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Great share!
I noticed something funny about myself after reading Ayn Rand - I found her writing influenced my mindset and made me (personally - not casting this on all Rand fans) more isolationist, individualist, and just a little bit more of an asshole.
Interested by that phenomenon, I've been on the lookout for books that might subtly influence my perspective in ways that would make me warmer, kinder, more sympathetic/empathetic.
Two of these recommendations look spot-on for that. Purchased:
The Road to Character
"Focuses on the deeper values that should inform our lives. Responding to what he calls the culture of the Big Me, which emphasizes external success, Brooks challenges us, and himself, to rebalance the scales between our “résumé virtues”—achieving wealth, fame, and status—and our “eulogy virtues,” those that exist at the core of our being: kindness, bravery, honesty, or faithfulness, focusing on what kind of relationships we have formed."
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar
"Cheryl Strayed was an advice columnist called Dear Sugar, and this collection of her essays is a guide to finding inner strength through tenderness. She masterfully links the problems of her readers to her own painful experiences, and the result will cling to you with its vulnerability, sweetness, and intimacy. I’ve been in love with this book all fall."
I've not yet read 'Atlas Shrugged' or 'The Fountainhead', and feel I shouldn't comment until I do. However, my anecdotal experience is that there is an association between people who have read Rand and people who are isolationist, individualist, and, uh, unpleasant. I have wondered about the mindset, about whether it's the book that develops the mindset, or the mindset that finds the book, and about whether books might help develop a different mindset. As a person who devoured the Lord of the Rings trilogy as a teenager, I always liked this quote:
"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs." [1]
I am hopeful for any social discussion of character.
One should read "Atlas Shrugged". That way, you can avoid seeing the appallingly bad 3-part low budget movie version. The book is preachy, and the movie is faithful to the book, which means long monologues.
"The Fountainhead" was made into a movie in 1949. It's a decent movie, and Amazon has the DVD. It's amusing today because the protagonist, who is an architect, designs buildings that he insists are insanely great, but are just slab-sided office blocks. (His hatred of decorative spires has something going for it. There used to be a thing for putting useless pointy spires on top of office buildings, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building being the classic examples. That's mostly died out in the US, although it still has a following in Dubai and some Asian cities.)
Taking Ayn Rand seriously is not good for you.
I have read both and, at the time, it put me in a position of valuing great fantastical deeds done by the folks portrayed, the absolutist nature of objectivism to value the individual over all else really left a bad taste with me.
I don't think the mindset finds the book, although it would certainly help in finding the recommendation.
I think there are a large number of people who have read both books and who keep quiet about it especially in more left-leaning company, due to the rapid reflex-like negative emotional reactions generated by Ayn Rand. This both for self-preservation and out of considerateness (one does not want to make one's friends unhappy), although it is a shame because it precludes any interesting discussion as might be had, for example, over Marx's or Piketty's output.
The Fountainhead's strength is the promotion of professional ("artistic") integrity and a warning about the lack of long term happiness one might find in "selling out" for short term advantages (such as social status) versus building long-lasting work. It's also one of the few works to make the case for very strong IP rights. Despite Ayn Rand's association with the modern right wing globally, I know many left-leaning professional artists who loved the work, it is less political than philosophical.
Atlas Shrugged is about individual rights, and should be read from the point of view of the time it was written, when millions of Soviets were stuck behind the Iron Curtain and told what to do with their lives. Ayn Rand herself left the Soviet Union and much of her output ("Anthem" is the most obvious) is coloured by the stark contrast between the misery of living there versus the prosperity of her new home - less so the physical aspects, more so the psychological.
The key idea of the work - the one that somehow, is rarely talked about - is the idea that the individual is more important than the state in which they are a citizen, that "raison d'Etat", the sacrifice of a few innocents for the "many", is not morally valid philosophically and ends in disaster for the "many" in practice. And it is a shame the work is so shunned in today's American political discussions (beyond being used by a few Tea Party politicians to promote small government) as it is very much relevant to many modern discussions such as, for example, the NSA scandals, drone use or the existence of the Guantanamo prison.
Regarding the title itself and a popular criticism of the work, there are many countries today where it is still the case that people with potential are unable to make any progress and should absolutely emigrate (e.g. [1]). I recommend following Atlas Shrugged by Vito Tanzi's excellent chronicle of the collapse of Argentina since the Peronists [2], it's short and an almost direct real world parallel.
Something I always wondered about is why Atlas Shrugged was only very recently translated into French. I read another book [3] by an anonymous but clearly French intelligence services officer who claims it was done deliberately as the work (much like Frederick the Great's Political Testament) is considered politically destabilising by the French authorities, who put pressure on editors accordingly. I suspect a more realistic explanation might be that the political environment in France is such that there would be little demand for the work, which would be derided as "typically American" even by the "liberals"; this makes me a little sad.
Ayn Rand's output has a subset of "interesting" fans, as with many other famous works (I'm sure someone, somewhere has made a wooden wand with a horsehair in it and shouts "Accio!" at their kettle or something). No work is perfect but there is much to be learnt from books that became famous and influential. For better or worse, Ayn Rand is the modern, famous writer who most extensively wrote about "extreme" individual rights enforced by the state, as well as advocating well for passion in one's work and pride in one's competence, and as such is worth reading.
[1] http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/humans-new-yorks-scienti...
[2] http://www.amazon.ca/Argentina-Economic-Chronicle-Richest-Co...
[3] http://www.amazon.fr/Missions-methodes-techniques-speciales-...
On the recommendation of another comment here, I just discovered something that seems like a direct answer to your question:
http://fivebooks.com/interview/roman-krznaric-on-the-art-of-...
I especially liked this:
"[Orwell] realised that he didn’t know how everyday people lived, so his experiments in the late 1920s and 30s of tramping in London were a form of travel really, or experiential adventuring. He was trying to experience how other people lived, to get a taste of their lives. By doing so, he discovered that empathy isn’t something that makes you good but something that is good for you. So for me, Orwell is one of my great empathic heroes." (emphasis mine)
I admit that, in spite of all the education and opportunities to learn I had, this thought never even crossed my mind. I feel so stupid. For instance, if you look at Jesus not in religious but simply in moral or philosophical terms, isn't that the whole point of his teachings? The interviewee makes another great little point about the difference between empathy and sympathy, which in an instant crystallized Buddhist teachings for me. Pretty sure you will find something on this list...
Orwell's "The Road to Wigan Pier" is his study of working class life. A modern version is "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America", by Barbara Page. That predates the "sharing" economy, on which the definitive book has not yet been written. "What's Yours Is Mine", by Tom Slee, may be helpful.
This may seem like an odd recommendation, but I think The Autobiography of Malcolm X is one of the best books I've read. Easily the most gripping non-fiction.
Someone described it as illustrative of "the intellect of anger", and I think it fits. I also think, somewhat paradoxically, that such a precise and charismatic characterization of anger will make you more understanding of angry people.
Not odd at all - that was a great book about a great man. The most profound theme from the book, for me, was his quest for knowledge and self-education. And his commitment to live life as a reflection of his knowledge and beliefs, even when that meant complete and utter rejection of his previous life.
I'll second this recommendation - this book changed (and is still changing) how I think about some things, and it was hard to put down. In terms of developing empathy, I found the eloquent expression of anger over things I haven't experienced to be illuminating.
Plus, there are a lot of cheap copies floating around because it has been fairly popular since it came out.
I'm in the middle of The Road To Character, and it's a bit too much "people used to be better" for me so far - but still it has some good points here and there.
Wodehouse (also listed in the OP) makes me happy to read, they're hilarious and glowingly warm books.
Here are some recommendations from me in a similar vein, (non-fiction) books that positively influenced my outlook:
- Lamott's Bird by Bird, it's reflections on how to be a writer, but the advice works on "living" and "working" in general
- Werner Herzog - A Guide for the Perplexed: an updated long interview with Herzog on his life and his craft, extremely passionate. There are so many minor stories and bits of wisdom that positively influenced my outlook on humanity and the work I do.
- Bakewell's How To Live: If you don't have time or leisure to read Montaigne's Essais (I'm still not finished with those), Bakewell's book is a bit of a primer/summary of Montaigne's lessons interwoven with Montaigne's life.
- Marsh's Do No Harm: it's the autobiography of a "famous" neuro-surgeon at the end of his career. If I'm 50% as honest and humble about the mistakes I've made at the end of my life (mistakes in his operations turned several patients into people who need constant care for the rest of their lives) then I can die contempt.
Highly recommend David Foster Wallace for this. After Infinite Jest I was definitely had much higher general empathy for months.
A good David Foster Wallace starting point is "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again".
I'd tentatively recommend against starting with Infinite Jest. Infinite Jest is a project of a read.
I heard the section about Erdedy preparing for a drug binge on a BBC Radio 4 arts review program and was fascinated - I've never used drugs and have no desire to start but there is something very powerful about the sections of IJ that cover addiction.
If you haven't read it yet, I would recommend Les Miserables. I chose to really take my time and read a full unabridged translation (don't speak French, unfortunately.) People probably typically view me as "isolationist, individualist, and just a little bit of an asshole" but reading that book definitely made me "warmer, kinder, more sympathetic/empathetic." Sorry to plagiarize but I couldn't explain it any better than you did.
Unless you're looking for a preachy and blind endorsement of "traditional" values (with a healthy dose of religion), steer clear of David Brooks.
If you're really looking to increase empathy, just read some good classical literature.
That's pretty interesting. Reading Rand (only read Atlas Shrugged, don't enjoy the writing style all that much) had the exact opposite effect on me. I started to appreciate the passions of other people more.
Resume virtues vs eulogy virtues is similar to personality ethic vs character ethic as described in 7 Habits. Recommend that book if you have not yet read. Make sure you actually read it, the best parts are in the meat- a cliff notes version of that book is an order of magnitude less valuable because the "key takeaways" are not the true takeaways.
make me warmer, kinder, more sympathetic/empathetic
"Nonzero" transmuted me from a cynical fatalist into an unrepentant optimist. The gist is that human culture advances when win/win strategies replace win/lose (zero sum) strategies.
Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny by Robert Wright
http://www.amazon.com/Nonzero-The-Logic-Human-Destiny/dp/067...
I applaud your nod to empathy
Literature has been shown to increase empathy
There was no literature included in this list (am counting the two SciFi novels as fiction, but not literature)
To anyone looking for an edge, read more literature
I am a "Rand Fan" and have been for about a decade. I've done a fair amount of study of her thinking and what others that have written or lectured about her thinking. I can tell you some of my observations related to your statement: "I found her writing influenced my mindset and made me (personally - not casting this on all Rand fans) more isolationist, individualist, and just a little bit more of an asshole."
First the easy part: there is no doubt that she is trying to make you be more individualistic. Between spelling out foundational ideas which lead to an egoist ethics and then what it means to be an egoist. The individual is paramount to Rand. Life is a value and the most important life to you is your own. I have no argument or further observation on that point.
The isolationist and asshole parts... well, that analysis is a bit more involved. I'm not going to say that your observation is completely unfounded, though I think it's wrong to attribute those tendencies -in some people- to her writing. There are, no doubt, Rand supporters that are assholes and that they see her philosophy as giving them permission so to be. I would go so far as to say there are more than I would like. However, if your own life-long self interest, your own happiness, is really the highest goal in her thinking and the purpose of morality: how exactly does adopting a hermetic lifestyle and being an asshole advance you to that ultimate goal? I would suggest it doesn't. It's not in my self interest to isolate myself or to treat others poorly. The correct default stance when meeting someone new is to give them the benefit of the doubt. Many times I lose nothing being generous, and the goodwill I create when I am generous and benevolent often times pays dividends which an isolationist asshole will never realize. A healthy, modern life is a social life: it's hard to be a trader (in both material and spiritual values), someone that Rand held up as an ideal, without having others with which to trade.
And to be fair to the Objectivists, many of them get a bad rap when they're really just defending themselves. Look at a couple of the comments to your original comment. Anyone being constantly told that their worldview somehow puts them in the mindset of a fourteen year old is likely to inspire them to be aggressively defensive and maybe just a touch isolationist. Especially considering that they are in the minority, it's really easy for people that adopt conventional worldviews to get a pass when they're assholes, and especially when they're attacking a minority viewpoint. I also think there's a tendency to build stereotypes like this as well. I've been on a number Objectivist group outings and attended get-togethers and the vast majority of them are as friendly and generous as anyone else in society that don't hold their views; in fact, I would say they really don't differ from the general population in this regard.
Anyway, saw your comment and thought I'd pick up the other side.
Another great source of reading material: FiveBooks[0] interviews "experts" and asks them to recommend five good books for understanding their field.
E.g., this[1] interview with David Brooks from 2009 is a lot of the source material/ inspiration for his book.
[1] http://fivebooks.com/interview/david-brooks-on-neuroscience/
Vaguely reminds me of this list, where scholars were asked which book changed their mind the most: http://chronicle.com/article/What-Book-Changed-Your-Mind-/14...
Would love to find more lists of the sort
It's interesting now no book in the section about AI is an actually technical book (something like Russel and Norvig). They're all about philosophical conjectures about AI. Doesn't inspire confidence in other lists on that site tbh. :/
Oh my gosh, this is amazing. Thank you for sharing. How did you first come across this?
Nonviolent communication is a precise and liberating way of talking. You can be exposed by watching this talk too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwXH4hNfgPg
It's three hours FYI. But my sales pitch is: Marshall Rosenberg is funny when talks about miscommunication. I haven't laughed out loud at a three hour youtube video before reading this.
In case you cringe at the term "nonviolent communication": Marshall Rosenberg dislikes it too, and he coined it!
Why Information Grows is probably the best one I read this year.
It's fairly ambitious and sets out to link information theory, the emergence of life, evolution and economic growth all in one coherent story. It doesn't quite hit the mark as it becomes a bit too abstract towards the end, but the first 3 chapters are the best story of how information theory fits into thermodynamics and the emergence of life. It's also the best summary of Ilya Prigogine's work I've read (including, ironically, Prigogine's own books)
http://www.amazon.ca/Why-Information-Grows-Evolution-Economi...
+1 for Sapiens. Good overview of the histroy of humanity, and I especially liked the theory of how shared beliefs enable cooperation among larger groups.
The example of "The Legend of Peugeot" was also great: does the company Peugeot actually exist, can you point to what it is. No, it only exists as a shared belief.
Also, Jeeves is great :-)
Note that this is different than the YC library:
https://www.ycombinator.com/resources/
The YC library keeps a good list of perennial favorites....
Before you go looking for "character" in David Brooks' book, remember that he was an enthusiastic backer of the Iraq War, and belittled and sneered at those protesting the war.
His comments after the House voted to restrict NSA phone data collection: "I'd say it's a moral victory for the wingnuts. And, you know, you look at the moment. What are we faced with? We're faced with a rising libertarianism, both on the left and the right."
I'd look for my "character" elsewhere.
Here is a list of lists: http://popsnip.com/topic/863/Best-Books-of-2015-List-of-List...
'The Prize' is phenomenal. I took an econ class on the petroleum industry and the prof used it instead of a text book.
PBS turn into into a really good multi-part documentary.
Best books I have read this year:
- Shareholder letters of Warren Buffett: http://amzn.to/1OgZVh9
- Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage: http://amzn.to/1Oh09oz
Bill gates anual reading list is also nice.
For 2015: http://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill-Gates/Best-Books-2015
I've worked halfway through "The Elements of Computing Systems" aka "Nand to Tetris" and it's fairly high on my already way too excessive todo list for 2016. Great recommendation :)
My recent favorite: The Planet Remade: How Geoengineering Could Change the World by Oliver Morton. Engagingly written -- I could hardly put it down! -- comprehensive, thorough, and optimistic without being credulous, this book contains a wealth of information about the "earthsystem" (as Morton likes to call it) and the effects we're already having on it as well as those we could potentially create intentionally. The book makes an excellent case for expanding research into geoengineering, and I hope it gets widely read.
I've seen Seveneves appearing across multiple lists of best books in 2015 (here, Amazon's top 20, Goodreads' list for 2015...).
I can't wait to grab my hands on it!
Does anyone know if The Supermen is available on audiobook?
Nice list. The one by Nisan/Schocken is on my to read list.
Does anyone know of any lists full of new math books?
Nice. I've read four of those. I have some book buying to do.
Only 1 female author :,(
Great point - but while you're breaking down the list to non-relevant characteristics of the authors, can we get a list of their:
- nationalities - skin color - sexual preference - left handed/ right handed
I can't make a politically motivated decision without these
As a PoC, I could also question how many of the authors are a PoC. But I won't because I care a lot more about the content itself.
Jer Thorp[1] is a creative artist/developer/researcher which made a point of only reading female authors this year. I'm excited for his list, which I hope he'll be publishing soon.
I think if you're going to raise that particular argument responsibly, you're obligated to cite some women authors you read this year that you think we should read.
Yeah, I was looking at the authors: Steve, Philip and Dan, David, John, Daniel, Elon, Marshall, Matt, John, P.G., ...
Wait a second, Cheryl, what's she doing here? Oh that was Jessica's choice.
And we now return you to your regularly-schedule programming: Neal, Andy, Charles, Yuval, Andrew ...
It's a shame you got so heavily downvoted. You make a reasonable point, and not in a flame-baiting way.
Wait what about Ashlee Vance? Wait never mind that's a man too