Great Books

I don't think that I could name any one book that has influenced me in a way no other book has. There have been several that I have loved, but I don't know if I could say that any one book has changed my life. That said, I can think of two books that I really loved that have influenced what I read and how I read.

The first is Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings. This is a really fun fantasy novel, the first in a large series that follows a boy as he grows up and learns his is destined for great things. The book is a lot of fun and Eddings creates some great characters, but the reason this book is so important to me is because it turned me from a reluctant reader into an avid one. I spent my whole summer vacation when I was 11 reading these books and loving every minute of it. A lot of people thumb their noses at the Fantasy genre but it is great to get kids to read who aren't very keen on the idea.

Second, is Shogun by James Clavell. I read this one when I was a senior in high school, and let me tell you that it is one of my all-time favorite books. The political intrigue and cultural awareness that I was exposed to was exciting for me. This book was the book that convinced me that I could enjoy books other than the Fantasy books I had been reading. This opened me up to many other books that I have enjoyed since then. I still enjoy Fantasy, but no longer exclusively.