A book that left a great impact on your mind

[Anam]

Ahhhh.......Its a difficult one but yes Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret" has surely left a great and a very "positive" influence on my mind so from now I am enjoying it everyday :)

[Heidi]

Hmmm... so many! I would say (and I know this is weird, but) I read it for the first time when I was a young teen, and re-read it pretty much every year. I really related to Riatha, and strived to become like her (well, except for the whole Elven thing ;) ) Her strength and determination have bled over into my own life and she inspired a lot of my tenacity. Partly, I think because in a lot of ways she reminded me of my mother. The great thing about good fiction is that even though it is told in an entertaining aspect, it should have overarching, deeper messages. It should make us question what would we do in a similar situation, and help shape who we want to be in the "real" world.

[Gregor]

The Illuminatus Trilogy, when I read it, in my early twenties, had me looking for 5s and 23s everywhere.

[Ceri, Moderator]

I keep answering these type of questions with Dune by Frank Herbert. However, I can't change what is. But there are other books that made a lasting impression. Watership Down ( brave little creatures ), White Fang, (survival), Jean M Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear (woman fighting for her place in the world), Isaac Asimov's Robot series, (AI struggling to find it's place in society) , I remember Anne MacCaffrey's The Crystal Singer for some reason, the heroine in The Gap series (again, survival). There seems to be a running theme!

[Stephanie]

"Memnoch the Devil" by Anne Rice. It made me look at things in a WHOLE new way; I remember finishing it and rereading it the same night. A friend teaches theology and he had me host a class every year discussing it; it made for some great debates and discussions.

"1984" scared me to death, especially since I see it coming true right now.

As far as a series goes.. "The Breeds" by Lora Leigh, emotional and powerful with a touch of 'naughty' ;-)

[V.]

From two genres: Autobio Self-Help

[Laurie: Almost Faemous]

Ceri wrote: "I keep answering these type of questions with Dune by Frank Herbert. However, I can't change what is. But there are other books that made a lasting impression. Watership Down ( brave little creatur..."

Lol I also always answer this question with Dune by Frank Herbert I reread the series at least once a year, and more than once (in my head only cuz I am not totally crazy) recited the litany against fear.

[Jackie]

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. It stayed in my mind for ages after I'd read it. It made me feel quite claustrophobic in places and made me think again about just what a lot of young men went through in WWI.

[V.]

This carried me through a time when I didn't even think I needed help being myself, but self-discovery is EXACTLY what happened.

[Anam]

The title of the book surely catch my attention and bow I am also looking forward to read it afterall self-Help is my very favorite Genre :)

[Hayley]

Villette, by Charlotte Bronte; Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegut; Choke, by Chuck Palahniuk (more the writing style than the story); A Winter's Tale, by Mark Helprin (hard to get through but really stayed with me)... oh, so many more...

[D.H.]

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon . Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the story, but her writing style moved me. I lost myself in the flow of words and devoured every sentence. That book made me want to become a writer. Plus, it turned out I was a real sucker for men in kilts, sword fights and undying love. *sigh*

[Kathy]

David Conover's Once Upon an Island . I loved the whole back-to-nature struggle they went through to get their business up and running. It's stayed with me for over 30 years.

[Kathleen]

Ditto Danielle Ditto!!

[Lilian]

Although I read 'The Valley of the Dolls' by Jacqueline Susann, many years back, I remember it well because it opened my eyes to people in show-biz. I learned that these 'rising stars' must please their demanding managers and staff to reach to the top and stay there until they drop; literally. Of course this doesn't apply to all stars.
However, after reading this book, my dream of being an actress, singer/songwriter shut down. That glamourous world, as fragile as a blown-glass tower, didn't appeal to me any more.
I think of many entertainment artist that died unexpectedly, and wonder what hell they went through.

[Terri]

It's been a long time, but I remember thinking how hard Fame can be

[J.R.]

For me it has to be the combination of Weaveworld: Cabal. Those two books, though mostly Weaveworld, have forever enhanced my way of thinking. Clive Barker is a genius!

[Jackie]

I haven't read the wallflower book yet but I totally agree with you about The Book Thief, it was brilliant.

[Sybil]

I am not a Muslim but the book that made the greatest impact on my mind was the Koran (English translation of course)

[Heather]

Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig and Honour by Elif Shafak. I would highly recommend both.

[Terri]

THe Handmaid's Tale BY Margaret Atwood

[Carl]

Dune's political complications and religious myth-making have always rocked my world and that's why I reread every 2-3 years.

I realized I could analyze literature when we read Surfacing by Margaret Atwood (her second novel). That book was my undergrad thesis.

[J.]

I agree with several of you guys--Dune. I was the exact right age when I encountered that novel (15, just like Paul). A friend of mine wrote a book where she coined the term "narrative compass" for those books that one encounters young that then form the base metaphor for how one sees the world from that point on. Dune is my narrative compass.

[Marc]

Albert Camus' "The Outsider"

says so much about society and man and morality in just 102 pages

[[deleted user]]

Crime and Punishment as the conscience intrigues me

[Kimberlee]

House of Leaves by Danielewski
House of Leaves

[Martha]

I have read a number of memoirs, stories of abuse from childhood, but "Reflections of Mamie" grabbed my attention because it is also a very moving story of hope and survival. Highly recommend, "Reflections of Mamie" by Rosemary "Mamie" Adkins.Reflections of Mamie - A Story of Survival

[Linda]

Definitely Reflections of Mamie-A Story of Survival - unlike any other story of abuse you'll ever read.

[Jim]

'Aztec' by Gary Jennings.

The author portrayed the Aztec people, along with their rituals, cruelty, and culture, in such detail and in such an entertaining and sensitive manner, that my previous opinion of them as nothing more than a primitive bunch of savages, who somehow managed to create a fairly sophisticated empire, was changed forever.

[Rachel]

Easy. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Such great imagery, and I still remember it strongly! Classic.