10 books

[technoir]

I got this notion unashamedly from speaks. It struck me as a good idea to establish understanding. I have come up with a list of 10 books to understand me. I am leaving off the classically relevent ones like Shakespear and the bible. Yes i read them. Yes they had effect but I thinking of things not everyone is required to cover in western society.

Illusions by Richard Bach
This book is an elegant book about what it means to be who you are and not what you do. A reluctant messiah begs off doing the messiah thing to live an ordinary life.

On the Road by Jack Kerouak
This book introduced me to the beat movement of writers. It also describes the love of the trip better than anything i have ever read.

The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert Hienlien
Introduced to me the notion of relationship morality is based on the needs of the society and not some higher code. Marriage is not what it was nor is it as it will be forever.

Dune by Frank Herbert
This is another book that shaped how i look at history and society and how we are shaped in either direction by it.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever by Stephen Donaldson
This is a series i almost didnt read after reading the first few chapters in the first book. The "hero" of the series does terrible things do to his lack of believe of the world he finds himself in then spends the rest of the time guilty for having done those things.

Diskworld books by Terry Pratchett
These books fit nicely in my sence of humor. I dont like farse or stupid comedy. Give me the comedy of people being the way they are.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
I have lived in towns like the one in this book. Also simply put, Atticus Finch is everything i admire in a man and strive to be.

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
This book of ancient and simple philosophy shapes how i think everyday.

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
My own spiritual journay may have used this as an atlas. Even if i didn't know where I was headed i at least knew the terrain better do to his works.

Lord of the Rings by Tolkien
This series shaped my reading habits and my view of storytelling for years.

Well common context established. There are so many others of course, bu these are pretty good starts. maybe grocking me might not be as hard if you have read these.

TechNoir

Comments

Good choices

[speaks.livejournal.com]

I sort of put books like the Tao Te Ching in the same category as the bible! I briefly considered the Bagavad-Gita or the Ramayana but decided that A) they were fairly tangental and B) overly technical.

I've never really ascribed to Taoism. I like carving on my block too much.

Bach is a really good choice. Some nice crunchy bits there. Although again, not truly me.

I never really understood Thomas Covenant. I guess he is just to anti-me. I found myself constantly irritated and hating Covenant and frustrated that the people had to put up with that utter bastard just because he was carrying around a chunk of white gold.

Your Pratchett and my Adams is basically the same thing. Both excellent humorists.

To kill a mockingbird IS excellent. I've given up litigation long ago, but I still admire Atticus Finch

Re: Good choices

[technoir.livejournal.com]

Tao Te Ching is so simple it I didn't think fell into to complex and requiring study. You can read your average translation in an afternoon and not need any explained to most folks. The nice part as simple as it is you can expand on it as needed.

Covenant is a very complex charicter as actually most of the charicters surrounding him. It is one of the things I liked about the series.

I prefered Pratchett to Adams. This of course is like saying you like George Carlin more than Robin Williams. They are both funny as hell.

[suibhne.livejournal.com]

I love On the Road. That's one I'd forgotten about. I should pull that off the shelf and re-read it. There are a few on here I've never read - Donaldson and Bach. And I'm not a huge fan (don't kill me) of Dune or Lord of the Rings. Great stories, but the style bogged me down. But I feel like I have a good sense of how all of these helped shape you. This is such a neat little idea. It really does say a lot about person. Thanks for sharing!

[technoir.livejournal.com]

I definately recomend Illussions. I read it one evening and then reread the next to evenings just because it blew me away.

I am enjoying this whole meme emmensly. It is like looking at all my friends libraries and seeing their well worn books.

I do think a top tenn movies or a top ten comics(in my case at least) may be in the future.

[aetatis.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I made it through the first chapter of the Thomas Covenant series and then huffed away in disgust. I should try rereading it now that I'm a bit older. Ah, the foolishness of young Me.

Which translation of Tao Te Ching do you suggest starting with? I've never looked into this one in any depth, so I don't even have any copies of it floating around the house.

And do the comics one! Do!

[technoir.livejournal.com]

The Copy i have around these days is not the translation I orriginally read back in high school, but it is very good.

My personal copy is the stephen Mitchell translation. Also for further explination as to tao mindet read the Tao of Pooh which is actually quite good.

I will Do a Comic list as well maybe tommorrow, but soon at least.

[grendyl.livejournal.com]

Hm, yes, Covenant, Dune, and those pesky hobbits all shaped my sense of the mythic. Along with "The Waste Land"... I am diminished that in that it no longer fills me with the awe it once did.

Illusions is just plain incredible.

A book to establish context... Try "Godel, Escher, and Bach" by Douglas R. Hofstadter.