Kim by Rudyard Kipling.
Despite Kipling's jingoism in other works, Kim spoke to me in school. It opened me to a world of adventure and fearlessness that I didn't know was possible. I really haven't been the same since I read that book.
Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
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Re: Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
#72The art of worldly wisdom, by Baltasar Gracian. Timeless classic, tiny book of 300 maxims. Each one very profound, highly re-readable as you go through life. I've been reading it over and over little bits at a time, for well over a decade by now. Life changer for sure.
Definitely in my top ten list, too. Like Machiavelli, but its D&D alignment would be Neutral Good.
Re: Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
#73Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind , by Shunryu Suzuki I was 19 and living in a van, camping under bridge overpasses in Colorado so I could just ski all day every day. My naive uneducated mind was formulating some sort of psuedo-hippy philosophy around the state of ecstasy reached in the perfect ride down a mountain through powder. Little did I know the "no-thought" mantra I had been inculcating was just a pale impression of…
Thanks for mentioning. I saw your comment and started reading. I think it's going to be a long night tonight for me.
Re: Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
#74"Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War" by Robert Coram was the first biography I really enjoyed. John Boyd's dedication to his ideals is inspiring. The retrospective that comes from seeing an inspiring life, with all its trade-offs and inevitable end, was life changing.
Re: Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
#75The Bible
Seconded.
Obviously to anyone knowing me well enough I'm biased but I think parts could be of interest to some people here, esp. the proverbs.
Personally I got a lot from it and I'd say it has helped me to stay alive, make friends, work smarter and generally don't waste my life.
(Also maybe interesting is how different it might seem to how it is usually portrayed.)
Re: Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
#76Gruts by Ivor Cutler.
Milk, Sulphate, and Albie Starvation by Martin Millar.
I was introduced to Martin Millar by a very close friend who stole very many books. She was good at it, and she stole hundreds of books.
In turn I introduced her to Ivor Cutler. We'd sit in her room drinking tea, eating pikelets and jam, listening to Ivor Cutler.
Re: Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
#77The Bible
Agreed. A close second for me is Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem. It helped me understand the Bible and put the things I was reading into categories. It's a thick book, but very readable. If you want something a bit smaller, there are two thinner books that are a summary of the original:
* Introduction to systematic theology (the discipline, not the book): https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/whats-systematic-...
* Introductory book: Christian Beliefs
* Mid-Level: Bible Doctrine
* In Depth: Systematic Theology
Re: Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
#78Quiet by Susan Cain: realizing that i am normal, that my need to be alone is something that many other also feel. Realizing that its ok to be like this made me really emotional, sitting there on the train to work, almost crying of relief.. Yep, changes my life for the better, made me feel more secure about my self.
Re: Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
#79Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Hailing from a village in India and having seen Bill gates and other celebrities as real successful and been amazed about it, I had an entirely different notion of success and talent before reading outliers. But after that I started believing that Success can come from anywhere and whatever we call IQ or Intelligence, that is all something that's another skill and can be honed. It broke the myth of innate talent and success.
Re: Ask HN: What's one book that changed your life?
#80Minds, Brains and Machines, by Geoffrey Brown:
https://www.amazon.com/Minds-Brains-Machines-Mind-Matters/dp...