Alcoholics Anonymous (Various) - This was recommended by a dear friend who has gone through this nightmare. The organization comes under fire from some. This book is their outline of what they're all about.
Lenin's Tomb (D. Remnick) - Talk about brilliant, this is my favorite non-fiction of all time. It's an account of the fall of the Soviet Union by an outstanding writer who was there.
The Agenda - (R. Woodward) - Yes the Woodward who collaborated on All the President's Men. I had to replace The Bookseller of Kabul with this because I feel that any American who wants to truly understand Washington politics can go a long way by reading it. t's the story of Bill Clinton's election and initial presidency focusing on the passage of his first budget.
Gulliver's Travels (J. Swift) - I messed up not including this one earlier. First published nearly 300 years ago, there's a reason this is such an enduring classic. The best parts weren't in any of the movies.
The Cuckoo's Egg (C. Stoll) - The true account of the author's efforts to track down an elusive computer hacker who went through the Berkeley systems en route to several defense computer systems. It's GREAT reading and an even greater case for diligence in guarding our computer resources. Also some sad lessons in dealing with the government.
The World is Flat - (T. Friedman) - This book addresses globalization of the world economy and technology. It assesses how we got to where we are and what we need to do to survive as a civilization. Very insightful and informative, though you may want to take some of it with more than a grain of salt. Lots of great Bush-Bashing when it comes to the current American response.
A Brief History of Time - (S. W. Hawking) - Theoretical physics, quarks, black holes, quantam singularities, why did I read this? This book has been called the least read best seller of all time. I took it as a challenge. And I did it! Unexpectedly, Hawking discusses the implications of the big bang for theology.
All the President's Men - (R. Woodward & C. Bernstein) - I never read this when it was current, but it was in the bargain bin at Barnes & Noble. After reading the story of the Enron debacle, it seemed appropriate. Nothing like a good scandal at the national level for good reading! It turned out to be as much about how real-world journalism works as the Nixon administration.
Current - Truman (D. McCullough) - This is nearly 1,000 pages, so (like the Rolling Stone History of Rock and Roll) I'm going to tackle it in three shots. McCullugh is a good writer (I enjoyed his work on T. Roosevelt) and I'm comfortably into it. Right now he's heading into World War I.
Prior - A Thousand Splendid Suns (K. Hosseini) - Recommended to me by good friend Bien, this is the fictional story of two Afghani woman growing up under harsh circumstances. Pretty depressing stuff, but a good glimpse at a very different culture.
Any recommendations? Let me know!
I've been too busy to make much headway on the Philosophy DVD's but I'm coming up for a breather. Reading has lately gone into the ream of fiction. No classes except for my music lessons.
DVD Courses Taken (an indication of what interests me):
From Yao to Mao - 5000 Years of Chinese History
The Nature of the Earth - An Introduction to Geology
Understanding The Universe - An Introduction to Astronomy
The Great Debate - Advocates and Opponents of the American Constitution
Isaac Newton and 17th Century Alchemy
The Vikings
The History of the Supreme Court
Understanding Linguistics
Understanding the Brain
Economics
Nutrition Made Clear
The Modern Intellectual Tradition (in progress)
Yeah, what a geek.
Winnie the Pooh (A. A. Milne) - I mention this because it was the first real book I read myself.
The Hobbit / Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkein) - I remember my brother reading this to me many moons ago. He had such a wonderful voice. I didn't really read them until many years later and found them a real treat. I lump them together because it's really the same story. I was so glad that after a few miserable attempts, Peter Jackson was able to make a great series of films out of it.
Foundation Trilogy (I. Asimov) - Isaac Asimov was friggin' brilliant. This was a Hugo Award winning series. Brilliant Sci-Fi.
A Winter's Tale (J. Halprin) - Christmas can be weird. My brother and sister in law (Chip and Alice) gave me this work of fantasy because they liked it and were done with it. I was totally captivated.
A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (D. Adams) - Silly Science Fiction. I just loved it. It was actually 5 books. He wrote other stuff that was also good, including Last Chance to See (with D. Carwardine), a non-fiction book about seeking species about to become extinct. Great stuff. I had the chance to meet the author at a San Francisco book signing and passed it up in favor of a work lunch. BAD PRIORITIES!
Now, tragically, he's dead.
