“The Miracle of Mindfullness” by Thich Nhat Hahn was my most life changing. However, being a child of very little discourse, I would have to say that books in general are in large part responsible for who I have become.

Two that opened my eyes and changed the way I view interrelationships were To Kill a Mockingbird and Cry the Beloved Country. In my innocence back when I read them many years ago I didn’t realize people treated other people in those ways. Especially Cry the Beloved Country…I could not believe that apartheid was real. I studied up on what was happening in South Africa. This was the first event in my life that created an interest in politics and the rest of the world.

Then you’d enjoy Wilbur Smith Barbara, he writes about Africa, and especially South Africa in his Courtneays of Africa series, goes right up until Nelson Mandella was let go. I have a dear friend in South Africa and her husband introduced me to Smith’s books , well written , great plots. Reminds me of James Michener.

“Toxic Parents” by Dr. Susan Forward absolutely changed my life. After a life of guilt and confusion her book seemed to outline my early life and relationship with my Mother. My first attempted reading kept bringing me to tears and I could not continue. I tried again months later and felt that locked windows and doors were thrown open. How completely wonderful to know I was not alone and a total stranger knew about my pain. Since I lived in LA and was within driving distance of Dr. Forward’s office, I called for a counseling apointment. With no health insurance counseling was too costly, however using her book as a guide I am here, happy and guilt free!!! Thank you Dr. Susan Forward.

Sinclair Lewis, Kurt Vonnegut and Flannerty O’Connor are among my favorite authors. They taught me to treat an idea like a snowglobe. To turn it upside down, see if it still holds water, and see what falls to the bottom.

I read a great deal but I don’t feel any one book has been life changing .I’ve learnt a lot, had advice, been given morale support, been made to rethink some of my atttitudes, been made to laugh and smile, been entertained, been guided etc. It’s all been in dribs and drabs. There’s no one Ah!!! book. I love books and writers. I can’t live without books. Perhaps that’s it- the life changing- the fact that I can’t live without books. Of course there are great books out there but they are like the kids, I don’t have any favourites, I can’t.

There have been many books that opened a new way of seeing myself and the world. The most powerful is Power vs. Force by Dr. David R. Hawkins, MD.,Ph.D. I have long been interested in the nature of consciousness and have read most of what Karl Jung and Joseph Campbell have written. This made a strong foundation for me to read and understand Dr. Hawkins work. Two other books I really enjoyed and help me grow a lot are The Evolutionary Mind, Conversations on Science, Imagination and Spirit by Rupert Sheldrake, Terence McKenna and Ralph Abraham. Infinite Mind by Dr. Valerie V Hunt.. We had the great pleasure of participating in some workshops with Dr. Hunt. So it was not just the pleasure of the written word, but some hands on experience.

Don’t have to give any thought to that one: The Bible, without a doubt. Other than that, Norman Vincent Peale’s “Power of Positive Thinking” helped me a great deal because as a child, I was very shy. I read and reread that book - it brought me out of my shell. I enjoy books of all kinds - historical, novels, biographies and auto-bios are among my favorites. Some of the books that you ladies posted are among my most loved reads. Also, thank you for a great list for my summer reading.

I read Black Judges on Justice: Perspectives from the Bench one summer in high school. The book opened my eyes to what struggle really means why it is important to work toward social justice. The book had a profound impact on me at the time, and I go back to that book from time to time for inspiration. -Caitlin allthebestideas.blogspot.com

Perhaps not the greatest read, but I was deeply moved from reading SCARRED BY STRUGGLE, TRANSFORMED BY HOPE by Joan Chittister. I was and still am inspired by this lovely book. Great to pick up just to remind myself that this book provides encouragement and inspiration. CWL

The earliest memories I have growing up in Scotland were the tales from Hans Christian Anderson. I cried when I read The Little Match girl, I loved The Snow Queen, Thumbelina, The Emperors New Suit, the Princess and the Pea, just to name a few, all good lessons in life.