Exceptional Books discussion

What book(s) made you think differently about the world or the way you feel?

The Roads Chosen: first, it's a great suspense/adventure thriller. The storyline and characters have such a real life flavour: second, the author has travelled (lived and worked) where his story is based: third, my view of the world we share is altered by reading this. My reading has been more focused on the social issues the story highlights. My view of the people who live in the former Soviet block has definitely altered.
A book that gives both a sense of despair and hope.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. A great read on illness and dying and how sometimes doing everything medically possible isn't the right thing or the humane thing to do.

tough times never last but tough people do