Topic: Best landmark ... or other texts/books?? (Read 8635 times)

rogue_77 · « **on:** September 11, 2006, 09:11:48 PM »

I've been wanting to read up on some landmark texts(like Origin of Species, Principia, etc) and am wondering if anyone has read any? I'm looking for entertainment, as in something that actually holds my interest and isn't all boring science talk.. like REAL BORING science talk..

I'm also wondering any other good texts anyone would like to point out..

I heard The Art of Deception is good but haven't gotten around to getting a copy.

I also want to get the entire collection of Foxtrot comics for my cereal time in the morning..

Suggestions?

pbsaurus · « **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2006, 11:48:13 AM »

Oral Sadism And The Vegetarian Personality.

Scheherazade · « **Reply #2 on:** September 12, 2006, 02:53:33 PM »

Quote from: pbsaurus on September 12, 2006, 11:48:13 AM

Oral Sadism And The Vegetarian Personality.

I would also recommend that, as an advocate of polymorphous perversity...

Demosthenes · « **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2006, 02:57:50 PM »

Here are a few off the top of my head. I'm of the opinion that most of these should be required reading, in no particular order, and on no particular subject matter:

Sun Tzu's "The Art Of War"
Karl Marx's "Das Kapital", as well as "The Communist Manifesto"
George Orwell's "Animal Farm" and "1984"
Nicolo Machiavelli's "The Prince"
Ayn Rand's "Anthem"
Robert A. Heinlein's "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress"
The Bible
The Qu'ran
Dr. Carl Sagan's "The Demon Haunted World" as well as "Cosmos"
Dr. Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History Of Time"
Henry Rollins' "Get In The Van"
Pat Frank's "Alas, Babylon"
Gerald Posner's "Case Closed"
Will Durant's "The Age Of Faith"
John Locke's "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding"
JRR Tolkein's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy

Scheherazade · « **Reply #4 on:** September 12, 2006, 03:02:41 PM »

Quote from: Demosthenes on September 12, 2006, 02:57:50 PM

Ayn Rand's "Anthem"

Also a fantastic book, and also a short read. We had to read this in school, and afterwards I taped a nametag over my school ID that reads, "Hello! My name is: Conformity 7-4242." I still use it, as well. In any case, it's a great book and you should definitely read it.

George Orwell's "Animal Farm" is also a great read, but I haven't yet had the chance to read "1984."

I'm not sure if it's considered a classic or anything, but Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five" is a good one. Also:

Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451"
"Go Ask Alice" (Anonymous)

pbsaurus · « **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2006, 03:26:43 PM »

Don't forget Freud. You should pick up several of those.

Then there's Howard Zinn's "A People's History Of The United States 1492-Present"

Plus "The 48 Laws Of Power" by Robert Greene

And then start on the many works of Stephen Jay Gould, probably starting with "The Mismeasure Of Man"

Demosthenes · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2006, 03:27:00 PM »

Quote from: ihatecliches on September 12, 2006, 03:02:41 PM

I'm not sure if it's considered a classic or anything, but Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five" is a good one. Also:

Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451"

I knew my list was missing a couple. Both of those I can definitely vouch for.

I also forgot one of the most important books in my collection:

Steven Levy's "Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution"

That should be required reading for ANYONE expressing any kind of interest in technology, casual or otherwise.

Scheherazade · « **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2006, 10:08:49 PM »

I don't know if they're considered classics, either, but The Increasingly Inaccurately Titled Hitchhiker's Trilogy by Douglas Adams is amazing, and I'm also an Isaac Asimov fan.

Demosthenes · « **Reply #8 on:** September 12, 2006, 10:23:54 PM »

Quote from: ihatecliches on September 12, 2006, 10:08:49 PM

I don't know if they're considered classics, either, but The Increasingly Inaccurately Titled Hitchhiker's Trilogy by Douglas Adams is amazing, and I'm also an Isaac Asimov fan.

Oh yeah. Asimov's "Foundation" trilogy is also another landmark work, if of sci-fi.

Scheherazade · « **Reply #9 on:** September 13, 2006, 03:51:45 PM »

Quote from: Demosthenes on September 12, 2006, 10:23:54 PM

Oh yeah. Asimov's "Foundation" trilogy is also another landmark work, if of sci-fi.

You, my friend, have great taste in literature.

jeee · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2006, 04:39:37 PM »

Dante - The divine comedy (start with Inferno, like it ? read the rest)
The diary of Anne Frank
Stepen King's Dark Tower series
Hitler's Mein Kampf (available online: http://www.mondopolitico.com/library/meinkampf/toc.htm) if you want the to read about the most pure definition of hate
Unberto Eco - In the name of the rose
John Steinbeck - Of mice and men
Jonathan Swift - Gulliver's travels
Peter Arnett - Live from the Battlefield: From Vietnam to Baghdad, 35 Years in the World's War Zones.
Harriet Beecher Stowe - Uncle Tom's cabin

Those are a few of my personal "landmarks"

Demosthenes · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:11:58 PM »

Quote from: ihatecliches on September 13, 2006, 03:51:45 PM

You, my friend, have great taste in literature.

I've been meaning to re-read the "Foundation" books lately. I haven't picked any of those up since I was 14 or 15 or so. I only barely remember them.

While I'm at it, I should really add the first four "Dune" novels by Frank Herbert to the list. Those are a truly excellent example of fiction, period.... science or otherwise.

EDIT:

Jeee, "Of Mice And Men" is the only Steinbeck I can stomach. I loved that one, but can't stand the rest of his entire mass of work.

Scheherazade · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:17:32 PM »

Also good books:

The Princess Bride - S. Morgenstern
Le Morte D'Arthur - Sir Thomas Malory
The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer
The Iliad & The Oddyssey - Homer
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Dracula - Bram Stoker
Troy - I don't remember who it's written by...

DAMN I've got good taste for a 16 year old.

<--- wannabe prodigy

jeee · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:22:22 PM »

Yep, when I felt I had to read some more literature back in the day, I read "Of mice and men". After that I was delighted and started "The Grapes of wrath". I never finished it.

Demosthenes · « **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:28:41 PM »

Me neither. It was horrible.

Scheherazade · « **Reply #15 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:37:35 PM »

Quote from: jeee on September 13, 2006, 05:22:22 PM

Yep, when I felt I had to read some more literature back in the day, I read "Of mice and men". After that I was delighted and started "The Grapes of wrath". I never finished it.

I had to read that in American Literature Honors last year...it was hell. I liked "War and Peace'' better.

pbsaurus · « **Reply #16 on:** September 13, 2006, 07:24:37 PM »

Concur. The only readable Steinbeck was OMAM.

Scheherazade · « **Reply #17 on:** September 13, 2006, 07:51:23 PM »

Quote from: pbsaurus on September 13, 2006, 07:24:37 PM

Concur. The only readable Steinbeck was OMAM.

Which was more than readable...it was actually enjoyable. And I've never seen a bad version of the film (I particularly liked the one with John Malkovich and Gary Sinise).

Dark Shade · « **Reply #18 on:** September 13, 2006, 09:45:18 PM »

I really enjoyed Rand and Robyn Miller's 'Myst' trilogy, following the line of PC games released. It's certainly an amazing trilogy, and definetly worth a read.

Scheherazade · « **Reply #19 on:** September 13, 2006, 09:48:22 PM »

Also by Ayn Rand: "The Fountainhead"

Demosthenes · « **Reply #20 on:** September 14, 2006, 12:53:47 PM »

Corrected your misspelling of "Fountainhead".

Scheherazade · « **Reply #21 on:** September 14, 2006, 03:35:24 PM »

Oh boy...thanks! I've been reading too much lately...

Dark Shade · « **Reply #22 on:** September 14, 2006, 08:50:57 PM »

Quote from: Demosthenes on September 14, 2006, 12:53:47 PM

Corrected your misspelling of "Fountainhead".

You beat me to it.

I enjoyed 'The Fountainhead' as well. Certainly worth the read.

rogue_77 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 14, 2006, 09:15:33 PM »

Ok, I've noted all the books and texts mentioned in this forum. When I finish all these books in a month what will I read then??

HAHAHAHAHHAHAA...

Ohhh... good joke..

Seriously.. I have read a number of the books you people mention... Tomorrow if I get time I'll add what books I've read that I've liked.

I did love 1984, I love how he setup the society, his vision. Animal Farm was interesting but I listened to an audio book and it ended like (spoiler) ______ turning into _____ and that I didn't really understand that all that well. But I loved how the mule(I think it was) understood what was REALLY going on.. esepcially with the laws..

Big Orange Cat · « **Reply #24 on:** September 14, 2006, 10:19:14 PM »

The only book I can add to all the great selections offered up here is "Night" by Elie Wiesel. It is beautiful and devastating and should be a required read for high school students.

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Author Topic: Best landmark ... or other texts/books?? (Read 8635 times)