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/lit/ - Literature

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9959759 No.9959759 [Reply] [Original]

What book changed it all for you, /lit/? I'm talking perspective-changing stuff that made you see the world, nature, your fellow man with a deeper understanding.

Bonus points for something that spurned real action or change in your personal life. Not necessarily philosophy, but that would be OK.

>> No.9959799

Nothing. Epiphanies like that don't actually happen, they are just simple storytelling devices.

>> No.9960063

>>9959799
don't know about you my dude but i get epiphanies not infrequently. it's the best feeling there is, drives me to learn and think more

>> No.9960067

>>9959799
I get epiphanies but only when studying mathematics.

>> No.9960090

>>9959759
This isn't a popular book on /lit/, but
Rereading The Great Gatsby at twenty two gave me what youre talking about

>> No.9960101

>>9959759

Reading The Catcher in the Rye at 14 (when it should be read) was enlightening. Reading Catcher past the age of 21 is not recommended.

>> No.9960114

>>9959799
Sorry that you haven't had one before.

>> No.9960119

>>9959799
man your life must suck

>> No.9960122
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9960122

The Republic. I read it in a Great Books class my freshman year of college and was never the same.

>> No.9960586

>>9960067

sadly I am too dumb

>>9960122
yeah good stuff

>>9960090
hmm, might flip through it again

>> No.9960610

brothers karamazov

>> No.9960624

The Dead Father by Donald Barthelme, specifically the chapter entitled A Manual for Sons. I'm trans and my father is an immigrant who conceived me with my mother rather late in his life, and I always struggled to understand him to the point of virtually hating him. Barthelme's writing helped me see the absurdity of fatherhood, and how becoming a father is alienating in a number of very unique and complex ways. It's perhaps the most useful work of fiction I've ever had the pleasure of reading

>> No.9960633

>>9959759
On the road

>> No.9960640
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9960640

Critique of Pure Reason.

>> No.9960643

>>9959759
"The Subtle art of not Giving a F" audiobook

Its basically Stoicism and with lite Buddhism combined. Its pretty good. I had to keep an open mind to finish it, its pretty red pilled in a way.

>> No.9960932

>>9959759
Thus Spoke Zarathustra.
The first time I tried to read it (as a ~16 year old, I think), it started me off on my journey through the Greeks
By the time I felt ready to pick it up again, I was heavily influenced by Plato, the Hellenistic philosophers and the Christians. I was also at the time pretty down on life (I suffered from OCD, though I've mostly recovered since).
This time it all made sense, and it not only profoundly changed my outlook on life, it also lit a fire in me which helped me actually get off my arse and try to change things.

>> No.9961644
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9961644

>> No.9961653

>>9961644
And long before that, my mum reading The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy to me when I was in hospital when I was a kid.

>> No.9962029

>>9959759
Against the Modern World by Julius Evola.

After reading that book, my understanding of the world is now complete.

>> No.9962286

>>9959759
sometimes knowledge takes time to bloom
>some philosophical text, i read it for three months
>made me stop saying 'water water everywhere but not a drop to drink'!

>> No.9962490

>>9960932
This.

It is incredibly red-pilled, must-read

>> No.9962612

One flew over the cuckoo's nest

>> No.9964833

Hobbe's Leviathan

>> No.9964879

The Holy Bible

>>9962029
How is that? Been meaning to pick it up.

>> No.9965000

>>9959759
Siddhartha back in high school was the kicker into philosophy as a substitute for anti-D's which I distrust. I read reallllly slowly but it's worth it. coffee helps

>> No.9965285

>>9964879
Very well written, in fact. It puts a different perspective in many civilizations and societies, like how history is divided by cycles contrary to popular belief. Also there are some meta-history here and there, and references to many mythologies. If you do not have a wide vocabulary, I suggest that you utilize a dictionary while reading this book, and it also serves as a introduction to his many works.

Personally, I give a 9.5/10

>> No.9965297

>>9964879

Ebola is a /pol/ and /stormfront/ trap, don't get sucked in by this pathetic shitlord

>> No.9965310

>>9965297
I'm not a /pol/ faggot, you dolt. I'm far from that nonsensical trash of a community, if you call a pack of literal rabid, albino monkeys, a "community." .

>> No.9965316

Civilization and its Discontents - I read The Republic and Brothers Karamazov.

This book shits on both of them in terms of redpilling you on life.

>> No.9965595

>>9960610
This gave me a lot of insight in human nature. Also the movie Stalker.

>> No.9965877

The Foundation for Exploration

>> No.9965911

not really a book, but Plato's Apology of Socrates

>> No.9966814

>>9959759
sophies world, portret of dorian grey. some stuff from the bible. THe lucifer effect. The art of war. zen buddhism by allan watts. secrets of the lost races. Spinoza ethics. hegart on creativity.

>> No.9966829

>>9960067

Math epiphanies are the best. Goddam I love maths even though I am a brainlet and will never into theoretical physics.

>> No.9966839

>>9965595
>stalker
Based anon knows

>> No.9966877

When I was 16, Demian had a profound effect on my view of myself.

>> No.9966898

The first four dialogues of Plato (trial and death of Socrates) did it for me. Completely changes the perspective on things. Still reading Plato and when I'm done through most of him I'll go to Aristotle.

>> No.9966900

>>9965595
If you've seen it, what did you think of Andrei Rublev? I deeply respect and love Stalker, but Andre Rublev changed my perspective on humanity much more. Tarkovsky exerts an immense insight into human nature in all of his films though.

>> No.9967287

>>9959759
the world as will and representation probably fucked me up permanently.