"The Everlasting Man" by GK Chesterton was something I read believing it to be a history book from various ways I had seen it cited, and about halfway through, impatiently wondering where the history was supposed to start, I realized it wasn't A history, but ABOUT history, and how we look at it and think of it. I went back and read it again, and every time I do, I find more stuff to think about. In addition to the kind of mind-blowing perspective it gave me, it also introduced me to Chesterton's writing, which, aside from his absolutely marvelous philosophy, also gave me my two favorite poems, "The Ballad of the White Horse" and "Lepanto".

My (Canadian! ) pastor gave me a copy of "Vision of the Annointed" when I was 19 or 20, and I later read "Basic Economics" as a result. Those and a couple of his other works, helped shape my thinking and perspective in entirely new ways. I credit his influence on my thinking with, among other things, some of the posts I am most proud of in this community on the WoT boards, of an objective and theoretical nature, at least, as opposed to the Egwenippics which were the most fun. Namely, I refer to my posts where I attempted to definitively explore the Aiel culture and perspectives and defend the Sea Folk in the Bargain they made with Nynaeve and Elayne.

Sowell's work helped me think about issues and situations from a different perspectives and to think about the reality of costs and incentives beyond the material, to question the basis of rhetoric and assumptions and contemplate how an agenda can be serviced.

I would say that more than any two other authors, Sowell and Chesterton influenced my own personal outlook, perspective and philosophy, and specifically, the WAY I think and perceive things, as I disagree with both of them on any number of issues.

That's like asking which nephew is your favorite. The only real answer is whichever one I am enjoying most at the moment.