Beside any religious texts, what books have changed your life?
For me, the book that changed my life the most was probably Dale Carnegie's "How to win Friends and Influence People":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People
You?
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
I mainly read books about people who have really depressing, screwed up lives. I love Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris. I think they changed my life because they make me very appreciative of my life and my family.
olive / 64 posts
I am in the middle of Omnivore's Dilemma right now and it's already changing how I view and shop for food.
cherry / 235 posts
Honestly? I was deeply touched by The Secret Life of Bees. I cry like a baby for the book and the movie.
Also, Eat, Pray, Love is one of my favorite "uplifting/soul searching" books. The Five Love Languages has REALLY helped me be a better relationship partner and be more aware.
I read a lot of psychological books (I was a Psyc major) so I won't even go there. Lol. I also read documentary's on people's lives too, there was one where I got to hear the author speak about it - she was a victim in a shooting/hold-up in Atlanta (I'm from GA) and it was really interesting and memorable...since I read it like 8 years ago.
grapefruit / 4187 posts
Pride and Prejudice was the first book I ever read that made me start to appreciate literature, so I would definitely say it changed my life!
I have been meaning to download "How to win friends and influence people" for a long time now! I've heard good things about it and it's exactly the type of self help I need.
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6703 posts
Growing up "Little Women" really taught me a lot about family and responsibilities. Also, there's a book called "Dana's Valley" about a teenage girl who deals with leukemia that openned me up emotionally. Those two novels helped me a lot.
blogger / honeydew / 7081 posts
The book that changed my life was "Prayer" by Philip Yancey. Its not for everyone (I'm Christian and my husband's a pastor), but it completely changed the way I look at things. It made me realize that things aren't in my control, and I'll just frustrate myself if I try and control everything around me. He's also got some great ideas on why prayers aren't answered, or why bad things happen to people.
blogger / honeydew / 7081 posts
Oh, oops - just saw that you said "besides religious texts". Not sure if that counts or not.
pear / 1787 posts
Influential, life-changing books for me include Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion, the story "Bullet in the Brain" by Tobias Wolff, Trash by Dorothy Allison, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, and Swann's Way by Proust.
cherry / 235 posts
Oh, and Gone With The Wind was the first "real novel" I ever read that sparked my love of reading novels. I read it in 6th grade and moved on to Jane Austen books and yeah, it ballooned from there.
cantaloupe / 6791 posts
@AmeliaBedelia: I was going to say the Secret Life of Bees too! Growing up in the South, there was a lot I could identify with. Many older family members still seem to have that mentality and it breaks my heart 
Plus, some of the movie was filmed in my hometown (the theater in the movie is owned by one of my friends' dad). I wish that some of my family would watch the movie and realize some things... They still think interracial marriage is wrong...sigh.
grapefruit / 4800 posts
East of Eden - I love it's thoughts on good and evil and free will.
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
For me it was "A Child Called It" by Dave Pelzer. It made me realize that there's always someone who has it much worse than you think you do.
http://www.amazon.com/Child-Called-Childs-Courage-Survive/dp/1558743669
It's a really quick, easy read and I highly recommend it.
apricot / 427 posts
One of the greatest formative novels for me was "Loose Girl: A Memoir of my Former Self". I was really self-destructive before I met DH without even realizing it. I bought this book when I was in DC for an International Diplomacy conference out of high school. It made me realize how far I had fallen and also that I was the only person that could help me get better and be happy.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
@Boogs: OMG!!!! Me too! It was eye-opening... I also read the follow-up sequel... amazing story of survival!
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
Ummm... Woman's Orgasm by Georgia Kline-Graber and Benjamin Graber... *blush*
hostess / eggplant / 11068 posts
- Anne of Green Gables
- The Alchemist
Both made me want to live a more genuine and simple life.
bananas / 9118 posts
The Boxcar Children and Anne of Green Gables- these are the books that got me reading- thanks Mom for forcing me to stay inside and read that summer!
I was told by a teenager at the bookstore that Breaking Dawn (the last Twilight book) would change my life. It was by far my favorite in the series, but I'm not committing to life changing on that one 
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
@mrsjyw: I know. I was even more sad when I realized he doesn't live far from my area. I've actually read all of his books and have really enjoyed them all.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
Angry All The Time. Too long to explain but it was a huge help.
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