What is the most intellectually stimulating book that you have ever read?
Printable View
What is the most intellectually stimulating book that you have ever read?
. . . It had to've been Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson.
There isn't just one, in my `book'... ;)
The Perennial Philosophy , Aldous Huxley, it's so stimulating I've been working through it for over a year now!
The Essential Rousseau , J.J. Rousseau, another hefty tome I'm working on, `The Social Contract' and `Discourse on Equality' are included, and also I've read his `Confessions'. Sure he was a spoiled self-absorbed prat, but he was also ahead of his time in much of his philosophy.
Well, my favorite book is really two... but a continuation if you will.
I, Claudius and Claudius the God by Robert Graves
They both impress the heck out of me. I've read them 3 times each and I still have so much to learn from them.
There is more than one for me too, but one that was very intellectually challenging, and really required very focused concentration was To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf.
"Who Moved My Cheese" -- I was offered that book by a former boss. Oh, it was enlightening! I say former boss because I was a "cut back" about two years ago. There were two of us with the potential to remain at the company. The one who did remain turned out to be the one the boss was sleeping with. I don't think he was going to let his cheese be moved!
My problem with the book? Most of us don't fit into the scenario. Most of us working drones are the the **** roaches under the table that has all the cheese. The whole cheese way of life gets played out above our heads, but we survive anyway.
Can't beat Joyce for an intellectual challenge. Or any book that attempts to explain Cricket to Americans.
Currently reading "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog." Perhaps not overtly intellectual, but a pure reading delight.
ihrocks
Possibly Gödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter
fascinating.
Alexander The Great by Lewis V. Cummings
"The Cat and the Hat" - Green Eggs and Ham- has got to be the most intellectually stimulating book i have ever read.
Well, I like "The Catcher in the Rye" a lot...
In fiction - the entire Glass saga by Salinger. Non fiction- Orientalism hands down.
Well, I wouldn't exactly call them the most intellectually stimulating books I've ever read (I actually reread a lot of Salinger's work because it's easy reading), but obviously I love these books too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sindhu
For the prize as the most intellectually stimulating book I've ever read would go the remarkable Mrs. Dalloway.
Hey Zooey 8) , it's been a long time since I saw you around...
Welcome back ;)
Thanks, Jay. It's good to be back!Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay
It looks like things have picked up around here and some new personalities have given life to the forum. That's what I like to see!
DQuote:
Originally Posted by Stillborn
off topic-i think my literature snobbery began as a kid. all the other kids read doctor seuss while i read beatrix potter.
it's funny that you would write that though. I know some other ppl who think the same way. D
<edited>
After looking at this damn post six time on six different threads, I am quite positive I will intentionally avoid this book in the future. Wrong way to get your point across, bud.Quote:
Originally Posted by irapass
Agreed... roll
I think we got a definite case of spam on our hands.