In the excerpt from his autobiography, “Learning to Read,” Malcolm X explains how the books he read opened up new worlds of understanding for him. This got me thinking about the books that have impacted my life. Three books that immediately come to mind are Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling, Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther, and The Bible. Each book had a distinct impact at different points in time, growing up. Listing a Harry Potter book is certainly a cliché, but it was the first book I read with enthusiasm. When I was in elementary school, like many kids my age, I had an aversion to reading; my grades suffered. The only way to improve your literary skills is to practice, and the best way to practice is to read a subject that interests you. So, at a parent-teacher conference, my fifth grade teacher suggested I try reading Harry Potter, which at the time was quickly becoming a worldwide phenomenon. My parents forced me to pick up the book and before I knew it, I was captivated by the story. Having never been a good reader, reading the book on my own was difficult, but the need to understand the story kept me rereading each time. page. Harry Potter contained no deep, life-changing morals, but it captured the imagination and ignited my passion for reading. What I had once associated with boredom and considered a chore, I actively sought out, to the point that reading replaced watching television as my favorite pastime. Subsequently, the first books I read about my own violation all contained fascinating stories, like Harry Potter, and the more I read, the less intimidated I became about reading. I no longer stuttered on swear words, the need to reread pages diminished, and e...... middle of paper ......icism from my parents as a child. I was taught that God was gracious and merciful and that sinners would be punished in hell for eternity. Yet here the Bible glorified sinners, and most of the time God is a vengeful and cruel god. By the age of 16, I had lost faith in the Bible and, in turn, I had lost faith in the Catholic Church. . Reading the Bible led me to become an agnostic. And now, while I can understand why so many people turn to religion, I see religion as an obstacle to our development as a society. The books we read and the knowledge we gain from them, as well as the knowledge we gain from our environment. , including our family, help us determine the decisions we make on a daily basis. Malcolm..