Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Reasoning
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)
The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Volume I
by Arthur Conan Doyle
A collection of stories following the adventures of the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes.
Eccentric, arrogant, and ingenious, Sherlock Holmes remains the world's most popular and influential fictional detective. In four novels and fifty-six short stories, Holmes with his trusted friend ... (Goodreads)
The Hound of the Baskervilles
by Arthur Conan Doyle
A thrilling detective story of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they investigate a mysterious murder on the moor.
Dr James Mortimer calls on Sherlock Holmes in London for advice after his friend Sir Charles Baskerville was found dead in the yew alley of his manor on Dartmoor in Devon . The death was attributed ... (Wikipedia)
The Nicomachean Ethics
by Aristotle
An exploration of virtue and morality, providing guidance on how to live a good life.
‘One swallow does not make a summer; neither does one day. Similarly neither can one day, or a brief space of time, make a man blessed and happy’ In the Nicomachean Ethics , Aristotle sets out to ... (Goodreads)
The Nine Tailors
by Dorothy L. Sayers
A murder-mystery set in rural England, featuring an amateur detective and a series of perplexing clues.
Stranded after a car accident in the Fenland village of Fenchurch St. Paul on New Year's Eve, Lord Peter Wimsey helps ring a nine-hour peal on the church bells overnight after William Thoday, one of ... (Wikipedia)
How the Mind Works
by Steven Pinker
Exploration of the human mind, understanding the elements that make us think and act.
In this extraordinary bestseller, Steven Pinker, one of the world's leading cognitive scientists, does for the rest of the mind what he did for language in his 1994 book, The Language Instinct . He ... (Goodreads)
Chess Story
by Stefan Zweig
A chess master's attempt to regain his lost skill, and the psychological battle he faces.
The narrator opens the story on a passenger liner traveling from New York to Buenos Aires. Driven to mental anguish as the result of total isolation by the Nazis , Dr B, a securities expert hiding ... (Wikipedia)
The Murder on the Links
by Agatha Christie
Detective Hercule Poirot solves a mysterious murder on a golf course in France.
Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings travel to Merlinville-sur-Mer, France, to meet Paul Renauld, who has requested their help. Upon arriving at his home, the Villa Genevieve, local police greet them ... (Wikipedia)
Death in the Clouds
by Agatha Christie
A deadly crime takes place in an airplane, and a famous detective solves the case.
Hercule Poirot travels back to England on the midday flight from Paris to Croydon Airport in London. He is one of eleven passengers in the plane's rear compartment. The others include: mystery writer ... (Wikipedia)
A Study in Scarlet
by Arthur Conan Doyle
A masterful detective unravels a mysterious crime and its hidden motives.
In 1881, Doctor John Watson has returned to London after serving in the Second Anglo-Afghan War . He visits the Criterion Restaurant and runs into an old friend named Stamford, who had been a dresser ... (Wikipedia)
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle
A compilation of twelve short stories of the world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes.
'When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.' In this, the final collection of Sherlock Holmes adventures, the intrepid detective ... (Goodreads)
The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic—and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World
by Steven Johnson
The discovery of the source of a cholera outbreak in London and its implications for modern science and urban living.
From Steven Johnson, the dynamic thinker routinely compared to James Gleick, Dava Sobel, and Malcolm Gladwell, The Ghost Map is a riveting page-turner about a real-life historical hero, Dr. John ... (Goodreads)
Poirot Investigates
by Agatha Christie
Detective Hercule Poirot solves mysteries using his "little grey cells" of logic and reasoning.
First there was the mystery of the film star and the diamond... then came the “suicide” that was murder... the mystery of the absurdly cheap flat...a suspicious death in a locked gun room... a ... (Goodreads)
The Mysterious Mr. Quin
by Agatha Christie
A mysterious gentleman assists a group of people to solve their own mysteries.
Harley Quin is an enigma. Even his friend Mr Satterthwaite is unable to understand how the man seems to appear and disappear almost like a trick of the light - and when he does appear it's usually in ... (Goodreads)
The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers
by Will Durant
History of the philosophical thought, spanning centuries of influential thinkers.
A brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the great philosophers, from Plato to Dewey. Few write for the non-specialist as well as Will Durant, and this book is a splendid example of ... (Goodreads)
A Treatise of Human Nature
by David Hume
Exploration of the nature of human understanding, and how it affects moral judgement.
A Treatise of Human Nature (1739-40), David Hume's comprehensive attempt to base philosophy on a new, observationally grounded study of human nature, is one of the most important texts in Western ... (Goodreads)
I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
by Norman L. Geisler
A Christian apologetic book arguing that atheism requires more faith than belief in God.
Geisler and Turek argue that Christianity requires the least faith of all worldviews because it is the most reasonable. A valuable aid to those interested in examining the reasonableness of the ... (Barnes & Noble)
Unnatural Causes
by P.D. James
A detective investigates a series of mysterious deaths, uncovering a sinister plot.
AN ADAM DALGLIESH MYSTERY Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh had been looking forward to a quiet holiday at his aunt's cottage on Monksmere Head, one of the furthest-flung spots on the remote Suffolk ... (Goodreads)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle
A detective's collection of cases, full of intrigue and suspense.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the series of short stories that made the fortunes of the Strand magazine, in which they were first published, and won immense popularity for Sherlock Holmes and ... (Goodreads)
Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective
by Donald J. Sobol
A ten-year-old detective solves a variety of mysteries in his small town.
A Civil War sword...A watermelon stabbing... Missing roller skates... A trapeze artist's inheritance... And an eyewitness who's legally blind! Theses are just some of the ten brain-twisting mysteries ... (Goodreads)
Copenhagen
by Michael Frayn
A play exploring the meeting between physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg during WWII and the ethical implications of their work on atomic bombs.
For most people, the principles of nuclear physics are not only incomprehensible but inhuman. The popular image of the men who made the bomb is of dispassionate intellects who number-crunched their ... (Goodreads)
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle
A collection of adventures of the world's most famous detective, solving mysterious cases.
'If I were assured of your eventual destruction I would, in the interests of the public, cheerfully accept my own.' In The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes , the consulting detective's notoriety as the ... (Goodreads)
His Last Bow
by Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes's last case involving a German spy and a peace treaty.
'His Last Bow', the title story of this collection, tells how Sherlock Holmes is brought out of retirement to help the Government fight the German threat at the approach of the First World War. The ... (Goodreads)
Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I
by Arthur Conan Doyle
Solving mysterious cases with his trusted partner, the great detective Sherlock Holmes.
Since his first appearance in Beeton’s Christmas Annual in 1887, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes has been one of the most beloved fictional characters ever created. Now, in two paperback ... (Goodreads)
Have His Carcase
by Dorothy L. Sayers
Detective investigates a mysterious death on the beach, uncovering a sinister criminal plot.
During a hiking holiday on the South West coast of England, the detective novelist Harriet Vane discovers the body of a man lying on an isolated rock on the shore, not far from the resort of ... (Wikipedia)
The Body in the Library
by Agatha Christie
A mysterious body found in a tranquil country library, investigated by a detective couple.
The maid at Gossington Hall wakes Mrs Bantry by saying, “There is a body in the library!” Dolly Bantry then wakes her husband, Colonel Arthur Bantry to go downstairs. He finds the dead body of a ... (Wikipedia)
Your Inner Fish: a Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body
by Neil Shubin
Exploration of human evolution through the lens of anatomy, revealing our connection to our ancient ancestors.
Why do we look the way we do? What does the human hand have in common with the wing of a fly? Are breasts, sweat glands, and scales connected in some way? To better understand the inner workings of ... (Goodreads)
Think of a Number
by John Verdon
A thrilling mystery novel involving a serial killer, uncovering the truth behind the mysterious deaths.
An extraordinary fiction debut, Think of a Number is an exquisitely plotted novel of suspense that grows relentlessly darker and more frightening as its pace accelerates, forcing its deeply troubled ... (Goodreads)
The Singing Sands
by Josephine Tey
Inspector Alan Grant investigates a murder in the Scottish Highlands, where the victim's last words lead him to the mysterious singing sands.
On sick leave from Scotland Yard, Inspector Alan Grant is planning a quiet holiday with an old school chum to recover from overwork and mental fatigue. Traveling on the night train to Scotland, ... (Goodreads)
Deception on His Mind
by Elizabeth George
Inspector Lynley investigates the murder of a young boy in a seaside town, uncovering dark secrets and hidden motives.
Balford-le-Nez is a dying seatown on the coast of Essex. But when a member of the town's small but growing Asian community, a Pakistani named Haytham Querashi, is found dead near its beach, his neck ... (Goodreads)
The Language of Bees
by Laurie R. King
Detective story of a British nobleman's investigation into the murder of Sherlock Holmes.
Russell and Holmes return to their home in Sussex, England , in 1924 after seven months abroad in India, Japan and California. The novel features a domestic mystery as a hive on Holmes's farm has ... (Wikipedia)
The Exorcist
by William Peter Blatty
A priest's battle against a powerful demon possessing a young girl.
An elderly Jesuit priest named Father Lankester Merrin is leading an archaeological dig in northern Iraq and is studying ancient relics. After discovering a small statue of the demon Pazuzu (an ... (Wikipedia)
Mrs. McGinty's Dead
by Agatha Christie
A detective investigates a murder, uncovering clues and solving the case.
Superintendent Spence informs Hercule Poirot of the case of Mrs McGinty, an elderly charwoman , apparently killed by her lodger, James Bentley, for her savings of £30, which she kept under a ... (Wikipedia)
Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories
by Agatha Christie
A collection of short stories featuring the famous detective Hercule Poirot, solving crimes with his sharp mind and wit.
Here you have it - all 51 Hercule Poirot short stories presented in chronological order in a single volume. There's a bonus, a story not seen for more than 70 years! 'My name is Hercule Poirot and I ... (Goodreads)
Sherlock Holmes: The Ultimate Collection
by Arthur Conan Doyle
A collection of detective stories featuring the brilliant Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend Dr. Watson, solving complex cases with their deductive reasoning.
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. He is the creation of Scottish born author and physician Sir Arthur ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World
by David Deutsch
A thought-provoking exploration of the nature of knowledge and explanation, and how they shape our understanding of the world.
The, New York Times, bestseller: A provocative, imaginative exploration of the nature and progress of knowledge In this groundbreaking book, award-winning physicist David Deutsch argues that ... (Goodreads)
Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics By Its Most Brilliant Teacher
by Richard P. Feynman
Exploring the fundamentals of physics, from the perspective of one of the greatest minds of the 20th century.
Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by Its Most Brilliant Teacher is a publishing first. This set couples a book containing the six easiest chapters from Richard P. Feynman's landmark ... (Goodreads)
Five Little Pigs
by Agatha Christie
A detective investigates a 15-year-old unsolved murder case, uncovering secrets and lies.
Sixteen years after Caroline Crale is convicted for the murder of her husband Amyas, her daughter Carla Lemarchant approaches Hercule Poirot. In the meeting, Carla claims her mother was innocent, and ... (Wikipedia)
The Coroner's Lunch
by Colin Cotterill
A grizzled coroner investigates a suspicious death in a small Laotian village.
Despite a total lack of training, an utter dearth of experience and a complete absence of inclination, Dr. Siri Paiboun has just been appointed state coroner for the Lao People's Democratic Republic. ... (Wikipedia)
The Labours of Hercules
by Agatha Christie
Poirot takes on twelve cases, each inspired by the twelve labours of Hercules, showcasing his detective skills and wit.
First published in book form in 1947, The Labours of Hercules comprises an even dozen mysteries starring Christie's most popular sleuth, the ever-dignified Hercule Poirot. The introductory chapter of ... (Goodreads)
The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes
by Adrian Conan Doyle
The classic detective stories of the world's greatest sleuth, Sherlock Holmes.
From the son of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and one of America's greatest mystery writers, John Dickson Carr, comes twelve riveting tales based on incidents or elements of the unsolved cases of Sherlock ... (Goodreads)
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdős and the Search for Mathematical Truth
by Paul Hoffman
Biography of eccentric mathematician Paul Erdős, who spent his life traveling the world and collaborating with other mathematicians to solve complex problems.
Based on a National Magazine Award-winning article, this masterful biography of Hungarian-born Paul Erdos is both a vivid portrait of an eccentric genius and a layman's guide to some of this ... (Goodreads)
Nemesis
by Agatha Christie
A detective investigates a series of mysterious deaths linked to a nursery rhyme.
In utter disbelief, Jane Marple read the letter addressed to her from the recently deceased Mr Rafiel - an acquaintance she had met briefly while on vacation in St. Honore, as recounted in "A ... (Goodreads)
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
by Eliezer Yudkowsky
A rational, scientific approach to the world of Harry Potter, exploring the implications of magic.
Upon arriving at Hogwarts, Harry attempts to apply the scientific method to the study of magic with the help of Hermione Granger . At the same time, he befriends Draco Malfoy and tries to show him ... (Wikipedia)
How We Decide
by Jonah Lehrer
Examining the science of decision making, exploring how we arrive at our choices.
The first book to use the unexpected discoveries of neuroscience to help us make the best decisions. Since Plato, philosophers have described the decision-making process as either rational or ... (Goodreads)
Whose Body?
by Dorothy L. Sayers
A murder mystery, as an aristocrat's body is found in the bathtub of an architect.
Thipps, an architect, finds a dead body wearing nothing but a pair of pince-nez in the bath of his London flat. Lord Peter Wimsey—a nobleman who has recently developed an interest in criminal ... (Wikipedia)
4:50 from Paddington
by Agatha Christie
An elderly woman witnesses a murder on a train, and Miss Marple helps solve the case.
Mrs Elspeth McGillicuddy is on her way from a shopping expedition to visit her old friend Jane Marple for Christmas. Her train passes another train running parallel and in the same direction as her ... (Wikipedia)
Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
by Immanuel Kant
Examination of the foundations of moral philosophy, focusing on the nature of moral obligation.
Immanuel Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals ranks alongside Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics as one of the most profound and influential works in moral philosophy ever ... (Goodreads)
Math Curse
by Jon Scieszka
A humorous story about a student who wakes up to find everything in her life has turned into a math problem.
The nameless student, begins with a seemingly innocent statement by her math teacher- "you know, almost everything in life can be considered a math problem." The next morning, the hero finds herself ... (Wikipedia)
The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood
by James Gleick
A comprehensive history of the development of information technology, from ancient times to the digital age.
James Gleick, the author of the best sellers Chaos and Genius , now brings us a work just as astonishing and masterly: a revelatory chronicle and meditation that shows how information has become the ... (Goodreads)
The Case of the Missing Servant
by Tarquin Hall
Private investigator Vish Puri is on the hunt for a missing maid, uncovering secrets and corruption in modern-day India.
The first in a detective series that “immediately joins the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency as representing the best in international cozies” ( Booklist , starred review). Meet Vish Puri, India’s most ... (Barnes & Noble)
Case Closed, Vol. 1
by Gosho Aoyama
Detective Conan follows a mysterious crime case, using his skills to uncover the truth.
Can Detective Conan crack the case...while trapped in a kid’s body? Jimmy Kudo, the son of a world-renowned mystery writer, is a high school detective who has cracked the most baffling of cases. One ... (Barnes & Noble)
Leviathan
by Thomas Hobbes
Philosophical exploration of the nature of power and justice in a state of nature.
'The life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short' Written during the chaos of the English Civil War, Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan asks how, in a world of violence and horror, can we stop ... (Goodreads)
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: After Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
by Richard Lancelyn Green
A collection of classic detective stories featuring the iconic sleuth Sherlock Holmes.
This anthology of stories featuring the character of Sherlock Holmes follows on from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories which ended with Holmes at Reichenbach Falls. ... (Goodreads)
Seed
by Ania Ahlborn
A family moves to a remote farm to start anew, but the land has a dark history that threatens to consume them.
Fans of Stephen King, Jack Kilborn, and Blake Crouch… prepare to meet the Devil. In the vine-twisted swamps of Louisiana, the shadows have teeth. Jack Winter has spent his entire life running from ... (Goodreads)
Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion
by Jay Heinrichs
A guide to the art of persuasion, using examples from Aristotle, Lincoln, and even Homer Simpson.
A master class in the art of persuasion, as taught by professors ranging from Bart Simpson to Winston Churchill, newly revised and updated. The time-tested secrets taught in this book include ... (Barnes & Noble)
Some Buried Caesar
by Rex Stout
Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin investigate the murder of a prize-winning bull at a country fair.
While on their way to a rural exposition in upstate New York to show orchids , Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin are involved in a minor car accident. On their way to a nearby house to phone for help, ... (Wikipedia)
How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking
by Jordan Ellenberg
A journey through the power of mathematical thinking, and how it can be applied to everyday life.
The, Freakonomics, of math — a math-world superstar unveils the hidden beauty and logic of the world and puts its power in our hands The math we learn in school can seem like a dull set of rules, ... (Goodreads)
The Prague Cemetery
by Umberto Eco
A thrilling, historical mystery, unravelling the secrets of a 19th century conspiracy.
The main character is Simone Simonini, a man whom Eco claims he has tried to make into the most cynical and disagreeable character in all the history of literature , (and is the only fictional ... (Wikipedia)
The Purloined Letter
by Edgar Allan Poe
A detective searches for a stolen letter that contains compromising information. The solution is hidden in plain sight.
The unnamed narrator is with the famous Parisian amateur detective C. Auguste Dupin when they are joined by G-, prefect of the Paris police. The prefect has a case he would like to discuss with ... (Wikipedia)
Jesus Among Other Gods: The Absolute Claims of the Christian Message
by Ravi Zacharias
A study of religious truth, exploring the uniqueness of Jesus and the Christian faith.
In a world with so many religions, why Jesus? We are living in a time when you can believe anything, as long as you do not claim it to be true. In the name of “tolerance,” our postmodern culture ... (Barnes & Noble)
The History of the Siege of Lisbon
by José Saramago
A proofreader alters a historical book, changing the course of history. The novel explores the power of language and the subjectivity of history.
Raimundo Silva, assigned to correct a book entitled The History of Siege of Lisbon by his publishing house, decides to alter the meaning of a crucial sentence by inserting the word "not" in the text, ... (Wikipedia)
The Five Red Herrings
by Dorothy L. Sayers
A Scottish murder mystery where the victim is an unpopular artist. Lord Peter Wimsey must solve the case amidst a group of suspicious artists.
During a painting retreat, a killer takes a creative approach to the ancient art of murder... The majestic landscape of the Scottish coast has attracted artists and fishermen for centuries. In the ... (Goodreads)
Theaetetus
by Plato
Socrates engages with Theaetetus to define knowledge and explore the nature of perception and reality.
Set immediately prior to the trial and execution of Socrates in 399 BC, Theaetetus shows the great philosopher considering the nature of knowledge itself, in a debate with the geometrician Theodorus ... (Goodreads)
The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us
by Christopher Chabris
Our intuition can deceive us, leading to errors in perception, memory, and decision-making. This book explores the science behind these illusions.
Reading this book will make you less sure of yourself—and that’s a good thing. In The Invisible Gorilla, Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons, creators of one of psychology’s most famous ... (Barnes & Noble)
Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume II
by Arthur Conan Doyle
Collection of exciting mysteries, solved by the world’s greatest detective.
Since his first appearance in Beeton’s Christmas Annual in 1887, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes has been one of the most beloved fictional characters ever created. Now, in two paperback ... (Goodreads)
When to Rob a Bank
by Steven D. Levitt
A collection of blog posts from the authors of "Freakonomics," exploring unconventional and controversial topics in economics and society.
When to Rob a Bank: ...And 131 More Warped Suggestions and Well-Intended Rants, is an edited collection of blog posts by American authors Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner , authors of the, ... (Wikipedia)
The Interpretation of Murder
by Jed Rubenfeld
A thrilling murder mystery set in 1909 New York City, exploring the depths of the human psyche and the emerging field of psychoanalysis.
On the morning after Sigmund Freud arrives in New York City on his first – and only – visit to the United States in 1909, a stunning débutante is found bound and strangled in her penthouse apartment, ... (Wikipedia)
The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure
by Hans Magnus Enzensberger
A young boy dreams of a number devil who teaches him the beauty and magic of mathematics.
Robert is a young boy who suffers from mathematical anxiety due to his boredom in school. His mother is Mrs. Wilson. He also experiences recurring dreams —including falling down an endless slide or ... (Wikipedia)
The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures
by Mike Ashley
A collection of new Sherlock Holmes stories by various authors, continuing the legacy of the famous detective.
The biggest collection of new Sherlock Holmes stories since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle laid down his pen - nearly 200,000 words of superb fiction featuring the Great Detective by masters of historical ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself
by Sean Carroll
A scientific exploration of the origins of life, the universe, and the meaning of existence.
Already internationally acclaimed for his elegant, lucid writing on the most challenging notions in modern physics, Sean Carroll is emerging as one of the greatest humanist thinkers of his generation ... (Goodreads)
A Mathematician's Apology
by G.H. Hardy
A defense of pure mathematics as a worthwhile pursuit, despite its lack of practical applications.
G. H. Hardy was one of this century's finest mathematical thinkers, renowned among his contemporaries as a 'real mathematician ... the purest of the pure'. He was also, as C. P. Snow recounts in his ... (Goodreads)
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