Kevin Kelly invited us to talk about books that have changed our lives. I thought I’d take the opportunity to do so here, since I don’t think I’ve ever shared such a list before. (Thanks for the invitation, Kevin!)

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
I first read this when I was 16 years old, and it changed the way I interacted with people. “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” was a major milestone in my way of caring. I also picked up the idea of a personal mission statement from this book, which has guided me through many years.

Leadership and Self Deception
In story form, this book taught me about that oh-so-human trait of self deception in a way that I could see how I was doing it. Perhaps there are many spiritual guides with the potential to teach this principle, but this was the first book to do so without making me feel guilty at the same time. I’ve been more honest with myself since my encounter with this book.

The Act of Marriage
Sex was a little bit hush-hush in my growing up years, so it stands to reason there was a lot of “filling in the blanks” to be done. This book is by far THE most well-written book for couples who want to learn about their differences in a very honest and compassionate way from two authors who bring field research as well as years of counseling experience to the table. My marriage would not be the same without this book.

Finding Darwin’s God
There was a time when I ignorantly discounted evolution as “only a theory”. Later, at Brigham Young University, my assumptions were challenged in a physical science class. After reading this assigned book, my hope of interpreting Genesis literally was dashed and I understood evolution for what it was: a grand unifying theory that helps us see into the past and make fairly accurate predictions about the future.

The Singularity is Near
My most recent “life-changing” book, Ray Kurzweil’s fascinating book about the near future has changed my outlook and given me reason to be optimistic about the future. Not only that, but his curiosity and inventiveness also inspired me to remember childhood dreams and ideas that are now inspiring my life. What could be more incredible than preparing for a future in which computers are smart enough to build themselves, and humans become better and faster in almost every endeavor?