PPR Book Recommendations

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It has been many years since I read it, but I think I can recommend "The Rising Sun" by John Toland. It is a history of World War II told from a Japanese point of view.

Hearing the other side of the story is definitely worthwhile.

It usually is.

Also, "The Problem of Pain" by C.S. Lewis.

But, Elmer Gantry is absolutely required reading.

while the actual policies in Sir Thomas More's utopia are rather idealistic, I did find it a good read, especially the discussion on the nature of pleasure,
I also recommend the heretic's feast: a history of vegetarianism by Colin Spencer, it was impressively unbiased, and for such a little studied topic had quite a bit of good research, however it does look more into the history of a philosophy rather than the philosophy itself
I'll post more later, but this is all that immediately comes to mind

I second

Revolution Betrayed

and add

The Heritage We Defend - a contribution to the history of the Fourth International - David North

Is this a Man / The Truce - Primo Levi an account of his time in Auschwitz and the Journey back to Italy

City of Joy - Dominique Lapierre, portrays the life of slum dwellers in Kolkata

'Enneaden', Plotinus

'Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung', Schopenhauer

John Dupre - The Disorder of Things: The metaphysical foundations of the disunity of science.

While inclined towards philosophy of biology, ultimately argues against determinism in causation and metaphysics. Not just that we can't track a determinisitic causation and metaphysics but that things are fundamentally contingent in the world and not just in analysis. Then applies this to science, showing up vast swathes of biology. Challenges standards perceptions of science.

Philip K Dick - Martian Timeslip

Dick's view are perhaps best expressed in this book, which coincidently has an autistic character in. Basically, an account of how alienation, how it develops and the consequences it produces. Does an excellent job of bringing together the psychological and the sociological themes in his other books, showing how they interrelate.

Last edited by oppositedirection on 09 Sep 2009, 12:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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any book by Elie Wiesel

Not a Chimp, by Jeremy Taylor

Mismeasure is what taught me to look beyond merely just what a scientific study may be reporting but also to look at the backgrounds of the individuals and its funding and what assumptions may have been made beforehand and how it'd affect the results. A very enlightening book for anyone who's a fan of real science.

I would have chosen "I am America and So Can You", by Stephen Colbert.