It may not be the most incredible, but it did have a profound affect on me. Crime and Punishment.. it painted a picture of a warped perspective, a lonely soul, struggling with something only he could see in the moment. As someone who struggled with depression, guilt, trauma, etc.. it spoke to me on a deep level when I read it.
It’s hard to explain, but like.. if you have any memories from childhood where you feel like you had blinders on.. like you were in your own little world and you didn’t have a context for yourself, kind of.. it’s like that.. that’s how I remember feeling about the book. Like the man was walking around with blinders, something inhibiting him from seeing the whole picture and just trapped in his own restricted self-view.
“The Farming of Bones” by Edwidge Danticat, a Haitian-American author. It is a fictional account based on the 1937 massacre in the Dominican Republic revolving around Haitians. After reading about the atrocities that happened during that time I have went on to read all of her novels, which are based in Haiti. Another book by Danticat, “Brother, I’m Dying” is a non-fiction account about her uncle and her childhood move to the United States from Haiti.
A horror film director.. his films are basically banned but he still produces them and people can see them in clubs that are devoted to him. He has a following. He creates psychologically disturbing movies. His daughter dies a strange death and a journalist is trying to find out the truth about her death and the truth about the director. Seriously google it! The author had created actual movie posters based on her characters movies. It’s such a brain twister ! All the way through the book your wondering if what’s going on is real or not real. Kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. So many twists! Every chapter was totally unpredictable.
@Steffi Yes – it is actually presented as a course of study. I started “reading” it about a year or two ago but could just not get through it… could not get past its dryness. Then someone told me to read a different book that would help me to understand it better. It was called “The Disappearance of the Universe” by Gary Renard. If you’re a spiritual person, you may like this book… and it will help you to approach the Course in Miracles. This is not a book for everyone. You have to suspend a LOT of beliefs. You have to give up on organized religion, as such… but if you want a relationship with God, this book will lead you to it. If you want to talk more about it offline, I’m open to that. Many people will not get this and I am not ready to be attacked by a ton of people on Facebook… if you know what I mean. I am for everyone believing what they want to believe – myself included! Let me know – maybe we can friend each other/private message. I am not out to make anyone believe ANYTHING they are not ready for… trust me.
For me it has to be Wuthering Heights, I first read it as a teenager an thought it was a beautiful love story, I then read it again and realized it is so much more than a love story, just an awesome novel.
Great Expectations. I really don’t know WHY I love it, but I do. My most favorite series is Harry Potter. (I’m sensing an English theme here…hmmmmm?). I also love Stephen King, especially The Stand (imho it’s his best).
Replay by Ken Grimwood. I thoroughly enjoy books that make me close said book and stare at the wall for two hours, just thinking. This book does that in a way others never have. Not just thinking, but examining your life to the point you almost slip into an existential crisis. If I was allowed only five books the rest of my life, this one would make that small list. I HIGHLY recommend it! This book quite literally changed my life.
Jacqueline Carey’s Phedre’s Triology, starting with Kushiel’s Dart. I’ve always been a lover of high fantasy, but they completely changed the way I viewed what a book could be and all of the emotions it could engender.
Had you asked this question a couple of weeks ago my answer would probably have been different.
I have to say The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne. When I came to the end of this novel I was not only in tears but I refused to close the book for fear that the world I had been inhabiting while reading would disappear. It is at times brutal, comedic, graphic, heartbreaking, and yet it is a story about love.
Did I mention I love you. I know that it may just be seen as ya chick lit but it also tells us that love can concur any troubles put in the way. It explains that family’s can be messed up and we don’t all have a perfect family and that’s ok. It’s that friends can become family, and of course it is an amazing romance story
Hi. I’m new here and just searching for like minds. To contribute to this thread an utterly amazing book that prompted me to purchase everything by the author and had me in tears at the end of one for the loss of his voice in my head, the book comes as a duo “If this is a man & The Truce” by Primo Levi. Unbelievable.
” Schindler List ” would be my +1 choice. I found myself experiencing a gamut of emotions throughout, and cried, which I do not usually do. I have re-read it often. I will never forget this book .
It may not be the most incredible, but it did have a profound affect on me. Crime and Punishment.. it painted a picture of a warped perspective, a lonely soul, struggling with something only he could see in the moment. As someone who struggled with depression, guilt, trauma, etc.. it spoke to me on a deep level when I read it.
this is one book i’ve never read, but I think I have to rethink it now based on your comments!
It’s hard to explain, but like.. if you have any memories from childhood where you feel like you had blinders on.. like you were in your own little world and you didn’t have a context for yourself, kind of.. it’s like that.. that’s how I remember feeling about the book. Like the man was walking around with blinders, something inhibiting him from seeing the whole picture and just trapped in his own restricted self-view.
And now, I want to read it again to see if I still feel the same way about it. lol… omg.. but what if I don’t and I ruin it.
I’ve had it and the idiot for 3 years. I read the Bros K 2 years ago. I totally forgot about C&P. I might move it up
Memoirs of a geisha..beautifully written
Yes! loved it too! I am so in love with Japan in general…
Anne Frank diary of a young girl. It is my all time favourite book I have re read it many times
The Left Behind series because it super-charged my Faith. ?
i’ve never heard of this series. How did it super-charge your faith?
I read them the first time in 1998 and they sparked my interest in the Bible and prophecy. I read the series 3 times. 🙂 Loved them.
Wasn’t “incredible”. But The Fountainhead was much better than I anticipated
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon… Speechless!!
why speechless?
It’s just amazing… It rendered me speechless and unable to read anything else for ages x
The Glass Castle by Jeannette walls
what was interesting about it to you?
@Jennifer It is a true story and beautifully written..
“The Farming of Bones” by Edwidge Danticat, a Haitian-American author. It is a fictional account based on the 1937 massacre in the Dominican Republic revolving around Haitians. After reading about the atrocities that happened during that time I have went on to read all of her novels, which are based in Haiti. Another book by Danticat, “Brother, I’m Dying” is a non-fiction account about her uncle and her childhood move to the United States from Haiti.
Too many but Eat, Pray, Love comes to mind.
Harry potter…because for me they are timeless, I can read them over and over and find out something new each time x
Other than that birdsong by Sebastian faulks or elephant song by Wilbur Smith both powerful books x
Diary of a Young Girl….to read what people had to endure during a time of chaos, hate, pure evil.
What time period does it take place in?
I agree. It changed my life and I was only 10.
I drove my parents crazy with questions. Then they bought me a history book about WW2.
@Jennifer WWII
The Book Thief.. made me feel ashamed of how materialistic I used to be. It actually changed me x x
I still haven’t read that..
@Leslie it’s fantastic x x
Me too xxx
@Donna def my next read
@Leslie you won’t be disappointed x x
Night Film! Such a psychological twister.
I love psychological twisters… what is the plot? I’ve never heard of this one.
A horror film director.. his films are basically banned but he still produces them and people can see them in clubs that are devoted to him. He has a following. He creates psychologically disturbing movies. His daughter dies a strange death and a journalist is trying to find out the truth about her death and the truth about the director. Seriously google it! The author had created actual movie posters based on her characters movies. It’s such a brain twister ! All the way through the book your wondering if what’s going on is real or not real. Kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. So many twists! Every chapter was totally unpredictable.
Sounds right up my alley! I will look for this book.
Night Film is phenomenal. I’ve never read anything else like it
“Conversations with God” by Neale Donald Walsh. This book series made me reconsider what I actually believe. And I found my (spiritual) home.
i have read them too. I know what you mean……. and I have moved onto A Course in Miracles. It’s not a book you “read” though. It’s a book you study….
Please tell me more, if you like. I have heard good things about that book so far.
It is quite long, isn’t it?
@Steffi Yes – it is actually presented as a course of study. I started “reading” it about a year or two ago but could just not get through it… could not get past its dryness. Then someone told me to read a different book that would help me to understand it better. It was called “The Disappearance of the Universe” by Gary Renard. If you’re a spiritual person, you may like this book… and it will help you to approach the Course in Miracles. This is not a book for everyone. You have to suspend a LOT of beliefs. You have to give up on organized religion, as such… but if you want a relationship with God, this book will lead you to it. If you want to talk more about it offline, I’m open to that. Many people will not get this and I am not ready to be attacked by a ton of people on Facebook… if you know what I mean. I am for everyone believing what they want to believe – myself included! Let me know – maybe we can friend each other/private message. I am not out to make anyone believe ANYTHING they are not ready for… trust me.
That sounds awesome, I have to look it up.
I am thoroughly enjoying everyone’s “most incredible book” comments. I have SO much to read!! I hope it’s helping you, too!
For me it has to be Wuthering Heights, I first read it as a teenager an thought it was a beautiful love story, I then read it again and realized it is so much more than a love story, just an awesome novel.
Great Expectations. I really don’t know WHY I love it, but I do. My most favorite series is Harry Potter. (I’m sensing an English theme here…hmmmmm?). I also love Stephen King, especially The Stand (imho it’s his best).
Thr3e by Ted Dekker
If I told you why I liked it I’d give it away. lol
What is it called?
Thr3e
Replay by Ken Grimwood. I thoroughly enjoy books that make me close said book and stare at the wall for two hours, just thinking. This book does that in a way others never have. Not just thinking, but examining your life to the point you almost slip into an existential crisis. If I was allowed only five books the rest of my life, this one would make that small list. I HIGHLY recommend it! This book quite literally changed my life.
Jacqueline Carey’s Phedre’s Triology, starting with Kushiel’s Dart. I’ve always been a lover of high fantasy, but they completely changed the way I viewed what a book could be and all of the emotions it could engender.
Lord of the Rings, and anything by Neil Gaiman. Because of them, I’m a writer.
Brave new world by aldous huxley. A book before its time.
Flowers for Algernon. We read it in 7th grade and it was the first book I had read that absolutely broke my heart.
Wow. I like books that make an impact early in life….
I’m not sure if it’s truly the most incredible book I have ever read but it’s definitely one that has stuck with me all these years.
Oh my gosh that book and Of Mice and Men destroyed my little 14 year old heart haha
I loved that book in elementary school but when I read it years later, it didn’t have the same impact. Might be time to try it again…
One of my top 5 books
Had you asked this question a couple of weeks ago my answer would probably have been different.
I have to say The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne. When I came to the end of this novel I was not only in tears but I refused to close the book for fear that the world I had been inhabiting while reading would disappear. It is at times brutal, comedic, graphic, heartbreaking, and yet it is a story about love.
This I am going to have to try!!
I am reading that now ! I have read all of John Boyne books and hated when they ended !
Just finished reading it! Pretty incredible!
Did I mention I love you. I know that it may just be seen as ya chick lit but it also tells us that love can concur any troubles put in the way. It explains that family’s can be messed up and we don’t all have a perfect family and that’s ok. It’s that friends can become family, and of course it is an amazing romance story
Hi. I’m new here and just searching for like minds. To contribute to this thread an utterly amazing book that prompted me to purchase everything by the author and had me in tears at the end of one for the loss of his voice in my head, the book comes as a duo “If this is a man & The Truce” by Primo Levi. Unbelievable.
Set i’m collecting now (The Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill), they have made me laugh and made me cry! They are fantastic!!
So many but A Little Life was phenomenal.
Started it, wasn’t in the mood at the time..
U have to b in the mood. Heavy book but well worth it.
Also Catcher in the Rye, Goldfinch, REvolutionary Road, Great Gatsby, anything by Joyce Carol Oates.
Great taste in literature
I loved loved loved Nicholas Sparks’ Dear John. Such a beautiful love story!
Born Survivors- true story of 3 women who were pregnant while in concentration camps and their children survived. Such an incredibly amazing book.
Could you provide the
author ‘s name ? Thank you ! ❣️?
Wendy Holden
@Kathy , thanks so much !
” Schindler List ” would be my +1 choice. I found myself experiencing a gamut of emotions throughout, and cried, which I do not usually do. I have re-read it often. I will never forget this book .