What book changed your life?
- Thread starter MPAsquared
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William Manchester - The Arms of Krupp
The Machinery's Handbook, I update this every three years.
Andrew Sorkin - Too Big to Fail ....although somewhat too biased in favour of Warren Buffett.
The Machinery's Handbook, I update this every three years.
Andrew Sorkin - Too Big to Fail ....although somewhat too biased in favour of Warren Buffett.
Heinlein -- (most of his stuff, but especially) Stranger in a Strange Land, and Starship Troopers (the movie is NOT the book)
Sun Tzu -- The Art of War
Strunk and White -- The Elements of Style
Sun Tzu -- The Art of War
Strunk and White -- The Elements of Style
Its a series of books that changed my life. All of them written by Robert B. Parker - the Spenser series.
As a boy, I was not really taught how to be "a man". My father was quiet, uncommunicative and coldly indifferent, to us all.
So, when finally I was on my own, I happened to pick up one of the Spenser series, and I now re-read the whole series every couple of years.
The books are, on the surface, about just another private detective, but, by example, his books taught me the importance of integrity, honesty, hard work, and so on.
As a boy, I was not really taught how to be "a man". My father was quiet, uncommunicative and coldly indifferent, to us all.
So, when finally I was on my own, I happened to pick up one of the Spenser series, and I now re-read the whole series every couple of years.
The books are, on the surface, about just another private detective, but, by example, his books taught me the importance of integrity, honesty, hard work, and so on.
Is he an English major who doesn't understand numbers or a math major who can't spell?
The Bible
haha But in all seriousness, I do not believe in God and am not religious at all but you have to admit that it is a great philosophical book. The top-selling book of all time! It has been translated in 531 languages including Klingon. That's nothing to sneeze at.
haha But in all seriousness, I do not believe in God and am not religious at all but you have to admit that it is a great philosophical book. The top-selling book of all time! It has been translated in 531 languages including Klingon. That's nothing to sneeze at.
The best seller of all time is possibly the most unread book
in history. A lot of people just put the bible on the shelf to
collect dust. Did you read the holy book from cover to cover
or selectively?
The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitgerald. This book made me conscious about staying grounded and true to myself. I hate phonies.
The Intelligent Investor - Benjamin Graham. Great insight on knowing when to sell, something advisers never focused on.
The Wealth of Nations - Adam Smith. I'm an economics major so this is the Bible.
Currently I'd say the most impactful read is America Alone and After America by Mark Steyn. It's almost prophecy - things are playing out exactly how he envisioned. Despite the gloom portrayed his style of humour employed makes it such an easy read. I literally read these books over a weekend.
The Intelligent Investor - Benjamin Graham. Great insight on knowing when to sell, something advisers never focused on.
The Wealth of Nations - Adam Smith. I'm an economics major so this is the Bible.
Currently I'd say the most impactful read is America Alone and After America by Mark Steyn. It's almost prophecy - things are playing out exactly how he envisioned. Despite the gloom portrayed his style of humour employed makes it such an easy read. I literally read these books over a weekend.
There have been a number of books that has influenced me through the different stages of my life. When I was around 9 it would have been the Hardy Boys series. At that time there were 44 volumes and I read them all in order. Around 13 Ian Fleming's James Bond books I devoured and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and novels. In high school Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (to date I have read 4 times) as well as Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer and Dostoevsky (especially The Brothers Karamazov which I loved). Recently I would say Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner.
I believe the above books helped shape the person I have become (both good and bad) through the different periods of my life.
I believe the above books helped shape the person I have become (both good and bad) through the different periods of my life.
Probably some business book in high school. Always loved business stuff and lead to my career.
I don't read much though. And what I do read is more factual stuff, history, reference info, sports mags, randomly flipping through wikipedia links etc.... Great stuff to read is cool thick books of WWII stuff with photos, maps and such. You can find these cheap online or bookstores for $20.
Never read fiction stuff unless I had to in English class. If I want to be entertained, I'll watch a movie.
I don't read much though. And what I do read is more factual stuff, history, reference info, sports mags, randomly flipping through wikipedia links etc.... Great stuff to read is cool thick books of WWII stuff with photos, maps and such. You can find these cheap online or bookstores for $20.
Never read fiction stuff unless I had to in English class. If I want to be entertained, I'll watch a movie.
The Bible: I have no religion and don't practice any firm of worship, but have to say if you read what Jesus said and did, and ignore all the science fiction about the miracles and being God. It is pretty interesting. Also, the fact that God lets Adam and Eve chose by deciding to eat or not eat the fruit, and lastly it shows that even God was not a perfect parent. After all Adam and Eve learned everything from him.
The Friends Of Voltaire
Hamlet
Plato the Republic
The Prince by Machiavelli
The Politics and the Constitution of Athens Aristotle
Lord of the flies
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Le Miserable
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Friends Of Voltaire
Hamlet
Plato the Republic
The Prince by Machiavelli
The Politics and the Constitution of Athens Aristotle
Lord of the flies
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Le Miserable
The Count of Monte Cristo
Peter Marshall was movingly portrayed in the 1955 film
of the same title. In some way this movie does have a
profound impact on me. Normally I'd be biased against
a story of a church pastor being a somewhat militant
unbeliever in my younger years. This story help
convinced me how a man of virture could embrace
religion to live a fulfilled life. I think I was subconsciously
influenced by this movie to become more mellow towards
religious people. And the soundtrack provided by
the legendary Alfred Newman was so hauntingly beautiful
it made the film all the more poignant and memorable.
