Vallerina 2 #1 August 30, 2004 eeneR lent me her copy of "The Mastery of Love" by Don Miguel Ruiz since it had such a great impact on her. Much of this book had a similar theme (self-love) to a book that changed my perceptions and has helped me grow as an individual. The book that I love is "Feeling Good" by David D. Burns. I'm a logical person, and I love this book because he just uses straight-up logic to help people. His basis is that feelings come from our thoughts. Sometimes our thoughts are distorted. To change our negative feelings, we have to change our thoughts. He gets you to practice challenging distorted thoughts which cause negative feelings. It just makes sense to me, so I was able to identify with it so well. Many people here like to do some soul searching on occasion. What books have really helped you grow and why? EDIT: Oops! Adding on a link to the "Feeling Good" website: http://www.feelinggood.com/ and to amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0380810336/qid=1093827621/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/103-1403823-7827031There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #2 August 30, 2004 The book that's had the biggest impact on me is Richard Bach's "Illusions." I was given a copy of by a friend ten years ago. It totally challenged and change the way I looked at personal reality. "Mastery of Love" and "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz are both on my current read and reread list. All three of the above are on my "buy extra copies to give to good friends" list. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clownburner 0 #3 August 30, 2004 Alan Watts - The Book Probably the single greatest influence of any of the books I've read, with "The art of contemplation" by the same author a close second many years later.7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez "I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RoadRash 0 #4 August 30, 2004 The Power of One Bryce Courtenay "The power of one..." The story is inspiring and teaches self-reliance, responsibilty, strength of mind over body and most of all...the power that one individual possesses to change his destiny... ~R+R~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Fly the friendly skies...^_^...})ii({...^_~... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #5 August 30, 2004 Four Agreements. Mastery of Love is on the list too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unformed 0 #6 August 30, 2004 I've read a bunch of things that have changed the way I think about things: the ones that come to mind: Aldous Huxley: Brave New World Aldous Huxley: Island Carlos Castaneda: Teachings of Don Juan Richard Bach: Illusions Richard Bach: Jonathong Livingston Seagull I know there's more, but that's all I can really think of right now....This ad space for sale. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhino 0 #7 August 30, 2004 *The Bible *Emotional Intelligence *The Art of War *Zig Zigglars Secrets of closing the sale *Personality Plus Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crwmike 0 #8 August 30, 2004 QuoteMany people here like to do some soul searching on occasion. What books have really helped you grow and why? Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche In the darkest time of my life, a friend sent me the book. It's not an easy or light read, but the time was right and pain is a great motivator to change and grow. http://www.yenra.com/quotations/nietzsche.html Michael "These small things--nutrition, place, climate, recreation, the whole casuistry of selfishness--are inconceivably more important than everything one has taken to be important so far." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #9 August 30, 2004 I've read an awful lot of books that augmented my thinking, but probably if I were to name one book that transformed me, it would have to be Huston Smith's, "The World's Religions". I came across that book at a time in my life where I was questioning a lot of things. I wiped my spritual slate clean, so to speak, and read that book. At that point I realized that my beliefs, philosophy and temperament had far more in common with the Eastern faiths... particularly Buddhism... than with the Western ones. Thomas Paine's "The Age of Reason" is one of the most brilliant (and scathing) commentaries on mainstream Christianity that I've ever read. Another good one is Bishop John Shelby Spong's "Rescuing The Bible From Fundamentalism". - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FreeflyChile 0 #10 August 30, 2004 The Far Side Gallery Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SBS 0 #11 August 30, 2004 Stranger in a Strangeland Tao of Pooh -S_____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingnut 0 #12 August 30, 2004 dienetics...... by l. ron hubard........ okaynot really but wondering for so manyyears when i was little whatthe hell the book was with the valcano on the comercial did change me.... only took me like 8 years to find out what it is about...... and i still don't reeally know..... ______________________________________ "i have no reader's digest version" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunaplanet 0 #13 August 30, 2004 Sun Tzu - The Art of War Forty-two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #14 August 30, 2004 How to Lick Your Eyebrows by Seymore ButtsTalking to other guys' girlfriends by SBSWhat are you..... gay ? By W. Eegegirl.Eloy and It's Pleasures by Sun E. ShineGood Vibes by Val Lerina Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QuickDraw 0 #15 August 30, 2004 Hustler 1982 Christmas Special. -- Hope you don't die. -- I'm fucking winning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunaplanet 0 #16 August 30, 2004 QuoteHustler 1982 Christmas Special. Not nearly as good as Swank's Xmas special. Forty-two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #17 August 30, 2004 Greatest Miracle in the World by Og Mandino Personality Tree by Florence Littauer Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis Magnificent Obsession by Lloyd C. Douglas Emotional Intellegence by Daniel Goleman He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #18 August 30, 2004 May 1994 Playboy. There was Christy in all her airbrushed glory. Right in the center fold.....I could stand back and say....Yes....I've had that. I still to this day wish I had her Mom instead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #19 August 30, 2004 “United We Fall” by Pat Works It was dope back in 1978. And it’s online now . . . http://www.cs.fiu.edu/~esj/uwf/uwfintro.htm Nick BASE 194 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
el_chester 4 #20 August 30, 2004 "the fountainhead" by ayn rand a pretty polemic one too - people either love it or hate it -- Be careful giving advice. Wise men don't need it, and fools won't heed it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #21 August 30, 2004 QuoteThe book that's had the biggest impact on me is Richard Bach's "Illusions." I was given a copy of by a friend ten years ago. It totally challenged and change the way I looked at personal reality. Richard Bach - Johnathan Livingston Seagull. suprised it's not been listed in this thread (and this group) yet.----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murrays 0 #22 August 30, 2004 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing: The Campaign Trail by Hunter S. Thompson. Time Enough for Love - Heinlein The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe On The Road - Kerouac The History of the Second World War - Sir Winston Churchill-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 1 #23 August 30, 2004 QuoteAnd it’s online now . . . http://www.cs.fiu.edu/~esj/uwf/uwfintro.htm Thanks, Nick! What a great link! I love Pat's writing and artwork. As for books that have changed my perceptions... not many really, but maybe some of Ayn Rand's stuff ("The Fountainhead" and "The Virtue of Selfishness") - definitely got me to thinking about certain things in a new perspective. Also, as a teenager, I had a couple of books of Jim Morrison's poetry ("Lords and New Creatures" and "Wilderness") that had a huge influence on me at that time. Not sure if that was a good thing though. (Jim Morrison is not exactly the best role model for a teenager!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eeneR 3 #24 August 30, 2004 Er Michael, it has been listed She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway." eeneR TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
towerrat 0 #25 August 30, 2004 Johnathan Livingston Polecat.......Play stupid games, win stupid prizes! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites