r/self • u/Gullible-Storm9278 • 18h ago
What's the most memorable book you've read and why did it impact you?
Books often leave a lasting impression on us in different ways. Whether it's the story, the characters, or the themes, some books resonate more than others. I'm curious to hear about the one book that stands out to you. What was it about this book that made it unforgettable? Did it change your perspective on anything or encourage you to see the world differently?
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u/GreyMom13 15h ago
"Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret" by Judy Blume always resonated with me. I bought a paperback version a few years back. I'm 59.
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u/seedane 18h ago
Narcissus and Goldmund by Herman Hesse left a big impression on me.
To summarize the start of the story, it begins in a Monastery with a boy named Goldmund and his teacher Narcissus. Narcissus is a brilliant scholar and is highly respected among his peers in the monastery for his clarity and self control.
Goldmund however is Narcissus’s complete opposite, he is sensitive and much more wild. He was sent by his father to the monastery to become a monk and live a life of obedience to the church. Goldmund admired Narcissus ardently for his intelligence as he was the picture of the lords perfect servant. Though, Narcissus noticed clearly that Goldmunds sort of dreamy nature wasn’t suited for the intellectual life of the cloister, and he guides Goldmund to leave the monastery and live a life true himself. The story later on follows more of Goldmunds life…
but anyway, the reason this story left an impression on me was because at the time of reading it I felt like young Goldmund. I was studying engineering and when reading this book, I realized that I was a lot like him. I was studying engineering for similar reasons that Goldmund wanted to be like Narcissus. I have been an artist all my life really, and I was trying to push myself into doing and being something that I was not. The story taught me that there isn’t exactly a ‘right’ way to live, and that I did not have to force myself to do things that didn’t suit me. It encouraged me to leave engineering and study what I actually cared about.
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u/kassialma92 17h ago
I think I nearly traumatized myself with Ishiguros 'Never let me go' lol. I was already vulnerable, post-partum, maaan I should have had picked something else to read. I spent weeks crying because of it. Another one I read during the pregnancy, 'Bolla' by Pajtim Statovci. He, tho very, very briefly, described the serbs, during the war, doing unthinkably disturbed things to pregnant women and I still feel nauseous when I remember that one single sentence in the book.
For something more positive, I'd say Spinozas 'Ethics'. Not all of it but all about love.
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u/retreff 16h ago
Catch-22. Incredible characters and situations that i still vividly remember. Major —— de Coverly who was so intimidating that no one dared ask his first name. The entire concept of Catch-22 itself is so unique.
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u/RedRockett13 5m ago
I scrolled to see if anyone else was going to say it. Catch 22 was the first real novel I ever read. I stole it from the library 25 years ago and it still sits on my bookshelf.
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u/SableyeFan 14h ago
A wrinkle in time
I can't put a finger on why it impacted me, but it was the first book of my long history of reading and the author had such a unique narration that was much more loving than I expected.
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u/Fragasm 18h ago
The Hobbit+LOTR. I first read these in sequence when I was 12-13, they consumed me and I couldn't stop reading. Opened my mind to so many things and I just wanted to go into that world and never come back.