Book that influenced you the most

[Cougati]

How about it? If you can't pin it down to just one, how about a book or books you can read over and over?

For me, (trying to narrow it down),

The Sight
Sir Apropos of Nothing (trilogy)
Growing Wings
1984
Animal Farm
Anything by Douglas Adams
The Firebird
Call of the Wild
White Fang

As for most influential, Call of the Wild. It's what started me writing, all those years ago. I love Jack London.

[glimpse]

Oh wow I love Jack London, too! :O I started reading his work when I was a kid. If it wasn't for him, I would've stopped reading after middle school. @___@

Some of the books that are special to me are:

Long Days Journey Into Night
Green Angel
The Jungle
The Ransom of Mercy Carter
The Brothers Karamazov [Like it so far]
& Frankenstein

You liked 1984? I'm surprised. I just couldn't get into it when I read it. D:

[Cougati]

Yay Jack London Fan! *internet five*

I don not believe I have read any of those, all though I may have heard about The Jungle. What's it about?

And Frankenstein I have been meaning to read for such a long time.

Yes, I read 1984 about once a month (I'm not obsessive at all, I swear). I do end up liking most of the books I read for school, 1984, Animal Farm, Anthem, The Odyssey, The Fountain Head.

Well, especially that last one, I can't believe I forgot to put that up there!

I can understand how some people wouldn't like 1984 though. It's not exactly thrilling to read, and the ending is a huge let down. I also don't think the writing is Orwell's best. *shrug*

[glimpse]

Yayyy internet five!

The Jungle was by Upton Sinclair. It was about an immigrant who was trying to support his new family in an unforgiving world. D: But really it's about the meatpacking industry. x) It's a really good book, great at evoking feelings. Although it made me wonder if children really could drown in streets. @___@ Frankenstein is really good too! I never thought I could pity the Monster, but by the end of the book, I did. And the great part about the book, in my opinion, is that there seems to be no definite hero or villain.

But honestly, my favorite book out of all of them is Long Days Journey Into Night by Eugene O'Neill. It's such a beautifully sad tale!

I've never heard of The Fountain Head! Is it good?

[Carpe Diem]

I also love Jack London but haven't read any since I ws a kid.

1984 is a great book too. and so is Animal Farm. Many of the books you guys mentioned, are ones that I would've listed. Anthem and Fountainhead are great too. I'm going to read Atlas by Ayn Rand but haven't gotten the time to sit down and read it.

Here are some of the books that are special to me
Brave New World
Anna Karenina
Little Women
Count of Monte Cristo
Dracula

[Fallain]

I absolutely LOVED The Count of Monte Cristo.

Books that have influenced me aren't quite as well..."intellectual" for lack of better words. It's not so much the book or how it's written, but the characters in it that grab and inspire me.

Blood and Chocolate for example opened me up to my love for werewolves but Sayuri from Memoirs of a Geisha actually inspired me to learn more about Japanese culture than just anime. I actually read Memoirs of a Geisha twice in a row lol

[Cougati]

@ Glimpse: Yes, then I have heard of that one. I've been meaning to read it, we talked about it in US History.

As for the Fountianhead, I love it. But most of the people who read it with me hated it. It's extremely black and white, and it's pretty heavy contentwise, but a good book to read whether or not you end up liking it.

@Carpe Diem: I REALLY want to read Atlas Shrugged. But it's such a huge book, ahahha. I think I'll read it this summer when I get more time. Out of the others you mentioned, I really want to read Dracula, but I can't seem to find a copy of it. I've heard Little Women as a book on tape, but I've never actually read it. The others I've only ever heard of.

@Fallain: I agree with you about Memoirs of a Geisha. It's such an emotional book. I've read it several times. The movies not bad either, but I was still a little dissapointed.

Have any of you read The Picture of Dorian Grey? That's another one I really want to read, but can't seem to find.

[Fallain]

@Cougati: I know...Just thinking about it makes me want to read it again

I saw the movie first so I loved it instead of being disappointed as I was after reading the book and realizing what all had been left out or changed. But then again reading the book afterward is like opening a present and then realizing that there are other tiny presents inside instead of just the one big one.

And no I haven't. I'll probably get mauled for saying this, but I've never even read Pride and Prejudice. I've only seen the movie.

[glimpse]

I've got to read the Count of Monte Cristo and The Picture of Dorian Grey whenever I get more time! I can't wait for summer. (:

[Carpe Diem]

I've read Memoir of a Geisha and it was a beautiful book. I also love Howl's Moving Castle. It's a cute whimsical book. I enjoy reading fantasy books and Greek mythology books. They are fascinating.

[Cougati]

@Fallain: Sometimes it does work like that, doesn't it?

Don't worry about Pride and Prejudice. Terrible book. I hated every minute I spent reading it, and it was one of the two books I've ever thrown away. Then again, I hate romance in general, so it was incredibly boring to me.

@Glimpse: I too am eagerly awaiting the summer season. Hopefully it will actually give me more time, rather than less, the way it usually does. XD

@Carpe Diem: I LOVE Howl's Moving Castle. That book is a piece of art. I really want to read another book of hers, because I love that one so much. aha...

Greek Mythology is great. Chinese mythology is even better, because most of their gods were humans originally, so they always screw things up in the most interesting ways.

[Carpe Diem]

I love the book of Howl's Moving Castle more than the movie but the movie was great as well because they are so different.

I should look into some Chinese mythology. Do you have any recommendations?

[Cougati]

The movie is great fun. But I love all of his films. They're so...original.

For any quick (and entertaining) overview of mythology, I would go to godchecker.com. They make things SO hilarious to read about (the Egyptian section is highly recommended). Other than that, I normally try wikipedia for a more in depth look, or you can google it.

[Carpe Diem]

I love Howl's Moving Castle best of his movies. Then Spirited Away and then Kiki's Delivery Service. The others are great but I gotta love the three.

Thanks for the link. I'll definitely check it out when I have time. I love Egyptian mythology too. Heck..any mythology is fun to read.

[glimpse]

I totally agree you with Carpe Diem.

MYTHOLOGY IS FUN!

At one point I was really into researching it. And then I slacked off for a year and forgot everything I had learned. v__v But I'm hoping to eventually get back into it.

I saw Spirited Away, but not Kiki's Delivery Service or Howl's Moving Castle. I kind of regret not seeing Howl's Moving Castle because it's probably really interesting.

@Cougati I'm curious, if you hate romance in general - how do you feel about Wuthering Heights? I liked that book although it had a lot of "Oh I love you but I can't be with you"'s. The ending + family generations + Catherine actually dying were what I really found enjoyable/surprising.