74 replies to this topic

[Spooner]

I hesitate to open this can of worms, because of the obvious and disagreeable danger of degenerating into religious debate, however I am compiling my short list of essential books for my daughter to read and would welcome some ideas.  I am looking for books that illuminate fundamental thought patterns, rather than just helpful books to read.

 

THE REPUBLIC  BY PLATO

THE ART OF WAR BY SUN TZU

THE PRINCE BY MACHIAVELLI

PRINCIPIA BY NEWTON

ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES BY DARWIN

HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE BY CARNEGNIE

EXTRAORDINARY POPULAR DELUSIONS AND THE MADNESS OF CROWDS BY  MACKAY

[Myc]

"The Republic" by Plato - got it

 

How about some more:

"The Hiram Key" by Christopher Knight & Robert Lomas

"Civilization One - The World is not as You Thought it Was" by Christopher Knight & Alan Butler

"The Tao of Physics" by Fritjof Capra

 

Dr. Chuck Missler has written some pretty brain-wrenching stuff if you enjoy studying religion. I've had a really good time with several of his books including: "Cosmic Codes - Hidden Messages from the Edge of Eternity". The 24-hours book was really very enlightening also.

Another good one to go along with "The Art of War" is "The Road Less Traveled" by M. Scott Peck.

 

Happy reading.

[Alder Logs]

I wish I had been, and could be, a better reader. 

 

Lysdexics of the world, untie!

[Alder Logs]

I used to read some, honest.  About twenty years ago, with the advent of reading glasses, it got harder than it was already.  But my mind was altered by some books, all right.  I've read almost everything by Immanuel Velikovsky.  That's a thankless task.  At least, admitting to it is. 

 

I read, The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  That did some things to a suburban white boy's mind.

 

I read a book called, Supernature, by Lyall Watson.  That started prising open some of them cortical folds.

 

There's more I'll remember, I'm sure.

[OnyxObelisk]

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair is a phenomenal story. Also War and Peace by Tolstoy.

[niemandgeist]

"The Right Way to do Wrong: An Expose of Successful Criminals" by Harry Houdini.

 

With a bit of Google searching, if you know how to use advanced (or even simple) Google search functions, you can easily locate a PDF copy of this book. I've learned so much from his book!

 

Also, ANYTHING authored by Tom Brown Junior in regard to wilderness survival books, has never done me wrong. I first discovered Tom Brown's wisdom at age 12. I am now 32. That knowledge has done me very well. I first became acquainted with Tom Brown Junior in a childrens'/adolescents' book section at a local book store so long ago.

 

PDF versions of anything that Tom Brown Junior has written, however, appear to be very difficult to find on the open internet. Perhaps one might have better luck searching private bit torrent trackers. I recommend simply looking into your local library/seeing if your library can borrow these books from other libraries, or simply purchasing the books online.

 

Also: "How to hide anything" by Michael Connor is a good book. PDF copies abound on the open internet. Learn how to hide anything anywhere, in myriad, simple ways. Very handy.

 

That's about all I have to offer at this point.

[Alder Logs]

Read me some Tom Brown Jr. way back when.  Not looking forwards to the wild dog packs.  On the upside, what I learned from him and the old Apache about stalking in the wild was a life changer.  Amazing what one might start to see when you don't clomp around the woods like a freakin' white man.  When you're covering 100 yards in twenty minutes, the woods can just come alive.

[TurkeyRanch]

"The Power of Now", kind of silly at times, but a good start, by Eckhart Tolle.

[Juthro]

Do "The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers" by Gilbert Shelton count?

[niemandgeist]

Do "The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers" by Gilbert Shelton count?

 

I only recently got into the fabulous furry freak brothers... After I'd learned more about Hippie3 and his fondness for this comic series...

 

Very entertaining!

[Juthro]

While I don't think it is the thought provoking literature that Spooner was referring too, I do think that it is worth reading if you haven't done so.

That and who doesn't like reading comic books about dope smoking hippies.

[Spooner]

"The Right Way to do Wrong: An Expose of Successful Criminals" by Harry Houdini.

 

thanks

 

THE RIGHT WAY TO DO WRONG: An Expose of Successful Criminals by Harry Houdini - FAB Audiobooks (External Link)

 

[niemandgeist]

Spooner, I'd never even thought to look on Youtube for audio books before. Thanks for finding this.

 

 

"The Right Way to do Wrong: An Expose of Successful Criminals" by Harry Houdini.

 

thanks

https://www.youtube....h?v=dihV9cNaHp8

 

[SteampunkScientist]

Any book that someone says you should not read, is a book you should read....

 

All of the above books mentioned are indeed ones that should be read.

 

With that in mind... Let me add the following: "Cosmic Trigger" by Robert Anton Wilson, Many books by Colin Wilson, Relativity by Albert Einstein, "The book of the Dammed" by Charles Fort.  These will then lead to so many others that you and your daughter will soon find yourself in dark musty old used book stores... my favorite place anyway!

 

Also, you should believe everything and nothing in any of these books.  Try believing both at the same time for good measure.

[riseabovethought]

Conversations with God, by Neale Donald Walsh

[TastyBeverage]

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! - Or any of the books by Feynman. It will ignite a love of science and learning in anyone young. Or it should, IMNSHO.

 

Richard Feynman is a great personal hero of mine.

[Alder Logs]

And to think I lived only a few miles from Feynman and never knew it.  The first I knew of him was from the PBS show about his quest to get to Tanu Tuva. I've been trying to figure out throat singing ever since.  He looked like such a wonderful human being.

[TastyBeverage]

I hear he often would sit around on the lawn at CalTech playing bongo drums with his students and chatting about the nature of life and the universe.

 

What i wouldn't give to have sat in a time or two... alas.

[Spooner]

Great suggestions folks.  The variety is important.  It will help her think for herself, and not get hooked into an single perspective.

[gremlinchode]

The catcher in the Rye.  I had a deep connection with this book the first time I read it.  

 

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Edited by gremlinchode, 04 November 2014 - 01:19 AM.