authenticity introduction enlightenment

books:

10 reviews
Manly P. Hall

Philosophical Research Society, 2000

Alas Alas Alas
I regard Manly P. Hall as one of the few writers around who had a profound knowledge of the actual history of mankind, that has been hitherto wrapped in mystery... He was also one of the few who set this knowledge forth laboriously in writing, for the comprehension and benefit of others. This book of his is no different and is about an immensely important topic, the significance of which few are ...

Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings

57 reviews
Rob Brezsny

Frog Books, 2005

If You're Not Joyful, You're Not Paying Attention
It can be difficult for smarty-pants people to combat negativity. In literary, philosophic and academic circles, cynicism is rewarded; skepticism is virtuous; pessimism is conflated with realism. "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." But do these attitudes really help anyone? Why does being smart, aware, and/ or progressive mean you have to be miserable? Who actually wants ...

The Ethics of Authenticity

6 reviews
Charles Taylor

Harvard University Press, 1992

A Great Little Overview of Integral Ethics
Lately I'd been reading various critiques of modernity- Leo Strauss and Alan Bloom, the "neoconservatives", and conservatives in general, who see nothing but a great moral and intellectual decay in modern society, beset by postmodern relativism and an intellectual trap that can't be escaped short of "noble" (read: blatant) lies. While I found many of their arguments quite convincing, something ...

Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future

14 reviews
Margaret J. Wheatley

Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2002

If there is one book on changing relationships you must read, this is it!
Margaret has created such a powerful book on conversation, learning, and change. I can not imagine a more powerful book telling stories that can transform how we work, play, and learn together. This is a life changing read and one that I highly recommend. And even more importantly, in such a turbulent time, keeping in conversation with others may be the only thing that helps us hold this world ...

Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid

238 reviews
Douglas R. Hofstadter

Basic Books, 1999

Magnum Opus on Intelligence
I realized after recommending this to a friend that I've never reviewed it. Strange, since it's one of the dozen most important books I've ever read in my nearly half-century on this planet. I first read it over 20 years ago, and continue to refer to its literate and well-crafted pages frequently. This book is Doug Hofstadter's religion. Since it's so good and so right about so many things, ...

The Study of Human Nature: A Reader

2 reviews

Oxford University Press, USA, 2000

Must Have
This fascinating book consist on a compilation of the best writing on the subject of what is to be human. Since the books included here are the bible , other sacred books, Decarte, etc, it is absurd to rate the writer's talents. They have been established a long time ago. Therefore all merit goes to the editor who has done a briliant job selecting what was worth showing.

Little Brother

60 reviews
Cory Doctorow

Tor Teen, 2008

Should be required reading
There's no question that terrorists (of various stripes) pose a threat to free societies. The real question is whether the anti-terrorist measures work. This book explores how a young man and his friends run headfirst into that question. While I am one who believes that much of what we've done in the US has made us less free as a people, I would hope that those who disagree with me will have ...

The Poetics of Space

16 reviews
Gaston Bachelard

Beacon Press, 1994

A book to savor .......
........ this book is about house and its space and remembrance and meaning. House as protector, memory store, place in the world, construct. This is a philosophy book about house written by a poet, reflecting his views, and other's, on the importance and vital organism that is shelter. If you love word that conjures thought...and love home (whatever that means for you) I believe you will ...

Distressed Debt Analysis: Strategies for Speculative Investors

12 reviews
Stephen G. Moyer

J. Ross Publishing, 2004

Great & Comprehensive Practical Review
Unlike many academic books, this is a practical analysis of distressed debt, the bankruptcy process, and all the related financial, accounting and valuation issues that arise in this context. It is well written and well organized. Some other books on the topic go into significantly more detail in esoteric issues; however this book is a must for a grounded detailed understanding of the topic. ...

What If?: The World's Foremost Military Historians Imagine What Might Have Been

109 reviews

Berkley Trade, 2000

Very, very entertaining and interesting reading.
Although less than half way through the book I will heartedly recommend it. It focuses on how some very small changes could drastically effect the entire civilization as we know it. Just a small example had to do with, of all things, Anne Oakley! While giving a performance in Berlin with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in 1889 she offered to shoot the ash off a cigar. She asked for a volunteer ...

The Hunger Games

62 reviews
Suzanne Collins

Scholastic Press, 2008

great start to YA (but not too Y) series
Suzanne Collins has already proven her talent for storytelling with her recently completed Gregor the Underlander series. In that series, she showed she was able to create strong characters, move plot along quickly, deftly control the rise and fall in tension, and create moving scenes. While there were some weak sections in the series (sometimes the pace moved too quickly, settings often could ...

Fahrenheit 451

2 reviews
Ray Bradbury

Blackstone Audiobooks, 2005

Written in the basement of the UCLA library
I do not want to tell much of the story, as the unfolding is part of the intrigue. However now that houses are fire proof the purpose of firemen is performing a service by burning books to maintain the happy social order. Naturally one fireman goes awry after several emotional incidences from someone burning up with the books to a young neighbor with strange ways, which run counter to his ...

Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World

6 reviews
Linda Hogan

Touchstone, 1996

So much in such a little book!
This book is amazing in its multitude of ideas about life! Practically every sentence makes an amazing statement that causes you to stop and think. Plus, Hogan is obviously an avid reader for her book is stuffed with other readers, scholars, and scientist's words and thoughts. If you're interested in the mysteries of life, this is a book you can't afford to pass up!

On Fear

7 reviews
Jiddu Krishnamurti

HarperOne, 1994

Truly Amazing Book!!!
This was recommended to me by a friend who had read it right after losing her brother from being killed by a guy running from the police who simply shot him because he was in his path of escape. She was deeply soothed by the book, so I picked it up. I began reading it as part of a stay-at-home vacation and was completely captured by it. Yes, it can be repetitive, but it acts like a ...

Visions of Human Nature: An Introduction

3 reviews
Donald Palmer

McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 1999

Nice Adult Beginners Book
If one is expecting a technically precise book which meets the needs of professionals or even undergraduates having to write that last minute term paper, then disappointment is at hand. If, however, you want a comfortable introduction to historically changing views of human nature as presented by Plato, Aristotle, The Buddha, Augustine, Descartes, Freud, and Sartre, this is a very worthwhile ...

The View From Nowhere

13 reviews
Thomas Nagel

Oxford University Press, USA, 1989

Stimulating and Synoptic Account of Philosophy's Concerns
This is a major work in metaphysics, epistemology, and value theory. It's essentially a summary of a career of thought concerning the central issues in philosophy, and it is built around Nagel's big idea: that the distinction between subjectivity and objectivity can help us to understand the nature and source of the central problems of philosophy. It's an interesting and fruitful idea--though ...

The Enlightenment: The Science of Freedom

2 reviews
Peter Gay

W. W. Norton & Company, 1996

One of the most brilliant account of the Enlightenment
The Enlightenment by Peter Gay (2 volumes: The Rise of Modern Paganism and The Science of Freedom) surely ranks among the most brilliant accounts of eighteenth-century philosophy ever written. It is a sweeping account of the intellectual history of the 18th century, form its origins right into the French and American Revolutions. It traces the struggle of the small clique of 'philosophes' -a ...

My Tank Is Fight!

59 reviews
Zack Parsons

Citadel, 2006

Real History/ Mad Science
Truth is stranger than fiction, & this collection proves it. All of the weapons discussed here were either produced, proposed or researched during WW2, & any of them could have found a place in a B&W Sci-Fi flick or Republic Movie Serial. And oddity among history books, it covers oddities in WW2 History. Last note: don't dismiss the ideas presented in this book. Research Engineers have ...

What If? 2: Eminent Historians Imagine What Might Have Been

31 reviews

Berkley Trade, 2002

Thought Provoking
Found the book to be very thought provoking. I didn't always agree with what was written but in most cases the authors made a good case for their idea. The only negative was that I thought many of the stories were too short and did not give the authors time to expand on their theories.

Thought as a System

8 reviews
David Bohm

Routledge, 1994

from 5 stars to 2...
On my previous review here, I had read very little of the book. Now I've delved further into it. Where I had initially seen reason to feel hopeful about the meanings discussed, I now see fundamental error. Bohm should stick to physics. His basic error is in anthropomorhizing the elements under examination.

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