You know, I didn't know they did books, and it was a little strange to think of them as having something to do with fiction, but I really think the line is perfect for this particular book and vice versa. I wrote it while I was in college, and it took a long time because I was in classes and working. The biggest challenge is getting people to see what you see in it. It's not an experience you let happen to you, but one you partake in. I think it takes energy and creativity to read, a lot more than it takes to watch TV or listen to music.
Different people look for different things.
Some are looking to escape, some are looking to be entertained, some look for a character or situation they can identify with. I read a lot of different kinds of stuff. My father gave me whatever he was reading and enjoying at the time. I also read a lot of Richard Brautigan and Anne Lamott. I don't know about life-changing, but I was certainly influenced very strongly by everything I read at that age, and I still am.