Absolutely. You could say the ideas are well presented or it provided a contrast that clarified your own thinking. But, if someone asks "What's your favorite book?" and you say "The best book I've ever read was Atlas Shrugged in 8th grade. Changed my life." then... come on. You either like it or are quite the tricky communicator.

"Someone dropped it off a bridge, hit my abusive step-dad and killed him dead. Soft spot for Ayn Ran ever since, beliefs aside." That's someone I'd want to be friends with.

Tricky communicators make the best friends.

And have it change your life?

> And have it change your life?

Yes, a literary work can both be life-changing and not something you agree with.

EG:

I do not at all agree with Marx. Me and others reading his works changed my life irrevocably. Ditto for Hitler.

But you do get that if you said "The best book I've ever read was Mein Kampf in 8th grade. Changed my life." then some people very reasonably won't want to be your friend, right?

Would you befriend someone who said, "The best book I've ever read was Mein Kampf in 8th grade. My life, however, was entirely unaltered thereby."?

I’d be mostly confused. How did the best book you’ve ever read not alter your life?

I was just quoting the actual question in the comment.

You had me until "reasonably". I'd rather friends who have read than friends who prefer ignorance.

I wouldn’t hold it against someone for having read it. Again, big difference between reading a book and saying it’s your favorite.

Ok but your favourite book?