10 life changing books to read
I was checking my Amazon account today. Since opening the account in 2008 when I moved to the US, I’ve bought an average of sixty books a year. That’s 420 books read through just Amazon in seven years; add to that, other random books I’ve picked up in bookstores and hostels and all the books I read in my pre-Amazon days, I guess I’m a bigger nerd than I thought! I’m sure each of these books has affected me in some way but the ten books below had an immediate, tangible impact on my life. I’ve read them at different stages but I’m grouping them in order of the age I wished I had read them:
<25: Three books that ensure you don’t lose your sense of adventure as you enter adulthood
- Forrest Gump: Few know that this was a book before a movie, but I was lucky to read it as a teenager when my aunt visiting from the US left a copy at our home. Forrest with no sense of limitation and always saying yes to everything planted the seeds of what would become a wandering life for me.
- Into the Wild: I read this book in my twenties but I wish I had read it much earlier. The solitary, seeking Chris McCandless became a bit of a role model for me and inspired me to start hiking seriously. I did Macchu Picchu, Kilimanjaro, the Himalayas, and other non-technical climbs shortly after.
- Man’s Search for Meaning: Happiness is the pursuit of a cause bigger than yourself. The deceptively simple analysis from the Nazi concentration camp survivor is a must-read for anyone about to pick a vocation.
25-35: Three books everyone should read to become successful in the world of men and hobbits.
- Rules of Work: This is one of those rare cheesy self-help books that actually help. While reading this, a light-bulb went off in my head that to have any sort of impact at work, I’d have to be a leader, basically take charge of every situation without inhibition. Just that one idea has helped me in every job since.
- Think and Grow Rich: The 2nd and only self-help book on the list, promise! This one is a keeper. Set a lofty, unattainable goal and be persistent through innumerable rejections (plus a host of other actionable tips the author discovered after twenty years of research!) helped me face rejection after rejection to get a major book deal for my US debut.
- The story of my experiments with Truth by Mahatma Gandhi: An incredible book. Through him, I learnt the how self-restraint can topple an empire and how an ordinary man can become extraordinary by just setting an intention.
35+: Three books to confidently begin your inward journey.
- Buddha by Karen Armstrong: The book humanized the Buddha for me as a flesh and blood man who’d stop at nothing to answer his burning meaning-of-life questions. I pick up the book again and again when I lose momentum on my meditation practice to feel inspired by the Buddha, my hero, again.
- Mindfulness by Joseph Goldstein: Through the years, I’ve read a lot of books on meditation but this was the clearest, most practical of them all and gently pushed my meditation practice from being more concentration-based to awareness-based. And yet, it doesn’t dumb down or excessively modernize Buddhist meditation. Consider this gem: “In the seeing, there’s only the seen; in the hearing, there’s only the heard, this just this is the end of suffering.”—clear yet incredibly profound.
- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Iyengar’s commentary is a stand-out): For me, this is the most definitive thesis ever written on what it means to be a human. Without ambiguity, it lays out man’s true purpose and gives us a step-by-step guide to achieve that. This was the only book I carried with me in our sabbatical—and it took me a year of almost everyday reading to begin to understand it.
And the tenth book? THE SEEKER, of course! I don’t know if it holds a candle to the great books above but I planned and wrote this book over five years with the single-minded intent of writing a book that would make a dent in my readers’ lives. Now, you are the judge! And if reading these great books above inspire you to write, don’t forget to sign up for my full video course on How to get a Top 5 publishing deal here.
http://karanbajaj.com/bestseller/
This is the first time I’ve offered a video course and the response has been delightful. Signing up is free!

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23 Responses to “The Ten Books that will change your life guaranteed”
The Seeker is an honest attempt Karan. It depicts the emptiness of material quest to perfection.
Thanks Saurabh, glad it spoke to you.
The seeker is superb book write by you sir I wait very much for your new book thank you for this..
Thanks Romi. Appreciate the kind words.
wow great. I agree with you on this. I have read couple of them and they really were something. I would add here “The Monk who sold his Ferrari” and “The power of subconscious mind” as these two also sit proudly on my desk and i pick them when life picks on me.
Good ones!
“The Seeker” i won’t call it just a Book Karan.. It’s a journey.. Journey not by a “tourist” but by a “TRAVELLER”.. While going thru the experiance Karan let me tell you very frankly i was thinking we might have a another “Paulo Coelho” read something in one strech only after “The Alchemist “
Very kind words, Vishal. Thank you. Readers like you keep me going.
If you are reareally interested in practisibg meditation and spirituality then you can try a simple method called Sahaj Marg based on Raja Yoga . I have been into this since my birth and it really fills me up with divine love
Thanks Surabhi. I’ve heard a lot about it. Will definitely give it a try if I feel a sense of saturation with my existing practice. Thank you for sharing.
I am a big fan of your work ‘Johnny Gone Down ‘ was amazing !!!! Can’t wait to read ‘The Seeker’
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts about it!
I read “The story of My Experiments with Truth” first time in my school probably in 9th or 10th class, couldn’t comprehend much at that time however soon as i grow I realizes the beauty of book and its life changing . If some one asks me to read one book in lifetime I will suggest this . I am also looking forward to your book The Seeker.
Indeed Ramesh, something similar happened with me with “Experiments”. I realized it’s value only in my 30’s. Would love your thoughts on The Seeker!
Seeker is a honest attempt that enables one to seek answers as to the true purpose of his life. The story of my experiments with truth and mans search for meaning have really changed the way I see things in life . mindfulness and yoga sutras of patanjali are on my current reading list . would also recommend here mindfulness in plain English – an amazing book . Many thanks for the recommendations for the book . Your meditation videos are inspiring me to continue the practice of meditation .
Thanks Amit! Great you’re going through the books–all of them have meant a lot in my life. Thanks for your reco–will check it out for sure.
The sheer honesty with which Karan writes his blogs,,,and the profundity of his books……is a rare combination in Lit world.
Karan – sorry, I have been soft-stalking you for a while,,,and would love to do so in future as well.
Ah man, kind words and thank you for dropping the comment. Always a gift to get feedback so drop a note on anything that captures your attention!
Karan,
If you get a chance, read this book – The strange case of billy biswas (Arun Joshi).
Will do!
I am working on a novel these days, and I want to be an amazing writer, I haven’t read a lot ( though I have read Jonny gone down, and that was as amazing journey )but I have seen many ups and downs in life, will experience of personal life help me writing a book..
Absolutely. Johnny is very personal as well, Deepak.
No ‘Autobography of a Yogi’ or ‘Bhagwat Gita’ ?