If you had to pick one thing you've read that changed the course of your life, what would it be? (ht @rivatez for the question.)
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When I was 5, my parents bought me a pair of books that really changed the course of my life. One was a Children's Bible. The other was the Childcraft Encyclopedia, especially vol 4, "World and Space", and vol 11, "Make and Do" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childcraft ).
One (unintended) effect was that I became an atheist. But the larger effect of both was to open up the universe. Living in rural Australia at the time, where the local pub was the height of culture. Didn't know it then, but my parents must have saved for months or years.
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May I ask: if you had to pick one thing you've read that changed the course of your life, what would it be?
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I've been thinking about this, and it was probably The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, which made me want to work on AI, which led to Lisp.
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Did you become an atheist at 5?
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Around then. I tend to think of 7 as when I first really articulated it (to my brother). But I was certainly very uncomfortable with religion by age 5 or 6. Of course, it was a very unsophisticated atheism.
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