Also, Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. It taught me that if I have a hot sister, it’s okay to have sex with her.
Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady was not only hilarious, but an inspiring example of a woman doing exactly what she wanted with her life. Having grown up with a mother who urged me to be a Southern lady the way Florence’s grandmother did, it was just what I needed to be able to grin and bear the endless “Are you going out dressed like that? Put on some lipstick” bullshit.
The Cloister Walk changed my outlook on Christianity. It didn’t make me a Christian, but it made me appreciate the way that faith can improve people’s lives.
I really hate to include this, but Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood made me appreciate my mom’s efforts more. Rebecca Wells makes dressing well, being polite and having fun at parties seem significant.
Jack Keroauc’s The Dharma Bums was my introduction to Buddhism.
Huston Smith’s The World’s Religions was my introduction to Taoism, as well as being incredibly informative about the world’s major religions.
The Tao Te Ching itself was the most profound book I’ve ever read solely because someone cute recommended it.
Seconding “Guns Germs and Steel” by Jared Diamond.
I’ll add “The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat” by Oliver Sacks. An amazing book about the neurological basis of psychology, a compendium of brain damage case studies.