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Recommendations based on Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokesby Thomas Cathcart
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The God Delusion
by Richard Dawkins
Scientific exploration of the evidence for and against religious belief.
A preeminent scientist - and the world's most prominent atheist - asserts the irrationality of belief in God, and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. With ... (Goodreads)
The Selfish Gene
by Richard Dawkins
A study of evolutionary biology, exploring how genes act and how they impact behavior.
Inheriting the mantle of revolutionary biologist from Darwin, Watson, and Crick, Richard Dawkins forced an enormous change in the way we see ourselves and the world with the publication of The ... (Goodreads)
Genome: the Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters
by Matt Ridley
A journey through the genetic code of humanity, uncovering our evolutionary history.
Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters, is a 1999 popular science book by the science writer Matt Ridley , published by Fourth Estate. The chapters are numbered for the pairs of human ... (Wikipedia)
America
by Jon Stewart
A satirical take on American politics and democracy, filled with humor and wit.
Jon Stewart, host of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning The Daily Show , and his coterie of patriots, deliver a hilarious look at American government. American-style democracy is the world's most ... (Goodreads)
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
by Eric Schlosser
An exploration of the industrial food system and its effects on U.S. society.
Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list ... (Goodreads)
The Prince
by Niccolò Machiavelli
A timeless political treatise on the art of acquiring and maintaining power.
Machiavelli needs to be looked at as he really was. Hence: Can Machiavelli, who makes the following observations, be Machiavellian as we understand the disparaging term? 1. So it is that to know the ... (Goodreads)
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
by Ludwig Wittgenstein
A philosophical treatise on language, logic, and the limits of human understanding.
Perhaps the most important work of philosophy written in the twentieth century, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus was the only philosophical work that Ludwig Wittgenstein published during his life. ... (Goodreads)
The Complete Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi
Autobiographical tale of a girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
Here, in one volume: Marjane Satrapi's best-selling, internationally acclaimed graphic memoir. Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving ... (Goodreads)
A Brief History of Time
by Stephen Hawking
Exploring the depths of time and space and the emergence of the universe.
In the ten years since its publication in 1988, Stephen Hawking's classic work has become a landmark volume in scientific writing, with more than nine million copies in forty languages sold ... (Goodreads)
The Symposium
by Plato
A philosophical dialogue among ancient Greeks about the nature of love.
A fascinating discussion on sex, gender, and human instincts, as relevant today as ever. In the course of a lively drinking party, a group of Athenian intellectuals exchange views on eros, or desire. ... (Goodreads)
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
by Neil Postman
Analysis of the effects of mass media on modern culture and how it changes communication.
Television has conditioned us to tolerate visually entertaining material measured out in spoonfuls of time, to the detriment of rational public discourse and reasoned public affairs. In this ... (Goodreads)
The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays
by Albert Camus
Philosophical essays on the absurd human condition, questioning the value of life.
One of the most influential works of this century, this is a crucial exposition of existentialist thought. Influenced by works such as Don Juan, and the novels of Kafka, these essays begin with a ... (Goodreads)
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
by Friedrich Nietzsche
A philosophical treatise exploring morality, religion, and the meaning of life.
The Elements of Style
by William Strunk Jr.
A practical guide to written English, providing guidance on grammar and style.
This style manual offers practical advice on improving writing skills. Throughout, the emphasis is on promoting a plain English style. This little book can help you communicate more effectively by ... (Goodreads)
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
by Peter Thiel
A guide to launching a startup, exploring the power of entrepreneurship.
If you want to build a better future, you must believe in secrets. The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, ... (Goodreads)
The Brain: The Story of You
by David Eagleman
A journey through the inner workings of the brain, uncovering the science of consciousness.
Locked in the silence and darkness of your skull, your brain fashions the rich narratives of your reality and your identity. Join renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman for a journey into the ... (Goodreads)
Cosmos
by Carl Sagan
Voyage through the vastness of space, unlocking the mysteries of the universe.
Cosmos has 13 heavily illustrated chapters, corresponding to the 13 episodes of the Cosmos television series. In the book, Sagan explores 15 billion years of cosmic evolution and the development of ... (Goodreads)
The Communist Manifesto
by Karl Marx
A treatise on the fundamental principles of communism, and its role in society.
A rousing call to arms whose influence is still felt today Originally published on the eve of the 1848 European revolutions, The Communist Manifesto is a condensed and incisive account of the ... (Goodreads)
The Female Brain
by Louann Brizendine
An in-depth exploration of the biological and neurological differences between male and female brains.
This comprehensive new look at the hormonal roller coaster that rules women's lives down to the cellular level, "a user's guide to new research about the female brain and the neurobehavioral systems ... (Goodreads)
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)
The Trial and Death of Socrates
by Plato
A philosophical dialogue into the life and death of the philosopher Socrates.
Plato is among the most influential philosophers of all time. Along with his teacher Socrates and his pupil Aristotle, he can be said to have laid the foundations for Western philosophy, science and ... (Goodreads)
A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose
by Eckhart Tolle
A spiritual guide to finding peace and purpose in life, by transcending the ego.
The highly anticipated follow-up to the 2,000,000 copy bestselling inspirational book, "The Power of Now" With his bestselling spiritual guide "The Power of Now," Eckhart Tolle inspired millions of ... (Goodreads)
The Double Helix
by James D. Watson
A personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA, revealing the scientific process and the personalities involved.
By identifying the structure of DNA, the molecule of life, Francis Crick and James Watson revolutionized biochemistry & won themselves a Nobel Prize. At the time, Watson was only 24, a young ... (Goodreads)
The Architecture of Happiness
by Alain de Botton
A philosophical exploration of how architecture shapes our emotions and how we can create living spaces that are both beautiful and meaningful.
The Achitecture of Happiness is a dazzling and generously illustrated journey through the philosophy and psychology of architecture and the indelible connection between our identities and our ... (Barnes & Noble)
Where Good Ideas Come from: The Natural History of Innovation
by Steven Johnson
A study of the patterns and environments that foster innovation, from the coffeehouses of the Enlightenment to the internet age.
The printing press, the pencil, the flush toilet, the battery–these are all great ideas. But where do they come from? What kind of environment breeds them? What sparks the flash of brilliance? How do ... (Goodreads)
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
by Carl Sagan
A critical look at superstition and pseudoscience, advocating for the power of science and reason.
How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? ... (Goodreads)
Contagious: Why Things Catch On
by Jonah Berger
Exploring the science behind why some products and ideas become popular.
New York Times bestseller and named Best Marketing Book of 2014 by the American Marketing Association What makes things popular? Why do people talk about certain products and ideas more than others? ... (Goodreads)
The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking
by Oliver Burkeman
Exploring alternative paths to happiness, rejecting traditional approaches of positive thinking.
Success through failure, calm through embracing anxiety—a totally original approach to self-help Self-help books don't seem to work. Few of the many advantages of modern life seem capable of lifting ... (Barnes & Noble)
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
by Vicki Myron
The heartwarming true story of a library cat who touched the lives of a small-town community.
How much of an impact can an animal have? How many lives can one cat touch? How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually ... (Goodreads)
