7 Books That Changed That Have Influenced The Way I Think

I was inspired by Darius Foroux’s article “7 Fiction Books That Change The Way You Think” to finally write my list of 7 books that have influenced me.

My list if personally influential books is a mix of fiction and non-fiction. They have had a big impact on me in every area of my life from what I believe (or not believe) in to how I handle arguments to how I approach new technology.

Let’s jump right in (books listed in no particular order)…

1. Why People Believe Weird Things by Michael Shermer (Link)
   *Why: This book made me understand why humans are so superstitious and helped me get over my own superstitions. Breaking away from what I saw as illogical bad habits like knocking on wood, was something that I really wanted to achieve.
   *Biggest Takeaway: We as humans have all sorts of strongly held, but illogical beliefs that drive us to perform strange rituals and be led into believing that bad things will happen if we do not perform said rituals. I feel so much more empowered and even smarter after reading this book.
2. Gods From Outer Space by Erich von Däniken (Link)
   *Why: I read this book for two reasons. One was because it was my father’s book and I wanted to read it just for that reason. The second reason was because I love learning about creation stories and myths, and this had that same appeal to me.
   *Biggest Takeaway: All we know is that we don’t know everything. Beyond the whole alien thing, which was very interesting, this book opened my mind to bigger possibilities in almost every area of my life. Keep questioning everything! Erich von Däniken continues to remind us that the most commonly written phrase in his books is, “What if….”
3. Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (Link)
   Why: I read this book junior year of high school and has stuck with me ever since. In fact, I have now read more than half of Vonnegut’s works.
   Biggest Takeaway: This book changed the way I thought about religion. It has been a number of years since I reread this book, so maybe it is time to pick it up again. It is one of the reasons I a am an atheist.
4. Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone (Link)
   *Why: This was a book that I read with my book club, and I am so happy I did. It really helped me understand why people react the way they do and even why they say the things they say during emotional conversations.
   *Biggest Takeaway: Each conversation is actually three conversations — The what happened conversation, the feelings conversation, and the identity conversation. If you really, and I mean really, put yourself in the other person’s shoes, you see the conversation in a whole new way.
5. Writing On The Wall: Social Media — The First 2000 Years by Tom Standage (Link)
   *Why: I own a social media and digital marketing company, so I had a feeling this book would interest me. I had no idea that I would read it twice and develop a presentation based on its message.
   *Biggest Takeaway: Social media as we think of it today (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.) is just the next iteration of communication.
6. Why We Buy by Paco Underhill (Link)
   *Why: As a marketing professional who enjoys learning about consumer behavior, I just knew that this book would be interesting to me. Not only was it interesting, it taught me a lot about why stores are set up the way they are and why we as shoppers act they way we do when we shop. This has helped shape the way I do my job.
   *Biggest Takeaway: There is a delicate balance between manipulation and marketing. Are we manipulated or marketing to each time we walk into a store or shop online? Of course, that depends on quite a few factors, but I ask myself a lot of questions as I shop now. For me, this is fun.
7. Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Link)
   *Why: I’m not sure when I first encountered this story, though I can guess it was at a young age and in the form of a Disney movie. Since then, I have read all things related to Alice, including fan fiction, and have watched all the movies that have been released. My bridal shower even had an Alice In Wonderland theme.
   *Biggest Takeaway: Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast. I am so inspired by the unexpectedness of this story. If I am struggling with something creative, I often find myself thinking, “How would Lewis Carroll handle this?”

I hope you found this list helpful or at least interesting. Now I will ask you, what books have changed you in some way?