Post: #11

Life changing is probably a bit much, but I felt deep contemplation when reading the books of Hermann Hesse:
- Steppenwolf
- Narcissus and Goldmund
- The Glass Bead Game
- Siddhartha
The 2 last are heavily infused with Eastern philosophy

Post: #12

The power of now by Eckhart Tolle.

Post: #13

(09-30-2019 12:06 AM)Test.of.Sweden Wrote:  The power of now by Eckhart Tolle.

Another one of my personal favs. I've heard of people who had amazing experiences after one read and walked around in a raised level of consciousness for a time and got a taste of higher living as Vernon Howard might say. Didn't happen to me but I've listened to the audiobook 10 times and read the book a few times. One of those that I'll always go back to and get something out of it every time. I've got a new earth by tolle on my reading list but it's a longer book and I haven't felt inspired to get into it yet.

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I'm glad that I started this thread. I'll have some things to look for when I stop into a used book store.

Post: #14

I'd suggest "Sapiens" by Yual Noah Harari. It might not change ones life but has the potential to drastically change your
outlook on why human life, history and cuture is how it is. Why is there agriculture and farming, why are there states, why are there religions and ideologies, why the market and money and why staes and empires. And it will show why the future of humans will be radically different to our presence ... that's nothing new, but it will also tell you, why every rational about how that future will look is very likely completely off the mark. Humans will face and adapt to a entirely new ethic.

It did not change my personal outlook much but that's why I was versd in evolution before reading it and have a meta-historical trait ever soínce I can think in such terms. But it shocked, dazzled and amazed millions of readers since it came out in 2014 or 15, including many that deemed theselves knowledgeable inthe topics treated by Harari.

The succesor book, Homo Deus, expands on the topics but is not that good. I clearly recommend "Sapiens" over it.

It's also a good contrat to many of the books recommended here which focus on an inner view and seeks explaination from mystical inner sources of wisdom and understanding - without realizing that any such book, be it indian mysticists, Hermann Hesse's lifelong struggle with reconciling the absurdities of existence or Tolles outdated findings.
Face the biological and sociological realities, mechanism and algorithms and you'll derive a lot of "meaning" for your own life from it. Meta-historical works like Sapiens will help that along greatly.

Post: #15

One addition: Harari himself practices Buddhism. but that thankfully didint influence the book - more so, his scientific findings seem to me made him a buddhist, clearly to somehow deal with the overwhelming of being at the whim of hypercomplex causality that we cannot fathom and think of it as chance - so, he himself leans somewhat to the Tolle-like mysticism / life-counseling nonsense. Sorry, thats my opinion on it.

Post: #16

Nice thread!

Sapiens is great for the perspective it gives you, must read. I've got the Power of Now on my bookshelf but havent bothered with it yet. Pushing it up my list now.

My recommendations - "Thinking Fast & Slow" by Daniel Kahnemann and" Superforecasting" by Philip Tetlock are both wonderfully enlightening books about how to think properly and recognising our biases. Must reads imo, especially in this world where ignorance and stupidity arent considered flaws.

Similarly; any/all of the big three stoic books - Aurelius, Seneca and/or Epictetus

Fiction wise: The Stormlight Archive is a ongoing fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson which are the best fiction I've ever read, can't convey how much i love them. If youre philosophical, unreasonably idealistic, like a fight and don't mind unbelievably heroic characters - pick these up!

Post: #17

Tucker Max, Geoffrey Miller - Mate, Become The Man Women Want

Before that book I always struggled with my understanding about women (I was a really idiotic PUA wannabe for 2-3 years) and always felt that something is off with that PUA woo woo bullshit (It is bullshit for me, yet if it worked for you, I am really glad! ). I do not feel like scripting and mechanizing all my female relationships and LOVE to make things casual, funny and mostly not about sex (although I always appreciate nice humping in bed). My earlier PUA believes the most part of it.

When I read that book everything just CLICKED. I finally could stop worry about techniques, that I am only wandering and not getting any clue about what I do with my relationships. I feel like I am the person I always wanted to be !


(edit: spelling edit)

Post: #18

(05-12-2020 10:44 AM)Warrior Wrote:  Tucker Max, Geoffrey Miller - Mate, Become The Man Women Want

There's some guy on here, a long-winded lunatic, I think, that's always preaching and rambling about being one's best self, living their best life, and connecting with ladies on their own level. That tripe in his grimoire aligns very closely with the book you mentioned.

Post: #19

Dune by Frank Herbert, this book has really changed my life.

Post: #20

The Necronomicon.

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