Books that moved you!!

[ashthehunk]

Literature is more potent than we can imagine. History is filled with anecdotes where people who achieved something, got inspired from a book/novel.

I want you guys to share which book(s) moved you to action, or inspired you for that one last (and perhaps the most difficult) final push to achieve your goal or made you see life, family, relationship from a different perspective or made you live life to the fullest.

Whatever is your opinion please share
And please try to avoid self help books.

Thanks:angel:

[Lykren]

The tale of genji did something for me. It wasn't very concrete, but it changed the way I felt about my relationships with people, that they were more beautiful in their simplicity and harmony than I had thought.

What instances from history were you thinking of, specifically?

[kev67]

I have to say that non-fiction moves me more than fiction. Of non-fiction books probably James Lovelock's and Richard Dawkins' books have affected my outlook the most. Of fictional books, Kazou Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, and Charles Darwin's Great Expectations have emotionally moved me the most (excluding books which cheated by killing someone off in the last or second-to-last chapter).

[qimissung]

I think Up the Down Staircase might have played a part in encouraging me to become a teacher.

[Charles Darnay]

Shakespeare in general has had a great impact on my life, beyond the academic realm.

[ashthehunk]

I think what worked for me were
"Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance"
"A thousand splendid Suns"
"Essays by Francis Bacon and Montaigne"
and last is
"The Alchemist"

[cafolini]

Practically all of Mark Twain, William Faulkner's, Gabriel Garcia Marquez', Lezama Lima's, Pablo Neruda's, Hiayakawa's, Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zaratustra, Jacob Burkhardt's, most of Sommerset Maugham, Harper Lee's, Truman Capote's, James Joyce's, Michel de Montaigne's, Malinowski's, William James's, Macedonio Fernandez', William Blake's, Kerouac's, Ginsberg's, William Burroughs', C A Cafolini's. ETC., ETC., ETC..
And many, many that were never famous. I'm sure I didn't mention half of the famous.

[Humming Bee]

(...) Charles Darwin's Great Expectations have emotionally moved me the most (...).
You mean Charles Dickens' book, don't you? :)
I quite liked Dickens, however I haven't read that one by him. I should give it a try.

And for the topic question. I cannot recall any book that had an extremely strong effect on me. At a time Harry Potter pushed me to put my mind more to English, but I believe it's not the kind of inspiration you meant, haha.

The most emotive book I ever read is probably "The Gadfly" by Ethel Lilian Voynich. I was teenager then and I was literally drowing in tears (and snots) over it. That's the first book I read that dared to criticize Church as institution or at least some of its rules. The story-telling was awfully moving, the hell that main character was dragged through made me rebellious against the church. Right now I'm not religious person (I was raised in catholic family and as child I was obliged to attend Sunday mass and such stuff), but I don't think I could put all the "merits" for that to that book. Nevertheless it could have a little share with it.
Strangely it's my second post here and I fell again into this topic, making me feel like a fighting-atheist :shocked:

Probably most of the books influence mostly people's point of view, push to be nicer, more thoughtful with others. For a commoner as I am they rather do little (but precious) changes like pushing to be more tolerant and understanding.

[kev67]

You mean Charles Dickens' book, don't you? :)
I quite liked Dickens, however I haven't read that one by him. I should give it a try.



Correct, I must have had biologists on the brain.

[beate]

The Girl With A Pearl Earring (by Tracy Chavalier) really moved me, I can't really understand why but it was wonderful.
Flowers For Algernon made me cry and laugh and scream in anger and just... I think a lot about intelligence (and losing it) and loneliness, and that book was just..

[crusoe]

The Teachings of Don Juan - Carlos Castaneda

[_Shannon_]

Dharma Bums by Kerouac.

Lots of non-fiction which has moved me. Lots of poetry as well!

[Sydneysider]

No Moon Tonight - Don Charlwood.

This history moved me so much I decided to write the author. I rang Penguin books only to be told he had passed away the week before.

[Tastidian]

I read "1984" then two weeks later I read "The Book Thief". Those two books challenged my whole perspective. 1984 made me think like a philosopher. The Book Thief made me think like a poet.

And every fantasy book I read just makes me want to write a better one.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

A few that come to mind:
Hugo-Toilers of the Sea - of course
Dickens - Tale of Two Cities
Shirer - The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Goldsmith - The Deserted Village and The Traveller
From the Bible - Isaiah, Job, Daniel, Psalms Luke, Galatians
Dostoevsky - The Idiot
The Letters of St. Augustine
Sir Banister Fletcher - A History of Architecture