Someone asked recently which writer influenced you most, and I list three, Albert Camus, Thomas Wolfe, and Feodor Dostoevsky. For Camus it was all his writings, Wolfe's 'You can't go home,' and D's 'Devils' and 'Brothers Karamazov.'
So I complied a more modern list of reading that challenges and will surely make you think. And raise your IQ as well. Four asterisks are excellent first reads. Most is nonfiction, I will add fiction writers at end.
What We Leave Behind By Derrick Jensen
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/What-Leave-Behind-Derrick-Jensen/dp/1583228675/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: What We Leave Behind (9781583228678): Derrick Jensen, Aric McBay: Books[/ame]
Media / Hate / Ecology ****
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Make-Believe-Derrick-Jensen/dp/1931498571/ref=pd_sim_b_10]Amazon.com: The Culture of Make Believe (9781931498579): Derrick Jensen: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-Consent-Political-Economy-Media/dp/0375714499/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249125348&sr=1-2]Amazon.com: Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media (9780375714498): Edward S. Herman, Noam Chomsky: Books[/ame]
Burning All Illusions : A Guide to Personal and Political Freedom by David Edwards
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Burning-All-Illusions-Personal-Political/dp/0896085317/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_3]Amazon.com: Burning All Illusions : A Guide to Personal and Political Freedom (9780896085312): David Edwards: Books[/ame]
Politics - rhetorical thought - excellent ****
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Rhetoric-Reaction-Perversity-Futility-Jeopardy/dp/067476868X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246553514&sr=1-3]Amazon.com: The Rhetoric of Reaction: Perversity, Futility, Jeopardy (9780674768680): Albert O. Hirschman: Books[/ame]
Deer hunting with Jesus ****- excellent picture from a hick on hicks - said with respect.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Deer-Hunting-Jesus-Dispatches-Americas/dp/0307339378/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books]Amazon.com: Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War (9780307339379): Joe Bageant: Books[/ame]
Two excellent introductions to political thinking
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Political-Philosophy-Beginners-Students-Politicians/dp/0745635326/ref=pd_sim_b_1]Amazon.com: Political Philosophy: A Beginners' Guide for Students and Politicians (9780745635323): Adam Swift: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Political-Philosophy-Jonathan-Wolff/dp/019929609X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: An Introduction to Political Philosophy (9780199296095): Jonathan Wolff: Books[/ame]
Great Depression and Bubbles
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Great-Depression-New-Deal-Introductions/dp/0195326342/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1230302046&sr=1-8]Amazon.com: The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (9780195326345): Eric Rauchway: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Financial-Euphoria-Whittle/dp/0140238565/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230302117&sr=1-2]Amazon.com: A Short History of Financial Euphoria (Penguin business) (9780140238563): John Kenneth Galbraith: Books[/ame]
Poverty Global Issues
Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet by Jeffrey D. Sachs
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Common-Wealth-Economics-Crowded-Planet/dp/0143114875/ref=ed_oe_p]Amazon.com: Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet (9780143114871): Jeffrey D. Sachs: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/End-Poverty-Economic-Possibilities-Time/dp/0143036580/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c]Amazon.com: The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time (9780143036586): Jeffrey Sachs: Books[/ame]
Globalization and Its Discontents by Joseph E. Stiglitz
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Globalization-Its-Discontents-Joseph-Stiglitz/dp/0393324397/ref=pd_cp_b_2]Amazon.com: Globalization and Its Discontents (9780393324396): Joseph E. Stiglitz: Books[/ame]
Economics
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/How-West-Grew-Rich-Transformation/dp/0465031099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books]Amazon.com: How The West Grew Rich: The Economic Transformation Of The Industrial World (9780465031092): Nathan Rosenberg, L.E. Birdzell Jr.: Books[/ame]
Great Depression
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Hands-Businessmens-Crusade-Against/dp/0393337669/ref=ed_oe_p]Amazon.com: Invisible Hands: The Businessmen's Crusade Against the New Deal (9780393337662): Kim Phillips-Fein: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Propensity-Self-Subversion-Albert-O-Hirschman/dp/0674715586/ref=sid_dp_dp]Amazon.com: A Propensity to Self-Subversion (9780674715585): Albert O. Hirschman: Books[/ame]
Liberal thought - Waldron is excellent
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/God-Locke-Equality-Christian-Foundations/dp/0521890578/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: God, Locke, and Equality: Christian Foundations in Locke's Political Thought (9780521890571): Jeremy Waldron: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Justice-Fairness-Restatement-John-Rawls/dp/0674005112/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: Justice as Fairness: A Restatement (9780674005112): John Rawls, Erin Kelly: Books[/ame]
Serious fun, thought provoking.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/What-Have-Changed-Your-About/dp/0061686549/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: What Have You Changed Your Mind About?: Today's Leading Minds Rethink Everything (9780061686542): John Brockman: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/What-Believe-but-Cannot-Prove/dp/0060841818/ref=pd_sim_b_3]Amazon.com: What We Believe but Cannot Prove: Today's Leading Thinkers on Science in the Age of Certainty (9780060841812): John Brockman: Books[/ame]
EDGE
History
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Age-Extremes-History-World-1914-1991/dp/0679730052/ref=ed_oe_p]Amazon.com: The Age of Extremes: A History of the World, 1914-1991 (9780679730057): Eric Hobsbawm: Books[/ame]
Evil - understanding a topic that confuses all.
Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing by James Waller
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Evil-Ordinary-Genocide-Killing/dp/0195189493/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing (9780195189490): James Waller: Books[/ame]
Ideas - a survey from fire to ....
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Ideas-History-Thought-Invention-Freud/dp/0060935642/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books]Amazon.com: Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud (9780060935641): Peter Watson: Books[/ame]
Ethics - profound and deep
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Reasons-Persons-Oxford-Paperbacks-Parfit/dp/019824908X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: Reasons and Persons (Oxford Paperbacks) (9780198249085): Derek Parfit: Books[/ame]
Other stuff to challenge you.
"Is Democracy Possible Here? Principles for a New Political Debate" By Ronald Dworkin
"The Morality of Freedom" By Joseph Raz.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Morality-Freedom-Clarendon-Paperbacks/dp/0198248075/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248087360&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: The Morality of Freedom (Clarendon Paperbacks) (9780198248156): Joseph Raz: Books[/ame]
Liberal Rights" Jeremy Waldron See Chapter 2 Page 35
Liberal rights: collected papers ... - Google Books
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Ideology-Very-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/019280281X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239196362&sr=1-3]Amazon.com: Ideology: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (9780192802811): Michael Freeden: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Liberty-before-Liberalism-Quentin-Skinner/dp/0521638763/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247953101&sr=8-4]Amazon.com: Liberty before Liberalism (9780521638760): Quentin Skinner: Books[/ame]
Modern writers worth reading William Vollman, Richard Powers, and the books below are all excellent.
* Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance By Robert Pirsig
Darkness At Noon By Arthur Koestler
Angle Of Repose By Wallace Stegner
Go Tell It On The Mountain By James Baldwin
Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison
Man's Fate, André Malraux
Sophie's Choice By William Styron
The Fall, The Plague, Albert Camus
An American Tragedy By Theodore Dreiser
The Heart Of The Matter By Graham Greene
The Sound And The Fury By William Faulkner
To The Lighthouse By Virginia Woolf
So I complied a more modern list of reading that challenges and will surely make you think. And raise your IQ as well. Four asterisks are excellent first reads. Most is nonfiction, I will add fiction writers at end.
What We Leave Behind By Derrick Jensen
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/What-Leave-Behind-Derrick-Jensen/dp/1583228675/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: What We Leave Behind (9781583228678): Derrick Jensen, Aric McBay: Books[/ame]
Media / Hate / Ecology ****
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Make-Believe-Derrick-Jensen/dp/1931498571/ref=pd_sim_b_10]Amazon.com: The Culture of Make Believe (9781931498579): Derrick Jensen: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-Consent-Political-Economy-Media/dp/0375714499/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249125348&sr=1-2]Amazon.com: Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media (9780375714498): Edward S. Herman, Noam Chomsky: Books[/ame]
Burning All Illusions : A Guide to Personal and Political Freedom by David Edwards
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Burning-All-Illusions-Personal-Political/dp/0896085317/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_3]Amazon.com: Burning All Illusions : A Guide to Personal and Political Freedom (9780896085312): David Edwards: Books[/ame]
Politics - rhetorical thought - excellent ****
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Rhetoric-Reaction-Perversity-Futility-Jeopardy/dp/067476868X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246553514&sr=1-3]Amazon.com: The Rhetoric of Reaction: Perversity, Futility, Jeopardy (9780674768680): Albert O. Hirschman: Books[/ame]
Deer hunting with Jesus ****- excellent picture from a hick on hicks - said with respect.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Deer-Hunting-Jesus-Dispatches-Americas/dp/0307339378/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books]Amazon.com: Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War (9780307339379): Joe Bageant: Books[/ame]
Two excellent introductions to political thinking
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Political-Philosophy-Beginners-Students-Politicians/dp/0745635326/ref=pd_sim_b_1]Amazon.com: Political Philosophy: A Beginners' Guide for Students and Politicians (9780745635323): Adam Swift: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Political-Philosophy-Jonathan-Wolff/dp/019929609X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: An Introduction to Political Philosophy (9780199296095): Jonathan Wolff: Books[/ame]
Great Depression and Bubbles
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Great-Depression-New-Deal-Introductions/dp/0195326342/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1230302046&sr=1-8]Amazon.com: The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (9780195326345): Eric Rauchway: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Financial-Euphoria-Whittle/dp/0140238565/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230302117&sr=1-2]Amazon.com: A Short History of Financial Euphoria (Penguin business) (9780140238563): John Kenneth Galbraith: Books[/ame]
Poverty Global Issues
Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet by Jeffrey D. Sachs
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Common-Wealth-Economics-Crowded-Planet/dp/0143114875/ref=ed_oe_p]Amazon.com: Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet (9780143114871): Jeffrey D. Sachs: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/End-Poverty-Economic-Possibilities-Time/dp/0143036580/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c]Amazon.com: The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time (9780143036586): Jeffrey Sachs: Books[/ame]
Globalization and Its Discontents by Joseph E. Stiglitz
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Globalization-Its-Discontents-Joseph-Stiglitz/dp/0393324397/ref=pd_cp_b_2]Amazon.com: Globalization and Its Discontents (9780393324396): Joseph E. Stiglitz: Books[/ame]
Economics
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/How-West-Grew-Rich-Transformation/dp/0465031099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books]Amazon.com: How The West Grew Rich: The Economic Transformation Of The Industrial World (9780465031092): Nathan Rosenberg, L.E. Birdzell Jr.: Books[/ame]
Great Depression
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Hands-Businessmens-Crusade-Against/dp/0393337669/ref=ed_oe_p]Amazon.com: Invisible Hands: The Businessmen's Crusade Against the New Deal (9780393337662): Kim Phillips-Fein: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Propensity-Self-Subversion-Albert-O-Hirschman/dp/0674715586/ref=sid_dp_dp]Amazon.com: A Propensity to Self-Subversion (9780674715585): Albert O. Hirschman: Books[/ame]
Liberal thought - Waldron is excellent
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/God-Locke-Equality-Christian-Foundations/dp/0521890578/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: God, Locke, and Equality: Christian Foundations in Locke's Political Thought (9780521890571): Jeremy Waldron: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Justice-Fairness-Restatement-John-Rawls/dp/0674005112/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: Justice as Fairness: A Restatement (9780674005112): John Rawls, Erin Kelly: Books[/ame]
Serious fun, thought provoking.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/What-Have-Changed-Your-About/dp/0061686549/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: What Have You Changed Your Mind About?: Today's Leading Minds Rethink Everything (9780061686542): John Brockman: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/What-Believe-but-Cannot-Prove/dp/0060841818/ref=pd_sim_b_3]Amazon.com: What We Believe but Cannot Prove: Today's Leading Thinkers on Science in the Age of Certainty (9780060841812): John Brockman: Books[/ame]
EDGE
History
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Age-Extremes-History-World-1914-1991/dp/0679730052/ref=ed_oe_p]Amazon.com: The Age of Extremes: A History of the World, 1914-1991 (9780679730057): Eric Hobsbawm: Books[/ame]
Evil - understanding a topic that confuses all.
Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing by James Waller
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Evil-Ordinary-Genocide-Killing/dp/0195189493/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing (9780195189490): James Waller: Books[/ame]
Ideas - a survey from fire to ....
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Ideas-History-Thought-Invention-Freud/dp/0060935642/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books]Amazon.com: Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud (9780060935641): Peter Watson: Books[/ame]
Ethics - profound and deep
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Reasons-Persons-Oxford-Paperbacks-Parfit/dp/019824908X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: Reasons and Persons (Oxford Paperbacks) (9780198249085): Derek Parfit: Books[/ame]
Other stuff to challenge you.
"Is Democracy Possible Here? Principles for a New Political Debate" By Ronald Dworkin
"The Morality of Freedom" By Joseph Raz.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Morality-Freedom-Clarendon-Paperbacks/dp/0198248075/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248087360&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: The Morality of Freedom (Clarendon Paperbacks) (9780198248156): Joseph Raz: Books[/ame]
Liberal Rights" Jeremy Waldron See Chapter 2 Page 35
Liberal rights: collected papers ... - Google Books
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Ideology-Very-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/019280281X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239196362&sr=1-3]Amazon.com: Ideology: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (9780192802811): Michael Freeden: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Liberty-before-Liberalism-Quentin-Skinner/dp/0521638763/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247953101&sr=8-4]Amazon.com: Liberty before Liberalism (9780521638760): Quentin Skinner: Books[/ame]
Modern writers worth reading William Vollman, Richard Powers, and the books below are all excellent.
* Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance By Robert Pirsig
Darkness At Noon By Arthur Koestler
Angle Of Repose By Wallace Stegner
Go Tell It On The Mountain By James Baldwin
Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison
Man's Fate, André Malraux
Sophie's Choice By William Styron
The Fall, The Plague, Albert Camus
An American Tragedy By Theodore Dreiser
The Heart Of The Matter By Graham Greene
The Sound And The Fury By William Faulkner
To The Lighthouse By Virginia Woolf