Books That Changed the World (Me)

The folks over at Mentalfloss have a list of 46 Books That Changed the World; while I kinda know the gist of a lot of them I'd say the only ones I've actually purposefully picked up & read would be:

1984 (blech)

Anne Frank

Frankenstein (all-time Top 10, maybe even 5)

I didn't read Gone with the Wind but I read a book about the writing of Gone with the Wind and it was fucking insufferable to bear.

Walden zzzzzzzzzzzz, not a patch on anything Emerson ever wrote, other than his line about the mass of men leading lives of quiet desperation.

More interestingly, back in 2011 I mentioned a similar article on Mentalfloss asking, "What's a book that's changed your life?", to whit I answered:

I'd say number one is Little Follies: The Personal History, Adventures, Experiences & Observations of Peter Leroy. It made me realize that it was okay to write as I thought and spoke, which is wandering and digressive, as well as teaching me the ol' "when the truth becomes legend, print the legend" notion. Remembrance of Things Past is the godfather of this style, which Kraft constantly mentions as an influence. Cheaper by the Dozen is a much lighter variation. A great voice telling a great story is unbeatable.

The Grapes of Wrath also had a big impact on me, since it (along with Paddy's Lament) was fairly shocking in showcasing the generosity of those who can least afford it.

Those are still really big ones for me a dozen years later - remember, it's books that I think changed my life, not just my favorite books. I'd add Frankenstein to this short list as well. I'm sure I'll think of five more I've read since 2011 the very moment I hit "Publish" for this post, but this is still a good start.