Novels which transform our ideas about human possibilities biographies which celebrate the achievements of extraordinary individuals polemical works of non-fiction which oblige us to alter our views of the world or of human society: all of us can remember reading at least one book which made us think about the world anew. Here the author of the popular Bloomsbury Good Reading Guide selects the very best books which may or may not have changed the world but which have certainly changed the lives of thousands of people who have read them. Some examples of titles included: Maya Angelou I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
- a poignant recording of the authors triumph over the obstacles of being black & poor in a racist society. Paulo Coelho The Alchemist. Santiagos meeting with the alchemist opens his eyes to the true values of life love & suffering The Diary of Anne Frank Half a century later the story of a teenager coming to maturity in the most terrible of circumstances remains profoundly moving. Kahlil Gibran The Prophet Gibrans poetic essays reveal his thoughts on everything in life from love & marriage to the enigmas of birth & death. Robert M. Pirsig Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Pirsigs narrator creates a philosophical masterpiece that has the power to change lives.