Books that have changed your life, your view, your outlook..

[WildGoose]

The former is a bit touchy feely maybe, but I am after some inspiration.

So, feel free to share a book or three that has changed the way you look at things, opened your eyes to something you didn't realise before, or has inspired you to make some kind of dramatic or not so dramatic change in your life.


As major or as minor as you like.

Book title, how and why, if you would be so kind...


Alas, I have not found religion or anything , I have nothing to recommend, it just occured to me randomly while browsing through amazon.
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[silky666]

Walking On Water - by Andy Martin.
Made me travel and become a hippy for a while.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Water-Andy-Martin/dp/0749399147
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There's nothing that shouts "Poor Workmanship" more than wrinkles in the Gaffa tape.

Gaffa tape is like "the force" - it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

[-LG-]

Just finished reading Ben Collins book, enjoyed reading about his time in the Army more than the stuff on Top Gear...one of the reasons why I'm looking into joining the Army.

About to start reading Michael McIntyre's book, I think Alan Sugars will be a good one as well.

[stinkwheel]

Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein.

Made me think a bit more about the concept of citizenship.

EDIT:
Aftermath: The Remnants of War by Donovan Webster.
I had no idea about the scale of the thing. From the hundreds of thousands of unexploded WW1 shells (many of them chemical) still littering France to the quarter of a million unburied German soldiers lying in the bonefields of Russia from WW2 to the US stockpiles of rusting VX nerve agent shells that nobody knows how to destroy.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[pinkyfloyd]

50 dead men walking and the sequel Dead man running by Martin McGartland.

The first book is the story of an undercover agent working for special branch during the troubles in Northern Ireland. Responsible for saving the lives of at least 50 men who will never know he existed.

The second book takes off from where the first leaves off and focuses on his life in witnes protection on the run from the IRA.

Great books.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[CptBlack]

Probably not what you're after, but when I was a kif, two series of books really changed my life: The Famous Five, and Swallows and Amazons. I can still remember most of the storylines and made me want to be in the great outdoors as much as possible, something that still effects me, and possibly encourages me to go out for a spin!

As an adult, a few books have had a big impact. On a very similar theme: 'The Good Life' by Dorian Amos (and sequel) and a book by Richard Proenneke, forget the title, both about moving to, and living in the wilderness of North America (the first in the Yukon, Canada, and the second in Alaska)

I can't think of any other books that have such an effect on me for such a long period of time. I have Mondo Enduro but have put off reading it in case it has too big of an effect on me!

Edit:
Mark Webber recommended 'Wayne Bennett - Dont Die With The Music In You' as something that inspired him this week, hopefully that didn't make him crash though! Will try and pick it up this week.

[KLR600]

Jonathan Livingston Seagull - Richard Bach

It didn't change me so much but at least made me think about bettering myself in a roundabout way, I think it's one of those books that you can take what you want from it.
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Now: '00 Kawasaki ZRX1100R - Past: '84 Yamaha DT125, '89 Kawasaki KLR600, '97 Yamaha XJ600N
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[h00dwink]

"is it just me or is everything shit?"
and
Maddox- The Alphabet Of Manliness
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Sahf East Winnah 4LYF
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www.youtube.com/h00dwink updated regularly

[st3v3]

The Alchemist by Paulo Choelo.

Some believe in fate, or karma, or luck or logic. This for me follows 1 young man on journey of considering each, found it quite insightful. Reason i read it was because Will Smith recommended it in a talk show interview.
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[Charlie]

Into the wild by Jon Krakauer, amazon

Was an interesting read, would be good to see the DVD too. Made me consider and change my views slightly on the concept of living off the land, living in the wilderness.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[MarJay]

[Dragonfly]

[Frost]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/817224164X/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1593640064&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1XP72N9CMZ1736E40F0Q

I read it years ago, some very inspirational and motivational stuff. Such a great author, shame he didn't write me... i wonder what ever happened to him...

[Moonie]

Neil Gaiman - American Gods.
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Don't practice it until you get it right, practice it until you don't get it wrong.
Presenting the one and only Chinkmobile

[pepperami]

To Kill A mocking bird..... By An American bloke whose name I can`t remember.

A story of pre-concieved ideas getting in the way of justice.
A story of Man`s inhumanity towards each other and how that can be addressed by chance and outside of the law.
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[D O G]

"The only way to stop smoking" - Allan Carr

"Forgotton Voices of WW2" - Can't remember.

The first for obvious reasons, the second because it made it clear how utterly, utterly horrible war is.

[Poseidon]

Three Men in a Boat (and not to mention the dog): Jerome K Jerome

I was in absolute tears of laughter to the point of it being painful to breathe reading that book. I wouldn't say it changed my life significantly, but it certainly made me appreciate how much fun it is to muck around with your friends on days out!

Birdsong: Sebastian Faulks

What a pile of tosh... It made me remember why I tend to stick to non-fiction books. Even by the last 50 pages I could've put it down and never wondered how it was going to end. Having read a fair bit of military history surrounding the world wars, it was a disgrace to see how faulks had over dramatised everything to sell a few books.

Bomber Boys - Fighting Back: Patrick Bishop

After having spoken to a couple gents who were bomber aircrew that served in the second war, and listening to them tell truly horrific stories in a very nonchalant manner, I decided to do a bit of reading on bomber command. This book gives a fair idea of all aspects of our retaliation to the german bombing raids. It definitely opened my eyes.
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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[Tonka]

[woo]

The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarrillion - J.R.R. Tolkien

After reading these books my outlook on life changed, I became a lot more understanding and patient on many things.
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[bacon]

[G]

[Suntan Sid]

[Gazz]

Long Way Round - kinda got me interested in motorcycling and touring.

I think I probably had an initial interest in bikes although it was very slight (for the speed factor of them, but didnt pay much attention to makes and models, etc).

And I already enjoyed my travelling, so the touring aspect of bikes, just slotted in nicely.

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

https://www.scamp.ie/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/ladybird.jpg..but who can remember the dogs name?...I can't.

Back scuttling Jane FTW
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[The Shaggy D.A.]