Letters to a Young Contrarian, by Christopher Hitchens was given to me by a high school teacher I absolutely adored and who later became something of a mentor to me. It was one of the first books that started to get me thinking about...well...thinking and writing and having 'grown-up' opinions. It was also my introduction into Christopher Hitchens who is an outstanding writer.

Unseen Academicals, by Terry Pratchett saved my life. Was already a Terry Pratchett fan, but I picked up this book following a release from hospital following a suicide attempt. Something about the humour and subject matter of the book kept a great deal of the residual numbness and sadness at bay so that I could more quickly return to life. I re-read Unseen Academicals during dark times.

More recently, Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane had a massively (and unexpectedly) profound effect on me. For such a little book, it carried such weight. The end of the book had me weeping and even though most of the story was heavy, I found reading it almost cathartic.