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What book was most influential on your life and why

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    #62
    John
    Registered Users Posts: 12,135 ✭✭✭✭John


    Around the ages of 6-9 Roald Dahl was my life. I went through a few years of absolute rubbish (the Hardy Boys!!!) and then I started to read more grown up books around the age of 12. I read Stephen King (the Dark Tower series is one of my favourite set of books ever, I've read the first four at least 5 times at this stage) and then I found "Lord of the Flies" and wow, it blew me away.

    Over the next few years I discovered Steinbeck, Orwell and lots of the other names already mentioned. I only got around to 1984 last year and that was another eye opener. I wouldn't consider myself political but that book definitely sparked a flame in me.

    As regards my professional life, I'm currently studying science in college. Books by people like Darwin, Dawkins, Hawking, Gould and so on have each impacted on me the beauty of life. Literature isn't just fiction, "The Origin of Species" is as much a classic as ten of Dickons's books. Granted by scientific standards some of it is a bit woolly but you can't deny its importance and its wonderful style.


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    #63
    Paladin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,313 ✭✭✭Paladin


    Surviving The Killing Fields - Haing S. Ngor (Oscar winner for his part in The Killing Fields)

    Autobiography. His actual story about surviving cambodia is much more harrowing than what the character in the movie went through (also a true story).

    Its influential in that it puts things into perspective. Whilst I won't ever experience what he experienced (I hope!), it is moving to read how he had to stand and watch his wife die whilst giving birth to his daughter, when a simple procedure would save her. And him, a doctor, unable to perform it because of the regime in Cambodia basically executing anyone educated.

    What the guy survived through is amazing. And going on to win an oscar the first time he ever acted (he only did it to earn money after escaping to America) is only a footnote at the end of an amazing life (died 8 years ago).


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