Good Reads

Books, Movies, Theatre, Lectures Fiction
1

Hey,

Well, I’ll put it this way, I have pretty much only read Ayn Rand for the past 2 years. I have read them all, except for The Early Ayn Rand and only half of Journals (I love Ayn Rand, but really this book is intended for writers who are interested in technique in my opinion.) I read them all because I couldn’t get enough, and I wanted to read most of what she had to say before I delved into other authors. But now I’m pretty much done, I just read a collection of essays from her and LP written in her newsletter. I’m no longer being inspired, as once you know the Objectivist principals, you pretty much know what she’s going to say about a topic that she approaches. (living those principals is a much harder task). Anyhow, I love Ayn Rand’s writings, especially her blunt manner in conveying her ideas, but I’m now on the hunt for something new. There is so much I have to learn about everything! ( I feel like I learnt nothing in school now… and I probably didn’t either) Any leads on where to start? Do I start with logic, or politics? History or economics? Personally, I know myself best and I think that what I need is something more related to the individual, in terms of books that discuss values and such a la Virtue of Selfishness. Any suggestions.

Wow, that was a lot of writing for such a small question. But seriously, I’m looking for REALLY good books.

2

Well, just because you love Rand does not mean that you should shut out all other readings. Not only do most books help you expand your knowledge, they allow you to apply Objectivist principles to other situations than Rand provides. So try a few classics. Maybe Hemingway, or Dickens, or Salinger (my second favorite), or maybe read some books that Rand liked, such as Les Miserables (or other HUGO books). Expand your library so you know other philosophies, beliefs etc. and you know what is flawed in their thinking (if any) and it will help in any academic situation.Hamlet was good. Many tragic flaws in Hamlet, and Objectivist principles would have fixed, and almost eliminated all conflict in that play. It always helps to know the opponents argument. Read a Marxist book and find its flaws. Just dont be afraid to read things that arent Objectivist. Just know to look for flaws or strengths.

3

There is so much I have to learn about everything! … Any leads on where to start? Do I start with logic, or politics? History or economics? Personally, I know myself best and I think that what I need is something more related to the individual, in terms of books that discuss values and such a la Virtue of Selfishness. Any suggestions.

There are different ways to answer your question, so here goes:

It’s hard to answer your question as stated, because there are simply so many good books out there. If you are looking to put together a reading list, you need to specify your goals and values. The more specific you can get, the easier it will be to answer this question. If what you have in your mind at the moment is something along the lines of “I need to learn as much as possible about everything”, you’ve set yourself up to fail, because nobody - including Ayn Rand - can master every topic under the sun.

That said, a general education across a range of subjects - arts, sciences, humanities - is a wonderful thing. It can provide an overview of the fundamentals of different fields. For someone about to enter college, that can also allow one to explore alternatives if one’s career goals are not yet clear.

14 years after reading Ayn Rand for the first time, I still am discovering new authors such as novelist Rafael Sabatini (Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk) and military historian / classics professor Victor Davis Hanson. I haven’t set out a reading list, but rather have done what Gail Wynand did: took up one book after another in what might seem to someone else a random path. Often I would discover something in one book that perked up my interest and led to another book that I didn’t anticipate. Cliche it may be, but learning really is a life-long process.

Over the years, a secondary Objectivist reading list of sorts has developed. By that I mean books Ayn Rand or Leonard Peikoff have recommended in their writings or lectures, as well as excellent materials in fields often of interest to Objectivists (such as economics or architecture). Some used to be available through the Ayn Rand Bookstore; some are still for sale at The Paper Tiger. You might look through the bibliographies or book reviews in the Objectivist literature as a starting point. These books are among those that Objectivists often read, but nobody, to my knowledge, has read them all.

The best answer to your question: follow your passions. There is no one “correct” way to learn about the world, in terms of starting with a particular field over another. If you want to learn more about egoism or individualism, as you indicate, be aware that very few philosophers even attempted a defense of them; nearly all were altruists. The exceptions were Aristotle, Nietzsche and Spinoza, despite their errors. (I believe I learned this from Peikoff, but my memory is fuzzy on this.)

If you’re interested in philosophy as such (vs. applications), learning the contrasts between Ayn Rand’s views and those of these guys would be quite instructive – and not a small undertaking. One of my favorite philosophy courses was a 10-week class on Aristotle’s ethics.

So if you can be more specific, there are plenty of authors to be recommended. Bear in mind that there’s only one Ayn Rand - someone who was revolutionary across so many fields. I would say the closest person in that regard would be Aristotle.

4

Rand and Aristotle are only similar because of the laws of logic Aristotle defined. Other than that Aristotle was rather defensive of some mysticism. Only because to Rand and other Objectivists, reason and logic are the fundamentals, that allows Rand and Aristotle to be considered similar. Other than that, almost every other belief and conviction of the two are different.

5

okay, yeah, i guess i wasn’t very specific. The problem here I guess is that I feel uneducated enough to read Aristotle or other philosophers, for lack of clearly understanding what they said. I attempted to read Metaphysics by Aristotle, and I read maybe 6 chapters and then I was like: Do you have any idea what you just read? And I answered myself: NO. So I guess I’m looking either for great fictional works, Nimble recommended Hugo which I’ll look into, or really well written philosophy books. Part of the reason I like Rand is her writing, she is very good at explaining very complex abstractions whereas I find a lot of authors just confuse me.

Any advice now?

6

So I guess I’m looking either for great fictional works, Nimble recommended Hugo which I’ll look into, or really well written philosophy books. Part of the reason I like Rand is her writing, she is very good at explaining very complex abstractions whereas I find a lot of authors just confuse me.

Any advice now?

If you’re willing to consider science fiction, I’d suggest a recent trilogy by John C. Wright: The Golden Age, The Phoenix Exultant and The Golden Transcendence. The author obviously has a first-rate classical education, and the books are rich, deep and satisfying explorations of the nature of man, mind, freedom and nature in a far-future environment. Some of the philosophical discussions are very reminiscent of Rand (the phrase “sanction of the victim” appears at one point, which in my experience is distinctively Randian), but they aren’t derivative.

I recommend them very highly; they’re underappreciated gems of the genre.

7

Rand and Aristotle are only similar because of the laws of logic Aristotle defined. Other than that Aristotle was rather defensive of some mysticism. Only because to Rand and other Objectivists, reason and logic are the fundamentals, that allows Rand and Aristotle to be considered similar. Other than that, almost every other belief and conviction of the two are different.

Wow. That is so very mistaken. I wonder if you’ve read Aristotle in any depth.

See the work of scholars like Allan Gotthelf or Robert Mayhew if you want to see how much Ayn Rand and Aristotle have in common. Sure, there are differences, but they have FAR more in common than just logic.

8

okay, yeah, i guess i wasn’t very specific. The problem here I guess is that I feel uneducated enough to read Aristotle or other philosophers, for lack of clearly understanding what they said. I attempted to read Metaphysics by Aristotle, and I read maybe 6 chapters and then I was like: Do you have any idea what you just read? And I answered myself: NO. So I guess I’m looking either for great fictional works, Nimble recommended Hugo which I’ll look into, or really well written philosophy books. Part of the reason I like Rand is her writing, she is very good at explaining very complex abstractions whereas I find a lot of authors just confuse me.

Any advice now?

For fiction, see the books Ayn Rand discussed in The Romantic Manifesto. Even some of the naturalistic works like Arrowsmith I enjoyed tremendously.

If you want philosophy, the W. T. Jones series is terrific. He provides exerpts and commentary to introduce the reader to the major philosophers of western history. It was recommended in one of the Objectivist periodicals and we used it in a few of my philosophy courses in college.

Some may disagree, but I enjoyed discussing these ideas in the classroom. It may be hit and miss, but having a professor around to answer questions really aided my education, even if the answers weren’t perfect or essentialized. So a class here or there MAY be fun and worthwhile.

Another recommendation: “A New History of Philosophy” by Wallace Matson. Not as good as the Jones series, but much shorter and easier to read.

For Aristotle, I’d first read his Ethics or Poetics, which are far more accessible than the Metaphysics. Or pick up the first volume of the Jones series and read up on Plato and Aristotle for an introduction to their thinking, then go on to read the full books that most interest you.

I agree with you that Rand is very good at explaining complex abstractions. There are many authors like that out in the world, but usually they have much narrower specialties and write in great detail about their field. Rand’s ability to integrate ideas from different fields and identify new principles from them is very rare.

Happy reading! :slight_smile:

9

Recommendations here are difficult, because ti depends upon your purpose. If you are looking for recommendations in the realm of non-fiction, with the primary intent of educational - especially with your expressed interest in metaphysics and aristotle - I would recommend, not a book, but an audio tape series: Dr. Peikoff’s History of Philosophy series. I think it gives anyone an invaluable background into the development of western philosophic thought, lucidly explaining the connections between each of the philosophers, as well in most cases, as pointing out the logical errors in their thinking.

Such a series will not only provide you with an excellent explanation, for example, of aristotle (and the reasons he is such a difficult read in most cases), but will also dispel for you ideas like the one nimble presented.

Now, if you are looking for fictional recommendations with the primary intent of rational pleasure, then - besides some of the recommendations already given - I would suggest the “Sparrowhawk” series by Edward Cline. His works are gloriously intellectual and really give one a sense of the amazing type of men who gave birth to our nation. So far he has published 3 of the 6 books in this series (the third just having been released). And, if I recall correctly, he notes the fourth is due in November of this year.

So if you are looking for an intelligent read - one which will lift your spirits because it matches your sense of life and shows what is possible in man - then these novels are for you.

10

I would recommend, not a book, but an audio tape series:  Dr. Peikoff’s History of Philosophy series.  I think it gives anyone an invaluable background into the development of western philosophic thought, lucidly explaining the connections between each of the philosophers, as well in most cases, as pointing out the logical errors in their thinking. 

I haven’t listened to whole lecture series, but I liked what I heard on the first few tapes.

Bear in mind that Peikoff is giving brief summaries and analyses of these philosophers. Good as it may be, it should not be considered a substitute for reading the author first hand.

If your goal is to see what a philosopher actually said, then read the author. If it is to make sense of what was said, look to analyses like this lecture series.

If your goal is to get just a cursory overview, then the lecture series can provide that. If you want a little more than just the barest essentials, try the Jones series or its equivalent.

11

I would call Peikoff’s series a little more than just “barest essentials” or “cursory”. Its content is what you would get in one - or maybe even two - years of lectures in college. It contains much information and is wide in its breadth and scope. To classify it a “cursory” is to do it an injustice.

“If your goal is to see what a philosopher actually said, then read the author. If it is to make sense of what was said, look to analyses like this lecture series.”

Or you can listen to this lecture series - getting what the philosopher actually said AND an analysis of it. Then if you are interested in reading MORE of what a philosopher actual said, you can then seek out additional sources.

12

Salinger (my second favorite)

Why do you like Salinger?

Last year I read Catcher in the Rye after having heard many rave on and on about it. I thought that it was an awful book. Badly written, Appalling characters and a plot that went absolutely nowhere. And everytime Holden Caulfield said “That killed me” I wanted to rip the book to shreds.

But I am interested in why you find him to be a good writer.

13

So I guess I’m looking either for great fictional works, Nimble recommended Hugo which I’ll look into, or really well written philosophy books. Part of the reason I like Rand is her writing, she is very good at explaining very complex abstractions whereas I find a lot of authors just confuse me.

Any advice now?

Here are a few suggestions. For political philosophy, The God of the Machine, by Isabel Patterson (with an introduction by Ayn Rand) is outstanding. A couple of excellent introductory economics books are Principles of Economics, by Carl Menger, and Economics in One Lesson, by Henry Hazlitt.

If you love characters like Hank Rearden, Ellis Wyatt and the other industrial tycoons of AR’s fiction, you can read about the genuine article in Albro Martin’s book James J. Hill & The Opening of the Northwest.

In fiction, there are all kinds of options, from the railroad and Western fiction of Frank Spearman to the business fiction of Samuel Merwin and Henry K. Webster. There’s also an excellent piece of business fiction by George Horace Lorimer, editor of the Saturday Evening Post at the turn of the century, called Letters From a Self-Made Merchant to his Son,, which is more of a book of advice for an aspiring businessman, not a plot driven story. Mysteries by Agatha Christie and Mabel Seeley (whose The Whispering Cup is one of my favorites). Classics like Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe. You’ll find good plots and value conflicts in the historical novels of Samuel Shellabarger, _Captain from Castille, Prince of Foxes, The King’s Cavalier,_and Lord Vanity. And you can’t go wrong with the novels and plays of Victor Hugo.

14

And I still suggest the Sparrowhawk series. Also almost anything from Frederick Bastiat is excellent. For instance, check out “The Law”. It is freely available online (don’t worry, copyright has long expired). It is a short and very quick read, but brilliant in its ability to clearly and logically lay out the argument against initiation of force by govt. (In fact, I just recommended it to someone else a very short time ago)

15

I was going to create another thread to ask this question, but I think it’s appropriate to ask it here: Does anyone know of any Nathaniel Branden material worth reading? Besides the essays in VOS. I’ve heard his “Six Pillars of Self-Esteem” is good. Would anyone agree, and why?

As to meganfiala’s question, I am in a similar position myself. Through building a bookstore on my site (with amazon.com), I’ve read through many descriptions of books recently, and can make a few recommendations: “Barometer Rising” by Hugh MacLennon, “Monna Vanna” by Maurice Maeterlinck, and, as RadCap mentioned ealier, the Sparrowhawk series by Edward Cline. These seem like interesting novels, but keep in mind that I haven’t read any of them.

16

One resource I’ve been using lately to find new books is the ARI Student Survival Guide website ( http://www.aynrand.org/ssg/ ). They have recommended readings for these subjects: Philosophy, Psychology, Physics, History, Intellectual History, Economics, and Music.

I’m currently reading The Killing of History by Keith Windschuttle – a recommendation from the ARI site. So far it’s been an attack on the predominant schools of academic history, e.g., postcolonialism, multiculturalism, structuralism, etc. These were all schools of thought that were PROMINENT at my university. His complete refutation of these schools is enjoyable so far. However, I’m curious if he can offer a coherent theory of objective history as well.

P.S. I also can’t recommend Peikoff lectures enough if you want to supplement your education. I haven’t listened to the History of Philosophy tapes yet, but I plan to shortly. Thanks for reminding me Radcap :rolleyes:

17

Why do you like Salinger?

Last year I read Catcher in the Rye after having heard many rave on and on about it. I thought that it was an awful book. Badly written, Appalling characters and a plot that went absolutely nowhere. And everytime Holden Caulfield said “That killed me” I wanted to rip the book to shreds.

But I am interested in why you find him to be a good writer.

Catcher in the Rye is the worst of his books.

18

And i find Salinger a good writer because he can capture and vividly express the exact emotion and meaning that he wants. If the only book you read was Catcher in the Rye ill explain why that was decent (it was my least favorite of his novels and short stories). When you were a teen, did you have that restless, almost beat feeling? I have noticed that alot of teens do. It is a story meant to inspire action. Notice how he loves a girl, and always claims he is going to call her, yet what does he do? NOTHING! Why? Because he cant be decisive, he cant make himself happy. He would rather complain about being unhappy. I think alot of teens are that way. It is a nice, short novel that one can read and be inspired to action.

19

I’ve actually got a slightly more specific question for the group. All the D-Day anniversary coverage has revived my old interest in World War II, and I’d like to do some more detailed study of the history of the war. Does anybody have a recommendation of a good, comprehensive and objective history of WWII?

20

Does anybody have a recommendation of a good, comprehensive and objective history of WWII?

I don’t have an exact answer to your query, but…

I have Churchill’s The Gathering Storm sitting on my “read soon” pile. This is volume 1 (of 6!) of his history of WWII. This from a guy who had just about the best seat in the house through the whole thing, AND was highly regarded for his oration. I think it will carry over to his writing, but I can’t say firsthand – yet.

I greatly enjoyed American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964 by William Manchester. Although explicitly a biography, as a history of the war in the Pacific and the aftermath in Japan, this is an excellent read. Recommended by Second Renaissance Books.

My father had Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich by William L. Shirer on the bookshelf growing up, and I never have gotten around to reading it. Someday I’ll get to it.

My favorite historian of the moment, Victor Davis Hanson, doesn’t have a book whose single focus is WWII, but he does use battles from WWII as examples in several places.

Another historian often compared to Hanson is John Keegan, though I haven’t read any of his works. On Amazon, his book The Second World War is praised thusly:

“The best one-volume treatment available, The Second World War by John Keegan is an outstanding synthesis of an enormous amount of material on “the largest single event in human history.” The book proceeds chronologically through the war, but chapters appearing at appropriate moments focus on particular themes, such as war production, occupation, bombing, resistance, and espionage. Keegan’s ability to translate the war’s grand strategies is impressive, and the battle descriptions are superb.”

Hope that helps. If you do find the right match, let me know. I’d be interested.