Mine was The Ancient Engineers, by L. Sprague de Camp. Though he's primarily known as a sci-fi writer, the author did this as a well referenced, fact based history of ancient technologies and engineering. It delivers a great perspective of how knowledgeable and advanced ancient people actually were. Basically how they were just like us in an earlier time, and how one simple invention or discovery was used as a stepping stone onward and upward to the advancement of civilization as a we know it today. It's a great easy read and an eye opener when it comes to advancements in technology in general. How even something as simple as the innovation of adding a stirrup on a saddle can lead to great improvements in human history.
Any book that opens your mind and allows you to learn has gotta be good, be it fiction, non-fiction or a combo. If it inspired you to better things, that counts for something.
Any book that opens your mind and allows you to learn has gotta be good, be it fiction, non-fiction or a combo. If it inspired you to better things, that counts for something.
Although it wasn't as entertaining as other books I've read. I'd have to say The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. Its half biographical and the other half is made up of tangents. But the main theme through out is basically the closed mouth doesn't get fed. It's not necessarily a self help book by normal standards. But it had quite a few points that helped inspire me to grow and better myself as a person. Such as overcoming the inability to actually ask for help when needed. Most people are willing if you just simply ask.
Not one I'd reccomend to the regular crowd associated with forum boards like this. But it's certainly had more of an impact on me than any other book.