10 Influential Books Challenge

So this challenge has been going around on Facebook to list 10 books that have been influential to you as a person. I've decided to make it a blog post instead of a status so that I can really go in to detail about the books I choose. I group some together that I feel had the same influence on the way I think or that are just very closely related books. I wish I could put more on this list. I've read tons and tons of books and they've all shaped who I am today. Most of these are also fiction novels and I could write a whole separate list of non-fiction books that have influenced me...and a whole different one of dystopian novels that have influenced me...and probably one for every genre. But I've tried to narrow it down here. Enjoy!

1. Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter series probably has had the greatest impact on my life. I've read the series since a very young age and have loved the whole franchise ever since. Harry Potter taught me about loyalty, friendship, love, morality, ethics, the importance of education, spontaneity and a sense of adventure, hope for a better tomorrow, and to be who I am without concern for how others may perceive me. This series has made me laugh and cry and everything in between. My generation really grew up with these characters and you can see this influence in the attitudes and behaviors of my age group. I've actually had lengthy discussions with peers about the influence of Harry Potter on our generation. I could write a whole blog post just about that, easily.

2. Little Brother, Cory Doctorow (and consequently, its sequel and 1984, George Orwell)

This one probably seems a little obscure. If you'd like to read it, I believe the author has it published for free on his website. I read this when I was 14, in my freshman year of high school. I actually started reading it as a book club sort of thing with my mom after she made a joke that the main character reminded her of one of my friends. I really enjoyed the novel, of course, but it had a deeper impact than that on me. I had recently joined the debate team and was learning to see multiple sides of issues. This book was, to me, the first time I questioned authority and the legitimacy and honesty of our government. Up until this point, I believed what the media told me and assumed that the government always had our best interests at heart. After reading this, I had questions. I did research. I started reading 6 or 7 of the same news story to get different viewpoints. I looked in to conspiracy theories and scandals and highly criticized government actions. For the first time in my life, I was able to ask those above me who gave me orders and rules every day, "Why?".

3. Emma, Jane Austen

Okay, so this one is probably more of a I-really-love-this-novel than a this-changed-my-entire-future sort of book. A problem I often find in novels is their romanticization. Everything just goes perfectly for characters except for a little bump in the road. Emma was the first novel I read that the author took a step back and said, "Hey, things just don't go this perfectly." Yes, everything turns out just dandy in the end; however, the author took her main character and told her, "No. You aren't perfect. Stop pretending you are." I love this aspect of the novel and could really relate it to my every day life. Things usually turn out okay for me, but they don't always. And that's alright.

4. The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne

I read this book junior year of high school for my AP Language class. I'll be honest. My first read-through of it, I absolutely hated this book. The language and grammar are complex, the story seems dry, and the characters aren't at all relatable. After reading this a second time, however, I realized that the book made some excellent points. I learned several lessons from it, including not being hypocritical and considering that someone's situation has more to it than the eye can see. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has a story to tell. We shouldn't make judgements anyways, but if we insist on doing so, we need to know the whole story first.

5. The Prophet, Khalil Gibran

This is another obscure one. I found this sophomore year of high school by accident. There are times when I just roam the library and grab random books. This was one of those times. I just happened to come across this beautiful work of poetry. It wasn't something that really changed who I am but it was beautiful and I admire it to this day.

6. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi

This story was one of my first views into the brutal reality of oppressed cultures. It taught me about oppression and the sweet relief of freedom- including its dangers. There is also at least one sequel to it. I read these when I was very young, so it was a pretty hard-learned lesson.

7. The Bible, Various Authors (and other books not included in it)

This is pretty obvious.

8. The Case for Christ, The Case for a Creator (in progress), Lee Strobel

I've often read the happy-go-lucky be-a-happy-Christian-because-God-loves-you books. these books took a different spin. They were written by an atheist journalist who later converted. The really neat thing about them is their look in to the scientific evidence for Christ and for God. It confronts widely accepted scientific theories and refutes them or accepts them based on modern scientific research. I have often wondered what scientific research existed, if any, and why science seemed so determined to go against Christian beliefs. Some aspects still do, even in modern research, but a lot of the big arguments are no longer valid in today's society.

9. Go Ask Alice,  Beatrice Sparks

I asked my mom if I could read this when I was 13. She said no, so naturally, I took it that night and read the whole thing. I had trouble sleeping for days and days after this, but eventually managed it. Anyways, this is the reason that I never really partied and never had any interest in drugs despite being offered them plenty of times. So thank you Beatrice Sparks for the intense paranoia and phobia that your book gave me. Drugs are bad, guys.

10. Wuthering Heights, Emile Bronte / The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas

Last but not least! I combined these two because they really show the same life lesson. Revenge and hatred are poison. They taught me that love and forgiveness are far better options, not to mention they are just great, quality writing.



So that's it! What are ten influential books in your life? Do we have any in common? Let me know!