Books that changed your perception of the world

Rabbit, Run by John Updike It's truly hard to believe this was written in 1960. Each consecutive sequel had a lesser effect, each shaping my perceptions, while the first actually changed it. Also read in my early 20's

The Women's Room, Player Piano, Conundrum

What dreams may Come, by Richard Matheson. nothing changed how I saw the world and left me with such a good feeling, as odd as that sounds, as this book. Ever. It's just plain beautifully written. Also, The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I was 13 years old. -Amanda J.

Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card.

The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant

'of human bondage'-w. somerset maugham, 'demian'-hermann hesse, 'crime and punishment'-dostoevsky, 'fear and trembling'-kierkegaard.

The Pickwick Papers PS as for Dostoevsky i prefer 'The Devils', but then any novel of his right

An American Childhood by Annie Dillard So deeply touching to a losst teenager trying to find room to grow up "I felt time in full stream. walked clumsily and absurdly through our world, that famously lonely walk". Also, Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo. Absolutely amazing imagery of human imperfection and suffering.

"My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George, hey I was just a kid and the idea of running away from home to live in a hollow tree and train a falcon to hunt for my food seemed like the way to go. "Julie of the Wolves" was even better because it was actually a girl getting to do all the cool survivalist stuff instead of a boy like in every other book of this genre.

Alex, the idea behind the Pickwick Papers (an idea which Dickens later said became untenable as he progressed with the serials) is where I got the idea for this site, the print edition, and the upcoming developments soon to be announced. Funny how that works.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson probably changed my outlook on the world more than any other book I've read. Following a close second is "This Is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin. What can I say, I'm weird.

The Last Vampire book series by Christopher Pike. Read it in high-school, but it showed me my first bitter-sweet moment... And, of course, made me a crazed vampire fan throughout the rest of my high-school years. And Robin McKinley's "Deerskin." ~*~ Can't we all just be pretty? I like being pretty...