And for fiction...
The other day my kids and I were watching 'The Secret of NIMH', and I remembered that the book it was adapted from ('Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH' - the name was changed because of trademark worries by Frisbee) was the first one I literally couldn't put down. Aged nine or so, I stayed up all night reading it. Every now and again, an adult would come in, I'd pretend to be asleep, then I'd get back to reading.

The film's a pretty good adaptation, but I was really disappointed that they'd seen fit to add magic to it. The original book is pure sci-fi, with very little of the supernatural about it (we have to allow for the talking animals).
( flatfrog Staring vacantly into space, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:46, 3 replies)

Two...
Notes from a small island - Bill Bryson.
Read this one (rapidly followed by everything else he had ever written) when I was probably 13 or 14. It's had a big impact both on my writing style and sense of humour in a way that no other author (and I read a lot) has done.

A Devils Chaplain - Richard Dawkins
As much as Dawkins annoys me in part (I personally find his writings on religion too aggressive to actually be of any use in encouraging those with religious beliefs - his target, he claims - to actually think; they're more likely to send them onto the offensive), he's clearly a very intelligent and interesting man, and I find very little that I disagree with him on. This book (along with one of my teachers at A-level) was one of the first things to really encourage me to adopt a rational way of thought - to base my decisions and beliefs on empirical evidence.
(Merrep, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:42, 2 replies)

Does it Matter?
By Alan Watts

Not all of the book changed my life but theres one part where he mentions how kitchens have become white sterile places with all the food and utencils hidden away behind solid wood cupboards and how absolutely everything we eat dies for us be it animal or vegetable and how we should learn to respect our food, prepare it properly and not hide it away.

I proptly gutted my kitchen painted it terracotta removed all the cupboards and put up shelfs with hooks, threw out everything ready made and most shockingly for me gave up being a vegetarian after 6 years.

I now prepare everything lovingly even making my own ketchup, all my meat is locally sourced to the point where the lamb and pig I ate last year were called Nigel and Steve. Not many people know the names of what they are eating.

So basically this book made me become a fucking hippy and I hate hippies!

Love ya!
( Peej, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:41, 4 replies)

Hofstadter
My mother picked a big book off the shelf in Foyles when I was 13. 'This looks like the kind of thing you'd enjoy'. It had a big impossible triangle on the cover: it was the greatest book of scientific philosophy ever, 'Godel, Escher, Bach, an Eternal Golden Braid'. I absolutely devoured it - I didn't understand half of it, but I didn't care. It was playful, brilliant and subtle, and it featured dialogues that ran the same in reverse direction, that had hidden acrostics, that represented Godel's Theorem in the form of a Zen koan, ...

Through Hofstadter, I discovered Daniel Dennett and Richard Dawkins, and developed a passion for theories of consciousness, evolution and AI. I really can't imagine who I'd be if I hadn't read this book. (And indeed his others, especially Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies).

A few years ago, while working on a website, I had the good luck to be able to contact many of my heroes, but the only one I literally shook as I spoke to was Hofstadter.
( flatfrog Staring vacantly into space, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:40, 9 replies)

The Story of the Eye
by George Bataille.
Glorious, glorious filth. A friend of mine gave it to me to read at uni and challenged me to get past page 3 without stopping for a shuffle. I failed at page 2.
I still love this novella. Transgressive, shocking, and very erotic at the same time.
( Boss Keloid Got your mother's maiden name tattooed on my arm, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:36, 5 replies)

Anais Nin's "Delta of Venus"
It was the first published piece of erotica I bought and I was delighted to find that it was both fun to read and excellent wank fodder. I was also pleased that such books could exist and be classed as literature of a sort, so I started writing my own. Alas, Anais wasn't really hardcore enough for my liking and so my attempts became less sweet erotica and more utter, dirty filth. Still did the job though.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:32, Reply)

Grim magazines and articles.
I have a good friend who has been through the mill over the years. He's lost his business, his health and his family. During his life being systematically ripped apart his wife committed suicide. For many this would be the final straw but he's managed to (just) about keep it together, although he can be quite volatile and emotionally unstable at times, especially if he’s had a few. A few years back when he was working long hours and seeing less of his family his wife was plunging deeper into depression. She started visiting those sick websites where people goad each other into suicide, she was also reading some pretty grim magazines and articles.

A while back I was round his place, he’s got lots of cool stuff lying around he's a bit of a hoarder to be honest; old valve radios, stuffed animals, bits of old machines, you name it. A lot of it is quite cool and is always worth a poke around. On a high shelf full of dusty volumes and old periodicals I spotted a heavily rusted old iron hook. I picked it up and asked where it was from. This was a bad idea. The look on his face was frankly terrifying, from laughing and joking he instantly flipped to frothing wild-eyed nutter.

"PUT IT DOWN" he screamed at me. I think the whole street might well have dropped anything they were holding at that point.

"Alright mate, calm down" I spluttered. "What’s the fucking problem”?

Through stinging tears and veins popping at the temples he grabbed the rusty artifact and virtually spat these words at me, "This hook hanged my wife"
( spimf ™ is whoever you want him to be, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:31, 6 replies)

The books that changed my life.
First up, 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson. When I read it as a kid, I prayed that it could be real and that I would be able to be a cyber jockey.

Secondly, 'Dune', by Frank Herbert. I read this as a kid but I also read this probably every year. The whole premise of the books made me adore politics and ecology. And fighting in a weirding way.

The other book that changed my life was 'Simulacres et Simulation' by Jean Baudrillard. I was introduced to snippets of it in university in a philosophy class but I really wanted to enjoy the original. Thus, it first changed my life by making me learn French, then it changed my life by wowing me with intangible concepts that messed with my way of thinking.
(powervator and NONE SHALL PASS, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:27, 6 replies)

The Diary of Ann Frank
.

I was on the cusp of puberty, an awkward stage in life, and the friends I had known since primary one had developed a very "emo" outlook on life. But this was the 80s and there were no such things as emos. They were just miserable gits. Pretty average for teenagers, really....

I had bugger all to complain about in life, happy home, plenty of good food, a reasonable time at school. Yet, by spending all my time with these two girls, I was gradually losing the happy-go-lucky nature and cheery disposition that had drawn them to me in the first place. Such is the way of the teenager.

Then, at school one day, we were given copies of the aforementioned diary, to read over the next two weeks. I read it in two days.

It dawned on me just how easy my life was in comparison. So my geography teacher clearly hated all kids? So bloody what? So my parents wouldn't let me stay out til midnight? Oh dearie me.

The realisation that I was making myself miserable for absolutely no good reason was the catalyst I needed to find myself some new friends. Friends I have and cherish to this day.

Mind you, I've never read the book since! Still, it did the trick.
(TheWeeWitch hasn't been here much recently .., Thu 15 May 2008, 16:24, 2 replies)

Let me see
I'm not a big reader, but the follwing are very important to me:

1. Sartre, Existentialism and Humanism
Short enough to digest, dense enough to give a perfect opening on existentialism and living without religion or belief in anything except mastry of the self.

2. Bill Drummond, 45
A book about life, art and rock and roll. Which makes everything seem ok and let's you know there's adventures out there to be had if you're prepared to get silly once in a while.

3. Wumengan
A collection of Zen koans with explanations/expansions, really mind expanding, although it sounds a bit poncy to talk about.

4. God, The Bible
It'd be wrong for me not to mention it, as christianity has played a huge part in my life, all that upsets me about it is how apallingly it's interpretted by the majority.

5. The Art Book + the c20 art book,
My introduction to art, really important.

6. Marx and Engels, The Communist Manifesto,
Between this and Bill Hicks i was convinced away from Marketing for about 2 years.

There are others but these are probably the most influential ones.
( lordsaccharine b3taing is well retro mate, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:23, 1 reply)

A choice between 2
1984 really changed me into a raving cynic - particularly about our government (UK) and has made me fearful for the future.

However for pure enjoyment Catch-22 by Joseph Heller absolutely destroyed any image I've ever had of books. Good memories too as on a family holiday with empty pubs and no girls around I sat on the beach through the day reading this glorious book.

Yossarian is and always will be my hero. His outlook on survival and hedonistic lifestyle reverberated through me. How delicate life can be and how it should be lived and how time with loved ones should be cherished.

Love this quote:

"You know, that might be the answer - to act boastfully about something we ought to be ashamed of. That's a trick that never seems to fail."


MAny quotes that are much better - and perhaps I'm not doing the book that much justice but it really did change my life.
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:23, Reply)

Absolutely everything by Neil Gaiman
The man is a complete genius, and (with the exception of American Gods) has only produced sheer awesomeness.

I invite you to bask in the 100 word glory that is "Nicholas was..."

www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/Smoke+%2526+Mirrors/in/197/

if this doesn't touch you, you either 1) have never heard of Father Christmas/Santa Claus/Saint Nick

or 2) are dead inside.

Also, anything by P.G. Wodehouse:

"I charged into something which might have been a tree, but was not--being, in point of fact, Jeeves.

"Jeeves, I'm engaged."
"I hope you will be very happy, sir."
"Don't be an ass. I'm engaged to Miss Bassett." "

God-like.
( DrPrunesquallor is determined to post more as of, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:22, 12 replies)

Of Mice and Men
was the first book to ever make me cry. It wasn't Lenny dying that did it for me, it was the thought of what George must have gone through having to kill his only friend.

That's quite an achievement for a book, considering I'm an aspie and somewhat challenged in the empathy department.
(DrTeeth, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:21, 2 replies)

"He piled upon the whale's white hump
the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it."

I suspect Moby Dick is going to be a popular choice, however, this is the book that started me (briefly) writing. A great story of one man's rage and thirst for vengeance dooming himself and his ship.

Also, H. Rider Haggard's "She". I have a thing for 19th century adventure stories. I enjoy a good dystopia too, my favourite being A Brave New World. it has Guildford in it. Yay!
( Kroney, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:20, 3 replies)

Lord Iffy Boatrace
I need to get another copy of this book, an ex girlfriend still has mine, tis a truely terribly written book that will make your eyes water with general stupidity. the penetron is a genius invention!
Mr Bruce Dickinson, you cant write books for shit but thank you anyway!
(pogo_it, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:19, 2 replies)

The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
This book is a masterpiece and should be read by everyone, particularly those with a strong faith. I had never considered the fact that I might have been discriminated against for being an atheist and i'd never noticed that I always felt the need to justify myself if someone asked, I would never have the cheek to mock someone based on their beliefs. This book made me realise that it was ok to be faithless and that I don't have to feel bad about my views

read it!!! And in fact if I wasn't an Atheist I would think Richard Dawkins was god!
(monstermunchqueen a queen for the people, by the people, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:17, 6 replies)

The Magic Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton
I can't remember how young I was when I read these three books but I know that they fired my imagination and made me want to read ever single fairytale out there.

Yes Blyton was racist, sexist, and twee but for a child growing up in rural Kent this was a world I understood.

I so desperately wanted there to be fairies and pixies in the woods at the bottom of my garden.

I wanted there to be a giant tree in which people lived, where you could climb to the top and find other fantastic lands.

I wanted magic to be real.

I wanted Moonface and Silky to be my friends. I wanted to eat Pop Biscuits and go down the Slippery-Slip.


Who am I kidding....I still do!
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:17, 17 replies)

The Melancholy death of oyster boy and other stories
Is just something else i tell ya. In fact, yup i have a copy in my "man bag".

Buy it!
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:12, 3 replies)

The b3ta bumper book of sick jokes
A truly harrowing masterwork...
(wrigglesworth, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:05, Reply)

Lordy!
This question is going to have a lot of people on QOTW creaming their pants with anticipation. Here are some of mine for what it's worth:

Nick Carter - a series of American pulp spy novels full of sex and violence with titles like Plague Doom of Death and The Nympho Assassin. They were pure storytelling fodder and everything a teenage boy could desire.

James Bond - tallied perfectly with my fantasy of being a self-sufficient, cold-hearted man who women wanted to shag. Rather than a no-friends geek virgin.

Catcher in the Rye - a book that demonstrates how a writer can totally embody and capture the spirit of their narrator while still being able to stand outside and comment.

Tropic of Cancer - a book about becoming a writer. No plot - just a man teaching himself to feel, and to write abut it.

Kurt Vonnegut - anything by the master. His prose style is perfect and he created a philosophy to laugh at a world so tragic that no god or meaning could exist in it.

Fahrenheit 451 - a book predicting a future when no one would read and when the lack of language results in a lack of thought. That world is here.

Elmore Leonard - nobody writes like this. Only Vonnegut, and he's dead. Leonard writes like we think.

Edgar Allan Poe - he invented sci-fi, horror, adventure and detective fiction. An alcoholic genius whose writing was so good only because he was so off the scale in his near insanity.

Moby Dick - Life - in book form.

The Magic Mountain - Thomas Mann's novel about time. Feels like it takes a whole lifetime to read. I read it while staying in an ex sanatorium, and it's about staying in a sanatorium.

And while we're at it, here are some overrated ones:

Shakespeare - wonderful language, but his plots are shit and characters one-dimensional.

James Joyce - written for the student, not for the reader.

Dickens - great humour and local colour, but a weepy melodramatist.
(frankspencer, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:04, 9 replies)

Futuretrack 5, by Robert Westall
Fuck me, when I got my hands on that book at the tender age of 13, I was hooked. Boy leaves school with top marks, gets abducted by country-running scientists, escapes, drops into seedy council-estate dominated by dole-revenue-earning Games, legs it to Middle Class England and tries to invoke an entire inter-class war to bring down the system.

The furtive wanks in the bathroom over the meagre sex scenes catered for my developing pubescent lust; the subtle balance between pampered protected England and the fenced-off drug-addled Zones made me question my middle-class childhood, and the Futuretrack 5, a lethal race among social rejects on crudely-made bikes fuelled my passion for engineering. Wrapped together in a well-paced, imaginative, unnervingly realistic (to a child, anyway) tome topped it off. I became a reading addict, and devoured Westall's entire catalogue as well as many other authors, and went on to study Literature at university.

With my first pay packet, I ordered on Amazon a reprint of that book that my brother dropped into the toilet when I lent it to him to wank over the rude bits too. Filthy cunt spunked all over the pages, I bet, and had to dispose of the evidence.
( Grrrmachine the indifference engine, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:02, 2 replies)

Scaryduck reminded me of
Umberto Eco - 'Foucaults Pendulum' or Dan Brown for grown-ups. No great back story, just a book that makes reading that great experience for which you would even turn down sex, drugs and/or rock 'n' roll.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Thu 15 May 2008, 16:01, 5 replies)

The Da Vinci Code CHANGED MY LIFE
Intrigued at the fuss over what was described in certain quarters of the press as a "publishing phenomenon", I paid out genuine cash money for Dan Brown's work of religious murder fiction.

I started reading it on the train at Weymouth. By the time I got to Southampton Aiport Parkway, I was so disgusted at the slap-dash writing and telegrpahed plot twists, that I threw it out of the window and vowed to write a book of my own.

So I did. I spent the best part of a year on it, and I dare say it has changed my life.

And it's just as shit as anything Dan Brown can turn out, if not more so, and contains scenes of a sexual nature between consenting celebrity chefs. I will entertain offers of six-figure advances from any major publisher.
( Scaryduck LIKES EGG, Thu 15 May 2008, 15:58, 1 reply)

Haynes Book of Lies
The Haynes VW POLO 1982 - OCT 1990 Manual. If it wasn't for this book I'd be stuck in the slowly shifting sands of the Mongolian desert. Instead, we simply slid this book under the footpump and used it as a flat surface for reinflating the tyre. It's feck all use for anything else, especially actual car repairs.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Thu 15 May 2008, 15:58, 7 replies)

The book that changed my life...
Was the Legless Autobiography with foreword by FrankSpencer.

Some of the critics were less than flattering, stating that it belonged in the fiction section rather than the autobiographical section, however these appeared to be in the minority as general sales seemed to be favourable.

I think the book has a lot of life lessons to be taken from it, mainly that even mundane experiences such as setting up computers for agoraphobic old ladies can be highly amusing with the right author and a few slight embellishments to improve flow of the story.

Franks foreword was rather shocking, but I suppose dead people need loving too.

I give the book 10/10 and it was certainly a lot more interesting than the recent QOTW topics.
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Thu 15 May 2008, 15:55, Reply)

Perfume by Patrick Suskind
And surprisingly I really enjoyed the film version too.

I've never known such an odd, visual experience... such a unique character and a truly bizarre set of events. The middle section where he becomes one with the inside of the hills and goes back into a feral state has to be one of the most incredible sequences I've ever read, and it's a translation so the original must be so much better.
(Waspard has your wank bank account details, Thu 15 May 2008, 15:55, Reply)

The Hobbit
I know, uber-geeky, but I was given a copy when I was 7 and read all of Tolkien's work afterward. Gave me an appreciation of fantasy and imagination, and now 26 years later I have a tenuous grasp on the real world at the best of times, and am a borderline alcoholic.
Thanks J.R.R.!
( Sunburn Go on.... It's character building!, Thu 15 May 2008, 15:55, 1 reply)