One book which changed your life

complete Beatles songbook.
not exactly a life changer but it is the book i used to learn the beginnings of guitar playing so yeah maybe it did.
 
Stick Control- account of the fact that I've been a slave to it since 1980.
 
Stick Control- account of the fact that I've been a slave to it since 1980.

The book that I would marry, if I weren't already hitched.

I haven't read a book that has actually changed my life, but there have been one or two that have clarified a few things.
 
I read The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) as a young teen and the idea of art before commerce really resonated with me. As I got older, I came to see Rand as more of a whack-job, but to this day The Fountainhead's core principal with regard to the arts is still intact.
 
I read The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) as a young teen and the idea of art before commerce really resonated with me. As I got older, I came to see Rand as more of a whack-job, but to this day The Fountainhead's core principal with regard to the arts is still intact.

From what I remember, the Fountainhead's core principal regarding the arts is: don't do what you have to do to make a living, do what you want to do even if you starve doing it.

No thanks. And you're right, Rand was a very nasty whack job.
 
"Ishmael" is a favorite of mine. It made me realize why I felt such conflict about so many social norms - they don't make sense!

The author hopes that enough awareness will turn things around, but I am not really so hopeful. Nevertheless, I appreciated the impetus the book gave me to look at things in a new light. Understanding is important, even if it doesn't change the world.
 
From what I remember, the Fountainhead's core principal regarding the arts is: don't do what you have to do to make a living, do what you want to do even if you starve doing it.

No thanks. And you're right, Rand was a very nasty whack job.
My take away was that it's better to take a day job to keep from starving than to compromise your aesthetic sense if you have one.

Case in point - after many years of making great records and wowing audiences with The Dregs and Steve Morse, Rod Morgenstien decided it would be a good idea to take the Winger gig, swapping out his trademark big smile and tie-dye shirts for big teased up hair and surly sex-god facial expressions, all at the specific direction of the marketing dept, but he went along with it.

Sure, he got paid alright, but I'd say his "brand" took a huge hit and that move did him more long term harm than good. Plus now he has to live down having played in one the most egregiously awful corporate shit-rock bands in history.

All for what, money? No thanks.
 
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My take away was that it's better to take a day job to keep from starving than to compromise your aesthetic sense if you have one.

Case in point - after many years of making great records and wowing audiences with The Dregs and Steve Morse, Rod Morgenstien decided it would be a good idea to take the Winger gig, swapping out his trademark big smile and tie-dye shirts for big teased up hair and surly sex-god facial expressions, all at the specific direction of the marketing dept, but he went along with it.

Sure, he got paid alright, but I'd say his "brand" took a huge hit and that move did him more long term harm than good. Plus now he has to live down having played in one the most egregiously awful corporate shit-rock bands in history.

All for what, money? No thanks.
Well said, once you lose your artistic integrity, what else is there?
 
"Ishmael" is a favorite of mine. It made me realize why I felt such conflict about so many social norms - they don't make sense!

The author hopes that enough awareness will turn things around, but I am not really so hopeful. Nevertheless, I appreciated the impetus the book gave me to look at things in a new light. Understanding is important, even if it doesn't change the world.
Glad someone else chimed in!

This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me.
Ha ha! ;)
 
A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway. It started my thirst for learning about the historical events during WW1 and WW2.
 
"The Joy of Sex"
Oh goodness Me! ......... And on the serious side "Iron John" by Robert Bly It will blow your mind.
 
I've been wanting to reply to this thread, but I couldn't narrow it down to ONE book. But then, inspired by another thread today, I recalled there is one book and one book only that has complete changed and inspired my life: the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. I think the Stephen Mitchell translation is the best.

If you want to check out Taoist ideas in a simpler format, The Tao of Pooh is really good:
“Rabbit's clever," said Pooh thoughtfully.
"Yes," said Piglet, "Rabbit's clever."
"And he has Brain."
"Yes," said Piglet, "Rabbit has Brain."
There was a long silence.
"I suppose," said Pooh, "that that's why he never understands anything.”
― Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh
 
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