Have you ever read a book that just blew your mind? (human, non-fiction)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I just finished Deep Nutrition by Dr. Catherine Shanahan. It didn't "blow my mind" but it did change the way I look at food and how I eat. My whole attitude toward food is different today from what it was just last year and I have made some long overdue changes in my diet. Also reaping the rewards, too, with better health all the way around.
I read In Cold Blood when I was a senior in high school many many years ago. Before any movies about it were made. I have no idea why I read it just that I was a voracious reader and was reading everything at the time. Not only did it blow my mind but stayed with me for a long time. In those days murders happened but they never went into detail in the papers or on the news. So the book shocked me.
I know what you mean about this one. We had it laying around the house when I was pretty young, maybe I was 13 or so - I guess my Mom had bought the paperback and read it. I picked it up and started reading it and couldn't put it down. Stays with me to this day. When people talk about moving "out to the country" to get away from all the crime in the city, this book often crosses my mind. As we have found again this week, random killing of completely innocent people by psychos is something we unfortunately cannot accurately predict.
The Maltese Falcon, which I read on my own in high school, took the bow tied around my neck that was my idea of literature and tore it off with great force. It's a short novel but the age and era of its setting, its characters, its cruelty glimmer and I should have swallowed it whole I loved it so much.
The Island at the Center of the World a non-fiction narrative about the history of Dutch New York truly blew my mind and reshaped my entire idea of this country. The people, the adventure, the comedy, tragedy, strive for democracy. It also made me think about the history I had been fed up until this point, at my own misunderstandings about the founding of America. It was also not dry at all but moist with entertaining stories and people and most of all, ideas.
Several. Death Spiral is the latest. Written By james Boedeker I bought it for my Kindle and have read it once already and I am reading it again. Great book. Unlike most in it's catagory the hero is deeply flawed, not bullet proof and the US Government is not portrayed as the perfect answer for all.
Bad guys are very bad and the victims although not perfect people are people none the less. It really is a great read.
About once a year, I read one that blows my mind, so I'll just name some recent ones:
"Cutting for Stone", Abraham Verghese
"Dragoon Tattoo" et.seq., Stieg Larsson
"Deaf Sentence", David Lodge
"The Reader", Bernhard Schlenk
"The Meadow", James Galvin
All-time, in the non-fiction category, "Let Us Now Priase Famous Men", James Agee.
The Prince of Tides, Pat Conroy
This novel romanticizes all the good and bad stereotypes associated with America's Deep South, with very colorful, vivid language. The author has a way with words and imagery that will sweep you away. The characters are rich, flawed, and addicting. I highly recommend it.
The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
I doubt she needs any introduction. Not really a novel, more so a philosophical theory wrapped in a book, with the characters representing the archetypes of her philosophy. You either love her or hate her, and that's exactly what she intended. Few can challenge her conclusions on the basic of logic. Approach cautiously, and critically.
This thread came up when I did a search for the terms, "Mary Baker Eddy" (see post 65), and I became fascinated reading through all the recommendations!
As a die-hard book lover, I've now added more than a dozen books to my "must-read" list because of this thread.
One book that "blew my mind," was "The Education of Little Tree," which opened my eyes to a new way of looking at "religion" and the fact that there really are "many paths to enlightenment." Couldn't put it down and read it twice.
Another book that I read over and over again is "Be Careful What You Pray For," by Dr. Larry Dossey. He talks about "negative prayer" (schadenfreude) and also how to pray effectively and "medical hexing."
One book that changed my life is "The Comfortable House" by Alan Gowan. It's the story of America's early 20th Century architecture, and it had a chapter on Sears kit homes. I became fascinated by the topic and wrote a book of my own on the topic.
I've had a love affair with books my whole life. I think it's sad that many young people just aren't into books.
Hmm, it seems that it's the nonfiction ones that "blow me away".
The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus by Richard Preston[read it decades ago and have never forgotten it]
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
Oranges and Sunshine: Empty Cradles by Margaret Humphreys
Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson
The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin
How Not To Live Abroad by Shaun Briley
Full-Rip 9.0: The Next Big Earthquake in the Pacific Northwest by Sandi Doughton
Emerging Viruses: AIDS And Ebola : Nature, Accident or Intentional? by Leonard G. Horowitz
A few years ago,after decades of being an Evangelical Christian,I became a nonbeliever,an Atheist and I wanted to learn how/why I could have so deluded myself for so many years,[became a Christian as an adult] and started reading books by ex-Christians and they have been wonderful! Making more sense than the Bible,and preachers ever did!
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel C. Dennett
The Book Your Church Doesn't Want You to Read by Tim Leedom
Farewell to God: My Reasons for Rejecting the Christian Faith by Charles Templeton
Why I Believed: Reflections of a Former Missionary by Kenneth W. Daniels
Society Without God: What the Least Religious Nations Can Tell Us about Contentment by Phil Zuckerman
Last edited by i_love_autumn; 10-19-2014 at 06:22 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
