Ask HN: What book had a big impact on you as a child or teenager?

Formative Fiction: Sci‑Fi, Fantasy, and Classics

• Many recall long lists of speculative fiction and canonical literature as foundational: space adventures, dystopias, survival stories, mysteries, and epic fantasy.
• These books often sparked love of reading, curiosity about technology, and interest in alternate societies and futures.
• Several note specific series (YA mysteries, fantasy sagas, post‑apocalyptic tales) as “gateway drugs” into heavier or more complex works.

Non‑Fiction, Science, and Engineering Spark

• Illustrated explainers (e.g., “how things work” style books), encyclopedias, atlases, and children’s knowledge series were crucial for budding engineers and scientists.
• Popular science and computing books (logic, physics “for entertainment,” system programming, foundational CS/hacking texts) nudged people toward technical careers.
• Some cite a single book as the reason they chose engineering or computer science over other fields.

Moral, Political, and Philosophical Impact

• Dystopias and war‑themed novels shaped views on propaganda, authority, and state power; some describe them as inoculations against government lies.
• Military and political sci‑fi provoked strong, sometimes conflicting reactions: admired for world‑building and rigor, but criticized for harsh or frightening moral frameworks.
• Several works on religion, skepticism, and cosmology pushed readers toward atheism or at least deepened critical thinking about belief and “bullshit.”
• Political and radicalization texts (revolutionary handbooks, narrative histories) significantly shifted some posters’ worldview and activism.

Personal Development and Coping

• Self‑help and “success” books gave social tools and a sense of agency to kids in toxic or unsupportive environments.
• Some later reassessed these as simplistic or flawed, yet still credit them with building resilience and optimistic reframing.
• Philosophical novels and religious wisdom literature helped adolescents grapple with meaning, depression, and responsibility.

Adventure, Independence, and Escapism

• Survival and wilderness stories, treasure hunts, and adventure sagas fostered self‑reliance, love of nature, and a romantic view of exploration.
• Strong, unconventional child protagonists (rebellious, clever, or lonely) gave readers role models and emotional refuge.

Reading Habits, Parenting, and Discovery

• Multiple comments stress “just read to them, every day,” but also note big quality differences in children’s books.
• A recurring theme: books kids discover themselves (friends, library browsing, social media) tend to matter more than those parents push.
• Light, pulpy series (horror, adventure, gamebooks) are seen as valuable “reading gyms” that build stamina for deeper literature.
• Libraries, book fairs, and even CD‑ROM encyclopedias are remembered as formative “anything goes” learning spaces.

Technology, Hacking, and Cyberculture

• Memoirs and narratives about hacking and cybersecurity turned curiosity into career paths and comfort with terminals and low‑level systems.
• Cyberpunk and cyberculture essays made computing feel visionary and subversive, cementing lifelong obsessions.
• One poster frames broadband itself as the most influential “text,” kick‑starting a long‑running, partly regretted internet addiction.