The Book That Changed My Life

Following the success of Days Like This, which saw thousands of Scots sending stories about a special day in their life, Scottish Book Trust is now launching The Book That Changed My Life, a new reading and writing project asking people across Scotland to tell a story about the one book that changed their life.
The Book That Changed My Life aims to encourage as many people as possible across Scotland to share the story behind a book that means something to them. It doesn’t need to have literally “changed” their life – it could be a book that shaped the way they are or think; maybe a book that meant something at a special point in their life, or even a book associated with a special event, either good or bad.
It could be anything from a classic novel to a children’s book, a collection of poems or a self-help book, anything as long as it is linked to a personal and possibly life-changing story.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said, “Based on the outstanding response we got for Days Like This, and the huge enthusiasm of the participants, we expect to get some very inspired – and inspirational – stories about the power of books and their significance in people’s lives. Books do change lives – we know that. But in which ways? We are dying to find out. We hope that the answers from people all across Scotland will create a real buzz about reading and writing, encouraging others to take up book and pen”
A host of celebrities have already told us what book changed their lives – We now want to hear about everyone across Scotland!
IAN RANKIN: Anthony Burgess – A Clockwork Orange
BRIAN COX: Luke Rhinehart – The Dice Man
ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH: W.H. Auden – Collected Shorter Poems
LULU: Barack Obama – Dreams from My Father
A.L. KENNEDY: Douglas Adams – The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
CRAIG HILL: Bertrand Russell – The Conquest of Happiness
JANICE GALLOWAY: John W Schaum – Piano Course, Book A (The Red Book)
MARK COUSINS: James Joyce – A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
JOHN MICHIE: Arthur Herman – The History of the Scottish Enlightenment
MURRAY GRIGOR: D’Arcy Thompson – On Growth and Form

Stories should be between 50 and 500 words and can be submitted online at www.scottishbooktrust.com/thebook or by post to “The Book That Changed My Life”, Scottish Book Trust, Sandeman House, Trunks Close, 55 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR
Stories must include the author’s name and title of the book together with why this particular book is so important. All stories will be available to read on the website, creating a list of life-changing books as well as a platform for discussion, and the most inspirational ones will be featuring in a book to be published at the end of the project.