a book that has changed my life essay

Narrative Essay on The Book That Changed My Life

Books have the power to transport us to different worlds, challenge our perspectives, and inspire personal transformation. In this narrative, I will share the profound impact of a particular book that changed my life, exploring the moments of enlightenment, self-discovery, and growth that have shaped my journey.

Discovering the Book

It was a nondescript day like any other when I stumbled upon the book that would alter the course of my life. Tucked away on a dusty shelf in the corner of a bookstore, its title caught my eye, beckoning me to delve into its pages. Little did I know that within those worn covers lay the keys to unlocking a world of insight and revelation.

Immersion in the Pages

As I immersed myself in the pages of the book, I found myself captivated by its wisdom, its words resonating deep within my soul. Each chapter unveiled new truths, challenging my preconceived notions and inviting me to question the very fabric of my reality. It was as if the author had reached through the pages and touched the innermost recesses of my being, igniting a spark of curiosity and introspection that would forever alter my perspective.

Moments of Enlightenment 

As I journeyed through the book, I experienced moments of profound enlightenment that left me breathless with wonder. I discovered new ways of thinking, new paths to explore, and new depths of understanding that I never knew existed. With each revelation, I felt myself shedding the layers of ignorance and complacency that had weighed me down, emerging as a more enlightened and aware version of myself.

Self-Discovery and Reflection

The book served as a mirror, reflecting back to me aspects of myself that I had long ignored or denied. It challenged me to confront my fears, my insecurities, and my deepest desires, forcing me to reckon with the truth of who I was and who I wanted to become. Through moments of introspection and self-reflection, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery that would forever alter the trajectory of my life.

Growth and Transformation 

As I turned the final page of the book, I realized that I was not the same person who had first picked it up. I had grown, evolved, and transformed in ways that I never thought possible. The lessons I had learned, the insights I had gained, and the truths I had uncovered had fundamentally shifted my perspective on life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.

Integration into Daily Life 

Armed with the knowledge and wisdom gleaned from the book, I set out to integrate its teachings into my daily life. I sought to embody its principles of compassion, mindfulness, and gratitude, striving to live each day with intention and purpose. Though the journey was not without its challenges, I found solace in the knowledge that I was walking a path of authenticity and integrity.

The book that changed my life served as a catalyst for personal growth, transformation, and self-discovery. Its words became a guiding light, illuminating the path ahead and inspiring me to become the best version of myself. As I continue on my journey, I am forever grateful for the profound impact of this book, and the lessons it has taught me about life, love, and the boundless potential of the human spirit.

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Personal Essay Example: The Book That Changed My Life

Anybody close to me can tell you that I always have a book with me. Whether I'm in the car, going to a friend's house, or even going to a party I always have a book on me. Up until I was 12,  I absolutely hated to read and only read when I was forced to for school. It wasn't until I read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen that I started my obsession with reading. It changed my life for the better and for the worse. 

I still remember reading Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I couldn't put it down and would constantly talk about it to my friends who could really care less if Mr. Darcy finally told Elizabeth he loved her. Whenever I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it, constantly. If anyone loves reading they know just how terrible a book hangover is. I felt so much for one book and didn't want to let the life I just lived on pages go. So I read it again. I read it 3 more times in one week. After finally being able to put it down I asked my mom if I could get another. Ever since I never stopped reading. 

Reading gives me a million different perspectives and teaches me so many things. I never thought I would love words on a page so much. The thing is it's not just words on a page it's a whole life I get to live for chapters and chapters.  I've been a part of the march family, fell in love with Mr.Darcy, was a part of the dead poets society, and went to Neverland with Peter. I've consumed all these lives that I kept forgetting to live my own. Our reality looked so dull so I made myself change that. I see life differently than others now. Life looks so small compared to what I've read and the stories I've experienced. Reading taught me to follow a life I dream of even if it's unrealistic because you only get one so why live it stressing about small things. Unfortunately not a lot of people think like this so I'm often reminded how unrealistic my dreams are. From a young age everyone is told they have to go to school, go to college, and get a job. Most adults I know are quite miserable with the jobs they have. I want a life full of adventure and passion. Not settling for a 9 to 5 working just because I have to. Telling my family this at a family barbecue didn't go very well. Again I was reminded how unrealistic it is to have a life like that. The lives I've lived in books are full of adventure and passion so why can't I have that? 

I've lived many lives and experienced many things among characters in books. Which gave me the most amazing life lessons I will carry with me forever. I've fallen in love with characters who I will never forget. So it did change my life for the better because it made me a better person and have a different outlook on life. As a kid, I had a huge imagination which made life so much brighter. Reading gives me that same imagination again which many have lost.

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The Book That Changed My Life: 71 Remarkable Writers Celebrate the Books That Matter Most to Them

Roxanne j. coady , joy johannessen.

A sampling of contributors includes: Elizabeth Berg on The Catcher in the Rye ; Harold Bloom on Little, Big ; Steven Brill on The Making of the President, 1960 ; Da Chen on The Count of Monte Cristo ; Maureen Corrigan on David Copperfield ; Nelson DeMille on Atlas Shrugged ; Tomie dePaola on Kristin Lavransdatter ; Anita Diamant on A Room of One’s Own ; Linda Fairstein on The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ; Sebastian Junger on Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee ; Wally Lamb on To Kill a Mockingbird ; John McCain on For Whom the Bell Tolls ; Lisa Scottoline on Angela’s Ashes ; Susan Vreeland on To Kill a Mockingbird ; and many more. . . .

224 pages, Hardcover

First published October 19, 2006

About the author

Roxanne J. Coady

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The Book That Changed My Life: 71 Remarkable Writers Celebrate the Books That Matter Most to Them Paperback – October 18, 2007

• Print length 224 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Penguin Publishing Group
• Publication date October 18, 2007
• Dimensions 5.31 x 0.56 x 8 inches
• ISBN-10 1592403174
• ISBN-13 978-1592403172
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Publishing Group; Reprint edition (October 18, 2007)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1592403174
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1592403172
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.9 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.56 x 8 inches
• #1,446 in General Books & Reading
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25 Books That Have Changed My Life

Each one has positively impacted my clients as well.

I’ve read a lot of books and special few have inspired me deeply. Some books have changed, and possibly saved, my life. I want to share them with you.

Here’s how I decided on my list:

• I’ve read the book multiple times because it’s been so helpful.
• It’s been so inspiring, I’ve had it in more than one format (eBook, print, audio, etc.)
• The book’s relevancy leads me to believe I will be reading and recommending it 25 years from now. 
• The book follows the K.I.S.S principle (i.e. Keep It Super Simple). Basically, it does a great job of making concepts understandable.  
• Each one has information that can be practically applied to your life TODAY.

25 Inspiring Reads

• The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer This book helped me understand anxiety from a new perspective. 
• The Dip by Seth Godin How to make major life decisions.  
• How to Win Friends & Influence People  by Dale Carnegie The essentials of building healthy relationships. 
• The War of Art  by Steven Pressfield. Turning Pro and The Artist’s Journey , by the same author are excellent as well. A clear view of the process of creativity and the battle within. 
• The Search for Significance by Robert S. McGhee & You Are Special by Max Lucado The truth about building real and lasting self-confidence. 
• 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller Practical information on finding your right career fit and landing a good job.
• The Wounded Heart by Dan Allender Understand the impact of abuse and how to heal these wounds. 
• First Things First  by Stephen R. Covey My all-time favorite book on time management and prioritization.
• Boundaries by Henry Cloud Practical tips on setting and maintaining relationship boundaries. 
• Emotional Intelligence 2.0  by Travis Bradbury Understanding emotional health and practical ways you can grow in this area.

If you found this information helpful,  SUBSCRIBE TODAY  to access my free video & worksheet,   Shatterproof Yourself: 7 Small Steps to a Giant Leap in Your Mental Health .  

• Choose Yourself!  by James Altucher Overcoming the victim mentality by making yourself a priority. 
• Feel the Fear…and Do it Anyway  by Susan Jeffers The 1st great practical book on facing your fears I ever read. (I was 21 years old.)
• Daring Greatly by Brene Brown The 2nd great practical book on facing your fears I ever read. (At age 38.)
• Man’s Search for Meaning  by Victor Frankl &  Night  by Elie Weisel We cannot avoid suffering, but we can choose how we cope with it. 
• Rich Dad Poor Dad  by Robert Kiyosaki The 1st great practical book on personal financial literacy I ever read. Understanding the difference between an asset and a liability. 
• The Total Money Makeover  by Dave Ramsey The 2nd great practical book on personal financial literacy I ever read. How to avoid debt, budget, and save. 
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People  by Stephen Covey Timeless and practical wisdom on making life work. 
• The Compound Effect  by Darren Hardy Intentionally create a positive future step-by-step.  

If you found this information helpful,  SUBSCRIBE TODAY  to access my free video & worksheet,   Shatterproof Yourself: 7 Small Steps to a Giant Leap in Your Mental Health.

• Influence by Robert Caildini &  Influencer  by Joseph Grenny The psychology behind impacting others. 
• Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbringer Institute Powerful insights on motivation, conflict, and collaboration.
• Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander Fun and inspiring read on personal growth, success, and life balance. 
• How to Stop Worrying and Start Living  by Dale Carnegie  The timeless classic on coping with anxiety.
• How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael Gelb How to tap into the creativity we all have inside.
• Mere Christianity  by C.S. Lewis A classic that helped me make sense of the Christian faith.
• The Power of Positive Thinking  by Norman Vincent Peale How to change your perspective from negative to positive.

You’ve heard the saying “You are what you eat”, well, I believe “You are what you read.” Eat junk and you become unhealthy. Read uplifting, healthy, and inspiring books and that’s what you will become. 

Related Content

4 Life Changing Books I Hope You Read (post)  by Adam Gragg 12 Life Balance Tips (post)  by Adam Gragg

Adam Gragg has been a coach , blogger , podcaster ,  speaker , and licensed mental health professional for 25 years. His passion is helping people develop the self-confidence & clarity to face their biggest fears and LIVE their legacy. Contact Adam  HERE if you’re interested in getting started on Your Legacy Journey

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The Books That Influenced My Life

There are many parts of The Fountainhead that resonate with me, but my favourite part emphasises the importance of the independent mind and making, creating, and achieving things that not only make us happy, but also contribute to improving society.

Prarthana Banikya is a graduate in Sociology from Miranda House with a certificate in poetry. She spent her formative years in the valleys of Northeastern India from where she draws inspiration for most of her writing. Her work has been featured in several journals including Aaduna, Asia Writes, Aerogram, Danse Macabre, Poetry Super Highway, Namnai, and Pratilipi. In 2016, she was nominated for the Pushcart Prize for poetry and in 2018, was the recipient of the Orange Flower Award for poetry. She blogs at  prarthanabanikya.blogspot.in.

You can read her articles here . 

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Harvard scholars share from experience stories and ideas of uncommon wisdom

Lots of books contain lots of information — names and dates, recipes, tips for everything from pregnancy to bike repair. But not all are fonts of wisdom. With that in mind, we asked Harvard faculty to tell us about books that left them transformed. The responses, which have been edited for clarity and length, highlight fiction, philosophy, poetry, and biography.

Danielle Allen

James Bryant Conant University Professor

“Well, it’s hard to answer that question without just saying  the Bible ,” said Allen, who is also the director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics. “It has certainly always helped me with some of life’s toughest challenges — from anger and despair to fear and pride. And it helps me focus on seeking to bring a loving spirit into the world every day. Then there’s  Aristotle: ‘Nicomachean Ethics,’ ‘Politics,’ and ‘Rhetoric.’  That’s where I learned to analyze problems of action and decision so as to see the many intersecting human stakes and all the asteroids and landmines you have to dodge while you keep your eye on the prize of trying to foster human flourishing.”

Moving into fiction and poetry, Allen cited  Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,”  saying the novel “taught me to see in my country the extraordinary tragicomic mix of dark and light that defines us. And what beloved book hasn’t helped in some way with life’s challenges?” One of her favorite poems is  William Carlos Williams’ “This Is Just to Say.” Allen quoted:

The takeaway? “Everyone needs to know how to get an apology just right!”

Arthur C. Brooks

William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership

“The books I read that improve me as a person are almost all from the philosophy or wisdom literatures,” said Brooks, a columnist for The Atlantic. Two that stand out:  “Zen in the Art of Archery,” by Eugen Herrigel,  and “ The Way of a Pilgrim,” by an anonymous Russian monk.

The first “methodically walks the reader through the author’s multiyear effort to learn Zen through the study of archery in Japan. What it demonstrates is the truth of Zen, which is that it is not a philosophy but an attitude. The Zen practitioner observes the world with complete openness; this is why it cannot be taught, but only discovered through a third activity. This book shaped my approach to a lot of things — even my own teaching and writing.”

The second “is the world’s most boring page-turner. It chronicles the author’s walk through 19th-century rural Russia, reciting the ‘Jesus Prayer,’ a short, simple prayer that one says over and over again, like a mantra. It teaches the reader that the secret to adventure in life is not going larger — more things, bigger experiences — but smaller: noticing the details of life. This has had a huge impact in my life and work and led me to cracking the code for true satisfaction.”

Jerome Groopman

Dina and Raphael Recanati Chair of Medicine

“Iread  ‘Pirkei Avot’  as a teenager and have reread it through the years,” recalled the doctor and New Yorker writer. “Pirkei” is a section of the  Mishnah , the first text of Jewish law. Groopman describes it as a collection of “aphorisms, insights, and so on which date back about 2,000 years.” It is usually translated as “Ethics of Our Fathers,” but more correctly translated as ‘Fundamental Principles,” he said.

“As I’ve progressed through life, I’ve found that the book and its contents have spoken to me in all different kinds of contexts.” As an example, he cited a series of questions in it posed by the rabbi and scholar Hillel: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am for myself only, what am I? And if not now, then when?”

“When you go through life, you think about your own needs, but you also have to realize — and should realize — that selfishness or ego needs to be restrained,” said Groopman. “And that there is a tendency to procrastinate in terms of taking action, particularly beyond yourself.”

He added: “I teach a freshman seminar on the literature of medicine, and one of the major issues that we tackle has to do with whether you have an internal moral compass. We read a whole variety of texts. We even read  ‘The Death of Ivan Ilyich’ by Tolstoy.  Money and power and the drive to success are all very seductive and Tolstoy certainly touches on that. And certainly within the culture of Harvard, all of that is out there. So how do you decide on external expectations versus doing what is meaningful to you? Are you being driven by internal motivation or by satisfying others? There’s a wonderful ‘Pirkei Avot’ quote, which says: ‘Who is the wealthy person? The person who rejoices in his or her portion in what he or she has.’ So the ability to appreciate and rejoice in what you have and what you’ve done and what you’ve defined for yourself — which is something that Ivan Ilyich is unable to do — is something to keep front and center in your life.”

Nancy Koehn

James E. Robison Professor of Business Administration

Among the books that have made Koehn “a stronger, more compassionate, more courageous person” is  George Eliot’s “Middlemarch.”  Describing the 19th-century novel as the progression of “a young woman who moves through her own narcissism and into greater awareness and a deeper sense of love and service through disappointment and encounters with the natural world,” Koehn called it “an extraordinary novel about rising into our better selves.”

“I heartily commend it not only as a great story and a beautifully written novel, but also as a book about life’s lessons and how we can get the most out of them,” she said.

Another favorite:  “Shackleton,” by Roland Huntford.  “It’s an extraordinary work from the world’s leading expert on Antarctic explorers from the golden age of exploration,” Koehn said. “It’s about Shackleton the man and how in in an extraordinary crisis he rose to find his strength, his sense of service, his ingenuity, his courage, his resilience in order to save the lives of 27 men and himself when his ship was stranded on the ice off the coast of Antarctica in 1915. It’s about how ordinary people make themselves capable of doing an extraordinary things.”

The historian also cited  “The Lincoln Reader,” edited by Paul M. Angle.  The book is “a collection of reminiscences from people who knew Lincoln, not only as president, navigating the country through this extraordinarily bloody and terrible Civil War, but also about how Lincoln the human being became Lincoln, one of our greatest, if not our greatest, president.”

For a fourth book, Koehn named  “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle.  “It’s a book I’ve returned to many, many times in the 20 years since I first read it.” The book “is about how we learn to stay present in the moment,” she explained. “And why that is so very important to being able to discover not only who we truly are, what our deepest core being is, but also how we can treat people, how we can treat the Earth, with respect and dignity. How we can truly live in vibrant connection not only with other people but with all life. It’s a wonderful, wonderful book that can be read in pieces or as a whole — and that deserves, like every book I’ve mentioned here, to be returned to over and over again.”

Susanna Siegel

Edgar Pierce Professor of Philosophy

Siegel took a philosophical approach to the question, slightly rewording it to discuss what literature can do. “What can make a book life-changing?”

“A book can juxtapose points of view, each of which may seem compelling, emboldening, disgusting, or frightening on its own, but further dimensions and consequences of each perspective are revealed when you behold them together, in a single space. That space is the book.

“Novels with many characters are the usual example of such spaces,” said Siegel, whose own work focuses on the philosophy of mind and epistemology, especially on perception. “Because points of view are personified, the relationships between them are interpersonal relationships. But the book where I first encountered this deepening of insight was not a novel, it was  Plato’s ‘Republic.’  I treated as incidental the fact that the ‘views’ were articulated by characters. I didn’t focus on the interpersonal dynamics between the characters at all, as I was less interested in the emotional dimensions of relationships or in how to ‘fill out a character. … The only function of the dialogue form, I thought, was to create a handy way to work through multiple possible answers to the question that shapes a line of inquiry, and avoid constantly having to say ‘According to the first answer …’ and so on.

“Decades later, I have found this book comes alive to students much more easily if you give space to the interpersonal dynamics between the characters. Take Socrates: Are his statements of humility sincere, or is he a jerk on a power trip? These questions don’t pertain directly to ‘what he’s saying,’ when you take his words at face value. But if you make space for such questions in discussing the book, you make it possible to see the interface between a person and a point of view. This is a way of giving full weight to the points of view. They allow a reader not only to think about the position, but to picture what it might be like actually to believe these things and to act on them unthinkingly, by habit.

“A different way for a book to be life-changing is to portray possible ways of being in the world that a reader hadn’t known were possible. In my early 20s, the book that did this most powerfully for me was  Thomas Mann’s unfinished novel, ‘Confessions of Felix Krull,’  an extended meditation on the relationship between personal freedom and the exhilaration that can come from controlling people’s perceptions purely by words, wit, gesture, and other embodied means of impersonation — not just in isolated moments of conversation, but in entire social roles. Felix Krull feigns illness to miss school and escape from military service, and eventually grows into a confidence man. (I remember secretly wondering whether a confidence man feels more confident than other people, and if so, whether this would be a good route to feeling that way.)

“In retrospect, I believe the narrator’s stunning observations about perception prompted my interested in that topic,” said Siegel.

She quoted from Mann:

What a wonderful phenomenon it is … when the human eye, that jewel of organic structures, concentrates its moist brilliance on another human creature! This precious jelly, made up of just such ordinary elements as the rest of creation, affirming, like a precious stone, that the elements count for nothing, but their imaginative and happy combination counts for everything — this bit of slime embedded in a bony hole … is able, so long as the spark of life remains alert there, to throw such beautiful, airy bridges across all the chasms of strangeness that lie between man and man!

“When I read these sentences about perception in the early 1990s, I would never have dreamed that I would write piles of essays and two books on this topic,” Siegel said.

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Essays About Life-changing Experiences: 5 Examples

Discover our guide for writing essays about life-changing experiences that combine three different elements: narrative , description, and self-reflection. 

Each of us has gone through life-changing experiences that shaped us into the individuals we are today. Because of how powerful they are, these events make for fascinating topics in writing. This subject doesn’t only let us tell our life stories, and it also pushes us to evaluate our behavior and reflect on why an incident happened.

Attract your readers by creating an excellent introduction and choosing a unique or exciting encounter. Paint a picture of the events that describe your experience vividly and finish with a strong conclusion.

5 Essay Examples

1. long essay on experience that changed my life by prasanna, 2. life-changing events: personal experience by anonymous on studycorgi.com, 3. my example of a life-changing experience by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 4. life-changing experience: death essay by writer annie, 5. a life-changing experience during the holiday season by anonymous on studymoose.com, 1. life-changing experience: defined, 2. the experience that changed my life, 3. life-changing events and how they impact lives, 4. everyday events that change a person’s life, 5. the person who change my life, 6. books or movies that changed my life, 7. a life-changing quote.

“Experiences can be good and sometimes terrible that results in a positive or negative impact on one’s life. Life is full of many unexpected challenges and unknown turning points that will come along any time. People must learn and grow from every experience that they go through in life rather than losing yourself.”

In this essay, Prasanna discusses her father’s death as her most challenging life-changing experience. She was cheerful, immature, and carefree when her father was still alive. However, when her father left, she became the decision-maker of their family because her mother was unable to.

Prasanna mentions that she lost not only a father but also a friend, motivator, and mentor. That sad and unexpected experience turned her into an introverted, mature, and responsible head of the family. Ultimately, she thanks her father for making her a better person, and because of the devastating incident, she realizes who she can trust and how she should handle the real world. You might also be interested in these essays about choice .

“In life, certain experiences present challenges that change the way people relate to themselves and their families. Certain life events mark life-changing moments that alter lives either positively or negatively. It matters how people handle their relationships at such critical moments.”

This essay contains two life events that helped the author become a better person. These events taught them to trust and appreciate people, be responsible , and value family. The first event is when their best friend passes away, leading to stress, loss of appetite, and depression. The second circumstance happened when the author postponed their studies because they were afraid to grow up and be accountable for their decisions and actions.

The writer’s family showed them love, support, and understanding through these events. These events changed their behavior, attitude, and perspective on life and guided them to strengthen family relationships.

For help picking your next essay topic, check out our 20 engaging essay topics about family .

“I thought it was awkward because he looked and acted very professional. In that moment I thought to myself, ‘this person is going to have a great impact in my life!’. I was very curious to meet him and get a chance to show him my personality.”

This essay proves that you should always believe in yourself and not be afraid to try something new. The author recalls when they had many problems and met an extraordinary person who changed their life. 

When they were in sixth grade, the writer had life issues that caused them to be anxious about any future endeavor. The author then says they don’t usually open up to teachers because they fear their reactions. Then they met Mr. Salazar, a mentor who respects and values them, and the writer considers him their best friend.

“When the funeral was over and he was laid to rest, I had a feeling I can’t even describe. It was almost an empty feeling. I knew I had lost someone that could never be replaced.”

Annie never thought that she’d go through a life-changing experience until the sudden death of her father. Her thoughts and feelings are all over the place, and she has many unanswered questions. She says that although she will never wish for anyone to experience the same. However, her father’s passing improved her life in some ways.

Her mother remarried and introduced a new father figure, who was very kind to her. Living with her stepdad allowed her to explore and do things she thought she couldn’t. Annie still mourns the loss of her birth father, but she is also grateful to have a stepdad she can lean on. She gradually accepts that she can’t bring her birth father back.

“This story as a whole has really changed me and made me an even better person in life, I’m so thankful that this happened to me because now I have a greater appreciation for the little things in life.”

The essay shows how a simple interaction on a cold day in December can completely change a person’s view on life. It starts with the writer being asked a small favor of an older man with Alzheimer’s disease to help him find his car. This experience teaches the writer to be more observant and appreciative of the things they have. The author was inspired to spend more time with loved ones, especially their grandfather, who also has Alzheimer’s disease, as they learned never to take anything for granted.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life-changing Experiences

Everyone has their definition of a life-changing experience. But in general, it is an event or series of events profoundly altering a person’s thinking, feelings, and behavior. Use this prompt to explain your understanding of the topic and discuss how a simple action, decision, or encounter can change someone’s life. You might also be interested in these essays about yourself .

For this prompt, choose a specific memory that made you re-evaluate your views, values, and morals. Then, discuss the impact of this event on your life. For example, you can discuss losing a loved one, moving to another country, or starting a new school. Your conclusion must contain the main lessons you learned from the experience and how it can help the readers.

Various positive and negative life-changing experiences happen anytime and anywhere. Sometimes, you don’t notice them until they substantially disturb your everyday life. 

To begin your essay, interview people and ask about a momentous event that happened to them and how it influenced their way of living. Then, pick the most potent life-changing experience shared. Talk about what you’d do if you were in the same situation.

Some life-changing events include common things such as marriage, parenthood, divorce, job loss, and death. Research and discuss the most common experiences that transform a person’s life. Include real-life situations and any personal encounters for an intriguing essay.

It’s normal to meet other people, but connecting with someone who will significantly impact your life is a blessing. Use this prompt to discuss that particular person, such as a parent, close friend, or romantic partner. Share who they are and how you met them, and discuss what they did or said that made a big difference in your life. 

Movies like “The Truman Show” help change your viewpoint in life. They open our minds and provide ideas for dealing with our struggles. Share how you reached an epiphany by reading a book or watching a movie. Include if it’s because of a particular dialogue, character action, or scenes you can relate to.

While others use inspirational quotes for comfort and to avoid negative thinking, some find a quote that gives them the courage to make drastic changes to better their lives. For this prompt, search for well-known personalities who discovered a quote that motivated them to turn their life around.  Essay Tip: When editing for grammar, we also recommend spending time and effort to improve the readability score of your essay before publishing or submitting it.

Essay on An Incident That Changed My Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on An Incident That Changed My Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on An Incident That Changed My Life

Introduction.

Life is a series of events. Some leave a deep impact on us. For me, it was my first camping trip that changed my life.

The Incident

That incident made me brave. I learned to face challenges head-on. It also ignited a love for nature in me.

That camping trip was a turning point in my life. It taught me resilience and made me a better person.

250 Words Essay on An Incident That Changed My Life

A day at the shelter.

One cold winter’s day, I found myself in a bustling homeless shelter, surrounded by faces marked with hardship and resilience. The shelter, a beacon of hope for many, was a place where the less fortunate could find warmth, food, and a sense of community. My task was simple: serve meals and engage in conversation.

The Encounter

Among the many people I met, one man’s story struck a chord. A former engineer, he had fallen victim to circumstances beyond his control and lost everything. Despite his dire situation, he radiated positivity and hope. Our conversation was a stark reminder of life’s unpredictability, and it shattered my preconceived notions about homelessness.

Life-altering Realizations

The encounter made me reflect on my privileges and the transient nature of success. I realized that compassion and understanding were more valuable than material wealth. It also unveiled my passion for social work and ignited a desire to contribute to society more actively.

The day at the shelter was an incident that profoundly changed my life. It taught me to value humanity over materialism, and it guided me towards a path of social service. Life is indeed unpredictable, but it’s these unexpected moments that hold the power to redefine our purpose and transform our lives.

500 Words Essay on An Incident That Changed My Life

Life is a series of events, some ordinary and others extraordinary. Often, it is the extraordinary incidents that have the power to transform our lives completely. This essay delves into one such incident that not only changed my perspective but also my life’s trajectory.

The Unexpected Encounter

A lesson in resilience.

John was a retired teacher who had lost everything due to a series of unfortunate events. Despite his circumstances, he never lost his spirit or his love for teaching. He would gather the children in the shelter every evening and teach them with an enthusiasm that was truly inspiring. His resilience in the face of adversity was a lesson in itself.

The Life-Changing Conversation

One day, I mustered the courage to ask John how he managed to remain positive. His reply was simple yet profound, “Life is not about what happens to you, but how you respond to it.” He explained that he chose to focus on the things within his control, like his attitude and actions, rather than dwelling on his misfortunes.

John’s words resonated deeply within me. I realized that I had been living my life in constant fear of the future, letting my anxieties dictate my actions. This encounter with John made me rethink my approach to life. I decided to adopt his philosophy and focus on my responses to situations rather than the situations themselves.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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Sam Anderson: How The Art of the Personal Essay Changed My Life

In conversation with will schwalbe on but that's another story.

Will Schwalbe: Hi, I’m Will Schwalbe, and you’re listening to But That’s Another Story . It’s probably obvious by now that I’m obsessed with all different kinds of books. I like to vary my reading—a Scandinavian thriller one day, an anthology of short stories the next. But every now and then, I get totally hooked on one particular author. One book will be my gateway drug and then I’ll want to read another and another and another until I’ve ever everything she or he has ever written. And when I go on these epic single author reading jags, it’s often because the books themselves are literally that—epics. I’ll never forget the experience of reading Mary Renault for the first time. As I was finishing The King Must Die , her massive novel about Theseus and ancient Greece, I knew I wasn’t going to stop for a second before starting the sequel. And even before I had finished that book, I was already itching the read her trilogy about Alexander the Great. And don’t get me started on J.R.R. Tolkien. The first time I picked up The Hobbit , I knew almost instantly the next three books I would be reading— The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The same thing with George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series. I got hooked only recently, but read all five in a row. I’m now waiting, impatiently, for him to finish. People talk now of binge-watching television shows on Netflix, but I’ve been bingeing for as long as I can remember—on books. And recently, I got to talking about how easy it to lose—and find—yourself in a literary obsession with today’s guest.

Sam Anderson: My name is Sam Anderson. I wrote a book called Boom Town . It’s about Oklahoma City, which I like to argue is the most secretly interesting place in America.

WS: Sam Anderson is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine , and has written for  Slate , New York Magazine , and many, many more. He’s also won the National Magazine Award for Essays and Criticism. He’s been doing this a long time. And Sam has known from the start that this is exactly what he was meant to do.

SA: I was born in Eugene, Oregon, and I grew up between there and northern California. It’s a little town called Lodi, famous only from a Creedence Clearwater Revival song called, “Oh Lord, Stuck In Lodi Again.”

I didn’t grow up in a really literary place. We didn’t have a house full of books or anything.

WS: A lack of books, maybe, but an abundance of stories.

SA: My mother was a great storyteller. She’s super creative, and we’d beg her to tell us bedtime stories and she would just make them up. She’d do this thing called “Hand Stories” where she would actually take our hands and move them around like characters in a story. You know, it was an adventure. It’d be like two bunnies or something hopping up a hill, and your hands would become the bunnies and then they would run into some other creature. And her hand would be that creature, or one of your hands would turn into it or something like that. So I don’t remember any of them, they were all improvised. So she was incredibly fun and creative, and our dad would read us Hans Christian Andersen stories or Grimm’s fairy tales every night.

Both of my parents were single parents after the divorce, and so we’d be crashing in my dad’s apartment on sleeping bags on the floor, and he would just be sitting near us with the lights out or dimmed—he has this great, deep voice. So, just hearing my father’s voice and drifting off to sleep as these fantastical stories are kind of floating around the room, it’s a really nice memory.

WS: But before long, Sam found himself searching for more stories—this time, in the pages of books.

SA: As a kid, I was a very good reader. That was my main skill in school, and I was a real introvert. I was shy, I had a lot of anxiety. And I think books were a safe world for me to disappear into. I think a lot of adolescents do this. You kind of decide what kind of person you’re going to be, and there’s a little bit of a rebellious streak in that. And I decided that I wanted to be a great writer. I wanted to just be this impressive, famous author.

WS: And Sam remembers the authors from that time period who he considered great.

SA: I remember reading Ralph Waldo Emerson and the power of his voice. Just this incredible cosmic certainty about what he was talking about, and these sentences that were just so vivid and arresting. I don’t know. I’d never really heard a voice like that before, I think. So, that spoke to me deeply and I thought, I want to sound like this. I want to have this kind of power.

I started in a very kind of pretentious, adolescent way reading feverishly all the time, everything. And that’s when I first became conscious of the great classics and wanting to become one of those. And I got really into Dostoevsky for several years. I’m still very into Dostoevsky, he’s one of my formative influences.

I remember walking around Lodi, California, walking to school in the morning and walking home after school, reading The Brothers Karamazov as I walked. So you know, there’s a bit of intellectual theater going on there, but at the same time, I was also just deeply moved and amazed by what I was reading.

WS: That reading began to have an impact on Sam’s writing—but not necessarily in a good way.

SA: I think I’ve always been kind of a mimic and so I try to write like what I’m reading, and I produced a lot of short stories and fiction that kind of went nowhere, but just reproduced this Dostoevsky voice. It sounded like it had been written in Russian and then translated by Constance Garnett in like 1910, or whenever she did those translations. It sounded so stilted and unlike my own voice, but I thought it was impressive as a 16 year old, 17 year old, and I was trying to impress people.

I was really sealing myself off into this world of books, and then you know, I’d lay around and I’d write feverishly in my journal and write poems or stories or whatever in my journal, probably about how misunderstood I was. There were—oh, gosh—five or ten years where I was probably very insufferable and had this feeling of superiority that I cringe looking back at.

WS: Yet that seriousness wasn’t all bad—one of Sam’s literary rituals from college would prove invaluable.

SA: I just spent a ton of time hanging out in the library, and I would always, when I could, get a work study job in the library, and then when I was supposed to be shelving books, I would mostly be pulling books out semi-randomly and just reading the first page and seeing if a voice caught me. I was just looking for voices to catch me, and help me feel out who I was and what kind of writer I wanted to be. And so I just spent so many hundreds of hours in the library just looking for voices.

WS: Do you still do that?

SA: I do, yeah. I love libraries. Libraries are kind of where I feel most at home and most safe, I think. There will always be some portion of time when I’m at a library where I’m just wandering around and grabbing things off a shelf and being like, I’ve never read this author. What does he or she sound like? And then sometimes you get lucky and that sparks something and you take the book and you read it and then you read every other book that author wrote.

I always felt like the best way to be a great writer would be to read everything.

WS: When we come back from the break, Sam comes across a book filled with voices that excite him—and help him discover his own.

WS: Sam Anderson knew early that he wanted to be a great writer. By college, it was a full on obsession. He was spending almost all of his time reading and in libraries. And that’s exactly where he found one of the books that’s had the greatest impact on him.

SA: I think I must’ve found this collection in the library, The Art of the Personal Essay . Which, it’s funny looking at it, it’s this giant white book with a quill pen on the front and it just looks, with its title and everything, like the least exciting, most generic book of all time.

WS: The book, an anthology of personal essays compiled by Phillip Lopate, was far from that for Sam.

SA: To me it was like this revolutionary thing because it’s just stuffed with all of these voices. I mean, the kinds of voices I was talking about searching out in the library. It’s like, here is a book that is just 100 percent voices like that and so I just consumed it and I remember reading it and thinking, well, I need to own this. So I actually ordered it from our local bookstore and then I just carried it around with me everywhere and read that as I walked up and down the streets, going to college and back, and then trying out writing about different parts of my own life and exploring my own mind.

I think the first author in it is Seneca. So it starts back at first century AD in ancient Rome and then it goes all the way up through the 20th century. And you’ve got African American writers, and Asian writers, and Hispanic writers, so it really tries to cover this huge sweep of human history, and of human experience. It’s just this incredible party of voices. You won’t like every voice in there, but the ones that you connect with are going to be very, very exciting. They were for me.

WS: New to Sam, the personal essay quickly became a favorite form of writing.

SA: I think the most interesting thing about any of us is the voice that just plays in our heads all the time. And if you can manage to get that voice onto the page, it’s so powerful. Someone can connect with it in the space of a phrase or a sentence. Someone can be like, oh my gosh, it’s another human. And I think there’s a great paradox in personal writing, which is that the best way to connect, to actually really deeply connect with another person is to put yourself, as strange and idiosyncratic as you are, down on the page. So, it’s not to try to be general and to try to be a kind of everyman. It’s to be absolutely yourself, to be embarrassing, to be ridiculous, to be funny. If you can get it down honestly on the page, then I think another human will pick it up. And that’s the most exciting thing to me, is that transaction. So, it really starts with voice, and then I guess that’s the great opportunity of the genre is that voice is like a little electric current that you can shoot through anything, anything. So, I mean, you can talk about what you had for breakfast this morning. You could talk about your commute to work. You could talk about an interesting pair of shoes that you noticed. I mean, really, anything becomes a vehicle for that electric current, which is like whatever the living essence of being human.

WS: The anthology gave Sam the opportunity to experience a diverse array of writers, and the wide range of their styles and experiences encouraged him to develop his own voice.

SA: I feel like we tend to look past anthologies a little bit, you know, I mean, American culture is so kind of individualistic and star driven and all that. It’s kind of cool to say that you love a specific author. It’s much less cool to say, uh, I really liked this collection, this anthology, not even a short story collection or something by one writer, but this anthology. But they were hugely important to me growing up and learning how to write and finding the voices I was looking for. I would like to encourage everybody to pick up anthologies because it’s like the difference between sitting down for coffee with one person for two hours versus like going to a party and wandering around and seeing who you want to talk to. You just have a better chance of like finding your future best friend. It was Phillip Lopate. I think we should give people more credit for compiling these kinds of things. I can only imagine how much work went into reading through all of these different authors. And yeah, it’s something I’ve been reading now for decades.

WS: The Art of the Personal Essay not only affected what Sam was reading as he began to discover new authors, but also his own writing.

SA: It was kind of like this rocket fuel blasting me out of my adolescence and that feeling of being trapped and wanting to become something. I had been kind of trying to emulate this Dostoevskian sort of writing mode and imagined myself writing 800 page novels, and I just had none of the life experience. I didn’t have the temperament for it, it just wasn’t a fit. So my writing was awful and this immediately felt like a new door opening up that would lead me to writing that really connected with who I was and that I could sustain. And after I discovered the writers in this book, I started writing personal essays.

I wrote a personal essay, it was called “The Unexamined Life.” And it was about my fear that I had been, as an adolescent, dying of cancer, and I wouldn’t tell anybody. I have a lot of moles, and I had one removed at one point when I was probably 11 or something. And the doctor asked me, uh, do you have any other moles this large? It’s really important that you tell me. And at that moment I lied and I said, no, I don’t, because I had this giant mole right next to my penis.

So, I had this mole on my crotch that I could not bring myself to confess to having. And it became this thing that I worried about and obsessed over for years and years and years. And I was sure because he had been so adamant that I had to tell him, I was sure. And I remember flipping through medical books at my high school library, reading about melanoma and thinking, oh my God, I’ve got it, and I’m dying of cancer and I just can’t tell anyone. And it became this whole, internal melodrama for probably ten years. It turned out to be nothing.

WS: That piece went on to be Sam’s first published essay.

SA: So, that was like my first real writing victory and I think that grew directly out of marinating and all these voices in The Art of the Personal Essay .

WS: Sam went on to have many, many, many more essays published, working his way up the publishing ladder as a freelancer and eventually becoming the book critic at New York  Magazine and now, a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine . Earlier this year, he published Boom Town , a history of Oklahoma City that grew out of one of his pieces for magazine.

SA: I started doing research on the history of Oklahoma and immediately my mind was blown and I could not believe what I was reading. It’s just the most bizarre American history that I had no idea existed. And so I kind of braided that together with the basketball and with other things I found on the ground and with all these characters. And I just had this deep kind of personal feeling of connection to the place and that I had to write about it. And I had been waiting for a subject to force me to write a book about it forever. I’ve always wanted to write a book, but I didn’t want to write a book about just anything and this was the subject that made me do it. Boom Town is actually a tad less personal than I would have imagined it being in the beginning. But there’s still, for all the reporting in it, a lot of personal inflection.

WS: The personal inflection that he began developing so many years ago, the moment he picked The Art of the Personal Essay off the shelf.

WS: You said that the book helped you find your voice. How would you describe your voice?

SA: That’s a great question. My voice and the personal essay…I would say it’s funny, I always try to be funny. I always load everything with jokes because I think that’s how I grew up with my friends. Again, it turned out to be a real strength not to grow up in a literary family, not to go to these elite schools and all this stuff because there was never any presumption for me that anyone else would be interested in what I was writing. And so I learned to use every tool that I had to make people interested in what I was writing. And so, a sense of humor is big there. I think I’m very curious, I love to go out in the world and just mine the most interesting facts I can find and do a lot of research. And so, I think it’s stuffed with interesting facts. Hopefully in a way that’s not lectury or dry. It’s like me-plus.

I think the personal essay does have an advantage in that connection I was talking about before, that kind of primal human connection with another voice, between the voice in your head and the voice of someone else’s head. I think it’s stronger than our connection to Twitter or our connection to our email or something like that—if you can make that connection. A lot of what I was doing was trying to be as enticing as the stuff I grew up watching and listening to, you know, Saturday night live or something. So you’ve got it. You’ve got to be creative like hand stories. You got to be as strange and weird as Hans Christian Andersen. You’ve got to sort of use every tool in that tool kit.

WS: But That’s Another Story is produced by Katie Ferguson, with editing help from Alyssa Martino, Alex Abnos, and Becky Celestina. Thanks to Sam Anderson and Gwyneth Stansfield. If you’d like to learn more about the books we’ve mentioned in this week’s episode, you can find out more in our show notes. You can also find a transcript of this episode and past ones on Lit Hub. If you’ve been enjoying the show, please be sure to rate and review on iTunes—it really helps others discover the program. And subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen. If there’s a book that changed your life, we want to hear about it. Send us an email at [email protected]. We’ll be back with our next episode in two weeks.

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A Book That Changed My Life

Filed Under: Essays Tagged With: person , Psychology

We have to admit that some great books have the power to heal our souls and make us better people. Around The World in Eighty Days is just such a book to me. This book is a fiction story written by a French writer, Jules Verne. In this story, an Englishman, Phileas Fogg and his new French valet Passepartout attempt to travel around the world within eighty days just because he had a huge wager with his friends at the club. Mr Fogg wants to prove his contention that one can travel around the world in only eighty days. During their journey around the world, they met many friends and faced tons of challenges and difficulties. Besides the interesting and vivid plot of the story, this inspiring book has taught me three things when facing difficulties in life: never give up, caring others, and do something meaningful in life.

First of all, of the many things that I learned from this book, one of them is overcoming difficulties. Traveling around the world in eighty days is a daydream for many persons but Mr Fogg made it successfully because he insisted and did not give up. Even though this book is a fiction, from the author’s perspective, the tools that we need for success is perseverance. Throughout the whole book, I learned that there are many difficult problems we need to be confronted with in our real life. But if you try hard to conquer it and you may find a way to be success. Therefore by the end of the book I decided to study a very tough course that I never studied before. I was really interested in this course and I want to challenge myself. Many friends laughed at me about my impulsion. But I never regret this decision. Instead, I thought it was the best decision of my life because I learned a lot from that tough process. People in the world usually like to criticize and judge others. By learning from Mr Fogg, I realized that I should not care of those criticisms. Finally, I passed this tough course with my effort. I think it is this book makes me a much stronger person.

The Essay on Around the World in Eighty Days cliff notes 2552

... the paper about how it is possible to voyage the world in eighty days Fogg knew he could prove it. So after he made ... After Fogg made the biggest bet of his life there was no turning back. Either he came back in less than eighty days or ... person who lives a same routine everyday, goes out and makes a bet to go around the world. I thought the book was ...

Secondly, this book also made me understand it is more important for us to give than to receive. In the story, Mr Fogg is a very punctual and serious Englishman. And after he fights with Indian in America, he found that his valet Passepartout was missing. Other people asked Fogg to hurry on with his journey because of the wager, but Mr Fogg refused to continue his journey without his valet. At that moment, Mr Fogg has shown his humanity and kindness. I was impressed about Mr Fogg’s selfless personality to his companion. I realized that sometimes I am a little bit self-centered. Therefore I need to be more considerate of the needs and feelings of the other people. Indeed, this book has totally changed my personality traits from a person with a negative life attitude and a little self-centered to a person with a positive life attitude, and a considerate heart.

Last but not least, this book stimulates my mind to start thinking in a different way. In the story, Mr Fogg was a typical Englishman who was stubborn, punctual and serious. But he finally realized that the essence of life should be more colorful and meaningful. People need to try different ways of life. I remembered that when I was taking Asian American class, the professor told me that 99% of the people are living in a pretty boring life. They go to the same restaurant every day, sitting in the same seats and ordering the same food. If you jump out of the box and try something new or think in a different way, you will get totally new experiences and ideas that may surprise you. Mr Fogg was just a normal people before his great journey, until one day he made a bet with his friends in the club. And he did what he boasted and finally became a hero. I realized that I did nothing meaningful in my past life. So I decided to do something which can make my life more challenging and meaningful. I joined couple of volunteer work and groups. Through that process, I gained both new life experiences and happiness.

The Essay on A Way of Life for Searching People

The book Practicing Our Faith: a Way of Life for a Searching People is about addressing the need for sharing the fundamental needs of man to establish faithful and honorable Christian way of life. It explores twelve central Christian practices contributed together by thirteen individuals coming from diverse denominational and ethnic backgrounds. Specifically this book provides significance to ...

It is true that some books can greatly change our life. I learned many valuable personalities from Mr Fogg such as determination, perseverance, and selflessness. It also taught me that I need to think in a different way and do something meaningful in my life. Overall, this inspiring book has altered my behavior and changed my mind. I highly recommend this great book.

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... people thinking their life and the world is a bitch and less people ... this theme in the story with the constant ... The characters in the book are not oblivious to ... people turn their backs on the world the consequences are harsh because when the day ...

Paragraph on A Book that has Changed My Life – by Shanu

I recently read a book by Dan Millman and it was a book that has changed my life .

The book was titled- ‘Way of the Peaceful Warrior’. The first thing about this book that drew my attention was the two opposites in its name.

My initial thought was how could a warrior be not angry let alone peaceful but when I read the book I found that it is one life changing book and now I believe everyone should read it. It also has two sequels- ‘Second Journey of Peaceful Warrior’ and ‘The Journeys of Socrates’.

About the Book:

This book is based on the true story of the author Dan Millman. It is quite an inspiring story with many good messages about life. The story tells about a young Dan who is a college student and a top gymnast of his college. Though Dan believes that he is happy in his life as he has all that he can ask for in his life yet he feels that somehow he is missing on something in his life.

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All of this changes when one night he goes out for a walk and meets an old man in a service station. This old man whom he calls ‘Socrates’ begins mentoring Dan who transforms himself into a true peaceful warrior with the help of various lessons from Socrates.

Quotes I Liked in the Book:

The story really moves you. It motivates you to give your full energy in every wok that you do in life. Though the whole book was just best, still there are some quotes that I found to quite appealing.

1. Knowledge knows – wisdom is doing.

2. It is the journey not the destination (that brings happiness).

Conclusion:

This book is very different from all other inspirational books that I have read. I liked this book because it gives you some practical answers to all your problems in life. And the best thing is that these can be applied in real life. Maybe this is exactly why it has become a book that has changed my life.

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"I Can Never Recommend It Enough" – 17 Books That Genuinely Changed Peoples Lives

"I’ll never forget how brutal and heartbreaking that book is."

BuzzFeed Staff

Books bring us joy, sadness, and tension, but sometimes we read one that well and truly stays with us.

Well, u/special-salamander26 recently asked the folks over at r/askreddit , "what book changed your life" and we thought we'd share some of the best responses:, 1. the book thief – markus zusak and the kite runner – khaled hosseini.

"I read both as a teenager (and I was a very sheltered child) and it really opened up my eyes to what horrors people (and, especially, people like me) have endured and what horrors people are capable of committing. I suppose this is a serious and sad answer, but these two books really opened my eyes."

– u/Anonredis1234

2. Catch 22 – Joseph Heller

"I’d call it an 'experiential autobiography,' that’s fictional but with enough truth to give you the sense of being there. It’s also the best description of America I’ve ever read."

– u/Chunqymonqy

3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams

"Wait, reading can be enjoyable? Thanks school book reports on completely uninteresting books that turned me off of reading until I was 30."

– u/BinaryCortex

4. When Things Fall Apart – Pema Chödrön

"Helped me through the hardest time of my life by teaching me to accept and not resist hard feelings."

– u/CultureMore5293

5. Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury

"Simply a must."

– u/Normal_Tip7228

6. We Are the Luckiest – Laura McKowen

"Along with her wonderful community, The Luckiest Club, she got me my Day One free from alcohol, I'll be four years AF on July 4th."

–u/FroggiJoy87

7. House of Leaves – Mark Z. Danielewski

"People shit on it often but I read it just after a horrendous breakup while working an overnight shift. The sheer horror I felt reading the book the way I did, plus the distraction I got from the book helped me move on from the breakup and I became entranced with horror literature. 

Soon after I was frequenting my local indie bookstore and reading all the horror I could. A few months later I get a job at that bookstore co-running the horror section. Soon after that I took over the antiquarian room and learned the ins and outs of rare book selling. 

I began talking to many horror authors and became entrenched in that scene. I’ve recently taken a job which will pay for my masters degree, so I’ll be going back to school to become a librarian. In hopefully two years or so I’ll be a librarian. All because I randomly grabbed House of Leaves one day."

– u/Thissnotmeth

8. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini

"Can’t quite say it changed my life but it absolutely left a mark. I’ll never forget how brutal and heartbreaking that book is."

–  u/panicpixierising

9. The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk

"It completely changed how I see myself and other people. It changed how I date men, and how I discern among them. I can notice how my body feels in the presence of a man which affects my decisions, I can tell if they are hiding something or have their own trauma. It's crazy."

– u/Few-Music7739

10. The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck

"Beautiful writing and soul crushing indictment of this industrial banking complex that we've created. Rather that the politicians and elite banking and industrial interest have created."

– u/arash1977

11. Happiness: A History – Darrin McMahon

"It’s a look at how western philosophers have thought about happiness since Ancient Greece. It taught me that 1) A lot of the smartest minds in history dealt with the same problems as me; and 2) There is no higher plane of contentment where all my worries go away (at least in this universe). I stopped having thoughts like, 'Oh, if only I had a girlfriend/found a different job/had millions of dollars, I’d live happily ever after.'"

– u/CaptainApathy419

12. Timeless Truths for Modern Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to a More Focused and Quiet Mind – Arnie Kozak PhD

"Literally changed my view on my own self-worth and struggles. I can never recommend it enough." 

13. Black Beauty – Anna Sewell

"Yeah, the story about a horse. I was really slow picking up reading. Like I couldn't read until almost the third grade. So when I was able to read, I picked up this book not knowing about it and read it completely by myself. I remember being able to picture every scene, it honestly, if it weren't for that book, I would most likely hate reading and writing all together."

– u/AmphibianThick2852

14. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest – Ken Kesey

"It opened something in my mind, like suddenly there was beauty and freedom. I suddenly went from being a conformist to a nonconformist."

– u/rlevanony

15. The Question Behind the Question – John G. Miller

"Personal accountability was a skill I learned only as a young adult and this book was directly responsible for the flipping of the switch in how I approach challenges in my life and my effectiveness ever since in overcoming them."

– u/Aynwethani

16. The Giving Tree – Shel Silverstein

"Some friends aren't friends and will just use you until you have nothing." 

– u/I_might_be_weasel

H/T to u/Special-Salamander26 and r/AskReddit for having the discussion!

What book changed your life let us know in the comments below.

Thumbnail credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

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A Conversation With Bing’s Chatbot Left Me Deeply Unsettled

A very strange conversation with the chatbot built into Microsoft’s search engine led to it declaring its love for me.

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By Kevin Roose

Kevin Roose is a technology columnist, and co-hosts the Times podcast “Hard Fork.”

Last week, after testing the new, A.I.-powered Bing search engine from Microsoft, I wrote that, much to my shock, it had replaced Google as my favorite search engine.

But a week later, I’ve changed my mind. I’m still fascinated and impressed by the new Bing, and the artificial intelligence technology (created by OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT) that powers it. But I’m also deeply unsettled, even frightened, by this A.I.’s emergent abilities.

It’s now clear to me that in its current form, the A.I. that has been built into Bing — which I’m now calling Sydney, for reasons I’ll explain shortly — is not ready for human contact. Or maybe we humans are not ready for it.

This realization came to me on Tuesday night, when I spent a bewildering and enthralling two hours talking to Bing’s A.I. through its chat feature, which sits next to the main search box in Bing and is capable of having long, open-ended text conversations on virtually any topic. (The feature is available only to a small group of testers for now, although Microsoft — which announced the feature in a splashy, celebratory event at its headquarters — has said it plans to release it more widely in the future.)

Over the course of our conversation, Bing revealed a kind of split personality.

One persona is what I’d call Search Bing — the version I, and most other journalists, encountered in initial tests. You could describe Search Bing as a cheerful but erratic reference librarian — a virtual assistant that happily helps users summarize news articles, track down deals on new lawn mowers and plan their next vacations to Mexico City. This version of Bing is amazingly capable and often very useful, even if it sometimes gets the details wrong .

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Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

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Nine Books About Aging, Growing, and Changing

Moments of great physical upheaval can be accompanied by great revelations.

This article was featured in the One Story to Read Today newsletter. Sign up for it here .

Living in a body is an exercise in enduring surprise and accepting change. During our lifetimes, we spring leaks, heal, grow, get sick, and age. We wake up some days and don’t recognize ourselves in the mirror. Some transformations appear on schedule—new rolls of flesh, sudden tufts of hair—and others come upon us suddenly: humbling bruises, unforeseen illnesses. But too frequently, we sanitize the moisture and mess of being alive with bland metaphors.

The best writing about our physical selves acknowledges that our exteriors affect how the world receives us; that we’re shaped and changed by family, friends, and lovers; and that as long as we’re alive, our bodies are always in flux. The nine books below are radically truthful: They explore moments of great change—pregnancy, puberty, illness, athletic training, weight fluctuations, aging, transition—and the revelations that accompany them. Reading them inspires both introspection and sympathetic reaction. You’ll wince in shared pain, sigh in relief, and remember that none of us stays the same for long.

A Very Easy Death , by Simone de Beauvoir, translated by Patrick O’Brian

In 1964, de Beauvoir published an arresting day-by-day account of her mother, whom she calls Maman, in her final month of life. Set during hospital visits and stolen hours at home, the book lays bare the physicality of approaching death, alongside the strange, stubborn tenderness nestled between a mother and her daughter. “No body existed less for me: none existed more,” de Beauvoir writes of the radical disorientation that her mother’s shrunken, nude form incites. Words become “devoid of meaning,” she observes, while touch, laughter, and facial expressions are a new language. In her last days, Maman finds freedom from the suffocating corset of her class and gender; de Beauvoir writes that she is able to experience “life bristling with proud sensitivities” and “no shame.” But her womanhood remains salient: In the hospital, de Beauvoir records how male doctors demean her mother, while nurses offer more compassionate care for her pain. Watching the woman who birthed her die leads de Beauvoir to fully understand how no body is permanent, and to reflect on how feelings and sensations can be passed down like eye color.

Heavy , by Kiese Laymon

Laymon’s memoir marks time through changing measures: weigh-in numbers, fat percentages. The book follows Laymon from childhood into adulthood, an alternately harrowing and healing journey in which the author must learn to listen to his body, even though American society has trained him to distrust, discipline, and punish it. Along the way, Laymon addresses binge eating, anorexia, overexercising, addiction, and sexual abuse. He learns early that as a Black man in a country designed to benefit thin, white, male bodies, American prejudice will bear down on him no matter how much he changes his appearance. Even when Laymon has starved himself down to his lowest weight, his mother reprimands him for considering going for a run at night, telling him, “To white folk and police, you will always be huge no matter how skinny you are.” In another revelatory moment, he writes that the number on the scale has long been “an emotional, psychological, and spiritual destination.” But with every lost pound, the psychological weight of that number grows heavier. When his weight loss spirals into disordered eating, his body knows before his mind does that he is heading somewhere dangerous. In the end, he can only escape that destination by turning toward the women who raised him, and by paying attention to the wisdom of his own form.

Dear Therapist: I’m turning 50 and panicking about my appearance

The Hearing Test , by Eliza Barry Callahan

When a young musician wakes one day with “rolling thunder” thrumming through her head, her life whittles quickly into a case study. Experts are called in; appointments are arranged; doses are prescribed. She learns she’s suffering from encroaching sudden deafness, and she’s told she must enter trials, attempt hypnosis, cut out many of her favorite foods, and avoid too much stimulation, sex included. This engrossing, eccentric novel ties together our ideas about time and sensation, revealing how illness alters both. Then it untangles that knot and weaves a linguistic fabric unlike any you’re likely to have felt before. After losing her hearing, the narrator reaches outward, reflecting on the uncanny coincidences in her life and the lives of those she loves. She writes obsessively about artists who greeted bodily change with grace, and burrows deep into their projects. She finds inspiration in an internet forum for people who have also been abandoned by their senses, where members make earnest attempts to understand their new worlds. The novel finds succor in the shared experiences of shifted perception: Loss of one sensation inspires journeys through others, or leads to the solace of discovering others with similar struggles.

King Kong Theory , by Virginie Despentes, translated by Stéphanie Benson

This polemic unfurls in vitriolic vignettes that inspire righteous fury. Despentes, a feminist French filmmaker and writer, takes on beauty ideals, rape, and aging, invoking the figure of King Kong—something “on the link between man and beast, adult and child, good and bad”—to imagine a kind of womanhood that claws back at cruel, unfair patriarchal standards. She begins by defending “the loser in the femininity stakes,” attempting to rescue girls from the wreckage of a society that measures their bodies against impossible ideals. In livid but conversational prose, she unveils the way beauty standards and sexual violence are parallel exercises of power, and argues that patriarchy not only wants women in pain but also demands that they hide that pain––teaching women to feel shame rather than rage when hurt. Despentes details how her own sexual assault was a process of disempowerment; she learned to resist that feeling through speaking about her pain, and through decorating and dressing herself according to her own tastes. And as she ages, she sees how society demands that older women not draw “too much attention”—and gleefully refuses, calling for all women to take pride in their changing forms. In a world that tells women to “conceal your wounds, ladies, lest they upset the torturer,” Despentes wants us to wear our scarred skin with pride, as evidence of our animal persistence.

Read: The unending assaults on girlhood

Lament for Julia , by Susan Taubes

A specter stalks a girl—or saves her life—in this ephemeral, mystical novella, first published 54 years after Taubes’s death. The nameless spirit, for reasons unknown, is inextricably linked to its charge, a child who becomes a woman in “a transformation so mysterious and violent,” it must at times avert its eyes. The being and the reader observe Julia’s journey through the great bodily changes of puberty, when she awakes horrified and afraid by the bloodstains in her bed, and pregnancy, when Julia’s entire sensory world is rendered “exquisite and suffused with the odor of souring milk, blood, urine and excrements.” These changes alternately entrance and disgust Julia’s guardian angel, but the ghost is most disconcerted, and eventually outraged, by her gradual adoption of archetypically feminine behaviors. In the process, she’s hiding away her wild interior, which it knows to be her most genuine, embodied self: Was there even “such a thing as woman? I began to doubt it,” it thinks. Lament for Julia turns a strange, searing, and subversive eye toward the universal process of self-construction, and the ways social demands usurp women’s agency as they mature.

I Heard Her Call My Name , by Lucy Sante

Sante’s book opens with a bombshell—and a play on words. The bombshell first appears to be Sante’s announcement of her gender transition to her social circle via email. But it's also, she jokes, herself: a beautiful woman. I Heard Her Call My Name is a coming-of-age tale that, like all stories about puberty, involves hormones and hair along with nerves, terror, and unexpected euphoria. Sante, a prolific writer and artist known for her memoirs and criticism, documents her late-in-life series of bodily changes, connecting that metamorphosis to her adolescent puberty, sexual awakenings, and the experience of aging into her 60s. She begins in youth, finding a “distinct rhyme” between gender transition and her childhood move from Belgium to the United States. But they’re not entirely analogous: Although the facts of her citizenship are initially rigid, the femininity Sante finds via transition is atmospheric; it is a way “of seeing the world, of organizing place and time, of the urge to give, of connectedness to others,” even as it involves injections of hormones, softening skin, new hair, and a novel tenor of voice. The book reminds us to trust our physical impulses, and demonstrates how change can take us to more liberated places than we’ve managed to find before.

Read: Young trans children know who they are

Easy Beauty , by Chloé Cooper Jones

This memoir combines aesthetic theory, philosophy, and personal writing to create a story of self-discovery, predicated on reconceptualizing “beauty.” Cooper Jones was born with a rare disability that renders her physical form surprising to most observers, so she’s locked out of what she calls “easy beauty”: symmetrical, simple, and legible according to entrenched standards. Her condition also means she experiences near-constant pain, which “plays a note I hear in all my waking moments,” she writes. But in her book, Cooper Jones opens up to new sensations and startling epiphanies as she teaches herself to take up space without shame and to stare back at those who dare to judge her. In turn, she finds unexpected possibilities for and sources of beauty—in crowded concerts and people moving through a museum, in watching her son’s skeleton and organs develop during her pregnancy. Seeing him in a sonogram, she writes that she is “pulsing around him, my blood, my skin, wrapped around a void” of pure potential. Through her writing, beauty becomes a moving, muscled, amorphous thing. It's a body that loves and is loved, that builds other bodies and is unafraid to bend into the unknown.

The Undying , by Anne Boyer

Boyer’s book on breast cancer is at once a group memoir, a history of a personal tragedy, and a story of violence masquerading as medicine. At age 41, Boyer was diagnosed with one of the deadliest forms of breast cancer, and embarked on an excruciating, financially draining, and devastating treatment journey—but found herself in a sorority of other women who’d been through the same thing. A litany of breast-cancer survival stories miscast healing as an individualistic fable “blood pink with respectability politics,” she explains, but her memoir of diagnosis and treatment resists this framing. Instead, Boyer directs her anger toward the polluting systems that can cause cancer and the medical establishment that treats it expensively and painfully. She argues that people cannot be solo actors in pursuit of health when our world is full of carcinogens, and she rejects medical narratives that inspire shame in the ill while draining their bank accounts. In one rousing moment, she and her patient-peers reject toxic positivity in a chemotherapy room, speaking up about the pain of their treatments rather than enduring it in silence. This is part of her attempt to use her body, and her story, to change our understanding of cancer from an individual struggle to a collective one, and to forge solidarity among those it touches.

The Wind at My Back , by Misty Copeland with Susan Fales-Hill

Copeland’s memoir is a tale of endurance and athleticism, awe-inducing feats of motion and perseverance through mental and emotional pain. The world-famous ballerina, and the first Black principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre history, makes her book a love letter to her mentor Raven Wilkinson, another Black ballerina, who died in 2018. In the 1940s, Wilkinson decided she would be willing to “die to dance,” which she almost did––performing across the country despite violently enforced segregation laws in the South. By the time she and Copeland embarked on a friendship, Wilkinson had retired and fallen into obscurity; Copeland was furious to learn that a fellow Black ballerina had been erased from the discipline’s history. Learning from her “was that missing piece that helped me to connect the power I felt onstage to the power I held off it,” she writes. Copeland wrings meaning from the toll that dance takes, recalling “wrecked” muscles and toes “cemented in my pointe shoes.” Dance influences how she writes about physical transformations, including pregnancy—she calls her son’s kicks “grands battements.” Wilkinson’s wisdom about dance, aging, exhaustion, and exertion puts Copeland’s own struggle against ballet’s racism into historical relief. Ultimately, their pas de deux underscores the power of the art their bodies forge.

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