Two books that I read when I was about 10 or 12 hang with me. "Too Late the Phalarope" by Alan Paton and "The Holocaust Kingdom" whose author I forget. The former was a novel set in Apartheid South Africa and the latter was true story about one family's journeys through the death camps. Both of these books helped me develop a humanitarian world view. Another book which seems a little hokie to me now was "Last of the Mohicans" but I used to read it over and over and imagine my self padding through the pristine forests of upstate New York with Hawkeye and Uncas. It really gave me a passion for the outdoors. vl

Great thread, can't wait to read it all.