Views
this list is mostly opportunistic, at this point, rather than repesentative. i recently put together some lists for various people of genre recommendations, of kids books and science fiction, and thought it would be nice to start this list from them. the philosophy section is because i recently read Finite and Infinite Games and am very excited about it, and reminded of the ways i've been influenced by the other books in that section.
Philosophy
i an not proud to admit that i rarely read non-fiction, and have made it through hardly any philosophy. that said, here are a few items in this category that i cherish, and feel have made noticable difference in my life. (that they all happen to be available, when they can be found, as small paperbacks, might be somehow signficant:-)
- The Politics of Experience R.D. Laing
- Finite and Infinite Games James P. Carse (a finite game is played for the purpose of winning. an infinite game is played for the purpose of continuing the play. i think this book conveys, in pithy, deliberate steps, a practical perspective on taoism. i don't, however, expect that anyone else would make this claim.)
- The Tao Te Ching Lao Tsu (this book, on the other hand, is taoism's acknowledged historical introduction)
Fiction
i had reason in the past year to make some lists of fantasy and science fiction books for friends, younger and older, and am harvesting the fruits of those musings here. at the top are some all-time favorites, added in to the mix.
- the bean trees, barbera kingsolver
- from the mixed-up files of mrs. basil e. frankweiler, e.l. konigsburg
- the little prince, antoine st. exupery
- jonathan livingston seagull, richard bach
- the narnia series, by c.s. lewis - the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe is the first, i think there's five or six in all.
- earthsea trilogy, starting with a wizard of earthsea, ursula k. leguin
- wrinkle in time and successors, madeleine l'engle
- the once and future king, t.h. white
- the phantom tollbooth, norton juster
- john brunner:
- stand on zanzibar
- the shockwave rider
- frank herbert (profound perspectives on humanity extended, ecology,
social dynamics):
- the dosadi experiment (sequel to whipping star)
- dune and, to lesser degree, dune sequels
- the eyes of heisenberg
- the godmakers
- neil stepheson
- zodiac - non-stop and wild
- diamond age - unbridled and ferocious invention
- cryptonomicon - computer geeks delight, though some non-computer types like it, too
- snow crash
- little, big and engine summer, john crowley - haunting magical realism
- tea with the black dragon - r.a. mcavoy - elegant, amusing, and riveting fantasy
- ray bradbury - great for the younger reader getting a taste for excursions of
grace and wonder:
- the martian chronicles
- dandelion wine
- the illustrated man
- roger zelazny - amazingly fun adventure/fantasy/alternate worlds stuff:
- nine princes of amber, and several (five? six?) sequels; this is the definitive science fiction/adventure/fantasy series
- creatures of light and darkness
- lord of light
- isaac asimov's all-time classic foundation trilogy: foundation, foundation and empire, and second foundation. also, caves of steel.
- arthur c clarke:
- the nine billion names of god: best short stories of arthur c clarke
- 2001: a space odyssey
- keith laumer: dinosaur beach
- gordon r dickson: sleepwalkers' world
yet another logo