Books of influence in your life

[norseman]

I would nominate "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran.
A slim volume of verse that I have been reading for 30 years and everytime I open it, there is something new.

ON SELF-KNOWLEDGE
And a man said, "Speak to us of Self-Knowledge." And he answered, saying: Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights. But your ears thirst for the sound of your heart's knowledge. You would know in words that which you have always known in thought. You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams.

And it is well you should. The hidden well-spring of your soul must needs rise and run murmuring to the sea; And the treasure of your infinite depths would be revealed to your eyes. But let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure; And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line. For self is a sea boundless and measureless.

Say not, "I have found the truth," but rather, "I have found a truth." Say not, "I have found the path of the soul." Say rather, "I have met the soul walking upon my path." For the soul walks upon all paths. The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed. The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.

The Prophet - Kahlil Gibran

Do you have a book like that ?
[sorry folks, I'm a mystic pagan ]

 

[cugila]

One of the most important books in my life is Hamewith by the celebrated Scot's Poet, Charles Murray.
This poem in particular means so much to me. It's written in dialect but is clear in it's meaning.
Gin (If) I was God.

Gin I was God, sittin' up there abeen,
Weariet nae doot noo a' my darg was deen,
Deaved wi' the harps an' hymns oonendin' ringin',
Tired o' the flockin' angels hairse wi' singin',
To some clood-edge I'd daunder furth an', feth,
Look ower an' watch hoo things were gyaun aneth.
Syne, gin I saw hoo men I'd made mysel'
Had startit in to pooshan, sheet an' fell,
To reive an' rape, an fairly mak' a hell
O' my braw birlin' Earth, a hale weeks wark -
I'd cast my coat again, rowe up my sark,
An', or they'd time to lench a second Ark,
Tak' back my word an' sen' anither spate,
Droon oot the hale hypothec, dicht the sklate,
Own my mistak', an', aince I'd cleared the brod,
Start a' thing ower again, gin I was God.

I'm a Christian.

 

[Celtic.Piskie]

Maya Angelou, I kow why the caged bird sings.
That woman is amazing. Absolutely inspirational.

Also The path to freedom by His Holiness the 14th Dali Lama.
A very good read for anyone who's interested in morality/philosophy etc, or who just wants to read about the story of a boy growing up and then being exiled.

 

[Patch]

My favourite book is The Hungry Hungry Caterpillar.

I like the pictures.

 

[ham79]

to kill a mocking bird

 

[ZACNEMMA]

Rudyard Kipling-If

 

[dibrose]

Mine has got to be Dr Bernstein diabetes soloution and cookbook saved my life.----------------------------he is my hero

 

[Rushy]

LAO TZU’S TAO TE CHING
It really did change my life!

 

[IanD]

The Holy Bible, the word of God, that reveals Jesus my Saviour & Lord.

 

[hanadr]

All these are worthy and uplifting( except the hungry caterpillar) and so we should feed our souls with work like this. The next on my list is "Knowing Jesus" The vicar used it to give a superb and thought provoking sermon on Sunday.
However, for sheer childish joy, I'd have to have "The Gruffalo". I shall be watching it on TV over Christmas.

 

[rottweilsteve]

Rachel Pollack's "Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom", which was the first "heavyweight" Tarot book I ever read. I've read many others since, some better, most of them not as good, but none of them has carried that "aha!" feeling that persisted as I read 78 Degrees.