Safferz Posted December 17, 2013 Allyourbase;991300 wrote: I would say the books that have really altered my thinking or have made a strong impression on me I read when I was younger so expect some cheese in my list: The Alchemist 100 Years of Solitude Flowers for Algernon The Art Spirit The Little Prince Outliers Not cheesy at all! All the books I listed I first read around ages 17-19 (except The Creative Habit, which I read earlier this year and helped me work through my grown up procrastination habits ), and I'm sure most people similarly encountered the books on their lists at a young age for it to have an impact on their formation. Forgot to add one more, to this day one of the best history books I've ever read and one of the reasons I wanted to become a historian: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OdaySomali Posted December 17, 2013 Only one book. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thefuturenow Posted December 17, 2013 Apophis;991433 wrote: It's what separates the sheep (those who cannot generate any ideas originally) and the idea/s generators (who write it in book format for the sheep). If you wrote a book, I would buy it. (If it fits into my budget, of course). Saff, have you read Fanon's Wretched of the Earth? Black Skins White Masks? Qutb's Milestones? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Safferz Posted December 17, 2013 I've read the Fanon books, but not Qutb. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thefuturenow Posted December 17, 2013 Avoid it. It'll put you in certain undesirable lists. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thefuturenow Posted December 17, 2013 Geography - Hildegaard Johnson (intro) David Lanegran - Urban Geography Leakey - Progress and Evolution of Man in Africa Nasr - Plight of Modern Man "Subliminal Seduction" (title) Black Rednecks and White Liberals - Thomas Sowell (also his books on Economics and Culture) "Future Shock" (title) How To Win Friends and Influence People (Carnegie) Greatest Salesman in the World (Mandino) Botany of Desire (Pollen) - also, his "Omnivores Dilemma Social Class Influences Upon Learning - Allison Davis Rituals of Blood - Orlando Patterson Omni-Americans - Al Murray Autobiography - Malcolm X Power Elite - C.Wright Mills Western Canon - Harold Bloom Howl - Alan Ginsberg Black Fire - Larry Neal Clinton Tapes - Taylor Branch Asian Drama - Segal Merchants of Grain - Morgan Myth of Sisyphus - Camus Walker's Appeal - David Walker Anything by John Hope Franklin History of Western Philosophy - Bertrand Russell also "Principia Mathematica" Simple (stories) - Langston Hughes Clash of Civilizations - Huntington Muntu - Jahneiz (?) The Power Broker - Robert Caro Anything by E.Franklin Frazier, especially "Race and Culture Contacts in the Modern World" Way of Zen - Watts Anacalypsis - Higgins Man and His Symbols - Jung City of God - Augustine The Prince - Machievelli Art of War - Sun Tzu Analects of Confucius I Ching Alice in Wonderland - Carroll Buddha Dharma Siddhartha 1984 Animal Farm Mysticism of Sound and Music - Hazrat Khan Cultural Unity of Africa - Diop Introduction to African Civilizations - Jackson The World and Africa - DuBois Africa, the Triple Heritage - Mazrui History of the Upper Guinea Coast - Rodney Christianity, Islam and the Negro Race - Blyden Capitalism and Slavery - Williams Black Jacobins - James Peoples History of the US - Zinn Documentary History of the Negro in the US - Aptheker Signs in the Heavens - Ahmad Lost History - Morgan Canon - Ibn Sina Natural Theology - William James Aesop's Fables Grimm's Fairy Tales Muqaddimah - Ibn Khaldun Story of Civilization - Durant Poems of Rumi and Saadi Critical Path (?) - Buckminster Fuller The Prophet - Gibran Whole Earth Catalog Search for Common Ground/Jesus and the Disinherited - Thurman Remembering Malcolm - Benjamin Karim, also Death of White Supremacy World's Great Men of Color - J.A. Rogers Cultural Forces in World Politics - Mazrui American Dilemma - Myrdal Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Brown The Fire Next Time - Baldwin Notes of a Native Son - Baldwin Africa Must Unite - Nkrumah, also Neo-Colonialism Wretched of the Earth; Black Skins, White Masks; A Dying Colonialism - Fanon Innocents Abroad; Autobiography - Mark Twain As The Light Shineth From The East - Muhammad, also African American Genesis Walden - Thoreau Suppession of the African Slave Trade; The Philadelphia Negro - DuBois (anything by him) Up From Slavery - B.T. Washington Man Who Talked to Flowers - G.W.Carter Narrative of the Life - Frederick Douglass Women, Race and Class - Angela Davis Democracy in America - de Toqueville Savage War of Peace - Home Things Fall Apart - Achebe American Religion - Bloom Cultural Literacy - Hirsch Where Do We Go From Here - MLK, Jr. Community of Self; Natural Psychology and Human Transformation - Akbar Travels - Ibn Battutah They Came Before Columbus - Sertima Stolen Legacy - James Grey - Anatomy of the Human Body Physicians Desk Reference DSM - Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Psych The Merck Manual Back To Eden - Kloss How To Eat To Live - Muhammad Power Faith and Fantasy - Oren Cultural Roots of American Islamicism - Marr Journey Into America - Akbar Ahmed Devil's Game - Dreyfuss Great War for Civilization - Fisk Treasury of African Folklore - Courlander, also Treasury of African American Folklore Souls of Black Folk - DuBois MisEducation of the Negro - Woodson Plays - Ed Bullins Collected Works - Ishmael Reed The New Negro - Locke Black Fire - Neal Blues People; Black Music - Jones (Baraka) Black Music, Four Lives - Spellman American Hunger - Wright Crisis of the Negro Intellectual - Cruse Spook Who Sat By The Door - Greenlee Man Who Cried I Am - Williams Code of the Street - Anderson Black Family - Blasingame Message to the Blackman - Muhammad American Jihad - Barboza Parting the Waters; Pillar of Fire; Toward Canaan - Taylor Branch Red Book - Mao Tse Tung Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allyourbase Posted December 18, 2013 Safferz;991491 wrote: Not cheesy at all! All the books I listed I first read around ages 17-19 (except The Creative Habit, which I read earlier this year and helped me work through my grown up procrastination habits ), and I'm sure most people similarly encountered the books on their lists at a young age for it to have an impact on their formation. Forgot to add one more, to this day one of the best history books I've ever read and one of the reasons I wanted to become a historian: Tell me more about the Creative Habit, why would you say it altered your thinking? I ask this because I myself have a bad procrastination habit that I need to kick. If you like history then stop everything you're doing now and go check a podcast called Hardcore History, its by Dan Carling, he describe himself as a hobbyist but he consistently churns out some of the best commentary and analysis of history that I have seen. Check out the WWII episodes in particular, and the Mongol ones too, fantastic stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Safferz Posted December 18, 2013 Wow, huge list there thefuturenow Allyourbase;991524 wrote: Tell me more about the Creative Habit, why would you say it altered your thinking? I ask this because I myself have a bad procrastination habit that I need to kick. If you like history then stop everything you're doing now and go check a podcast called Hardcore History, its by Dan Carling, he describe himself as a hobbyist but he consistently churns out some of the best commentary and analysis of history that I have seen. Check out the WWII episodes in particular, and the Mongol ones too, fantastic stuff. I'll check the podcast out, but admittedly I'm not the biggest fan of amateur historians, very few pull it off well. Oddly enough the Creative Habit is written by a famous ballet choreographer, who draws from her own experience and that of other artists to talk about the idea that creative work requires discipline and routine above all else, and how you can't simply wait for inspiration but have to actively create the conditions and daily habits to do your work. I'm fascinated by the daily routines of successful people (writers in particular, since that's closest to my work), so I found the book quite insightful and inspiring. I made a thread on procrastination that you be interested in checking out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Naxar Nugaaleed Posted December 18, 2013 the single book that has sparked my love of literature was the great expectations by Charles Dickens. More recently it was the outliers by mr gladwell and freakonomics. not sure how anyone can read those two books, actually, every book changes you a little...silly question Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allyourbase Posted December 18, 2013 Cheers, will have a look. Do check out Hardcore History, I am doing him a disservice by describing him as a hobbiest. The Creative Habit seems like a good shout actually. Have you read Outliers? Because reading through your post it seems right up your street. Malcolm Gladwell goes through the working habits of those working at world-class level. It has become a little cliched recently with the 10000 hour rule and all but its a good read! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Safferz Posted December 18, 2013 Allyourbase;991532 wrote: Cheers, will have a look. Do check out Hardcore History, I am doing him a disservice by describing him as a hobbiest. The Creative Habit seems like a good shout actually. Have you read Outliers? Because reading through your post it seems right up your street. Malcolm Gladwell goes through the working habits of those working at world-class level. It has become a little cliched recently with the 10000 hour rule and all but its a good read! I have! He's a really interesting and engaging writer and speaker, plus he's Canadian so what's not to love Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kulmiye Posted December 18, 2013 Malcom X Biography Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Tears of a Tiger Say You're One of Them- Uwem Akpan Sista Souljah- No Disrespect. The Tipping Point- Malcom Gladwell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allyourbase Posted December 18, 2013 Just got the Creative Habit and going through the first few chapters, its really good, thanks for the recommendation! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guje Posted December 18, 2013 most peoples reading lists are terribly cliched and unimaginative : malcolm x, fanon, gladwell etc. who reads such crap ? myself i can't read books nor watch movies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Khayr Posted December 18, 2013 Guje, You are either D & D or D & B In either case, I now understand you more. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
