[Gracie]

I absolutely love reading anything based on theory or ideas - I just love learning, only at my own pace, and about subjects that really interest me :laughing:

I'm currently on Richard Dawkins' "The Greatest Show On Earth" about evolution, and I have to say it's pretty riveting. Very well-written and laid out well for the average person to understand. It's a good read, I'd recommend it. It's certainly more... approachable than The God Delusion, especially if your mind is not already made up and you're just seeking information.

I'm effectively taking a year out of college this year, and I'm wondering what other theory-based books you guys might have read an enjoyed? It can be based on the theory of pretty much anything - political, religious/philosophical, scientific... anything, I just love to read!

 

[PaulH]

One of my all time favourites is Descartes Discourse on Method - Despite being written in the 17thCentury it's very readable and forms the basis of many trouble shooting methodologies still used today.

I like most of the books about thinking by Ed DeBono - the style grates a little but the ideas are good

Charles Handy - Management books but much more looking for the reasons organisations exist etc rather than improvement fads.

 

[Resolution]

"War is a force that gives us meaning" -Chris Hedges

Nice little book about a adrenaline junkie photojournalist who's seen the worst of war in all the hot spots of the world... he describes his theory about why men go to war, and the emotional/mental changes they undergo while in combat.

 

[MissNobody]

I absolutely love reading anything based on theory or ideas - I just love learning, only at my own pace, and about subjects that really interest me :laughing:

I'm currently on Richard Dawkins' "The Greatest Show On Earth" about evolution, and I have to say it's pretty riveting. Very well-written and laid out well for the average person to understand. It's a good read, I'd recommend it. It's certainly more... approachable than The God Delusion, especially if your mind is not already made up and you're just seeking information.

I'm effectively taking a year out of college this year, and I'm wondering what other theory-based books you guys might have read an enjoyed? It can be based on the theory of pretty much anything - political, religious/philosophical, scientific... anything, I just love to read!

I'm reading that at the moment too!! I love how conversational it is and how when we reach a complicated part he says something like "don't read this if you are tired".

I never new much about evolution before I read this book and I have to say I have learned a lot about it and it is very convincing.

 

[ertertwert]

I normally enjoy novels and ignore straight books on theory. Having said that, Neal Stephenson always have quite interesting theories in his novels.

Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon, The Diamond Age, The Baroque Cycle, Anathem

 

[penchant]

Try Theodor W. Adorno's Introduction to Sociology. And let dhomuniqe know if you like it.

 

[vel]

If you're into evolution I'd recommend this book: Amazon.com: The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation (9780140264456): Matt Ridley: Books

This book is about evolution of morals in humans. There are many more like it but this one is short and insightful though it has some information that is difficult to digest.

And if anyone is in the mood to read about many people dying in various gruesome ways I'd recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Mortality-Intimate-History-Devastating/dp/0060006935/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286316005&sr=1-1

Makes you feel so much better living in modern age.

 

[penchant]

Oooh, and this: Thomas Homer Dixon - The Ingenuity Gap
And: Barry Schwartz - The paradox of choice

Two of my absolute favourites...

 

[SarahWilliams]

And if anyone is in the mood to read about many people dying in various gruesome ways I'd recommend this book: Amazon.com: The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time (P.S.) (9780060006938): John Kelly: Books

Makes you feel so much better living in modern age.

hahah. I read your description, and I was like - who wants to read a book about that?!?

and then I clicked on your link, and then I realized I've read it. :frustrating:

hahah. the plague books are always so interesting. sigh.

 

[vel]

hahah. I read your description, and I was like - who wants to read a book about that?!?

and then I clicked on your link, and then I realized I've read it. :frustrating:

hahah. the plague books are always so interesting. sigh.

haha xD ... he wrote it in semi-humorous tone so even if it was about lots of people dying in horrible ways I couldn't help myself but smile ... it was a very ironic smile however hehehe

besides that I think he was aiming to convey the magnitude, the breadth and scope of this event in human history throughout his book and imho he hit the mark - I get periodically drawn to 'epic' literature but prefer to read history over fantasy for this

 

[soul searcher]

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price. Amazon.com: Nutrition and Physical Degeneration (9780916764203): Weston A. Price, Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation: Books


Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Please Understand Me II by David Keirsey (of course, what else)

An Underground History of American Education by John Taylor Gatto The Underground History of American Education - John Taylor Gatto

 

[Navis Amoris]

Paul didn't eat pork: Reappraising Paul the Pharisee by Derek Leman, and everything else he has ever written. He's a theologician/rabbi who writes about the history of Christianity, specifically about how Jesus/Paul never intended to start a new religion but in fact were continueing Judaism. Including Mosaic law.

His theology is the only one I know that doesn't cause the Bible to outrageously contradict itself. Having read the Bible from cover to cover over 60 times, and having spent most of my teenage/adult life studying theology, that's a big statement for me.

I'd recommend it! That is, if you're interested in Christianity and its connection to Judaism. :tongue:

 

[Third Engine]

Social Intelligence (along with Emotional Intelligence) by Daniel Goleman are both very good reads. Social psychology is very interesting.:crazy: