Apolyton Reading List

[Dracon II]

I propose we should make nominations for the most essential reading for OTers - those books which we see as most conducive towards building wisdom/virtue/intellect etc etc. The most popular nominations will form a canon... which ideally all of us will get around to reading... eventually.

[Jon Miller]

sounds like a cool idea

although traditionally everyone posts in idea or 10 and there is a bit of discussion

then it dies

but that is fine by me

Jon Miller

[Jon Miller]

I traditionally divide my reading into:

ideas/concepts (through experience) :: fiction
ideas/concepts (through argument) :: nonfiction
science :: textbooks

I read a lot of the first and third, not much of the second

I think the first two are conductive to gaining virtue/wisdom, the third is most conductive towards gaining intellect

Jon Miller

[Snotty]

I picked up a copy of Thomas Moore's Utopia in a 2nd hand book shop and thoroughly enjoyed it. The book takes the form of a man describing his visit to the fictional land of Utopia, and considering it was written in 1518 by a British politician who later became Lord Chancellor, the book shows remarkably liberal forward thinking.

In the link, the book really gets going from book '2' onwards. Book '1' is just setting the scene, although altogether the book isnt that long.

[Jon Miller]

I enjoyed that one

JM

[Sava]

The Bible

[alva]

Celine : Journey to the end of the night

Amazon

Biograpy

Ten pages of the book

[loinburger]

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, so that everybody can get the "joke" when somebody says that 42 is the answer to some question or another.

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Snotty
I picked up a copy of Thomas Moore's Utopia in a 2nd hand book shop and thoroughly enjoyed it. The book takes the form of a man describing his visit to the fictional land of Utopia, and considering it was written in 1518 by a British politician who later became Lord Chancellor, the book shows remarkably liberal forward thinking.

In the link, the book really gets going from book '2' onwards. Book '1' is just setting the scene, although altogether the book isnt that long.

yeah that's a classic. If you like that, you might try laus stultitiae by Erasmus. He was a good friend of Morus, and that book's damn funny: it's all about praising the foolishness and stupidity of scholars, popes and priests, labourers, etc everyone really

[Japher]

The Bible

I disagree. Though that shouldn't stop you from arguing it.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

I agree. That way we all understand the rules.

I would also suggest

Lord of the Flies so that no one gets all upset when someone breaks on the pig head because Ned shows up.

1984 to understand Sloww's humor.

Don Quixote to find it funny.

The Man in the Iron Mask to understand our hatred of Leonardo Di'Caprio.

Brian's Song so we can all agree that the Bear really do suck, no matter how lucky they may get in a season.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Not really, just seeing if you are still reading this post.

Frankenstein Because this is MarkG's monster.

[molly bloom]

Jonathan Swift: Gulliver's Travels and A Modest Proposal

George Orwell: How The Poor Die and Shooting An Elephant

Charles Dickens: Hard Times

Douglas R. Hofstadter: Godel, Escher, Bach

[ajbera]

The Prince by Machiavelli.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

[ajbera]

Originally posted by Japher
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Not really, just seeing if you are still reading this post.

Say what you will, but the book is supposed it be pretty cool (wifey's a YA librarian), and in the film, Bridget's a babe.

[Japher]

yeah, I saw the movie

[Jon Miller]

I would agree with the Bible, and would include most other books that are important/sacred to major religions

JM