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I'm 56. I first discovered these in maybe 1980 or 81? These books were foundational to my sense of creativity, and expectations of entertainment. I had discovered D&D the year prior, and this was fuel to the fire. To this day, when I'm bored, I create my own adventure, and don't rely on computers, film, books, etc... these books taught me how to become self-sufficient and self-entertaining. Funny, the same year I also discovered Douglas Adams and I think Gary Numan's Cars was still on KC Kasem's top 20. 1979-1982: genesis of identity.

Also, this was the last good incarnation of the trope I'd seen in a while: https://www.cracked.com/blog/choose-your-own-adventure-on-dr...

Same generation, very insightful. Seeing the old covers makes me remember for a second what it was like to be 10 years old again. Scoring some of those at a school bookmobile was like Christmas. I remember learning about them on a PBS children's book show and being captivated by the idea and implications. I already loved books and the new dimension was fresh, along with D&D. Watching that stuff turn into the video games of today has been quite amazing.

I'm a decade younger, but yeah, whenever someone tells me that the setting of X (lately Harry Potter) is "so imaginative", as a forever GM, I can't help but smirk – I've been coming up with stories and worlds vastly more sophisticated every week-end for the past ~30 years.

Yep! Back then: Choose Your Own Adventure, D&D and Zork - what else would a kid need?