I've never been a big reader but as I get older it appeals to me more and more. For you readers out there..what books have you run across that have impacted you significantly? Don't care if its fiction or non fiction...important part is that you walked away from it with a new understanding, perspective or total mindset.

I’ve probably read thousands of books. As a double major in history and sociology in college I had to read at least 1000 pages for every credit hour.  Today I read from 2 to 4 books every week.

 

The only book that has had any permanent impact on me is the King James version of the bible.

Anything Bukowski

Christine, by Stephen King. I was stationed in Adak Alaska and living in an old rundown barracks with steam radiators for heat.

At nite during the winter i would read the book with all the creaking from the radiators and wind blowing added to the suspense of the book.

"Money: Whence It Came, Where It Went" by John Kenneth Galbraith     jj

The Physics of Resistance Exercise by Doug Brignole.

Teaches a safe and productive alternative to high-volume resistance training,

based on more appropriate exercise selection and more effective exercise performance

Explains musculoskeletal biomechanics as well as the physics principles that are essential for optimal performance of all resistance exercises.

Game changer for me.

A-Jay

 

I’m a strong believer that to understand life and more importantly fishing,  you must understand the concept of randomness.  Here are a couple of books on the subject that I recommend.

 

The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow

Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in Markets by Nassim Nickolas Taleb

Full Disclosure:  I’m a math loving nerd.

-Holy Bible

-The River Why

-Sand County Almanac

-Four Fish

A River Runs through it.

The River Why

Catch 22

Lonesome Dove

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest

King James and NASB has a daily impact. 

a book i read as a youngster was The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway.

The Road.

A sunburned Country, hilarious

 

I won't name books - just two authors

Richard Dawkins

Carl Sagan

Outstanding book on the impact of trauma in children and how we can use this knowledge to better teach them in the classroom.  There are others as well but this is the most recent one for me.  

Still Waters

Alexandra Marshall

 

There was a companion one hour television show on the old PBS science show, NOVA, out of Boston (WGBH) to go with the book. It came out in 1978-79, and fueled my interest in science/biology. The book followed the biology, life and death of a New England beaver pond over the course of one year, and even mentioned largemouth bass living in the pond This was followed the next year (1980) by the release of Cosmos by Carl Sagan, another great book (and related television series) that did the same.

 

 

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

The book followed the biology, life and death of a New England beaver pond over the course of one year, and even mentioned largemouth bass living in the pond This was followed the next year (1980) by the release of Cosmos by Carl Sagan, another great book (and related television series) that did the same.

  

 

 

Sagan's "Cosmos" followed the biology, life and death of a New England beaver pond? I'll be darned! I didn't know that! Learn something new every day!  ? ? ?  jj

8 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Still Waters

Alexandra Marshall

 

There was a companion one hour television show on the old PBS science show, NOVA, out of Boston (WGBH) to go with the book. It came out in 1978-79, and fueled my interest in science/biology. The book followed the biology, life and death of a New England beaver pond over the course of one year, and even mentioned largemouth bass living in the pond This was followed the next year (1980) by the release of Cosmos by Carl Sagan, another great book (and related television series) that did the same.

 

 

I’ve killed several beaver ponds……..

10 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

  

 

 

Sagan's "Cosmos" followed the biology, life and death of a New England beaver pond? I'll be darned! I didn't know that! Learn something new every day!  ? ? ?  jj

lol…fueled my interest in science ? ? ?

Anything by John Grisham.  An incredible story teller that provides a peek behind the curtain at some of the things going on around us. 
Watership Down

Still Waters

The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman. It chronicles in expansive detail the events leading up to the outbreak of World War I and the first month of the conflict. This month we just passed 103 years since the guns fell silent on 11/11/1918, and yet WWI left an indelible stamp on world history that still has an incredible impact on world events today. It’s a fantastic tome and I highly recommend it to anyone who either loves history, or wishes to learn how the world we live in today was forged in iron and blood over one hundred years ago. 

25 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman. It chronicles in expansive detail the events leading up to the outbreak of World War I and the first month of the conflict. This month we just passed 103 years since the guns fell silent on 11/11/1918, and yet WWI left an indelible stamp on world history that still has an incredible impact on world events today. It’s a fantastic tome and I highly recommend it to anyone who either loves history, or wishes to learn how the world we live in today was forged in iron and blood over one hundred years ago. 

 

That was such an excellent book.

 

I don't get to read for fun as much as I used to. Most of what I read nowadays is API documentation and such, but here are a few that I wish I could read for the first time again.

 

Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse

Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland, Christopher Browning

Salt: A World History, Mark Kurlansky

American Gods, Neil Gaiman

16 minutes ago, galyonj said:

 

That was such an excellent book.

 

I don't get to read for fun as much as I used to. Most of what I read nowadays is API documentation and such, but here are a few that I wish I could read for the first time again.

 

Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse

Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland, Christopher Browning

Salt: A World History, Mark Kurlansky

American Gods, Neil Gaiman

Salt: A World History sounds intriguing! 

6 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

Salt: A World History sounds intriguing! 

Wife and I have both read it - very interesting...with some 'shocks'...no I won't spoil it for you.

7 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

Salt: A World History sounds intriguing! 

 

Absolutely fascinating. Borrowed it from a buddy that had it on his reading list at CIA on his way to being a chef.

Just now, MN Fisher said:

won't spoil

 

Well that's the whole point.

Bible KJV 

 

A Woman Rides the Beast by Dave Hunt

 

Bible Prophecy 101 Al Gist

 

Total Money Makeover Dave Ramsey