Ten books that impacted me.

I'm a voracious reader; I have been since high school. My book collection therefore totals over 100 titles, but if I had to recommend just ten that have left the greatest impression on me, these would be them. In no order, besides alphabetical by author's surname:

This story of an English boy in apartheid-era South Africa who overcomes prejudice of his own as a boxing champion and also joins the blacks in their fight against the system, drawn from Courtenay's own life, is a deeply inspiring yet unabashedly angry and defiantly unsentimental coming-of-age story like no other. However, avoid the film adaptation at all costs.

The biggest-selling science fiction novel ever published, Herbert's 1965 epic began a long series and had a clear influence on many later literary and cinematic SF series, but even today makes a fresh, unique statement all by itself. But avoid the film adaptation of this one also.

Famously written on a scroll of teletype paper, this 1957 saga of sex, jazz and personal discovery across the Western US landscape became a cornerstone of Beat Generation culture and fully retains its original charm and resonance. Kerouac's narrative style, which he called "spontaneous prose," isn't for all tastes, but for a free spirit like me it provides an absolute rush.

Ms. Le Guin is probably my favourite writer. This 1974 stunner, part of her celebrated Hainish Cycle of novels, was her first work I read, and I was instantly obsessed. Incorporating themes of linguistic relativity, mind control, political and class warfare and gender and race relations it's definitely esoteric, but if esoteric SF is your thing, it will be catnip for you. It follows young physicist Shevek, who journeys from Anarres to its sister planet Urras to further his work and research, but instead becomes a pawn in a plot to overthrow its capitalist society.

I know, this is such a cliched inclusion. But even after all the acclaim and historic sales, it will have the same meaning and relevance a century from now, and its personal meaning for Lee is unmistakable throughout. It's a flawlessly written and plotted snapshot of a bygone era - and, sadly, also ours.

I first tried to read this in Year 10, but at 751 pages I couldn't finish it then due to time. But I tried again in university, and despite already knowing the resolution, even after such length I wanted more. Political autobiographies understandably get a bad wrap usually for several reasons, but Mandela tells his remarkable story with genuine charisma and eloquence, and you will be profoundly inspired. Reading this is like sitting with your long-lost grandfather beside a roaring fireplace as he offers you much-needed wisdom about life.

I know, yet another cliched inclusion. But as with To Kill a Mockingbird, this gem changed the world and will continue to change lives. Holden may be the most cynical protagonist in all of fiction, but he is all-too realistic, and as a Mary Sue he offers a very sharp insight into Salinger's background and mindset. No matter what (or who) it has inspired over the years, The Catcher in the Rye remains seminal and flawless - and it was published on my birthday (but not the same year, obviously)!

I understand why this remains so polarizing, even after the film trilogy was so popular. Tolkien was a very dense and perfectionistic writer; maybe even a pedantic one. But whether it's because I'm an autistic geek or not (and it took me nearly a year to finish the whole thing; I started it after seeing the movies, too), I was riveted the entire way. Underneath the fairly simple premise of the quest to destroy the One Ring, it's a timeless allegory for political and mental corruption, and a celebration of friendship, unity and romance. Love or loathe it, The Lord of the Rings is unshakable.

In 2010, Lt. Col. Mark M. Weber, after a distinguished career in the U.S. Army, was diagnosed with stage IV intestinal cancer and given two years to live. He subsequently chose to write some letters to his three young sons, to help them through life after he was gone. Those letters became this memoir. Now, I'm a pacifist who usually hates books consisting of letters, but suffice it to say, until I read this, no book had ever made me cry.

This saga of two post-WWII Australian families, the Lambs and the Pickleses, stoically surviving and growing over twenty years in a shared house called Cloudstreet, cemented Winton's career as a giant of Aussie fiction and made waves across the world. It evokes the era and culture with superb authenticity, and with how it proves there's much more to family than blood, no wonder it's become one of Australia's best-loved classics.