Recommendations based on Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold of Middle-earthby John Garth

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Gorgias

    by Plato
    Philosophical dialogue on the nature of justice and power of rhetoric.

    Taking the form of a dialogue between Socrates, Gorgias, Polus and Callicles, GORGIAS debates perennial questions about the nature of government and those who aspire to public office. Are high moral ... (Goodreads)

  2. J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography

    by Humphrey Carpenter
    A comprehensive biography of the life of J.R.R. Tolkien, exploring his inspirations and the creation of his iconic works.

    The authorized biography of the creator of Middle-earth. In the decades since his death in September 1973, millions have read THE HOBBIT, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and THE SILMARILLION and become ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Ego and the Id

    by Sigmund Freud
    A psychoanalytic exploration of the three facets of the human psyche, and how they interact.

    The Ego and the Id ranks high among the works of Freud's later years. The heart of his concern is the ego, which he sees battling with three forces: the id, the super-ego, and the outside world. Of ... (Goodreads)

  4. The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

    by Arthur Bennett
    Collection of profound prayers and meditations to help deepen Christian faith and understanding.

    The strength of Puritan character and life lay in prayer and meditation. In this practice the spirit of prayer was regarded as of first importance and the best form of prayer, for living prayer is ... (Goodreads)

  5. Mythology

    by Edith Hamilton
    A comprehensive exploration of ancient Greek, Roman, and Norse myths.

    The world-renowned classic that has enthralled and delighted millions of readers with its timeless tales of gods and heroes.,Edith Hamilton's, Mythology, succeeds like no other book in bringing to ... (Goodreads)

  6. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

    by Robin DiAngelo
    A critical analysis of the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially. It explores the dynamics of white fragility and how it perpetuates racial inequality.

    Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt and by behaviors including argumentation ... (Goodreads)

  7. Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo

    by Plato
    Classic dialogues exploring the nature of morality, justice, knowledge, and death.

    The second edition of Five Dialogues presents G. M. A. Grube's distinguished translations, as revised by John Cooper for Plato, Complete Works (Hacket, 1997). Cooper has also contributed a number of ... (Goodreads)

  8. Plato: Complete Works

    by Plato
    Collection of ancient Greek philosopher Plato's dialogues, discussing morality, knowledge and truth.

    Outstanding translations by leading contemporary scholars–many commissioned especially for this volume--are presented here in the first single edition to include the entire surviving corpus of works ... (Barnes & Noble)

  9. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

    by Scott McCloud
    Exploration of the visual language of comics and its role in storytelling.

    Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics is a seminal examination of comics art: its rich history, surprising technical components, and major cultural significance. Explore the secret world between the ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy

    by Brian Sibley
    A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the epic movie trilogy, including interviews with cast and crew and stunning photographs.

    The official inside story on the making of the award-winning movie trilogy The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy is a lavishly illustrated, behind-the-scenes, definitive account of ... (Goodreads)

  11. Chronicles: Volume One

    by Bob Dylan
    A memoir tracking Bob Dylan's musical journey from humble beginnings to iconic status.

    WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE The celebrated first memoir from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Dylan. “I’d come from a long ways off and had started a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  12. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    by Doris Kearns Goodwin
    A comprehensive study of the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and the unique cabinet he assembled.

    Winner of the Lincoln Prize Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from ... (Goodreads)

  13. The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction

    by Michel Foucault
    Examination of the power dynamics and social constructions of sexual behavior.

    Michel Foucault offers an iconoclastic exploration of why we feel compelled to continually analyze and discuss sex, and of the social and mental mechanisms of power that cause us to direct the ... (Goodreads)

  14. Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity

    by Hugh MacLeod
    A witty and insightful guide to unlocking your creative potential, with practical advice and humorous illustrations.

    When Hugh MacLeod was a struggling young copywriter living in a YMCA, he started to doodle on the backs of business cards while sitting at a bar. Those cartoons eventually led to a popular ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One

    by Amanda Lovelace
    A collection of feminist poetry that empowers women and challenges the patriarchy.

    2016 Goodreads Choice Award-winning poet Amanda Lovelace returns in, the witch doesn't burn in this one —, the bold second book in her "women are some kind of magic" series. The witch: supernaturally ... (Barnes & Noble)

  16. Gender Queer

    by Maia Kobabe
    A graphic memoir exploring the author's journey of self-discovery and coming to terms with their gender identity.

    2020 ALA Alex Award Winner 2020 Stonewall — Israel Fishman Non-fiction Award Honor Book In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last ... (Barnes & Noble)

  17. The Basketball Diaries

    by Jim Carroll
    A teenage boy's struggles with addiction and his journey of self-discovery.

    The urban classic coming-of-age story about sex, drugs, and basketball. Jim Carroll grew up to become a renowned poet and punk rocker. But in this memoir of the mid-1960's, set during his ... (Goodreads)

  18. Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture

    by Roxane Gay
    A collection of essays exploring the pervasive culture of sexual violence and harassment, and the impact it has on survivors.

    Cultural critic and bestselling author Roxane Gay has edited a collection of essays that explore what it means to live in a world where women are frequently belittled and harassed due to their ... (Goodreads)

  19. I Am Not Myself These Days

    by Josh Kilmer-Purcell
    A young man's journey of self-discovery and acceptance in an open relationship.

    The New York Times bestselling, darkly funny memoir of a young New Yorker's daring dual life—advertising art director by day, glitter-dripping drag queen and nightclub beauty-pageant hopeful by ... (Goodreads)

  20. Eisenhower in War and Peace

    by Jean Edward Smith
    Biography of Dwight Eisenhower's life, from World War II to the Cold War.

    NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY, The Christian Science Monitor • St. Louis Post-Dispatch, In his magisterial bestseller FDR, Jean Edward Smith gave us a fresh, modern look at one of the ... (Goodreads)

  21. Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist's Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations

    by Thomas L. Friedman
    An examination of the impact of the digital revolution on society, and the potential for optimism in the face of change.

    A field guide to the twenty-first century, written by one of its most celebrated observers In his most ambitious work to date, Thomas L. Friedman shows that we have entered an age of dizzying ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Autobiography of Malcolm X

    by Malcolm X
    A gripping account of one man's transformation from criminal to civil rights leader.

    Alternate cover for ISBN 9780345350688 Through a life of passion and struggle, Malcolm X became one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. In this riveting account, he tells of his ... (Goodreads)

  23. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

    by Anthony Bourdain
    A humorous and unflinching account of life in restaurant kitchens, exploring the culture and camaraderie of the culinary world.

    A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute ... (Goodreads)

  24. Shadows of the Workhouse

    by Jennifer Worth
    A nurse's journey of compassion, courage and determination amidst the harsh realities of a workhouse in 1950s London.

    In this follow up to CALL THE MIDWIFE, Jennifer Worth, a midwife working in the docklands area of East London in the 1950s tells more stories about the people she encountered. There's Jane, who ... (Goodreads)

  25. Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story

    by Chuck Klosterman
    An exploration of life and death, featuring road trips to music-related death sites.

    Building on the national bestselling success of, Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, preeminent pop culture writer Chuck Klosterman unleashes his best book yet—the story of his cross-country tour of sites ... (Goodreads)

  26. Meditations

    by Marcus Aurelius
    Reflections on Stoic philosophy, exploring the nature of existence and how to live life.

    Written in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual ... (Goodreads)

  27. Killing Reagan: The Violent Assault That Changed a Presidency

    by Bill O'Reilly
    An examination of the attempted assassination of President Reagan and its aftermath.

    In 1981, after delivering a speech at the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 30, President Reagan is shot by John Hinckley, Jr. . Near death, Reagan's life is in the balance in the hands of doctors at ... (Wikipedia)

  28. The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play

    by Neil A. Fiore
    Strategies for overcoming procrastination and creating a balanced, productive lifestyle.

    Learn how to overcome procrastination and enjoy guilt-free play! One of the most effective programs to combat procrastination, THE NOW HABIT has sold over 100,000 copies, has been translated into 11 ... (Goodreads)

  29. One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer

    by Nathaniel Fick
    A firsthand account of a Marine officer's journey from training to combat in Iraq, exploring the complexities of leadership and war.

    If the Marines are “the few, the proud,” Recon Marines are the fewest and the proudest. Nathaniel Fick’s career begins with a hellish summer at Quantico, after his junior year at Dartmouth. He leads ... (Goodreads)

  30. Pensées

    by Blaise Pascal
    Reflections on faith, reason and the human condition, presenting a defense of Christianity.

    Blaise Pascal, the precociously brilliant contemporary of Descartes, was a gifted mathematician and physicist, but it is his unfinished apologia for the Christian religion upon which his reputation ... (Goodreads)