On the heels of Banned Books Week and in preparation for the next Bookrageous podcast recording, I’ve been thinking a lot about subversive books: books I felt like I shouldn’t be reading, books that changed the way I think or live or view the world in significant ways, books that I sought out because I knew they would challenge me, and books that surprised me with their impact.
Some of the answers came immediately, particularly for books I knew were changing me as I read them. See: Flowers in the Attic ,which I read by flashlight after my parents fell asleep, and Leonore Tiefer’s Sex Is Not a Natural Act, which took everything I thought I knew about sexuality and turned it on its head. Others, like The Giver, shaped me in ways I didn’t recognize until years later. Toni Morrison, bell hooks, Margaret Atwood. Manifesta. “A Doll’s House.” Native Son. The list is long and constantly evolving. And isn’t this why we read in the first place, to be challenged and pushed and redefined?
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Kathryn onOctober 6th, 2011 5:22 am Books that changed me: 1) the Bible 2) Atlas Shrugged 3) God’s Story by Anne Graham Lotz 4) Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard 5) Leap of faith by Queen Noor al Hussien 6) Israel My Beloved by Kay Arthur 7) The Highest Tide 
Ellie onOctober 6th, 2011 8:07 am Along the lines of your mention of ‘Flowers in the Attic’, the first book that came to mind reading this post was Tabitha Suzuma’s ‘Forbidden’. It’s about a brother and sister who are basically parents to their younger siblings thanks to an absent father and alcoholic mother – and then they fall in love. I knew it would challenge me and my entire world view, for better or worse, and I was right. It completely blew me away, moved me to racking sobs, and shifted my perspective on life and love in a way that I’ll probably never forget. I’ve since looked up some of Suzuma’s other books and they’re waiting impatiently on my shelves!
I’ll be looking up a couple of the other titles you mentioned, because I think that subversive and unusual books are so important if you’re going to challenge yourself and grow as a person. What better way to stimulate thought and reflection than to curl up with a cuppa and a book?!
Ellie´s last blog ..Second-hand bookshops: just not ‘choice’ enough…
Amber onOctober 6th, 2011 10:28 am Some books that changed me:
1. cunt: A Declaration of Independence
2. Flowers in the attic
3. The Harry Potter books which taught me that being nerdy was fun and there was a nerd community
Anne Holly onOctober 6th, 2011 1:22 pm It might be a bit cliched, but Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl really did change me, I think. It put whining into perspective, and has been a great help to me. Also, Talal Asad’s books have all really changed the way I see “mainstream” or “normal” culture.
Anne Holly´s last blog ..Mourning My Local Blockbuster
Jeff O'Neal onOctober 6th, 2011 1:22 pm Weirdly, EAST OF EDEN. The message of forgiveness in that book has stuck with me, much to my betterment.
Also, THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE series transformed a budding interest in reading into an all-out inferno. Hard to imagine loving any books now as I loved those then.
Liz onOctober 6th, 2011 1:27 pm Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl educated me on the transcendent power of love and the importance of hope as a means of survival. I read this book in college and still think about it often.
Book Blogger Hop: 10/7-10/10 onOctober 6th, 2011 9:03 pm[...] post that made me think: Rebecca’s post on “What are the Books that Changed [...]
jenn onOctober 7th, 2011 12:16 am As a young girl, JANE EYRE changed me. My mom always told me I could do anything I wanted, and in a weird way, Jane reinforced that.
Later in life, EAST of EDEN and INVISIBLE MAN rocked my world. East of Eden was just so achingly beautiful, and both books touched on race and class and identity in ways I had never thought about before.
As a young feminist, Judith Butler confused and fascinated me in Gender Trouble as did de Beauvoir in The Second Sex.
jenn´s last blog ..Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming
Meg onOctober 7th, 2011 5:01 pm The first book to ever sock me in the gut was Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake — a book that helped me to come grips with a lot of things I didn’t really know I needed to come to grips with, if that makes any sense! I’m sure there are many others, but their effects on my formative years were probably more subtle.
Meg´s last blog ..Book review: ‘Don’t Sing At The Table’ by Adriana Trigiani
Julie @ Knitting and Sundries onOctober 7th, 2011 8:09 pm The Giver changed my reading relationship with each of my daughters – the first book they read that actually initiated a serious discussion .. it was great.
Reading The Diary of Anne Frank when I was a young girl opened my eyes to the consequences of bigotry and intolerance and made me determined to do what I could to change things.
Great Expectations made me open my eyes to the possibilities of Victorian literature.
Same Kind of Different as Me made me cry and cry and helped me realize that not all Christian non-fiction is dry and boring.
Julie @ Knitting and Sundries´s last blog ..Friday Book Blogger Hop – October 7, 2011
Dr. Reginia onOctober 8th, 2011 7:38 am My newest read was “Life Experiences” by Dr. Maurice Lee. The book made a great impact because it’s an account of experiences that speaks about self discovery, change, and growth. Dr. Lee exposed some of his pivotal experiences which shows that exposing some of your flaws can help with healing and moving on.
I also enjoyed “The Secret” by Ronda Bryne B and “In the Meantime by Iyanla Vanzant.
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