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What's the overlooked gem, the book I haven't read that I must?
Every reader has at least one, that book that never caught on, or is out of print, but that resonates so much with people that they can't forget it. I still remember reading "The Republic of Tea" on the Sunday it came out years ago. And of course, Steve Pressfield's "The War of Art" which I've purchased and handed out a dozen times so far...













David Soul
Includes prescient essays "the Threat to All We Hold Most Dear", "The Future That Can Be Demanded Now" and a "A Liberty Machine in Prototype" taken from the Massey Lecture series of 1973 (part of The CBC Radio Ideas series). A delightful, short (100 pages) read that tells where we are now, and what should be done about it....
(unfortunately Canadian edition from Anansi Canada is out of print while UK publisher now charges near astronomical price of ~$1 per page so used is probably best bet)
Nic Marks 100+
It's available here (with a great picture of Beer looking like an old testament prophet) and I am sure from amazon too ...
http://www.wavestonepress.co.uk/photo_934703.html
David Soul
I'd originally gone back and forth between Whitaker's compilation ""Think Before You Think" and Beer's own compilation "Platform for Change" before squirting sideways and going with Designing as the single book, of any genre from my book collection, that "resonates" and is the one "must read" as called for in Seth's request.
The delightfully titled "Ten pints of Beer" which describes the rationale of each of his ten books on cybernetics - all of which are well worth reading - is available at www.kybernetik.ch/dwn/Ten_Pints_of_Beer.pdf
Bill Shackleton
Born in the early 20th century the protagonist, Lazarus Long, has just managed to live long enough to benefit from the invention of the rejuvenation machine which extends his life (or, as his various stories reveal, lives) to the point where we find him 2000 years later full of the tales, experiences and wisdom of a man who has seen it all. Through its telling Heinlein explores human nature, 'future history', culture, adventure, and other things. Included among his various novellas of experiences are two 'intermissions' filled with the 'Sayings from the Notebooks of Lazarus Long'. Some of my favorites:
Always listen to experts. They’ll tell you what can’t be done and why. Then do it!
Delusions are often functional. A mother’s opinions about her children’s beauty, intelligence, goodness, et cetera ad nauseam, keep her from drowning them at birth.
Little girls, like butterflies, need no excuse.
When a place gets crowded enough to require ID’s, social collapse is not far away. It is time to go elsewhere. The best thing about space travel is that it made it possible to go elsewhere
A zygote is a gamete’s way of producing more gamete’s. This may be the purpose of the universe.
People who go broke in a big way never miss any meals. It is the poor jerk who is shy half a slug who must tighten his belt.
...and my personal favourite:
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects!
H. Gershen
1) The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes
2) Zen and the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel and Daisetz T. Suzuki
3) Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Sometimes Zeppo by Joe Adamson
4) anything by Robert Benchley
5) most anything by Spike Milligan, but especially old Goon Show scripts
6) The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart
7) The Eudaemonic Pie by Thomas Bass
8) Songlines by Bruce Chatwin
9) The Starship and the Canoe by Kenneth Brower
10) Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
11) Blonde Roots by Bernardine Evaristo
12) Stone Junction by Jim Dodge
and...
13) War Music by Christopher Logue (as well as the other works in the series)
Russell Mikel
H. Gershen
James Ross
H. Gershen
Craig Olson
Daniel Epstein 50+
Maksim Katsnelson
Ann Lorenzen
Dennis Muzza
James Robinson
I would challenge anyone who enjoys reading to get hold of 'The Incredible Book Eating Boy' by Oliver Jeffers - brilliantly illustrated, a simple children's book with an extraordinary underlying message.
I'm heading off now to consider what tribe I want to lead.
Peace.
James
clay blasdel
Paul Calcagno
Evangelina Cifliganec
But if you don't maybe wait for the film version of it. :)
wc henwood
A couple of my own, off the top of my head: 'A Month in the Country' by J L Carr and 'A Door into Ocean' by Joan Slonczewski
Peter Fisher
wc henwood
Maria Popova 200+
And as a huge linguo-obsessive, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention these 5 essential books for language lovers and word geeks: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/02/10/5-must-read-books-about-language/
Benjamin Atkinson
Since you've explored Marcel Mauss you may find some familiar material in Chapter 2 of 'Escape from Evil'. But, being the polymath that he was, Becker generates further insights into the social constructs of gifts and giving. I'd be interested in reading your thoughts on some of the conclusions Becker draws:
*Giving was first directed to eternity (God, karma, nature) to achieve cosmic heroism (and deny finitude).
*Original human moeity resulted from a need to compete with and give to...an 'other'.
*Giving in primitive societies (more clearly than modern societies) demonstrated to self (and others) one's right to life.
Best regards,
Ben
Frances Schagen 500+
The Earth's Children series by Jean M Auel - Clan of the Cavebear, Valley of the Horses, Mammoth Hunters, Plains of Passage and Shelters of Stone. Everything I 'know' about 30,000 years ago I learned here. This series taught me to identify with other people. We all have the same feelings, motivations, desires and fears. I read this every time I need a big dose of woman power.
Tobias Duncan 100+
A while back I started started a thread on the "website that dare not speak it's name" called: SCIENCE FICTION MADE ME A BETTER MAN.You would not believe how many people responded with comments like yours.
Two more I more I would like to add
Childhoods End by Aurthur C Clarke
Brave New World by Aldus Huxley
Carolyn Ciccoritti
Dave Lim TM 500+
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/02/24/5-must-read-books-by-ted-2011-speakers/
Kurt Liska
Rather than seeing history through the prism of generals, wars and epic events, this wonderful book traces humankind's advance through our ideas, discoveries and leaps of imagination.
A wonderful primer for young minds.
Mirik Smit
Kim Stanley Robinson:
The Years of Rice and Salt
Mars Trilogy
Galileo's Dream
(much more)
Please give his amazing work a chance, you will not be dissapointed.
Also the following writers have taught me a great deal about the world and being human:
Peter Singer (Animal Liberation, How to Eat, The Life You can Save)
Jared Diamons (Collapse, Guns, Germs and Stee, Guns, Germs and Steel, The Third Chimpanzee letc)
Richard Dawkins (Unweaving the Rainbow, River out of Eden, The Selfish Gene)
Sam Harris (The Moral Landscape)
Jeremy Rifkin (Entropy, Empathy)
Richard Wiseman (59 Seconds, Quirkology)
Noam Chomsky (Rogue States, Hegemony of Survival)
Malcolm Gladwell (Blink, Outliers, etc.)
Daniel Dennett (Consciousness Explained, Freedom Evolves, etc)
Steven Pinker (The Blank Slate, How the Mind Works, etc)
Barry Schwartz (The Paradox of Choice)
Dan Ariely (Predictably Irrational)
Stephen J. Gould (Life's Grandeur)
A.C. Grayling (What is Good, etc.)
Matt Ridley (The Rational Optimist)
As for fiction:
Kim Stanley Robinson (Years of Rice and Salt, Galileo's Dream, Mars Trilogy)
Peter Watts (Blindsight)
Richard Morgan (Altered Carbon, Thirteen/Black Man)
Paulo Bacigalupi (Windup Girl)
Anthony Huso (The Last Page)
Dan Simmons (Hyperion)
I mostly enjoy science-fiction. But that is literature (if you read the right kind) that says the most about the world, our past and our future,if you ask me. It discovers humanity or how to attain it.
David Rosenberg
Mirik Smit
keith abramson
Great calls on your fiction list.
Given your taste, if you haven't read the following, you should definitely check them out:
China Mieville: Perdido St. Station (and all of his other works!)
Charles Stross: Again, everything, but definitely check out Singularity Sky and Iron Sunrise to start, then Glasshouse.
Peter F. Hamilton: the Night's Dawn Trilogy
Mirik Smit
Christopher Galtenberg
And as good as that is, yes, Dan Simmons' Hyperion is even better.
Louise Kidney
Mirik Smit
And to Louise; you just fancy him, admit it! :-) Noone will blame you, he IS quite the erudite, intelligent and handsome manly man that does write brilliant books (from what I heard)!
Christopher Galtenberg
Enjoy!
Joseph Bray
Mirik Smit
I regret to bring offence, but I fail to see how I have addressed the issues you deal with or caused you to feel to need to express your cynicism. As you see I use 'religion' rather broadly as a form of world view, not in the dogmatic sense we all know it as today.
To me it has been tremendously positive, falling from one into the other amazing discovery via science and the enjoying the beauty and nifty workings of nature. It has not been a cause for anger to witness how a bumblebee flies, or to explore the almost artistic complexity of the mind boggling Large Hadron Collider.
Please answer me how the worship of knowledge and nature represents an 'angry and reactionary' world view, I would be interested to see your point of view. Much thanks, next time with some more concise arguments and less angry randomness, I would beg of you, sir!
It's possible other people would find more traction for discussion in your words when you actually pretend they can't read your mind and just put forth the arguments you wish to present and don't just put their contribution down without an apparent valid (or even relevant) basis.
Also, please reccomend us a book (after all, what this is about).
Alex Gilbert
damiano parolin
damiano parolin
Martin Funes
His poems are great, his conferences and talks could easily be TEDs, his essays and short stories more often than not are mind blowing.
L. Max Taylor
Christopher Galtenberg
L. Max Taylor
Sebastian Betti 200+
Ron Beland
scott berry
This brief book is so spectacularly good you will find yourself reading and re-reading favorite moments with a barely-suppressible joy constantly in the 19-straight hours I assure you you will spend non-stop powering through it. It is a very dark book, and it will go straight to the top eschelons of your list of favorites.
Luci McKean 500+
Yara Shaban 50+
-The Yacoubian Building: http://www.amazon.com/Yacoubian-Building-Alaa-Al-Aswany/dp/0060878134/ref=pd_sim_b_2
is a timely book to read that gives you a glimpse of the modern Egyptian society.
-Men in the Sun is a must read: http://www.amazon.com/Men-Sun-Other-Palestinian-Stories/dp/0894108573/ref=pd_sim_b_2