What book, film, or song changed your life?

"Man's Search for Meaning" by Victor Frankl. It had the answers I was looking for at the time. Also, "And There Was Light," by Jacques Lusseyran, blind hero of the French Resistance in WWII.

The book that changed my life was "Animals in Translation" by Dr. Temple Grandin. It truly changed the way I view animals. It was one of those books where I learned something fascinating and thought provoking on every page.

I was highly touched by Juan Sebastian Del Cano, the Spaniard of African descent who was Ferdinand Megellan's first mate, who was giving credit for being the first to sail around the world. In reality Megellan died and Del Cano actually steered the ships on the journey but was not recognized until recent times. I took on Del Cano's name as my writer's name in the 5th grade and have used it ever since. About 50 years.

A book has touched my life, Morgan's Run by Colleen McCullough. This book takes a below average man, and throws so much crap at him, and through it all he emerges as an above average man. His events are true, although the filler portions are probably just that...filler. But to see this man go through so much & still fulfill his dreams, truly inspires me~

no one in particular

The song Unwritten and The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Shawshank Redemption, but not in the way a film would normally change a life.

I remembered the name of the Mexican town that Andy went to, Zihuatanejo. So, I went there.

Then, while I was there I heard of The Children's Library Project in Barra de Potosi. So, I went there.

Since then I've returned more than a dozen times. It's been a great adventure watching the project grow from a bookcase at a B&B to a building with a couple thousand books.

I'll be going again in early March. Can't wait to visit my friends there!

The movie King of Hearts.

After reading Dave Pelzers books...and after reading the first one, i bought all his books, he really is blessed by God. His books are the kind that you just can't put down.

To Kill a Mockingbird, the book AND the movie. Atticus Finch stood up for what was right no matter what others said.

Hmmm. I'm going to have to give this one some deeper thought!

When I was a child it was two movies I saw, "The Robe" It left a lasting impression on me about Jesus. "Lilies of the Field" showed me what belief can do and also helped me see how the racist views of others were so wrong.

Bookwise it was "Christianity is Jewish" by Edith Schaeffer. I bought this book for five cents at a thrift store when I was very ill. I had always had a belief in God and in Jesus but I could not understand the Angry God of the OT with the Kind Merciful God of the NT. This book helped me understand the Bible and the God of the OT and NT is the same God. I read this book when I was in my 30's and I have bought many of these books to give away to others.
(Edith Schaeffer was the wife of Francis Schaeffer who was more well known. Edith wrote this book after visiting an older Jewish man trying to find out the meaning of the day of Atonement. He asked her to explain Jesus and this book came out of the conversation. It really shows the common thread through the Bible and is well worth the $10.95 price it costs.)

Well that's too easy...the Holy Scriptures.

(Movie) Coyote Ugly - The girl's dreams came true, with lots of hard work. It inspired me to work harder.
(Song) Lamb - The Little Things. Reminds me to appreciate the simple things we usually take for granted.
(Book) Terry Pratchett - (Any title). Reminds me that we should look at life as an amusement park and that our only limit is our censorship on our own thoughts.
(Comic) Neil Gaiman's Sandman. You'd have to read the Death series to understand.

It's hard to pin down one song or book to changing your life. Many things figure into the equation I would think. As for books, different periods of my life have been affected by literature. When I was 16 "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte, in my 20's "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin, and now in my 50's, "The Hours" by Virginia Woolf. But the historian inside me also bears a soft spot for a history of America's Indians called "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown along with "Touch The Earth" of which I have forgotten the author unfortunately. Both are must reads if you haven't already read them.

Such an interesting question, Sigriet. There are several. But I would say the film Five Easy Pieces was a turning point for me. At the end of the film, the elderly father is dying and the Jack Nicholson character has a long talk with him about how he finally realises that his father will never be proud of him because he didn't chose the style of life he would have chosen for him. It was a speech I wished I had the guts to say to my own father then and now.

Thanks for sharing