Friday, July 5, 2019

The Five Most Influential Books in My Life

While preparing for my latest move, I came across a letter I wrote to my mom a few years ago about the five books (apart from the Bible) that have had the biggest impact on my life. These are not necessarily the books I have loved the most, but they all had a profound effect on my behavior.

1) Jane Eyre influenced me as a teen to stay true to my convictions no matter what.
2) My Utmost for His Highest showed me that Christianity is not for wimps.
3) Edith Schaeffer's books reinforced what my mother taught me about the value of making a home where people are loved and nurtured into the Kingdom.
4) How to Really Love Your Child by Ross Campbell radically changed my parenting style.
5) British author Anthony Trollope transformed my reading tastes from "I will read almost anything" to "Don't insult me with your fluff." (!)

What about you? What books have most influenced your life?

Blessings,

2 comments:

Ruth @ with freedom and books said...

Well, first of all, I think I need to add a couple of the books on your list to my wishlist...especially Edith Schaeffer's. And I've also read other positive reviews about My Utmost for His Highest.

Two of my most impactful books have been The Well-Trained Mind, by Susan Wise Bauer, which is how I started my journey through the classics, and A Mom Just Like You, by Vickie Farris, how I learned to trust God for my family size and ended up with five kids. There are others, but I cannot think of them right now...

booklearner said...

Edith Schaeffer is a favorite!
Besides ES, some of the ones on my influential list are:
L. M. Montgomery,
C.S. Lewis,
"The Unseen Realm," by Michael S. Heiser
"Your Eternal Reward," by Erwin Lutzer
"Heroines," by Mary Riso