Whether fact or fiction, books are an amazing way for us to escape the harsh realities of life.
With fiction, we can get lost in another world with monsters and heroes and princesses alike. And with non-fiction (namely, self-help), we can work towards becoming the best version of ourselves.
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So, if you’re looking to add a “life-changing” genre to your booklist, people have shared the books that have changed their lives.
Bookworms, rejoice!
‘The Easy Way to Stop Smoking’ by Allen Carr
This book, by Allen Carr, has helped millions of people to stop smoking. One Redditor wrote that they were a heavy chain smoker until they read the book. They went cold turkey after they read it and haven’t had a single puff since.
‘Clan of the Cave Bear’ by Jean M. Auel
“I was about 10 years old and I had seen the movie a dozen times before I found out it was a book. I devoured it in 2 days. I was hooked on the whole series for decades and it started my obsession with books. I will read anything but historical fiction is my favorite and it started with the Earth’s Children series.” – u/ vettechrockstar86
The ‘Harry Potter’ series by J.K. Rowling
Oh, Harry Potter. The book series and the films based on it have changed so many lives in magical ways. Whether that was inspiring kids to read or helping them to escape into a fantasy world.
‘My Side of the Mountain’ by Jean Craighead George
“I was young and have always camped and loved the outdoors (still do) but this book had such an exciting story! It’s about a boy who runs away from home and plans to live in the wild on his own. He goes to a library and checks out a bunch of books on survival and lives in the forest.” – u/ mumbling_87
‘Where the Red Fern Grows’ by Wilson Rawls
If you’re a dog lover, you will love this book. Although, be warned: it will make you cry, as it did to many Redditors. One wrote that they’re 41 and it still makes them cry just thinking about it.
‘Breakfast of Champions’ by Kurt Vonnegut
“The thing about Vonnegut is he can have say such profound things, then in the same book have an aside where he lists the penis lengths of every male character and draws his own [expletive]. I love Vonnegut so much lmao.” – u/ GeneralJohnSedgwick
‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert
This book has taught many Redditors that fear is the mind-killer. Another picked it up when they were 13 and it blew their mind. They wrote that Dune was sci-fi on a whole different level and that it really opened their eyes to what literature could be.
‘There is a Monster at the End of this Book’ by Jon Stone
“It really led me on a journey to overcome my fears and deeply examine what it means to be a monster. Also, pulling really hard against Grover to turn the pages helped me get buff. Really I was helping Grover face fears he was not ready to face. But we faced them together.” – u/ Ethandrul
‘The Power of Habit’ by Charles Duhigg
If you’re looking to change your life, this is the book to read. The author, Charles Duhigg, breaks down what it takes to create and stick to a habit. One Redditor wrote that it was the first self-help book they read that really showed them that we can all improve as people.
‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ by Stieg Larsson
“I didn’t go to highschool for reasons and this book made me go get my highschool degree and go to college because I wanted to become a journalist because of that book. I graduated college last month.” – u/ Wonderful-Reading-42
‘The Hobbit’ by J.R.R. Tolkein
As a young child, this Redditor always found reading to be pretty dull. But everything changed once they got their hands onto The Hobbit , a prequel to the Lord of the Rings series. They realized that reading wasn’t boring; they just weren’t reading the right books!
‘Thinking Fast and Slow’ by Daniel Kahneman
“I had no idea how my overreliance on my intuition was impacting my ability to think through tough problems. It has forever changed the way I look at the world.” – u/ KirbysaBAMF
‘Go Ask Alice’ by Beatrice Sparks
The book, about a teenage girl who develops a drug addiction and runs away from home at 15, really resonated with one Redditor who was doing the same thing at that age.
The book made them rethink their life choices and choose a different path for themselves.
‘Parable of the Sower’ by Octavia E. Butler
“An incredible sci-fi book that was written in the 80s and is a mix of apocalypse fiction, socio-political critique & resilience. Completely changed my world view & put me on the path to sustainable off-grid living, which I’m really grateful for.” – u/ brownanddownn
‘Chicken Butt’ by Erica S. Perl
It might sound like an odd title, but it changed the life of a Redditor whose son has autism. They weren’t sure that he would interpret humor, but the first time it was read to him, he laughed so hard that he shook. It was his favorite for years.
‘The Body Keeps The Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma’ by Bessel van der Kolk
“If only more mental health care specialists read this book. If only more doctors read it. If only more people understood the ripples of intergenerational trauma and abuse.” – u/ shakeastick
‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear
This is a great book to read after you’ve read, The Power of Habit . This book helps you put everything into action, as you learn that small habits result in big changes. Many people have changed their lives as a result of this and Tiny Habits by B.J. Fogg.
‘1984’ by George Orwell
“It gave me insight into how important it is to prevent censorship. It’s important to allow everyone to have their opinion and be able to speak that opinion, no matter how wrong or immoral that opinion might seem.” – u/ Jew_Brooooo
H/T: Reddit
