When I was in my early teens, I had an acute case of appendicitis. I spent two weeks in hospital, during which I read Cat's Cradle, Slaughterhouse 5, and Sirens of Titan. Vonnegut's writing radically changed my world view, and I sought out more of his books over the following years. Other than my parents, Kurt Vonnegut has had the biggest influence on me as a person.

If you've never read Vonnegut, stop what you're doing, go get a copy of Cat's Cradle, and read it cover to cover.