11 Books that Have Had an Impact on Me


1.  The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran: An ode to spirituality; Gibran’s best work.
2.  Ulysses by James Joyce: Rated as the book of the twentieth century. Joyce’s masterpiece has made scholars nod their head in sheer disbelief. A work of a genius. Difficult, and at times, impossible to read, there are certain passages that surpass anything else that has been written in any form of world literature.  
3.  The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand: Howard Roark remains to my mind one of the best, if not the best, fictional character ever created. Brilliant! A classic philosophical novel.   
4.  From Sex to Super-consciousness by Osho: Acharya Rajneesh for all his quirkiness is no doubt one of the most well-read spiritual teachers of all time. Of all the Osho literature that I have read this book is the best because Osho has dealt with the subject of sex in a very unique way. Sex leads to the awakening of the mind which in turn leads to super-consciousness, that’s what he says and convincingly proves it.          
5.  Animal Farm by George Orwell: What a satire on communism! Orwell takes a dig at the communists in this book written in the form of a fable.
6.  The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: This book teaches you about the power of dreaming. Coelho’s classic; all his other books pale in comparison.
7.  The Armageddon Quartet by Lawrence Durrell: If anyone wants to experience what the beauty of prose can do to the soul and the mind, then this book is a must-read. Durrell’s writing is like taking a walk in dreamland.
8.  Walden by Henry Thoreau: Thoreau, the great American scholar and philosopher spent a year and a half alone in a cabin in a remote wood and this book is about his experiences over there. Written in heavy prose the book tells you about the way Thoreau’s mind was working and what he was feeling during his lonely stay.   
9.  Freedom at Midnight by Larry Collins & Dominique Lapierre: Those who enjoy reading thrillers should surely read this. The authors have written history in thriller form and have so vividly described India ’s struggle for freedom that one can really visualize the events. 
10.Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda: This book is a spiritual classic.

But the book that has had a profound influence on me and still continues to shape my psyche is Imam Ali’s Peak of Eloquence. Pearls of wisdom are scattered throughout the book; whether it is spirituality, philosophy, astronomy, social science, leadership, etiquette, psychology, logic, law, or whatever, there’s everything on something. A remarkable collection of sermons, sayings and letters, every word of which makes you think and if you incorporate in your daily life then you start feeling the difference instantly. This book should be on the shelf of every individual who wishes to get closer to God and understand the world in which we live in.  

- NZ
21.11.2019   
BN: 195 

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