A list of must read non-fictions

[SpearthrowerOwl]

"Must reads" considering the enlightenment of those that would find themselves to these forums.

http://www.listmuse.com/best-books-top-100-nonfiction.php

The list is very legitimate, one only needs to see Noam Chomsky books listed to come to this understanding - the best top nonfiction list I've ever come across.

[sigmasix]

1. complete list should include

"Consciousness Explained" by Daniel Dennett
"Communism, Fascism and Democracy" -the theoretical foundations- edited by Carl Cohen
"The Utopian Vision of Charles Fourier" -selected texts on work, love and passionate attraction- Translated, edited and with an introduction by Jonathan Beecher and Richard Bienvenu


Fourier is a guilty pleasure for me; a man with a rudimentary education and deep faith in the power of "natural philosophy" to help design and create human societies that result in utopian ends. Fourier was an early feminist and very unabashed in his support of equality between the sexes, considering the time of his upbringing. I think he was an influence on More's Utopian works, but some academians disagree with this assesment since fourier was only published in pamphlet form without the support of the learned experts of his time. This was at a time when science was still referred to as natural philosophy. Mr. Fourier also penned the first modernity embracing science fiction story; his stories predating More's and Huxley's by more than 23 years. And he wasnt humble about it. Here is an extract of his proclamations-
"I alone shall have confounded twenty centuries of political imbecility, and it is to me alone the present and future generations will be indebted for their boundless happiness. Before me, mankind lost several thousand years in fighting madly against nature. I am the first who has bowed before her by studying attraction, the organ of her decrees. She has deigned to smile upon the only mortal who has brought incense to her shrine; she has delivered up all her treasures to me. I come as the possessor of the book of Destiny to banish political and moral darkness and to erect the theory of universal harmony upon the ruins of the uncertain sciences"
-O C, I, 191
Here's one of my favorites;
"The philosophers tell us that civilization is the culmination of the social destinies; in fact it is merely the fifth of thirty-two possible societies, and one of the most wretched"
-OC, I, 35

[northoftheborder]

2. Excellent list. I should have read more than 7 of those. Saving list.

[SheilaT]

3. Interesting.

There were a surprising number that I've never even heard of, which makes me wonder about my general knowledge as well as exactly who compiled the list, and with what underlying assumptions of what should be read.

[pscot]

4. 3 by Russell seems excessive

I've read 12 or 15, mostly ones written before 1970.