Papillon by Henri Charriere. I saw the movie would Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman when I was a kid. Over at aunt and uncle's house. They were the first ones in the family to get cable tv. I was about 8 years old when that happened. When I was in the Air Force I bought the Papillon VHS video cassette. I had gotten married while in the Air Force to a miserable woman who kept preaching religion at me. Of course I was religious at the time. But she was crazy about religion. And living in divine health. And naming and claiming things in the name of Jesus. I had to get out of the Air Force because of a medical condition I picked up in Saudi Arabia. Different story different time. And she was still naming and claiming things and holding me accountable for my sins. Long story longer I got fed up with her and ended the marriage. So there I was trying to go back to College. Failed marriage. Failed Air Force career. I found the book. On Amazon. I read the book. The author told a story more in depth than the movie. The book inspired me to keep up the fight. Despite all the bullshit I was dealing with. And I would be dealing with in the future. I read that book 24 years ago. There's no proof that Henri Charriere actually did everything he said he did in the book. Papillon is not the best book in the world. But it is one of my favorites.

That's a great choice. I couldn't really think of anything more influential.