A Stack of Books
Just recently I was involved in an exchange of posts at this great site, where a number of people mentioned our growing reading lists, and the size of the pile of books that are building up, waiting to be read.
What struck me when reflecting on my reading and the book pile was how many of the books that I have already read (and are waiting in my pile) are as the direct result of bucket loads of money from the publishers to review them of recommendations from friends, colleagues etc.
I like to read very widely, on a broad range of topics, and I love to learn, and I’m open to exploring new topics if they offer something interesting.
Reflecting on this set me off thinking about what would constitute my ultimate reading list (apart from the titles that are part of the pile waiting to be read) for the next 12 months.
What do I need to form this ultimate reading list? Your recommendations (publishers please note… still willing to accept those large piles of cash).
In exchange for your recommendations, I’d like to give YOU the chance to win a part of your ultimate reading list. HOW?
Post a comment below, telling me what your recommendation is (Title, Auth0r and if you know it the publisher) and why you are recommending it. In your comment also tell me what book is a part of your ultimate reading list that you have yet to purchase (Title, Author etc).
In 14 days I will review all the recommendations and pick one comment to win a part of their ultimate reading list, I will purchase that book and post it to wherever in the world that person is located…..
So lets build an ultimate reading list together………..get commenting!
A must read for me (and if anyone ever asked me for my top recommendation) is:
1984 by George Orwell.
The term ‘doublespeak’ was coined in this book (ebemn though doublespeak has actullay been used ever since we decided to lay down our clubs and listen to the head caveman tell us that “fire is cool, man”).
All of Orwell’s stuff is great because it cautios us agsint the disslution of our freedom in lieu of a omnipresent State.
For a current example of doublespeak on a grand scale in Canadian politics, read Then They Came For Me – A Cautionary Tale
Cheers!
– Don
Thanks for that Mick! More reading….. Yay!
Thanks Melinda,
Another book you may be interested in is
Smart Thinking: Skills for Critical Understanding and Writing by Matthew Allen
http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Thinking-Critical-Understanding-Writing/dp/0195517334/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263339821&sr=8-
Oh yes, I remember that conversation – I’m the one who said I measure the height of the stack rather than counting books! You’ll be happy to know it’s down to about a foot high, although I have a couple of books arriving in the mail in the next week. LOL
I’ve started looking into critical thinking lately, having been impressed with a couple of people’s thought processes – their ability to question things that most people accept as truth. So I’m in the process of saving for a rather large Amazon bill…. the books that are next on my list are:
Critical Thinking by Moore and Parker http://www.amazon.com/Critical-Thinking-Brooke-Noel-Moore/dp/0073386677/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263260187&sr=1-1
Critical Thinking – A Student’s Introduction by Bassham, Irwin, Nardone and Wallace http://www.amazon.com/Critical-Thinking-Introduction-Gregory-Bassham/dp/0073407348/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263260187&sr=1-7
Asking the Right Questions by Browne and Keeley, http://www.amazon.com/Asking-Right-Questions-Neil-Browne/dp/0205506682/ref=pd_sim_b_5
I think I’d need an other couple of lives to read all the books that interest me.