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What does your "reading list" tell about you?

The German

The German

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Someone just opend a thread about a politicians reading list and what it might say about him.

I am interested in what you may think about the books that others own.

Luckyly, my book shelves are to the right of my pc, I have about 500, but I will just pick what I considere to be the best amongst them, and then see what you think:

Alfred Adler - The System of Individual Psychology
Karl Bühler - Studies on the Psychology of Moral Concepts
Ernst Bloch - The Principle of Hope
Ricky Gervais - The Story so far...
Elias Canett - Auto da Fe
Elias Canetti - Crowds and Power
Friedrich von Hayek - The Road to Serfdom
Hermann Hesse - Beneath the Wheel
Samuel Beckett - Waiting for Godot
Thomas Bernhard - Wittgensteins Nephew
Thomas Bernhard - Woodcutters
Thomas Bernhard - Frost
Thomas bernhard - Heldenplatz
Zabert Sandmann Publishing - Asia. 500 recepies for Asian meals from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, China and Mongolia
Stephen Fry - The Fry Chronicles
Theodor Ardorno - Minima Moralia
Karl Popper - The Open Society and it`s Enemies
Karl Popper - The Logic of Scientific Discovery
Langenscheid - Swedish German dictionary
Langenscheid - Dutch German dictonary
Viktor Frankl - Man`s search for a Meaning
Primo levi - If this is a Man
Bertold Brecht - The Clown
Bertold Brecht - The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum
Ödön von Horvath - Youth without God
Konrad Lorenz - I actualy wanted to be a Wild Goose
Konrad Lorenz - The Animal and Human Behavior
Konrad Lorenz - Motivation of Animal and Human Behavior
Wolf Haas - Silencium
Wolf Haas - Come, Sweet Death
James Joyce - Ulysses
Bertold Brecht - Mother Courage and her Children
Bertold Brecht - The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Hans Küng - Does God Exist?
Hans Küng - Islam
Franz Kain - The Föhn is coming
William Faulkner - The Sound and the Fury
Anne Bax - Cooking and Kissing. A vegitarian cookbook for Lesbians
Nicole Seeman - I love you deliciously. Recepies for the Erotic Cook.
 
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You seem to like religion and philosophy?
 
TheDemSocialist said:
You seem to like religion and philosophy?
Click to expand...

I use to until I was 20.

I started reading Dawkins when I was 18, I got bored by him somehow and wanted to read someone who opposes him.

So I read Hans Küng, a prominent intellectual and Roma catholic priest and theologan. His arguments are honest, solid and beautifull, but I am still an atheist. His books on the history of Judaism, Christianity and Islam are probably the best on the subject in the world.

My philosophy reading also somehow ended about a year or two ago. I started with Marx, which was like swallowing a dry dusty rug, I went to Ardorno who is beautifull but not convincing, then went to Hayek who was something of an eye opener and then ended up with Popper, who I considere to be the most important Philosopher of the 20th century and the biggest defender of democracy.
Then later I was more interested in "meaning of life" stuff. Where I found the jewish holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl to be the greatest, his books title should actualy translate as "Despite Auschwitz, saying YES to living life!"
 
Eclectic.
 
My interests are primarily psychology, religion, and philosophy, which either tells people that I am interested in meaning, or that I am a ****ed up human being. Take your pick.
 
The German said:
Someone just opend a thread about a politicians reading list and what it might say about him.

I am interested in what you may think about the books that others own.

Luckyly, my book shelves are to the right of my pc, I have about 500, but I will just pick what I considere to be the best amongst them, and then see what you think:

Alfred Adler - The System of Individual Psychology
Karl Bühler - Studies on the Psychology of Moral Concepts
Ernst Bloch - The Principle of Hope
Ricky Gervais - The Story so far...
Elias Canett - Auto da Fe
Elias Canetti - Crowds and Power
Friedrich von Hayek - The Road to Serfdom
Hermann Hesse - Beneath the Wheel
Samuel Beckett - Waiting for Godot
Thomas Bernhard - Wittgensteins Nephew
Thomas Bernhard - Woodcutters
Thomas Bernhard - Frost
Thomas bernhard - Heldenplatz
Zabert Sandmann Publishing - Asia. 500 recepies for Asian meals from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, China and Mongolia
Stephen Fry - The Fry Chronicles
Theodor Ardorno - Minima Moralia
Karl Popper - The Open Society and it`s Enemies
Karl Popper - The Logic of Scientific Discovery
Langenscheid - Swedish German dictionary
Langenscheid - Dutch German dictonary
Viktor Frankl - Man`s search for a Meaning
Primo levi - If this is a Man
Bertold Brecht - The Clown
Bertold Brecht - The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum
Ödön von Horvath - Youth without God
Konrad Lorenz - I actualy wanted to be a Wild Goose
Konrad Lorenz - The Animal and Human Behavior
Konrad Lorenz - Motivation of Animal and Human Behavior
Wolf Haas - Silencium
Wolf Haas - Come, Sweet Death
James Joyce - Ulysses
Bertold Brecht - Mother Courage and her Children
Bertold Brecht - The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Hans Küng - Does God Exist?
Hans Küng - Islam
Franz Kain - The Föhn is coming
William Faulkner - The Sound and the Fury
Anne Bax - Cooking and Kissing. A vegitarian cookbook for Lesbians
Nicole Seeman - I love you deliciously. Recepies for the Erotic Cook.
Click to expand...

I have most of my books packed in boxes in hopes of a move to Thailand. But I had 3 book cases full. Most of my reading is Bio's, History, Sci-Fi.
 
Just looking on my bookshelf - I'll pick just a few:

House of the Seven Gables - Hawethorn
A Room with a View - E.M. Forster
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower - C.S. Forester
Past Imperfect - Julian Fellowes
Franklin & Winston - Jon Meacham
Smileys People - John Le Carre
Last Night in Twisted River - John Irving
Machiavelli's New Modes and Orders - Harvey C. Mansfield
The Samurai; The Philosophy of Victory - Robert T. Samuel
East of Eden - Steinbeck
Mandragola - Machiavelli

:mrgreen:
 
The German said:
Someone just opend a thread about a politicians reading list and what it might say about him.

I am interested in what you may think about the books that others own.

Luckyly, my book shelves are to the right of my pc, I have about 500, but I will just pick what I considere to be the best amongst them, and then see what you think:

Alfred Adler - The System of Individual Psychology
Karl Bühler - Studies on the Psychology of Moral Concepts
Ernst Bloch - The Principle of Hope
Ricky Gervais - The Story so far...
Elias Canett - Auto da Fe
Elias Canetti - Crowds and Power
Friedrich von Hayek - The Road to Serfdom
Hermann Hesse - Beneath the Wheel
Samuel Beckett - Waiting for Godot
Thomas Bernhard - Wittgensteins Nephew
Thomas Bernhard - Woodcutters
Thomas Bernhard - Frost
Thomas bernhard - Heldenplatz
Zabert Sandmann Publishing - Asia. 500 recepies for Asian meals from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, China and Mongolia
Stephen Fry - The Fry Chronicles
Theodor Ardorno - Minima Moralia
Karl Popper - The Open Society and it`s Enemies
Karl Popper - The Logic of Scientific Discovery
Langenscheid - Swedish German dictionary
Langenscheid - Dutch German dictonary
Viktor Frankl - Man`s search for a Meaning
Primo levi - If this is a Man
Bertold Brecht - The Clown
Bertold Brecht - The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum
Ödön von Horvath - Youth without God
Konrad Lorenz - I actualy wanted to be a Wild Goose
Konrad Lorenz - The Animal and Human Behavior
Konrad Lorenz - Motivation of Animal and Human Behavior
Wolf Haas - Silencium
Wolf Haas - Come, Sweet Death
James Joyce - Ulysses
Bertold Brecht - Mother Courage and her Children
Bertold Brecht - The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Hans Küng - Does God Exist?
Hans Küng - Islam
Franz Kain - The Föhn is coming
William Faulkner - The Sound and the Fury
Anne Bax - Cooking and Kissing. A vegitarian cookbook for Lesbians
Nicole Seeman - I love you deliciously. Recepies for the Erotic Cook.
Click to expand...

I would guess you are not American.
 
Redress said:
I would guess you are not American.
Click to expand...

Ah. Because most of the authors are either German, Swiss or Austrian.

Yeah, I guess that makes sence.

I havent touched the Spanish greats yet and feel like I am missing out on something there.

I read alot of Irish stuff and in my opinion the Irish are without any doubt the greatest poets and novelists of the 20th century.
 
The German said:
Ah. Because most of the authors are either German, Swiss or Austrian.

Yeah, I guess that makes sence.

I havent touched the Spanish greats yet and feel like I am missing out on something there.

I read alot of Irish stuff and in my opinion the Irish are without any doubt the greatest poets and novelists of the 20th century.
Click to expand...

Because almost no one in the US reads primarily books written originally in other languages. It was not meant as a slight on you.
 
Perotista said:
I have most of my books packed in boxes in hopes of a move to Thailand. But I had 3 book cases full. Most of my reading is Bio's, History, Sci-Fi.
Click to expand...

Same here, but I also very much enjoyed reading "Alas, Babylon" by Pat Frank, and "One Second After" by William Forstche - both describe possible scenarios after a nuclear attack on America. Scary reading! Frank had the credentials to write about this subject, since he was a consultant to the Office of War Information in DC, as it was called at that time, as well as an journalist who covered world affairs. Both well written books, IMO. What does this say about me? I guess I am concerned about our country's future, and hope that sane minds prevail, so we don't have the outcome written about by these authors.

Greetings, Pero. :2wave:
 
polgara said:
Same here, but I also very much enjoyed reading "Alas, Babylon" by Pat Frank, and "One Second After" by William Forstche - both describe possible scenarios after a nuclear attack on America. Scary reading! Frank had the credentials to write about this subject, since he was a consultant to the Office of War Information in DC, as it was called at that time, as well as an journalist who covered world affairs. Both well written books, IMO. What does this say about me? I guess I am concerned about our country's future, and hope that sane minds prevail, so we don't have the outcome written about by these authors.

Greetings, Pero. :2wave:
Click to expand...

I loved Alas, Babylon as an early teen. Have you ever seen what I consider the best post nuclear war movie, On The Beach? That was terrifying.
 
Redress said:
I loved Alas, Babylon as an early teen. Have you ever seen what I consider the best post nuclear war movie, On The Beach? That was terrifying.
Click to expand...

No, I haven't, but after reading your post I checked it out on Wiki. I have just ordered it from Amazon! Any movie that has that cast has got to be good! Thanks Redress. *hug*

Good evening, Redress. :2wave:
 
polgara said:
No, I haven't, but after reading your post I checked it out on Wiki. I have just ordered it from Amazon! Any movie that has that cast has got to be good! Thanks Redress. *hug*

Good evening, Redress. :2wave:
Click to expand...

I hope you go it the 1959 movie and not the 2000 one.

Though the 2000 one is not terrible and does have Hilda Swinton/
 
Interesting question.

On my Kindle: I must love sex and love.

On my shelf: I like to keep my mind and options open - everything under the sun can be found there. And I'm a word addict.
 
I have actualy got books in my shelf which I didnt read and honestly probably put there to impress people who might see my shelf.

The complete works of Sigmund Freud for example, who after reading a few books, I found to be completly outdated.
 
polgara said:
Same here, but I also very much enjoyed reading "Alas, Babylon" by Pat Frank, and "One Second After" by William Forstche - both describe possible scenarios after a nuclear attack on America. Scary reading! Frank had the credentials to write about this subject, since he was a consultant to the Office of War Information in DC, as it was called at that time, as well as an journalist who covered world affairs. Both well written books, IMO. What does this say about me? I guess I am concerned about our country's future, and hope that sane minds prevail, so we don't have the outcome written about by these authors.

Greetings, Pero. :2wave:
Click to expand...

I have several movies dealing with the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, but no books. I also left out politics, one of the best books I read was, Presidents above Party. It dealt with our first six presidents. I have several books about James Madison, I think he is a very overlooked president. Of course the War of 1812 happened on his watch, we could have easily fell back under English rule then and of course there was the New England attempt at secession. They went so far as to have a convention on seceding from the Union.
 
The German said:
I have actualy got books in my shelf which I didnt read and honestly probably put there to impress people who might see my shelf.

The complete works of Sigmund Freud for example, who after reading a few books, I found to be completly outdated.
Click to expand...

I will admit to a couple like that too. Never made it through the Power At Sea books, nor La Grande Armee.

Oh, and sorry about derailing your thread a bit above. I am easily sidetracked.
 
Perotista said:
I have several movies dealing with the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, but no books. I also left out politics, one of the best books I read was, Presidents above Party. It dealt with our first six presidents. I have several books about James Madison, I think he is a very overlooked president. Of course the War of 1812 happened on his watch, we could have easily fell back under English rule then and of course there was the New England attempt at secession. They went so far as to have a convention on seceding from the Union.
Click to expand...

Have you read The Civil War of 1812?
 
Redress said:
I will admit to a couple like that too. Never made it through the Power At Sea books, nor La Grande Armee.

Oh, and sorry about derailing your thread a bit above. I am easily sidetracked.
Click to expand...

Tolstois War an peace is also one of those.

But I actualy read it and found it very interesting.
 
The German said:
Tolstois War an peace is also one of those.

But I actualy read it and found it very interesting.
Click to expand...

I havbe a copy, and next time I am stuck in the hospital, I will read it, honest.
 
Redress said:
I hope you go it the 1959 movie and not the 2000 one.

Though the 2000 one is not terrible and does have Hilda Swinton/
Click to expand...

I ordered the 1959 copy. I didn't even see the 2000 one on the list. I don't know how I missed that movie in the first place, though, since the cast is superb! I'm going to have to have more shelves built soon, both for books and movies! If I could afford it, I'd build a new room, and call it a theatre! I'd even have one of those popcorn-making things on wheels like you see at the County Fair, and a fully stocked bar! See what you've innocently started? :lamo:
 
The German said:
Ah. Because most of the authors are either German, Swiss or Austrian.

Yeah, I guess that makes sence.

I havent touched the Spanish greats yet and feel like I am missing out on something there.

I read alot of Irish stuff and in my opinion the Irish are without any doubt the greatest poets and novelists of the 20th century.
Click to expand...

I thought Seamus Heany did a good job with his adaptation of Beowulf. There are more accurate translations but his is quite lyrical.


Some stuff on my bookshelf

The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break, Steven Sherrill
Washington's Spies, The Story of Americas First Spy Ring, Alexander Rose
Meditations, Marcus Aurelius
Wagahai wa Neko De Aru, Soseki Natsume
On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, Harold McGee
The Inner Game of Music, Barry Green
Radical, Maajid Nawaz
The Bully Pulpit, Theodore Roosevelt, Howard Taft and the Golden Age of Journalism, Doris Kearns Goodwin
The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh
Comentarii de Bello Gallico, Julius Caesar
The Complete Short Stories of Earnest Hemingway
 
I read a bit of everything:

Biographies

Religion, primarily Buddhist

History - Primarily Irish, also English and French

History and biographies relating to the War Between the States

Also, travel books

Last year I became hooked on DJ Molles' zombie books and read them all. Later the same with WJ Lundy's "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" series. I never doubted that I would be the last person to read one let alone all the books by both authors. Who knew?

At present I am addicted to Alan Furst's novels. I can't put them down. I have no doubt that I will read all of them.

Other than that it's a bit of everything. I like new authors such as Johnny Shaw who wrote "Dove Season", one hell of a funny book.
 
Perotista said:
I have several movies dealing with the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, but no books. I also left out politics, one of the best books I read was, Presidents above Party. It dealt with our first six presidents. I have several books about James Madison, I think he is a very overlooked president. Of course the War of 1812 happened on his watch, we could have easily fell back under English rule then and of course there was the New England attempt at secession. They went so far as to have a convention on seceding from the Union.
Click to expand...

One of my sons, and one son-in-law, are Civil War buffs, so it's always easy to know what to buy them as a gift - any painting by Mort Kunstler, or any new book about the Civil War - which I'm sure hasn't been written yet, since I think they each have them all! :lol: We have a site near us called Hale Farm and Village which does Civil War Reenactments, and even the wives and children of the men participating wear the period clothing. In the Village itself, they have a whole area where they make candles and clothing and pots and pans and everything else needed by the people of that time, just the way they made them back then, right down to the Village blacksmith who welded broken cooking pots! Fascinating!
 
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