If I had to pick just one book that had the largest impact on my life, it was that of a trashy, back-in-the-day novel from 1979 called Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews.

Yes, it would be more impressive if my first important book had been some great work of literature, but it was not. 

A high school classmate kept telling me about how good this book was and after a bit of cajoling, I broke it open, and WOW.  This novel hit me at the perfect time in my teen life because up until that point when it came to reading books, I didn't realize how some writers could string together words in such a way that a novel could be read through over one night and into the morning. 

To me, the importance of this novel was how it was a catalyst for me in the pursuit of the enjoyment of the printed word and when I hear other young people claim they don't like reading books, I always tell them the same thing: you just haven't found what you like yet and when you do, your world will expand immensely.

Others?