The Bell Jar - first book I ever honestly loved.

Me too!

What is it about?

PS - great question

84 Charinghouse Road. Anne Bancroft.

Norma Rae. Sally Field.

Sophie's Chioce. Meryl Street.

E.T.. E.T.

"The Bell Jar is American writer Sylvia Plath's only novel, which was originally published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas" in 1963. The novel is semi-autobiographical with the names of places and people changed. The book is often regarded as a roman à clef, with the protagonist's descent into mental illness paralleling Plath's own experiences with what may have been either bipolar disorder or clinical depression. Plath committed suicide a month after its first publication."

-Wikipedia. Very sad. I love Sylvia Plath. One of my all time favorite poems:

Mad Girl's Love Song

"I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,
And arbitrary blackness gallops in:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade:
Exit seraphim and Satan's men:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I fancied you'd return the way you said,
But I grow old and I forget your name.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

I should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)"
---Sylvia Plath

Yes Erica!
It was a British made-for-tv movie called "The Laithe of Heaven." A sci-fi story, written many years ago by Ms. Ursula LeGiunn (I hope I'm spelling her name correctly!) it delt with the rules of time and space, and how one man gets to bend those rules just by dreaming.

I saw it on channel 13 when I was twelve years old, and went out immediately and bought the book (well, my Mom did for me) It changed my life. The way the protagonist in the story perceives his world, his dreams wishes and wants get to live on in real-time.

It was a scary story also because this poor man gets exploited by this insane doctor (very sci-fi!) who tries to change the world by suggesting specific dreams to him. The doctor's greed was frightneing to me--not everyone has such high morals and often they don't act in our best interests. It was a realization. But it showed to me that the human heart is a fragile entity, that it can be broken by one thought, or action. But in that frailty lies strength and courage.

Oh hell... I just loved the whole story!

Books are too much of a commitment.

But "O: The Oprah Magazine" changes my life monthly.

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. Its really great. And Macbeth. What a bitchin heroin! Well, not really considered one but Lady M was one badass bitch.

Bella, "The Bell Jar" was Sylvia Plath's semi-autobiographical novel about a young writer's descent into suicidal depression:

http://www.amazon.com/Bell-Jar-Sylvia-Plath/dp/0061148512/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226002006&sr=1-1

(It's a real toe-tapper!) No, really, it's an amazing book.

Wally Lamb's "I Know This Much Is True" stuck with me for a long, long time.

I first thought Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" was sort of heavy-handed, but as the years have gone by since it was first published, it seems less and less far-fetched.

Marguerite, I LOVED "84 Charing Cross Road"! Have you read the book? So wonderful...

And speaking of Mel Brooks-produced movies, "The Elephant Man" left me awestruck and gobsmacked-- the writing, acting, directing... everything.

I totally agree about "I Know This Much is True." also,
"She's Come Undone."

Erica, I couldn't believe that "She's Come Undone" was written by a man, could you? I had to keep checking the book jacket...

I know! Amazing, amazing book. I think I am due to read it again.

Jackie,

Yes! I saw that movie. Lisa Bonet was in it. I have never read the book. A great story.

My pick...
"Fledgling" by the late, GREAT Octavia Butler.
Her books always have a she-ro. She is a sociological science fiction writer that never fails to blow your whole world wide open. Whatever your rigid thoughts were about "the way thingshould be", leave them at the door.

So fabulous.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald -- it might sound like an odd choice, but this book marks the time in my life when I finally became comfortable with the idea of being a book nerd ... and loving every second of it.

Book nerds are the sh*t
;)

One of my all time favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Also, I recently read a book entitled Red River by Lolita Tademy and it was actually an account of her family's history as slaves and how the family evolved after slavery ended. Blacks couldn't vote and now we have a Black president. Wow!!!

Nay

LOVE The Great Gatsby and the whole Jazz Age in general. I prefer older books myself. V For Vendetta would be my contemporary favorite. Great flick.

:D

one of my fav movies is a korean film, spring, summer, fall,winter, spring...the visuals are delicious...it's a deep film that is actually a parable of sorts...enjoy!

Idk, this is corny, but the Bible. I don't even consider myself a Christian anymore, but there has not been any other book that has influenced more who I am (right down to my name)

The good parts influenced me in what I follow (And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise), and the not so good parts (stoning homosexuals) influenced my questioning of dogma, which is one of the first things in life I started questioning.

Awesome movie - very well developed concept. I had to go out and buy it too.

Nay - I also loved the movie - To Kill A Mockingbird starring Gregrory Peck - in this movie he is my idea of a wonderful father, and an incrediblly loving man to all people.

Strangely enough, it was 'Stranger in a Strange Land' by Heinlein.

It talked of sex and love in a different way and helped me to free myself from old chains and ideals.

I was about 19 when I read it and it had a terrific impact on me.

As for a movie, it;s gotta be 'A Patch of Blue' starring Sydney Poitier and had Shelley Winters in it also.

Quite ground-breaking for it's time, the beautiful tenderness shown by Sydney Poitier's character towards a young abused blind white girl touched me deeply.

It also educated me on the pitfalls of racism.

Being a culture and literary student, I've realised that I am the product of everything I encounter either by chance or choice. I've read books that have made me stop and think, and others I just enjoy, both kinds leave an impact. Same with poetry, TV, films, people, games, jobs etc.

I can't even begin to refine the list into a short one based on impact.

"The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls changed the way I thought about Homeless People.

This is a memoir of MSNBC correspondent Jeannette Walls 'unconventional' upbringing told in a removed, nonjudgmental way - which is amazing because many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful).

Walls' respect for her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption-- sees her end every chapter with a meaningful and uplifting life lesson.

In the book, she writes that her parents CHOSE to be homeless, in spite of many attempts by their children to provide a 'better' life for them. She then speaks to why people would choose this as a desired lifestyle.

It was eye-opening ... and Jeannette Walls is one inspirational woman.

The Prince of Tides and Bonfire of the Vanities (the book, NOT the movie) are two books that opened my eyes and changed my life. Both of the are epic, sweeping, excellent novels, and if you haven't read them yet, do it soon!

This is going to sound REALLY shallow, but....Sex and the City.

I was seperated when the movie came to theaters and the whole Miranda/Steve relationship really made me re-think things and I think that was what made me decide to get back together with my husband. I don't know if it will last forever, but I'm glad we're together right now.

Aunt Jenny wrote:

Marguerite, I LOVED "84 Charing Cross Road"! Have you read the book? So wonderful...
******

Are you KIDDING? I wanted to BE the book.

And NAY:

Book and movie. To Kill A Mockingbird. Oh! What WONDER filled pages and frames.

I went with favorite movies because I didn't dare get started on books.

You Might As Well Live (about the life of Dorothy Parker).

An Admirable Woman by Arthur Cohen. (You cannot believe a man wrote this book, it is so good.)

EVERY BOOK by Mary Renault.

These are my fiction favorites from long ago.

I'm primarily a nonfiction reader now, and have been most of my adult life.

Must live in this house until I croak because I can't afford to move all the books!

Wow, I don't think it sounds shallow. I think what you saw maybe hit home.

I'll focus in on the books. There are a few, but way up there is Jane Eyre. Read it in college and got so inspired. To me she is the ultimate example of a strong woman. And also The Lovely Bones. The unusual plot, the sheer beauty of the prose, the way the story gives you hope even as it makes you cry…the wonders of what a good writer can do are just incredible. Read it years ago but the last few lines (which I'll never forget) still give me the chills…

To Kill a Mockingbird is the sh*t.

My first fave was The Grapes of Wrath. AWESOME!!!

Patch of Blue was soooooooo good!!!

The Greatest Salesman by Og Mandino.

When I was just a tiny tot, probably 13 years old tops, I was at sleepaway camp one summer and met a girl who was reading GO ASK ALICE, a terrific book by an anonymous author. It's essentially a young girl's diary, and it documents her downward spiral into drug abuse and other life battles that she faced while way too young. It did a number on me, and I was plenty scared to experiment with drugs or alcohol well until my college years. College, of course, changed some things. That book, however, played a big part in keeping me on the straight and narrow throughout my teenage years.

If I'm going to read a book I like it to help me do something. I also love DVDs of good stuff, like "The Secret," " The Sedona Method," etc. The recent great books: "Think & Grow Rich," Napoleon Hill (classic), "The Success Principles," Jack Canfield, "Harmonic Wealth," James Ray.

These have helped me become the creator of my own universe! Woo-Hoo!!! :)

Black Like Me --- read it when I was in 5th grade. Changed my perception of race relations forever. Definitely helped me realize that a white girl would never really understand.

I will add to all the She's Come Undone love. Also, I REALLY liked "Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York" by Gail Parent. If there is a funnier book than that one, I do not know it. Also, "Plain Jane" by Eve Horowitz. A hard book to find, but worth reading.

Gena! You so rock. I read that book eons ago and did not remember what it was called but loved it.

THANK YOU! I am so going to read it next on my list!

Oh I so have to agree about To Kill a Mockingbird. There are too many books I love to mention, but as for really forming the way you feel about life, TKM is almost an instruction manual for compassion. If you're only going to write one book in your life, wouldn't you be lucky to have written To Kill a Mockingbird?

A self-professed book geek to the core, something one of my creative writing professors told me always sticks with me: "Good writing should re-arrange your molecules a little bit."

Erica,

I love this question because I know we've all come across movies and books that have personally impacted us...at least for a little while.

As for books, I loved 'Eat, Pray, Love' and even though I may not meditate or think the same why as Elizabeth Gilbert, many of her words resonated with me in more ways than one. She was brutally honest in her depiction of her life-changing moments and I really admired that.

As for movies, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest really hit home with me. I am a huge Jack Nicholson fan, but besides that, it had such a powerful message. Another great one was Mystic River. Sean Penn killed his role and the entire story was enrapturing. Good stuff!

There are two books that influenced me as a writer. The first was Lolita; I was used to conventionally written books (classic literature, sci-fi, mysteries) and it was a revelation to see the way Nabakov hopped around here and there tossing out ideas. I didn't particularly enjoy the book, actually, but it changed the way I wrote.

The other book was The World According to Garp. Much of the book was concerned with why a writer writes, what they're trying to achieve, what the end product should be. I'd never thought about any of that before, I just wrote stuff, and when I started thinking about it I was totally paralyzed and actually stopped writing for a couple of years. On the other hand, it was a much more entertaining book than Lolita.

Keren, I don't believe your answer was corny at all. I don't consider myself "religous", but honestly, the Bible is one of the best books anyone could hope to read.

My favourite movie is "Madison's bridges" with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep.The best love story ever..i've watched it when i was very young and then i fell in love with it..watch it,it deserves it..

The Great Gatsby doesn't sound like an odd choice to me at all. Sounds like a great choice.

Hunger by Knut Hamsun. He later won the noble prize in literature. A brilliant narrative of a mad genius roaming the streets of Oslo starving and trying to survive as a writer. Really a must read for any writer who wants to be a true artist.

The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham. Maugham is one of the great characterizers of all time, and this is my favorite book by him.
Catcher in the Rye is of course good too.

Also anything by Charles Bukowski, Henry Miller, or Hunter S. Thompson.

Greetings Erica,
When I was in high school I was turned on to a book titled Back To Eden, by Jethro Kloss.
To this day it's my reference if I feel an imbalance going on or if someone needs healing information.

Back To Eden is a book that’s about the causes, symptoms and treatments of many ailments that can be cured through diet, fasting and herbs.

In detail the book defines many herbs etc. And how they should be used for certain illnesses.
Back To Eden became like a bible to me.
It was my beginning of learning about the many things that cause people to become sick.

I now have a library of books on health, self-help and spirituality. So I’d have to
say that Back To Eden has had a profound affect on my life.

I could name a laundry list of books that have enlightened me on different levels, but I'd have to admit that all of David Sedaris' books, ranging from Holidays on Ice to When You are Engulfed in Flames, have proven the significance of having and sharing a good sense of humor.

A comic genius in his own right, Sedaris helped me see that a) everyone is dysfunctional in more ways than one b) some are more dysfunctional than others and c) that often wit goes a lot farther than wisdom, especially in dealing with dysfunctional folk.

Basically, it's vital to be able to laugh at yourself or the wacko next to you because life has a way of getting unbearably serious or just plain bizarre at times.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian may not seem like an inspirational movie to most people but I have always felt like a Jew playing Santa Clause shouting “Oy! Oy! Oy! Merry Schemdrick!” The movie was the first time I was given permission to laugh at how silly people can be in regards to religion which I found very liberating. Later on, when I began studying sketch comedy at Second City, I studied Monty Python’s work and it taught me that life really is a flying circus so we should always look on the bright side of life.

“The Little Engine that Could” is my favorite book of all time! Embarrassing but true! I was probably only four years old when I read it but that little engine chugging up the hill saying “I think I can. I know I can. I did it!” really touched my heart all those years ago. It’s the only children’s book I remember reading and I can still remember the little blue train struggling to make his way.

Oh, I so agree with you about David Sedaris. "Me Talk Pretty One Day" is one of my favorite books. Well actually all his books are favorites.

I also agree about being able to laugh at yourself and keeping a sense of humor about things!

Yes, Its called "I Never Saw Another Butterfly". It is the poems and drawings of the children of Theresienstadt. Though I am not Jewish this book and it's message of hope has gotten me through my darkest days. If children thrown into the most horrible of circumstances could see beauty in despair how could I not. I was given this book when I was 8 and it is still with me. I have given several books as gifts and I still absorb its message when needed. I recommend this highly with all my heart.

I know it may sound silly, but the book "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer really was a life changing read for me. I was in a not-so-great relationship for a long time. After I read this book, I realized that there was so much more out there for me and I left that life behind in search of something better for myself.

I'd have to say the movie "Dead Man Walking," because to be able to forgive the man who killed my child is grace I would hope to achieve someday. That final scene with the father of one of the kids and Susan Sarandon praying in church was very powerful.

I love to read biographies so when I read "Rough Magic," a biography about the life of Sylvia Plath, I felt a connection to Plath that changed my perspective on life. In her life Plath not only had to deal with the struggles of being an up and coming Poet but she also had to deal with the struggles of being a woman.

"Sail" by James Patterson has undoubtedly been one of the most impacting novels of my life. I checked it out from the local library, on the advice from a friend, and stayed up all night reading it in a single sitting. After finishing, I thought, "Holy crap...if this guy can be a best-selling novelist, surely I can find an agent for my novel."

In all seriousness, though, Daniel Quinn's "Ishmael" turned my life upside down. It's about an ex-hippie, and the talking gorilla who teaches him to save the world. It made me look at this planet--and human kind's place in it--in a way I had never considered before. "Without man, is there hope for gorilla?" becomes the book's mantra, and it comes to mean that all kinds of life on this planet depend upon one another for survival. Indeed, by the end of the book, the statement is flipped: "Without gorilla, is there hope for man?"

I could watch "Life Of Brian" 20 times in a row and find something new to laugh at every time (And honestly, there's few things more inspiring than laughter...laughing is the physical manifestation of literally being uplifted!). In my book "Brian" is probably one of the most entertaining movies I've ever seen...and seen and seen.

Though funny I use the term, "in my book," it allows me to segue nicely into my other passion: books!

This is not for everyone, but this book had a profound effect on me: Dostoevsky's "The Borthers Karamazov."

The story of 3 brothers and a father, and throw in a murder. I myself have two brothers and found the characterizations of all three remarkably similar to my own family. Anyway, I'm a huge Dosty fan as it is, though Russian Literature I know is not for everyone...Kafka's great stuff, too! "The Trial" kicks butt!

Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, Catch-22, Confederacy Of Dunces are all excellent examples of humor literature masterpieces...

There are so many different books and movies to name but I just thought of one that was both a book and movie that I read and have seen numerous times. LA Confidential, certainly one of my favorites.

"Things Fall Apart", "1984" , "Faranheit 451"(excuse the spelling), "'Lord of the Flies"...and many more. All of these works touch on social hypocricies (excuse my spelling I'm typing this via cell phone) and the importance of having a better undertsanding of how the powers that be operate...

"The Color Purple," book and movie, always leaves me in tears. The pain, the hope, the faith, it's so overwhelming.

My most influential book would be "To Kill a Mockingbird". I have to re-read it every couple of years, and always take a little something different away from it each time.

The most influential movie is "The Country Girl" with Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, and William Holden. It really reveals that you can't judge someone on first impressions, and that people have much more under the surface than they want to show the world.

There have been many. Most recently I began to dig into the work of Ayn Rand. I finished Fountainhead (defenitly life impacting) and am now reading Atlas Shrugged. I am Loving her writing and views on life. I Highly reccomend them both!

The Road

Cormac McCarthy

Thank you all so much for sharing this.

Great question!

I don't care how cliche it sounds but "Catcher In The Rye" blew me away and I read it all the time.

Another book that I hold very dear is by Emmet Fox and titled, "Make Your Life Worthwhile". It's absolutely incredible.

Great question!

I don't care how cliche it sounds but "Catcher In The Rye" blew me away and I read it all the time.

Another book that I hold very dear is by Emmet Fox and titled, "Make Your Life Worthwhile". It's absolutely incredible.

Great question!

I don't care how cliche it sounds but "Catcher In The Rye" blew me away and I read it all the time.

Another book that I hold very dear is by Emmet Fox and titled, "Make Your Life Worthwhile". It's absolutely incredible.

West with the Night by Beryl Markham.

Theodore Dreiser: Sister Carrie and American Tragedy.
Both deal with social mores and the way they can make someone an innocent victim.
Kazantzakis: The Last Temptation of Christ, because it made me see there is always another way to look at a situation.
The Devil Wears Prada: I think the writer worked for MY ex-boss, our stories are so alike!!!!

Dear Isoke: Hi! Lisa Bonet was great in that production, but try and find the original movie from the '70's. It was put out by the BBC, and it was closer to the actual book. The production value was kind of low-rent, but hey... it was the '70's!

I remember where I was sitting as I read the Bell Jar about a hundred years ago. That's the mark of a great one: can you remember, umpteen years later, where you were and what time of year it was or which favorite reading chair you were in? There are not that many that blow you away enough to pass that test.

Heart of Darkness and Wuthering Heights (what a contrast in taste, huh?), Light in August, Grapes of Wrath, then there was The Firm - the only book I ever walked around reading while cleaning and making dinner - finished it in a day. IT took me a little longer but I still avoid sewers and clowns.

Good Question - I think I'll go back and read Light in August again. Thanks!

After reading Harriet The Spy as a little girl, I started keeping a journal. It was the first step in what would later become my writing career. Harry Potter is now inspiring little wizards-to-be.

Wow my post went up there three times? Sorry everyone. My computer froze!

Jodie, that's an inspiring story. Every little girl should read that book.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Fountain and Garden State are 3 of my favorite movies. They all make me think about how people often try to “escape” from their problems or heartache and in turn end up missing out on some of the best parts of life.

Also, I noticed Caroline chose The Great Gatsby. I am also a "book nerd" and huge F. Scott Fitzgerald fan. My favorite is The Beautiful and the Damned.

"The Bridges of Madison County" - It's a book about choices- Should I Stay or Should I Go Now - reflecting on the road not taken while leading an unfulfilled life that occassionally borders on quiet desperation. What shows up is the opportunity to fill the void when another person helps her find her truest self.

"Pay It Forward" - Having helped other people and not wanting or accepting anything in return, I have asked them to just help someone else when they get the opportunity. It's a beautiful thing!

Aunt Jenny referred to the Mel Brooks production of The Elephant Man. Did anybody, per chance, see David Bowie's one man version of The Elephant Man on Broadway? It was spectacular!

Wendy. If you like the "Secret" you would definitely like "What the Bleep, Down the Rabbit Hole". This is the movie that changed my life. Deals with quantum physics but on a more spiritual level.

I really liked 'Garden State'.
I also love 'Me, You and Everyone We Know.'

I would like to read that!

Believe it or not, While You Were Sleeping had a huge effect on me and my life.
I was going through a really rough patch in life, and the movie hit on several points of that, and showed me that even if things weren’t going as planned, it’ll somehow work out in the end.

You definitely should! It's a great love story with a vampire twist. My 13 year old sister was trying to get me to read it for a while, but I thought it was a kiddie book...boy was I wrong!

I loved that book as well as The Lovely Bones. It gave me a great perspective on things.

As dorky as it sounds, I loved "The Giver" that I read when I was seven. It is a tween novel, but my copy is dogeared and ruined, as I have read it at least once a year since then. I also give it as a gift to everyone I know. It's about government, and control, and I truly think it is eye opening. As for adult books, I have been researching religions my whole life, and two amazing ones are "Rumspriga" about the Amish, and "Under the Banner of Heaven" about Fundamentalist Mormans. Also, some of the books others have posted above have also changed my life. And there are others that are going on my "to read" list.

"Living Well Is The Best Revenge" by Calvin Tomkins. It is the story of 1920s ex-patriates, Gerald and Sara Murphy -- best remembered as those friends of the Fitzgeralds, Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Hemingway, Stravinsky, et al -- who lived in Paris and Antibes before returning to take over the family business, Mark Cross. They were known as "masters in the art of living."

I loved Bell Jar, Brokeback Mountain (Heath and Jake are fabulous together); um, Atonement I would also completely recommend. But the one piece of culture I would recommend above all else is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry and Wind, Sand and Stars by the same author. The little prince is originally thought of as a children's book, but is actually a really great existentialist philosopher's tool. And Wind, Sand and Stars is also a existentialist book, but goes deeply into the relationship between Pilots and flying, how free and connected to the world and existence they feel. Saint-Ex is nothing like Camus or Sartre. But great none the less.

(Folo-up to my previous entry)

The essence of the book is contained in the famous line uttered by the fox to the Little Prince: "On ne voit pas bien qu'avec le cœur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (One cannot see well except with the heart, the essential is invisible to the eyes).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Prince

explains the book so in so much more detail than i can in this tiny space.

Post 9/11, I was left with a wholly new feeling that nobody was completely in charge; that when push came to shove, all our authority and intelligence and might could sometimes be just as fallible as my four dollar umbrella. On that day, we learned once and for all that there are no secret tractor beams or nano-bots or genetically engineered sleeper agents that could have stopped such an attack. It turned out that the conspiracies about our all-knowing, all-pervasive government were themselves just conspiracies, and at the end of the day, Washington is just as human as we are.

No movie indulged this nagging doubt in the omniscience of government, while also convincing me to laugh at it, better than Dr. Strangelove. It’s a window into a timeless sense of skepticism and paranoia that I found both unsettling and oddly comforting at the same time. As it turns out, we’ve always been afraid that we’re just a hair’s width from total annihilation. And we’ve also been able to explore that fear and laugh at it. We may be hopelessly alone in the face of one doomsday or another, but at least we’re not alone in our anxiety.