when reading that book that some things are more important than everything else around us. Family, friends ... it's more important than anything.

A Farewell to Arms.

A not so happy view of life as told by Hemingway - FTA made me realize that no matter how good you or what your intentions are, sometimes you're going to lose anyway. It taught me not to let down my guard, because that's when the worst stuff happens. And it might not be a great way to look at life, like you'll never make it out on top, but it's certainly something we should all keep in mind I think. Do your best in the given time, and take pleasure in what you have now, because you can't count on the future to be there.

[telekinesis]

Playboy.

Their playmate letters are very amusing.

:P

[RussianBeer]

A book huh?

Well, I would say Terry Practchets outlook in his book made rethink my outlook on the world.

[thoriphes]

Catcher in the Rye

...because I would come to realize that everyone has read and enjoyed that book as much as I have.

[tiger20]

Fight Club Yes it is a movie but it is also a very different book than what was shown on the big screen.


Lexus and the Olive Tree - Thomas L. Freidman. An award winning writer for the NY times discusses the idea of globalization in the digital world.

[RelandR]

..hmm.. lots of good ones allready mentioned..

..true stories are the most moving meThinks,
this one really tore me up::

http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/InSite.jsp?doc=2098.341f

[[Legoman]]

Well, I would say Terry Practchets outlook in his book made rethink my outlook on the world.
You mean books surely, he must've written over 40 easily.

[prstudio]

well, the Bible,

then a book called Every Man God's Man.

really taught a lot about character, integrity, and discipline, and covered like every male-oriented topic out there... a good read.

[Xpeder]

Dont read books dont like'em

[kirupa]

The Bible for me as the first one, then the following (no real order of importance):

2. Only the Paranoid Survive (Andy Grove)
Businesses fail because they fail to innovate and evolve into newer, better species.

3. Business @ The Speed of Thought (Bill Gates)
Every second wasted on doing things the old non-PC way, is a second your competitors gain.

4. Good to Great (Jim Collins)
What makes one company better than another? The best thing I learned was the Hedgehog concept where, instead of trying to do everything you want and be everything you want, focus on your strengths: http://www.jimcollins.com/hall/index.html Another good point: http://www.jimcollins.com/lab/firstWho/index.html

5. The Entire Sherlock Holmes Collections (Arthur Conan Doyle)
Probably the best series of stories I have ever read. Fascinating guy he was. He being Watson.....Sherlock Holmes is your typical narcissist who should have died several times but made it back to life for another Watson-bashing sequel.

6. Swimming Across: A Memoir (Andy Grove)
A really good autobiography about persistence and hard work. Refugee, penniless, original founders of Intel, Time's Man of the Year, etc. etc.

7. Who Governs (Robert Dahl)
Nice read on the shifting of gov't power from mobs to immigrants to businessmen to random people in New Haven, CT.

8. Executive Power (Mancur Olsen)
The limits and reaches of Presidential Power - fascinating subject to tackle.

9. Netscape Time (Jim Clark)
The rise and demise of Netscape.

10. Calvin and Hobbes (all of them)

11. Elephants Can Dance (Lou Gerstner)
Why an organization's size will not affect its ability to be nimble...dance.

12. Dr. Seuss (almost all of them)

13. IBM Redux (Doug Garr)
Fascinating book on the insights of how IBM is run and a look at the CEO Lou Gerstner.

14. Silicon Boys (Kaplan)
Makes you wonder why everyone doesn't head out west and start their own tech company. Written before the tech crash, so half the people mentioned and their belongings probably belong to some bank :)

:thumb:

[Coppertop]

"The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy". (trilogy of five)
and
the "Enders Game" series

Ender's game is well writen, and the hitchhikers guide is hilarious.

[StylingPaT]

Taking the Red Pill.

Its about the human mind and reality

[Johnny64]

How to learn Flash 5

I'am still flashing today :P

[DigitalPimp]

I also was a big Catcher in the Rye fan but also Kevin Mitnick's The Art of Deception. It is an awesome book about social engineering people and really opens your eyes to how insecure everything is.

[fez]

east of eden-john steinbeck

kindof creeps me out every time i read it

[tiger20]

Originally posted by DigitalPimp
The Art of Deception. It is an awesome book...

Just added that to my "must read" list thanks

[mariofan]

the art of looking sideways..
trigger happy - the innerlife of videogames..

:mario:

[rere420]

1) Tim O'Brien's -The Things they Carried.
This is one of the best books I have ever read
2) To Kill a Mockingbird
A very good book-thats makes you think alot
3) Currently I am reading a massive book on crimial and political profiling and it looks like it might make the top five lists...havent finished it yet

[Kitiara]

"Microserfs" by Douglas Coupland. He kind of captures the feeling of modern life so well...

Can't forget "Lord Of The Rings", which I first read when I was 7. It held me like no other book has, and sparked my love of fantasy.

Plus anything by Robert Rankin or Terry Pratchett, for their comedy and outlook on everything.

[andr.in]

Originally posted by tiger20
Anyone read anything that really changed your outlook on life, or convinced you of something?
nope :sure:

[fishtank]

stupid white men

actionscript - the book

flash mx professionell

[Millad]

The book that changed my life. I did not know books can change people lifes wow. :sleep:

[Niann]

Way of the Peacefull Warrior
St. George, The Dragon, and the Quest for the Holy Grail
The Tao of Pooh

Way of the Peacefull Warrior is an excellent book about overcomming personal setbacks.
St. George (etc) is a great book about looking at yourself, with some great parables included.
The Tao of Pooh, as childish as it sounds is an excellent book for adults, it explains how to slow your life down and enjoy some of the little things we might normally miss.

Cheers!
-Niann

[telekinesis]

William Cooper - Behold A Pale Horse

&

James Perloff - The Shadows of Power: The Council on Foreign Relations and the American Decline

Both are based on the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Trilateral Commision. The Council of Foreign Relations is the American Branch of a society which originated in England and it believes national boundaries should be obliterated and one world rule established. The Trilateral Commision is international and is intended to be the vehicle for multinational consolidation of the commercial and banking interests by seizing control of the politicalgovernment of the United States. Also about the Illuminati and Freemasons New World Order.

[Digigamer]

1. Hatchet by Gary Pulsen.
- probably the reason I read so much today.

2. Shannara Series by Terry Brooks
- Favorite author of all time.

3. The Ultimate History of Video Games
- I am must really be a geek because I could not put this huge book down tell I finished it.

4. Game Over
- Really got me interested in books about computers and video games.



Great Post!

[telekinesis]

Originally posted by Phil Jayhan
The Bible. It gave me eternal liphe, of which I will always be thankphul. But not the bible who gave this to me, but God himself; Its just his werds that showed me the way which he paved phor me; :love:

pj :sigh: I take mine back, Phil had perfect choice for the best book! :thumb:

[kh3mical]

the day my bum went pyscho....

[NeoDreamer]

Originally posted by Flash fool
Dont read books dont like'em

Same here. :smirk: I don't like reading fictional books. My English class ONLY reads fictional books, so I am going crazy:crazy: My point is that fictional books have no relevence to me, because they are... fake!

If you consider computer books that changed my life, then there would be a lot such as Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug. Micheal Jordan's Biography was good too.

[mdipi]

Ishmael - David Quinn, you will never look at the world around you after you read this book the same, you will see all the faults of society. read it, its a quck read but has changed my life and my moms.