So I got picked to give a list of 10 books that stuck with me by Samuel Vanderpool. So after a little though, here I go: 1. The Alphabet versus the Goddess-Leonard Shlain. It’s written by a neurosurgeon and is about how the advent of alphabet and written language altered the brain from a “feminine” holistic thought processes to a “masculine” linear thought pattern and how this change impacted the evolution of religion from a female-dominated, goddess to a very masculine Christian god. It is a great book on the evolution of religion that doesn’t show any favoritism to any particular religion. 2. 1984-George Orwell. Probably one of a few books on this list that I have read a few times and will probably read a few more. Love this book for his description of geo-political power struggle between three major powers where conflicts occurring in the fringe lands. Kind of sounds like Christians (US and Europe), Muslims (Middle East), and Asia (Nonbelievers China and Russia). 3. The Autobiography of Malcolm X-Malcolm X and Alex Haley. One of the best written books I have ever read. I read this book in two days (I am a slow reader, sometimes will take six months to read a book), during finals week (not for a class) when I should have been studying. 4. The Fountainhead-Ayn Rand. Another book I have read multiple times. Probably her best book and much-less preachy than Atlas Shrugged. It disgusts me that the teabaggers have attached themselves to her books. The “people of ability” in here books are not politicians, bankers, and such. They are the engineers, scientist, and start-ups that drag society kicking and screaming to a better world. Think Climatologist and Climate Change. 5. Harry Potter Series-J.K. Rowling. It literary crack for the brain. 6. A People’s History of the United States-Howard Zinn. Probably the best history book I have ever read. A history book, not from the view of the victors (see 1984) but from the view of the people who were there and impacted by it. 7. The Motorcycle Diaries-Ernesto “Che” Guevara. A memoir tracing Che’s travels through South America before he is supposed to finish medical school. It shows the impacts that lead him from medical student to revolutionary legend. Great book. 8. Water Resources Engineering-Larry Mays. My go to hydrologic book. I have literally destroy one book from use, to the point where it was falling apart and I had to buy a new copy. 9. Living My Life-Emma Goldman. A memoir about the life of anarchist Emma Goldman. She was around during the late 19th/early 20th century and once called “America Most Dangerous Woman”. She was one of the first woman to publically discuss birth control to women and helped form the anarchist movement in the US in the early 20th century. She was eventually kicked out of the country during the “Red Scare”. Fascinating person. 10. Animal Farm-George Orwell and We the living-Ayn Rand. Ok, so this is two books but I read these books about the same time and they, with “Living My life”, encompass different aspects of the same message. Shortly after the Bolshevik revolution, Russia transitioned from a communist “peoples” government to the same old B.S., fascist style. Each are great books and describe how life sucked for ordinary people in Russia and Russia was never a communist country. Most of these books I read in my 20s. It sucks that most of my reading these days are technical papers. Between kids and work, I don’t have much time for leisurely reading. I am supposed to name people to do this list, so the people tagged, I want your list and I want explanations (thats the best part). Also, anybody else that wants too, make a list. It is fun thinking about this stuff.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 03:26:13 +0000
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