Originally posted by WulebgrMilton's was most influential for modern American economic delusions.
Milton and Rose Friedman, Free to Choose
(influence need not be positive)
Orwell's 1984 aptly predicted the rhetorical distortions at the heart of this book
The best book I've read is Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner. It gets better with each rereading.
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GK Chesterton's Orthodoxy. I keep coming back to it again and again over the years.
Fiction-wise I'd have to say Conrad's Under Western Eyes, it just impacts in a way that Crime and Punishment does not.
In terms of politics, I'd say Alexander Kerensky's The Catastrophe: all of his political accounts of the two revolutions are phenomenal, but this is easily the most immediate.
Originally posted by General PutzerThanks for the facist comments...
Islam is a cancer on humanity and should be expunged.
I am sure "Gassing Jews for beginners" will be handy for people like you...
I think one of the books that most influenced my life was: "The ragged trousered philanthropists" by Robert Tressel.
I was a member of the Labour party until I read that. And then I joined the International Socialists (SWP).
I've not met anybody who hasn't become political after reading that book.
I don't know if it's really influencial, but I reckon some people here should read John Irving's: "The cider house rules". Just to understand certain truths about life.
As for our resident nazis, I think I'll prescribe "Shantaram" by G.D. Roberts. A true story and although it deals mainly with Hindus in India, it also touches on the Mujahadin movement in Afghanistan and what they (as Moslims) stood/stand for...and who financed them.
As for the writer I would most recommend on this forum? I would have to go with John Pilger; the investigative journalist. His writing on Cambodia and the Iraq children in the 90's is especially powerful stuff.
Originally posted by aspviper666I have Why You Lose at Chess by Tim Harding, and it is an excellent book. I didn't know he had stolen the title from Reinfeld.
Chess wise:"Why You Lose at Chess" by Fred Reinfeld
also "My System" by Aron Nimzowitsch
"Religion" wise almost anything written by Aleister Crowley or
Francis Israel Regardie .
Originally posted by Paintbucket1984 would scare you IF it came true in America? IF?
The Art of War - Sun Tzu.
Orwell had some strange ideas. 1984 and Animal Farm would scrae me if they came true in my country. Geez.
The Book of Mormon is basically a falsified variation of the King James Bible. 90% is copied, usually verbatim, from the KJV. As for the Koran, it does not belong with Jewish and Christian scripture.
Remember the history in 1984 of being at war with Oceana with Eurasia the ally, and vice-versa with no official acknowledgement of the change in stance?
Compare this with the USA supplying Saddam Hussein with chemical weapons against IRAN in the 1980's. Since then of course, US and its allies have attacked Sadam several times.
Indeed on the infamous road to Basra, most of the military hardware destroyed by the Allies were outdated 19070/80's tanks provided by the West.
Bush also employs classic double-speak such as the so-called Patriot act which actually removes rights from the citizens of America and gives more power to the state. All in the citizens' best interests of course. (Like getting your phone tapped illegally!)
Orwell's predictive powers were uncanny. He got it absolutely spot on.
1984 is quite simply the best book ever written and certainly the most important.
Originally posted by scottishinnzIt has been recommended to me several times, but I still haven't read it. The title has had a somewhat deterrent effect on me as I hate motorcycles, although I know that's not really what the book is about.
I'll go for [b]Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainence by Robert M. Pirsig. A fine book. In fact, it's a fine 3 books.[/b]
I am not sure what books have influenced my thinking most, but "The Myth of Sisyphus" by Albert Camus would certainly be on the list. So would Dostoyevski's "The Brothers Karamasov".
Originally posted by NordlysI can't stand that book. Ugh.
It has been recommended to me several times, but I still haven't read it. The title has had a somewhat deterrent effect on me as I hate motorcycles, although I know that's not really what the book is about.
Choosing book titles is too difficult. Anyway--Michael Moorcock's fiction--The Dancers at the End of Time, The Condition of Muzak, Stormbringer, and countless others--has influenced me the most; Borges' Labyrinths could be the best book, whatever that means...
