The Book That Changed My Life: 71 Remarkable Writers Celebrate the Books… (2006)

“You could read the same text repeatedly over time, and that something fresh and new would declare itself with each reading - was a revelation to me.”

“I finally got it: a book could do more than help you pass an exam, it could lift you up and sweep you away.”

“I don’t want to reread any of them now, for fear of finding they have aged as gracelessly as I have.”

Harold Bloom says he's read ' Little , Big ' dozens of times. ( )

Marvelous idea and I want the sequel! Finally, I found a book primarily about *reading* instead of about collecting/ hoarding books.

Each essay is entirely different, so I'd be willing to bet that at least a few of them will resonant with every end reader. All are short, most are even under two pages. Now, to be perfectly honest, there were a few too many Literary ones for me, but then many of the writers that contributed are writers of thrillers, journalists, sports writers, etc.

Few books got mentioned by more than one essayist, too, which is interesting. Some essays talked about favorite childhood books, some about manuals for living, some about the latest work that they've been recommending to everyone. Some couldn't limit themselves to touting just one book. Some admit that what work matters to them might not to anybody else.

It's a good source for recommendations, not just for the books that mattered to the essayists, but also for the books written by the essayists. I've got some to add from both sources.

It's also a good prompt for us, reminding us to think about books we've read that have had a major impact on our life or at least on our reading.

I'm going to be opening a discussion about books that matter to us in the marvelous GR Group http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1225-you-ll-love-this-one-a-book-club-more - come join us!

Btw, every copy of this book we buy will buy a book for a family in the Read to Grow program. ( )

A collection of essays by 71 writers on which book has changed their life the most. Interesting collection to read a few entries at a time (not a one-sitting kind of book). Nothing too unexpected, except Harold Bloom's pick (Little, Big) which I had expected to be more along the Shakespeare lines. Most interesting is when you call tell the writer's overall style from a short essay - I recognize the voices of the authors I'm familiar with, but I'm assuming they're all the same. Nice read that gave me a few more books for the old wishlist. ( )

I found this book to be inspiring. As I read it, I found myself asking the question - just what book changed my life? My answer kept coming back to the same thing - ALL of them! I found this book to be an inspiring collection of essays by a variety of authors. Writing styles, humor, individual quirks; small opinions of each writer could be found in each essay. I do, however, have one small complaint. my list of to-read books got much longer during my reading of The Book That Changed My Life! So many books...too little time! ( )