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I've seen a little error
"The Catcher in the Rye" not "The Catcher and the Rye"
I would also like to give a runner-up prize to "The Sea Wolf" by Jack London. The transformation to a self-realized man is a voyage we should all take.
I will be coming back to this page for the remainder of the summer. Thank you very much.
I remember an old Yale Daily News item on students’ favorite authors that included the line “a few, apparently under the impression they were still in high school, named Kurt Vonnegut.”
Vonnegut is an anti-American, terrorism apologist.
http://michaelgowin.com/blog/50-books-project/
Also, The Bible. I think a great book for young men specifically inside the Bible is Proverbs. Filled with some incredible wisdom and advice for everyday living. I have been reading one per day for the past several years and still find something new to chew on each time I sit down.
Scanning the list at first, I had fond memories of the books on the list I've read, and was motivated to pick up a few more on the list that I haven't.
I agree with Cameron - the obviously missing text is the Bible. (Heck, it even literally means "Book".) But I'll add to his Proverbs suggestion... Sirach is the book for men.
These are classics, powerful books that deserve to be in this list.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Native Son by Richard Wright
The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon
The Souls of Black Folk by WEB Dubois
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.
"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
"The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien
"The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint Exupéry
"The Screwtape Letters" by C. S. Lewis
"The Chronicles of Narnia" by C. S. Lewis
"Mutiny on the Bounty" by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall
The various Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Arthur Conan Doyle
But....
No Byron?
No "Proverbs of Heaven & Hell by Blake"
No Last of the Mohicans?
Some glaring omissions...but perhaps this might lead to a recommended classic book of the month as a feature?
What do you think?
Some additions:
- Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
- The lord of the rings books. I know that you have the Hobbit on there, but I liked the other ones better
- Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
- Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegutt
And one other thing, stop making the stupid assumption that the internet is only for americans and by americans - you're not even the majority of internet users anymore. And anti-american is one group I'm proud to stand with, since it's been a long long time being "pro-american" has meant anything good.
Thank you for your time,
CC
Many blessings,
Art Gonzalez
Check my Squidoo Lens at: Quantum Knights
A must read
this is a really great list though!
Nice work!
However, Thoreau did NOT spend his years at the pond writing "Walden" (a common misconception). He was actually writing his first book, "A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers".
"Walden" was written a few years later.
In any case, I've compiled the list into a .pdf document (because I have that kind of time) that may help others. You can download it here.
"ficciones" by jorge luis borges
"100 years of solitude" by gabriel garcia marquez
"les miserables" by victor hugo
It's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, not Hate and Loathing in Las Vegas
@Robbie Cooper;
As Concerned Citizen already said to you, accusing a writer of being anti-American for whole the world to read is just stupid. nobody cares about these things, other posters just made comments that were worth reading in addition to this list, or were useful for the author, who by the way have done a nice job. Also being anti-American does not make you or anybody a better or worse writer, so please keep it down and let people enjoy reading the list and comments please.
@ author;
Great list as i have already said. Some additions might be Perfume by Patrick Suskind (1989) for general reading. The Meaning of Hitler by Sebastian Haffner (1969) due to the increase of neo-nazism in many countries, whilst most people don't even knew who Hitler was beside a dictator and mass murder. It's an easy to read 200 page analysis of Hitler (Not a biography).
I'm currently reading Catcher in the rye and find it very amusing. People who also liked it might wanna read Ryu's Murikami's 69 (Get the translation by Ralph McCartny) for it has the same storytelling, but another story, country and culture.
Some mention of Lovecraft would have been wonderful as well. No matter how big and important we are, we are actually insignificant specs of life in a massively huge universe of the unknown.
This list is great. It's a shame that I'm just discovering it on the tail end of my spring reading push. Studying will take over in June.
Only complaint... no Of Mice and Men. However I do realize that East of Eden is included. Have not read past the introduction thus far, but I can't wait! He is a fantastic writer.
Yes, that's the funny part, it seems that he (definitely a male) hasn't even read them. Oprah's list are barely worse than this.
COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO< READ THE ORIGINAL BY ALEXANDRE DUMAS !
If we all had been able to write our favorites, this list would have been in the thousands. Narrowing it down to 100 (manly books) was the difficult part, and many of you have written some books that just barely missed the list.
Glad most of you enjoyed the list.
The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
Endurance - Alfred Lansing
Survival In Auschwitx - Primo Levi
Emotional Intelligence - Daniel Coleman
The Raven - Edgar Allen Poe
Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombian) -- One Hundred Years of Solitude, Chronicle of a Death Foretold
Milan Kundera (Czech) -- The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Immortality
Graham Greene (British) -- The Comedians, The End of the Affair
Chinua Achebe (Nigerian) -- Things Fall Apart
Pablo Neruda (Chilean) -- Heights of Macchu Picchu, The Captain's Verses
Arundhati Roy (Indian) -- The God of Small Things
...and a few other worthwhile reads...
Walt Whitman -- Leaves of Grass
R.W. Emerson -- Nature
Robert Penn Wilson -- Spin
Isaac Asimov -- Foundation Series
Tao de Ching -- Lao Tzu
The Diamond Sutra -- Siddhartha Guatama
It's "Jon."
J.G. Ballard's "Crash"
and as mentioned previously, how about Hunter S. Thompson? "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail" or "Hells Angels" more than "...Las Vegas" in my opinion.
It would be far more popular if she utilized the services of an actual editor. He would have chopped a good 20% of crap out of it that includes mindless banter (alongside very meaningful discussions), unrealistic romance tangeants and the FAR too detailed look into everyone's mind.
Notably absent from this list is Starship Troopers.
I'd have included:
The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham.
Gives a level headed way of dealing with finances, very appropriate given current financial climates.
Many of these books have been significant in my life. Atlas Shrugged particularly opened my mind at a very formative period in my late teens.
Peace,
Alec
Also: you've got some great pictures of the books here. How'd you go about collecting those?
Oh and this...tj on May 14th, 2008 11:19 am Oh…and no Charles Bukowski? You certainly wouldn’t find him on a Must-Read list for women…
I like him and I am a girl. :)
Where the red fern grows
The crossing
Fear and loathing in las vegas
Lovecraft's work reminds us we're absolutely insignificant in the truest sense of the word. Dick's reminds us to keep our eyes open so that we don't forget about the wonders around or or lose ourselves in the noise. Howard's Conan stories tell us that absolutely no one is in control of us but ourselves.
And despite what some people might say, being a man isn't ALL about liking old stuff. The civil war is great and all, but again, too much reliance on a particular subject.
Instead of the bible, I might've put Takuan Soho's The Unfettered Mind or even Yoshikawa Eiji's Musashi on here. Musashi especially as it walks us through the life of one of the most famous swordsmen in history and his growth from a young punk into an iron pillar of a man, absolutely open but without a sign of weakness.
I love women who read Bukowski.
Buk took poetry to the places where poetry was never welcome. Poor houses, streets, bars. The stock rooms of shitty jobs.
I've always argued his case on the sexism issue. I don't think he was so terrible towards women. He just wrote about the people in his life, which included some awful women (and he probably describe them accurately). In many moments, he was capable of incredible bouts of love poetry.
Speaking of which...no ee cummings.
Heh. I was almost to the end of the list, and starting to hold out faint hope that you wouldn't pander to the Christian screamers by putting the Bible on it, when there on the last page ... bang, you had to do it. There would be shrieks up to the sky if you didn't include it, wouldn't there? Wussies. Wading through the Bible, for a non-Christian, is excruciating. How about a few more books on science and reason instead? How about Charles Darwin's "The Origin of Species"? Steven Pinker's "How the Mind Works." Or even Tom Paine's "The Age of Reason."
(Oh, reading the preceding comments, I see the Christian screamers have chastised you for not putting the Bible FIRST. Gawd, how typical.)
Just a question too: Have any of you READ Huck Finn lately? It might be the first great American novel, but it just isn't that good. Twain's one of my heroes, but this book is written like Twain lost interest in it about 3/4 of the way through, and then just hurried to finish. I'd recommend his "Innocents Abroad" as more readable.
I'd probably include a good-sized dictionary on my Top 100 list, and -- these days -- maybe something on grammar and punctuation.
Considering this list is probably aimed at stupid Americans (I'm one of them), why not something on how to win the lottery, or a book or two on having the perfect orgasm? And where's The Britney Spears Story??? :)
And what about:
Sinclair Lewis' "The Jungle"?
Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451"?
Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land"?
Wilson Rawls' "Where the Red Fern Grows"?
Nathaniel Branden's "The Psychology of Self Esteem"?
And just my opinion, I don't think you can be a properly-grounded macho guy without reading Dr. Suess' "Fox in Socks." Out loud, to kids.
Dugg for ZMM and The Art of War.
The Plague by Albert Camus is also a great read.
Looks like I need to update my list on Amazon.
You should replace it with the Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, possibly the greatest swordsman who ever lived.
Why?
Because, if you look at the world these days, it is OBVIOUS that Machiavellian statecraft and behavior lead to;
COWARDICE.
That is not a thing for a real man. Use and abuse of power in the way of Machiavelli is for cowards who would rather others fight their battles for them. The "higher" you get in our so-called civilized society, the more you will find people who never took a punch, never bled for their work - well, never blood anyway, but maybe they bled away their humanity. It's foolish to look for "role-models" in high places when the greatest people you will find are right next to you. Machiavelli is for those who are truly lost and starving. Just like Ayn Rand's materialism.
Why does a capable and self-reliant man need power over others? Why does he need control over others if he is so great? The greatest leaders have been followed by people who joined them of their own free will, without coercion.
If you have to use power to keep people in line, you are weak, as weak as those who need money to feel successful, and no matter how nice you make it look, you live in one hell of a gutter.
http://www.amazon.com/100-Must-Read-Books-The-E...
But damn, I have to agree that there are some bad ass books listed here. Very inspiring list, maybe I might have to pick a up a couple listed here.
It would be also be a good mention to add a couple of other Religious texts, seeing as they are informational whether you are of the religion or not.
And I am a little surprised that The 48 Laws wasn't mentioned among these titles. All in all, great list. Manly, list that is.
Kierkegaard was the "founder" of existentialism, with his thoughts about making choises, best example for that is his "either-or"
He also was a very religious man.
So your comment regarding Nietzsche and Existentialism is wrong on many levels.
Otherwise, a lot of your picks piqued my interest. Thanks for the recommendations!
@Crimson Praetorian,
You forgot the URL in your link...
@All,
This is an American site, thus it has an American focus. That said, I'm surprised by the complaints that this list has little international influence. While I didn't count, it seemed to me that close to half of the books were written by non-U.S. authors.
Also, remember that this list was compiled of books that -- in the authors' (yes, plural) views -- are "essential" for a man in various ways, not favorites, good reads, etc.
@Concerned Citizen,
I love how you hide behind an alias...at least Robbie Cooper wasn't afraid when he made his inflammatory comment. Oh, and let's bring up the fact that, based on your command of language ("americans - you’re not even the majority of internet users anymore"), you aren't even an American, so how can you be a concerned citizen, hm? If I'd have to hazard a guess, I'd say you're French.
Lives of the artists By Giorgio Vasari
Alice in Wonderland By Lewis Carroll
Diamonds Are Forever (James Bond Novels) By Ian Fleming
Nineteen Eighty-four By George Orwell
A Study in Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes Novels) By Arthur Conan, Sir Doyle
Night By Elie Wiesel
Moreover, the greatest leaders were often forced to use coercion at times. Alexander the Great's long march back from India would be a great example. Often these are situations caused by their own errors or egoism, but many a mutiny has been put down by a leader who most (if not all) respect when the final tally is done.
I quite like Musashi though, and it follows from the idea that the greatest books are seldom about what their setting and plot suggest. Book of Five Rings is one such book, a classic.
Ayn Rand materialistic? At least so far as Atlas Shrugged goes, I am not sure I follow. Objectivism stresses that pursuit of one's own happiness is the highest virtue. Her protagonists - Dagny Taggart, D'Anconia, Galt, Reardon - all are wealthy, but work in inauspicious offices and are willing to work hard at dirty jobs to get there. Their accomplishments are their implacable trappings, regardless of whatever else they may be materially burdened with. The heroes were willing to foresake the world and their wealth for a greater cause. I would agree that objectivist thinking is a little off-pitch for pure reason, but "materialistic" is off-target.
Anyway, a thoughtful list.
just add what you like - and comment away...
http://authwhore.com/2008/03/25/fear-and-loathi...
also what about man's search for meaning by frank e doyle?
Not a bad list, but where's The Origins of Conciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes?
And what about Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? I would personally have to say that that book carries quite a tale of manliness.
My theory is that Vonnegut’s politics get him the accolades. For example, Slaughterhouse-Five is a pacifist’s dream novel.
If you are a far left-winger then you may like Vonnegut, but for anyone else, you’ll probably feel like I did – his plots are stupid, his characters ridiculous and his “jokes” are consistently unfunny.
First, concerning The Stranger. Though Meursault may well be "the ultimate man," it is not because he was "unable to cry at his own funeral." While true, this particular accomplishment is also common to every other human. What you were trying to say, I think, is that he was unable to cry at his own *mother's* funeral.
Also, Erich Maria Remarque's name has been misprinted as 'Remarq.'
Julian and Myra Breckingridge by Gore Vidal
Generation X by Douglas Coupland
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
The Dispossessed by Ursala K. Le Guin
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins (also The God Delusion)
The Demon-Haunted World Carl Sagan
And Deletions:
The Bible? Pure nonsense.
Up in my garret bleak and bare
I tilted back on a broken chair,
And my three old pals are with me there,
Hunger and Thirst, and Cold;...
His poems are online free.
Anna Karenina?
War and Peace?
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (complete)?
The Decameron?
The Aeneid?
Other Shakespeare?
The Magic Mountain?
The Cantos of Ezra Pound?
The best list of must-reads would probably be Harold Bloom's assessment of the literary canon.
I think this comes from someone who never took the time to actually read the Bible.
Maybe that person should consider that not only is the Bible one of the largest influences of modern society and a great historical read, but also contains some wonderful poetry.
You got the credits.... thanks
I would also recommend the works of Robert B. Parker, John Sanford and Lee Child. If you are looking for a manly role model, you can't do much better than Spenser, Davenport and Reacher.
If there's one book that I wouldn't recommend on this list it's the Stranger by Camus...god I hate this book!
Or Gabriel Garica Marquez.
Or Borges
Or John Crowley (Little, Big, man, Little, Big)!
Nabokov?
Jan Morris?
Still, the real crime is the absence of Faulkner. I think.
Otherwise, very cool.
If it doesn't, it's not worth considering, we'll just have to wait for the next blog list like this. Sorry.
By the way, you can just take off the bible.
The Boy Scout Handbook shown is the 5th edition published in 1950
A list can be found at
http://www.threefirescouncil.org/History/1948.htm
Still a very good book.
Avoid the 8th edition....It almost single handedly destroyed scouts..
So which edition did you read????
I've only read a few of these books, it looks like I have a TON of reading to do!
To the author - Shane should have been listed. And anything by Louis L'amour. He really had insight in what he had written.
I would have liked seeing 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy', which is most certainly a monument in its own right.
This is a great idea. People should be inspired to read a great deal more.
Keep up the good work.
_Childhood's End_ - A.C. Clark.
(think "Independence Day")
_Captians Courageous_ - R. Kipling.
_Plain Speaking..._ - H.S. Truman
_Pet Sematary_ - S. King
(not at night though- trust me)
There are some highlights in this list however.
@The "bible" guys. The bible may be your faith and all, but it's NOT a work of literature, and if you want to consider it one, it's TERRIBLE. 1 dimensional characters, guidelines to live your life by that cannot possibly apply 5,000 years later. (let's kill everyone who works on the sabbath, beat disrespectful women, and kill unruly children)
@jessica rabbit. Female authors are almost always terrible. I can't think of a good one at the moment, but I'm sure there are a few.
@"proud american" You sir, are a buffoon.
C'mon, how many T.Roosevelt biographies do you really need?
yep I have yet to meet a person who have actually read the entire book.
i tried to but could not get past the first several pages...
this is a case of the emperor's new clothes syndrome...
because someone (don't know who) said that it was a great book...everone followed. i really don't know how it could have been a "Book of the Year" or was it the century???
In fact, almost anything by Ray Bradbury is great brain food for the Man. I mean, adventure and exploration is pretty manly. To adventure and explore SPACE? Now that is something else altogether.
So, I would further add The Martian Chronicles and any other of his short story collections, most of which have at least one tale of the Final Frontier.
Also, Issac Asimov would be another welcome addition. The Foundation Trilogy is excellent reading.
Love the book though :)
http://www.amazon.com/Meditations-Penguin-Class...
Tao of Jeet Kun Do mayhaps? It's an entire mindset, along with showing you how to beat ass, all in one nice book, written by Bruce Lee.
I find it difficult to believe that you never mentioned any graphic novels (or as they are also known, comic books.). Dark Knight Returns, for example, is a masterful piece that details a Batman who's grown weary of his fight, but some ten years later, seeing how far his charge, Gotham City, has fallen, decides to don the mask again to clean up his town.
And I don't think I need to go into graphic detail about graphic novels like 300, or Sin City, as I'm pretty sure you've seen the movies.
Books for Pussies?
I love how the girls all rogered up for the splendid list of crap books you offered as essential reading for men. I'm surprised you didn't offer up Jane Eyre.
The Great Brain
The Thief
The Queen of Attolia
Time Enough for Love
The Gathering Storm
The White Company
Hornblower
Sharpe
Sherlock Holmes
Lord Kalvin
Across Realtime
Edward E Smith
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Chris Bunch and Cole
Civil War series of PBS
Roger Zelazny
Jerry Pournelle
Larry Niven
Randall Garrett
Arthur Ransome
Robert Heinlein
David Weber
Winston Churchill
Sir Charles Oman
The Political History of England in XII volumes
Tarzan, John Carter, Carson of Venus
Edward E Smith and Triplanetary, Lensman, Masters of the Vortex
Leon Uris, Exodus
Greek Mythology
H.Beem Piper
9 Princes in Amber
no bukowski no list. sorry
there are a lotof books i should read, but i think several of these books they dont deserve to be here..anyway no way everybody will b happy always.
In regards to comments regarding whether the Holy Bible should have made the list, I would have to agree with its placement. Being an atheist myself and understanding that it is not of the highest literary standard, it is still good to read if only to better understand the other books on the list. The majority of these books were written in the West, and therefore, are highly influenced by Christianity. Most people understand the basic story of the Bible, but it takes a more in-depth look to understand the nuances of The Divine Comedy, Paradise Lost, etc.
As for additions I was surprised by the lack of Hunter S. Thompson.
And to spread the list passed Christianity I would also suggest The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Ramayana, and the Qur'an (especially for people afraid of those Arabs, for no particular reason).
A personal request would be a Chuck Palahniuk book, as while they have not stood a large test of time, they are an excellent read for all men.
Wow, this is way too long. Sorry.
In Lord of the Flies you say its an example of what happens when we're taken outside civilisation. The boys, however, are rescued by a naval officer, presumably engaged in the war that is going on at the beginning of the book.
The message being ... that what happenes to Jack and Ralph and the others is also happening to the 'civilised' adults on a much larger scale.
Or in other words ... we're doomed to nasty, vicious and brutal lives, even if we do have plasma screen TV sets.
[/pedant]
Historical Fiction:
The Virtues of War by Steven Pressfield (Story of Alexander the Great)
The Flashman Series by George McDonald Frasier
Science Fiction:
The Robot Novels by Issac Asimov
The Gripping Hand by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
Biography:
His Excellency by Joseph Ellis(George Washington)
Issac Newton by James Gleick
I think someone already mentioned it.
Its a history book and yet I'm mentioning it on this list..so think about that.
and I'm not some loser who doesn't have any other life but reading books, and I will admit it was for APUSH (advanced placement in united states history) but I have to say it was one of the most gratifying, eye opening books that i've ever read.
It also made me ashamed of being .... human. (I don't blame the US for what it does, it does what any other country in its place would do,not that that makes it any more right or wrong.)
I think the 1st chapter starts out w/ Columbus killing native americans who come out to greet him w/ tomatoes in a fruit basket (hitherto, the only known tomatoes to the white man were poisonous, so he had them tied; their arms and legs cut off and killed. He was genocidal; wiped out more than 1 tribe and his soldiers used babies for target practice; they would throw them up and cut off their heads as they came down.) I could be wrong its been...a good 6 years since I've read it.
Like i said, eye opening.
Also surprised that no Orson Scott Card books or Isaac Asimov books are on here. Excellent authors who've won the Nebula and Hugo respectively.
Definitely: 48 Laws of Power should have been on here.
C'mon Great Gatsby!?
the only thing i learned from that book was that writers in the 50s sucked. (or whenever it was written)
The Bible? i have to say while western society may have been built on it, the average guy doesn't live his life according to the principles of it. Shoot most of the people I know drink, have pre martial sex, lie..etc..
its a religious text and says the same exact thing any other religious text says..its not any more important or valid.
I'm guessing the authors were Christian though, so right on.
sorry for the length
For those who take the time to look, there are many, many non-American authors/books.
I, too, was a little taken aback by the inclusion of four Roosevelt books.
I would add: The Joy of Sex (I forget who wrote it).
But it's a far, far more comprehensive list than I (or, probably, any of the nay-sayers) could ever come up with.
Ralph
Some of these I read when I was younger than 16 - a notable fact considering what we were exposed to for literature in the 50's and 60's.
The Bible has been and continues to be one of the most influential books in Western culture. Our culture is becoming dangerously Biblically ignorant, meaning most people have no idea where many of our beliefs and practices come from. It is important to understand the Bible, to know how it shaped our history, and to know how it continues to influence our lives today. If you want to just accept what an authority figure tells you is in the Bible, don't read it for yourself. If you want to argue unintelligently with "believers" without solid evidence that many modern religious practices have no basis in the Bible, don't bother to pick it up. If you would like to be an informed citizen of the Western world, able to carry on intelligent conversations and read literary masterpieces, please do everyone a favor and educate yourself by opening a good translation of the Bible.
I would also recommend reading Milton's *Paradise Lost*, which has been arguable more influential in Western society than has the Bible. Also, read Pullman's *His Dark Materials* trilogy, which brilliantly challenges our society's blind dependence on religious leaders and gives us hope for a new kind of world, not to mention the appeal of the strong female protagonist - many of these "men" could learn quite a bit from her example about being a strong, independent, and intelligent human being.
Even more amazing is that our collections match quite well on pages one and three, but not so well on two and four.
Also, I would add "Junky", by William S. Burroughs, and "Infinte Jest", by David Foster Wallace...Douglas Adams is also worthy of mention, here, too...
Gibson- Neuromancer (the man coined the phrase "cyberspace")
Bowden- Black Hawk Down (Killing Pablo while your at it)
Golding- The Hot Gates (better than Lord of the Flies)
McCarthy- The Road*
*A little "Johnny come lately" but an incredible read that will stand out for decades.
Atlas Shrugged I am especially excited to read.
I must confess that I am surprised that not one of the Dune books are on this list, perhaps one of the ultimate coming of age stories ever told.
And for that extra manliness I recommend any book by Wilbur Smith.
Especially "The Courtney Series" , and The Egyptian Series.
Mike Mignola's "HellBoy."
1. Tropic of Cancer is simply wretched, a parisian tour diary disguised as a novel, with bastardized Nietzsche-isms to make it sound hip and smart. No book that makes sex this boring should ever be widely praised.
2. All the Bible screaming sounds like it comes from people who have barely ever cracked it open. There is more to the Bible than Leviticus. It is a founding document of Western Civ, and like the Iliad and Shakespeare, needs to be read by all who walk under Western skies, if only that they have some understanding of the continuity to which they owe their culture. Stop whining and name-calling and read it. It won't brainwash you. And if you want to move on afterwards to Gilgamesh, The Koran (though how someone reads the Koran without a passing familiarity with the Bible is beyond me, Muslims certainly don't), the Zend-Avesta, the Tao Te Ching, etc., more power to you.
3. There's no where near enough of the right kind of history here (see aforementioned snarks about TR-olatry). With that in mind, the following should be considered standard Historical reading:
- The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England, by Antonia Fraser
- The Twelve Caesers, by Suetonius
- The Civil War: a Narrative, by Shelby Foote
- The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, by William Shirer
- The Gulage Archipilaego, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
- Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville
There are doubtless others, but I chose generally recognized ones, because I wish not to start a slapfight.
And I'm glad the Histories are on there, though I'm surprised Thucydides didn't make the list. But then, this is a top 100 list, and only 100 books can fit on it. Can't really list all the best books of all time if you're only doing 100.
Ha-ha, good one. Sorry, kiddo, the "founding document" of Western Civilization, if anything, was the Enlightenment itself, and it was a reaction to, and the rejection of, the Dark Ages of crushing Christianity.
Besides which, the Bible isn't a "document." It's a collection of diverse stories, more than anything like the collected stories of the Brothers Grimm, except it's aimed at controlling people rather than entertaining them.
The peak of western civilization and Enlightenment thinking resulted in the founding of the United States (note I'm not saying the U.S. itself), and the thinkers and statesmen who founded it were predominantly deists -- people who would almost certainly be atheists or agnostics today rather than anything like our modern crop of bible-thumping politicians.
Not one of the other books on this list seeks to channel your thinking into the narrow tunnel-vision of the religious; the Bible -- and its cadre of loud apologists -- does.
Besides which, again, this is the "Essential Man's Library." You can get a Bible in any motel room. In the U.S. at least, the things are practically inescapable.
And again: The list really should have a few books on science.
i tell you if u want to turn someone into an atheist read them the bible.
what a crock.
~ Live your life
~ Think for yourself
~ Write your own book
So many followers, so few innovators.
That said, "The Fall" by Camus is a much more instructive book than "The Stranger".
And I was looking for a good biography of Teddy Roosevelt.
A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
Healing through the Dark Emotions by Miriam Greenspan
Beauty-Rediscovering the true sources of compassion, serenity, and hope
by John O'Donohue
Regarding the Bible. Considering that most of the environmental destruction, war, and disasterous economic policies of "Machavaellian" elitists, have come from western "Christian" societies, maybe Beyond Belief by Elaine Pagels would be in order; or better yet, Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Without the above, and works such Leaves of Grass, History of the U.S.etc., I feel your list speaks of literature that predominantly serves to perpetuate a (m)ale (E)go mindset that has not, and will not, serve humanity and this earth.
But the good news is that I'm no longer shafted when it comes to looking for looking for books to read any more. Cheers for that!
www.stuffwhitedbagslike.wordpress.com
It's kind of a theory of American masculinity.
But I am pissed
Why is that
No Cat in the Hat
That's okay. I'm sure you have enough material from your own life to never run out of ideas for posts.
I think you're a little too obsessed with Teddy Roosevelt
My recommendation: Conversations With God. Changed my life, and my thoughts on a great many things, including what it is to be a man.
Thanks again!
I was disappointed not to see anything by Joseph Conrad.
But seriously. Tarzan of the Apes?
I submit The Sensuous Man as a replacement. I found this while snooping in parents bedroom at 14, was perhaps the most influential book on my life. It has the foundation for a man to become a great lover, which most men want to be more than just about anything else, no?
Arundel by Kenneth Roberts
Northwest Passage by Kenneth Roberts
Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper
Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
1. Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer. non-fiction, the definitive account of Hitler's rise and fall by a journalist who was there for most of it. He benefited from 1) speaking fluent german; 2) covering the war crimes trials after the war; and 3) being one of the first to get his hands on the German records released after the war. This book is sprinkled with source materials. I will never forget the scene, documented by transcription, post Christalnacht when Goerring explains to the unhappy German insurance executives that they will have to pay for the damage to the Jewish shops but the Government will immediately confiscate the payments. I don't know if any other author covers the subject in such detail, written in an immersive, interesting "journalistic" manner.
2. Rather than two Dostyoevsky books, I would add one of Solzenitsen: A day in the life of Ivan Denisovit. (I apologize for my mispellings of the Russians.) I've had trouble reading Solzenitsen but this one is a great read, hard to put down. You may read it in one sitting.
"What is interesting about the entirety of the list, and for the most part the commentary, is that there are few books directly involving matters of consciousness or spirituality."
And this was well-stated:
"Without the above, and works such Leaves of Grass, History of the U.S.etc., I feel your list speaks of literature that predominantly serves to perpetuate a (m)ale (E)go mindset that has not, and will not, serve humanity and this earth."
Any list list this should include something that isn't mired in the Western ego-centric mindset.
A hilarious, but subtly angry rebuke of willful ignorance in institutionalized injustice. But the book also a monument to what it means to be a man.
Why so Teddy-heavy? He was a good man and a good President, but why not include something about Kennedy during the missile crisis? Or Lincoln? Or Washington? Jefferson for God's sake. These are all men and actions that have shaped the country we live in every bit as much as Teddy Roosevelt.
Otherwise a pretty good list, although I would have liked to have seen more books about Eastern values and beliefs. Any survey book of world religions (The World's Religions by Huston Smith, for example). A man that doesn't know at least the basics of the world in which he lives is a potential threat to that world's future.
And as a matter of fact, A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, and the 12 Caesars by Suetonius. And the Oedipus trilogy (specifically Oedipus the King).
Done pontificating. I'll attempt to read as many of these as possible!
And The Art of War by Sun Tzu was written in 6th Century B.C., that's a difference of 1,200 years.
Either Stranger in a Strange Land or Time Enough for Love... Probably Stranger is a better choice (Jubel Hershaw alone makes it), but Lazarus Long is a total man... Hell, even Starship Troopers might deserve a place on the list.
Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas
One Hundred Years of Solitude, by G.G. Marquez
All the Pretty Horse, by Cormac McCarthy
I always preferred My Side of the Mountain to Hatchet... a little more serene, a little less jumbled, but that's just me
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, or the Trilogy (I think Life the Universe and Everything was the best written) ... leave out the last one
The People's History of the United State
The Illuminatus! Trilogy will blow your mind
The Cartoon History of the Universe by Larry Gonick makes a good case for the worthiness of Comics as a teaching tool that can also be engaging and hilarious
Gods, too many...
And no C.S. Forester either? I'd expect his Hornblower books would be right up your alley.
also, do androids dream of electric sheep? by philip k dick should be on there, post-apocolypic genius coupled with a bounty hunter sexing his prey (a female android) up, it dont get much better than that
1: Many of these books are DENSE in their significance and topicality. Crime and Punishment, for example, makes you work your brain to conceptualize the themes. It's a great book, but I don't know if the 'average Joe' is going to be able to understand the full meaning of many of these books. Hell, I'm a relatively smart teenager, and I know I have no chance of Fully comprehending Dostoevsky's other novel, The Brothers Karamozov. I suppose that's what makes them so darned great though. My ability to relate to these oh-so-manly novels will likely increase with age, as well.
2: I would have liked to see Heart of Darkness on here. Randomly boating into the Congo Jungle is pretty manly, no doubt. Even more, I think The Crucible provides some very interesting insight both into the real New England witch hunts and the red scare of the last century. Those lessons can be applied quite easily to many current events and life in general.
Again, thanks for compiling this.
While I'm a fairly diehard atheist, I agree that it's a good idea for any reader to be familiar with the Holy text. SO MANY NOVELS include biblical allusions, it's almost insane.
Also, in defense of the Teddy Roosevelt frequency: This is a list of Manly Books. Teddy Roosevelt was the epitome of manliness, so it just fits. Definitely more manly than Chuck Norris.
I saw a few others mention Bukowski but nothing specific. At first I only came across him because of the film Factotum but it led me to that book and a couple others (Post Office and Ham On Rye). I like how he just lays it all bare on the table and doesn't really seem to acknowledge some greater presence in the fates of himself and the people in his life...he just likes to drift along.
Anyway, I wanted to mention John Fante (Ask The Dust, Brotherhood of the Grape, Wait Until Spring, Bandini) who I think has a style similar to Bukowski but perhaps has a bigger ego and is somewhat conflicted about his Italian-American lineage.
Also, I'm not sure what inspires me to mention of The Corner by David Simon/Ed Burns (duo that developed HBO show, The Wire) but I think any 'man list' would do well to take notice of the current state of urban cities in regards to the divide between the poor residents of Baltimore and the rest of society.
Also, no Philip K. Dick...A Scanner Darkly? Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
To those who complain about a lack of foreign titles (erroneously), I would like to kindly ask that they put up or shut-up. I wouldn't expect a (for instance) a Chinese guy to know much about Vonnegut - perhaps he/she would be delighted to discover his writings. The same goes for me - let me know some of these books that are great that I've never heard of - I would appreciate it.
Atlas may shrug all he likes, but the lessons of Rand are best learnt through the objective and authoritative perspective of Marx. It is a tad dry to read, perhaps, but then so are The Politics and english translations of Nietzsche.
Even if one disagrees with Marx's conclusions on labour theory of value, any Man who considers himself to be well-rounded surely requires a strong grounding in marxian (if not marxist) theory? Even if simply to be capable of intelligently rebutting socialist economic ideas.
But as i said, apart from that (and the scout books... but then each to their own), a very good list, well done.
Thanks for the list!
Sam
A couple recommendations for those who've finished your list. :)
A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
The Brothers K - David James Duncan
The Sun Also Rises - E. Hemingway
A Pen Warmed-Up in Hell - Mark Twain
The Narrow Road To The Deep North And Other Travel Sketches - Basho
The Highest Tide - Jim Lynch
Snow Country - Yasunari Kawabata
The Temple of the Golden Pavillion - Yukio Mishima
A Personal Matter - Kenzaburo Oe
Cheers!
Hell's Angels by Hunter T. Thompson
Or
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
Or even...and the most appalling
The Outsiders by Susan E. Hinton
Congratulations. I agree with almost all of these choices. I am surprised, however, that you fail to mention Homers' 'Iliad Odyssey' & / 'Histories' by Herodotus. These three are in my view the main omissions. However, you should also have chosen 'La Chute' by Albert Camus & 'The DEAD' by J.Joyce ... the last tale in his 'The Dubliners'.
Once a Runner by John L. Parker, Jr. – Shows that being skinny and wearing skimpy running shorts can be quintessentially manly. How many football players have trained until they pissed blood?
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce -- “I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe whether it call itself my home, my fatherland or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defense the only arms I allow myself to use--silence, exile, and cunning." Go ahead, try to top that quotation for capturing the essence of the spirit of male independence.
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk – Perhaps no other recent book more perfectly captures the disillusionment of the American male; surpassed only by the (more literate, surprisingly) movie.
Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham – along with Joyce’s Portrait, a bildungsroman novel that should be required reading for every male.
An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser – A psychologically compelling look at how a series of wrong choices can aggregate and ultimately undo a man.
Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson – Glad to see another Johnson work on here, but Jesus’ Son is mind-blowing.
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis – A brilliant satire of the excesses of 1980’s materialistic culture, carefully woven into a depraved, graphic depiction of the machinations of a serial killer.
A Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard – Though it may seem rather condescending and even vaguely communist at times, this ultra-short book imparts the importance of becoming a proactive, effective problem solver. Interestingly, it happens to be required reading in many neurosurgery residency programs across the country.
Thanks so much for including A River Runs Through It!
I'll admit there are a couple of entries I do enjoy - Golding and Melville among them - but on the whole this list is massively unimaginative, and if one may be allowed to speak of a postmodern crisis of the masculine, then this sort of knee-jerk recourse to an already-embattled conception of a justificatory past is hardly going to prove adequate. Where are John Hawkes' avant-gardist narrative experimentations in emotional texture ? Proust's epic foray into the lyrico-mnemonic topography of a mental macrocosm ? Or the razor-sharp edges of Nabakov, hidden beneath a prismatic, iridescent luster of verbal coruscation ?
Too girly perhaps ?
Even so: as a previous poster has kindly pointed out, WHERE THE HECK IS MARX ? Ayn Rand makes the cut but he doesn't ?
Hear me, my (presumably) heterosexual brothers, the future of what defines our gender-hood lies not in a panic-stricken cleaving to the road well taken, but in daring to write back to the ideological posturings and platitudes of our common inheritance.
Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami;
Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger (for a counterpoint to All Quiet on the Western Front);
Confusions of Young Torless by Robert Musil (about sadistic little proto-fascists in a boarding school);
and some of Richard Yates' short stories, esp. 'Liars in Love'. The character of Elaine's father in Seinfeld was based on Yates, whose daughter Larry David dated.
only to learn about the other team's strategies
The list speaks volumes about the limits of your reading than your authority to give a list of essential books for mankind. Such a list calls for a full assembly of giants, not some motley crew of small fries and titans. I might suggest some humility and maybe trading "Theodore Rex" for Oedipus Rex.
Great job!
"Too girly perhaps ?"
Perhaps not, but certainly missing the fucking point.
Just for you, on the house, a clue:
You write, "WHERE THE HECK IS MARX ?" You then conclude, "...the future of what defines our gender-hood lies not in a panic-stricken cleaving to the road well taken, but in daring to write back to the ideological posturings and platitudes of our common inheritance."
I never played war games again after reading it.
I'd say many of these are entertaining books (eg Catch 22) but don't add solid meat onto a man. 1984 should only be read in conjunction with a critical approach to Orwell - his motives were highly questionable, and 1984 could function as mere terror propaganda to subdue an inquisitive population.
Maybe he was the one with four legs.
Most of the list is fantastic, much of it is intreaguing and a only a small percent completely blows.
Here's my unsolicited two cents:
Nikolai Gogol - Dead Souls
Mark Twain - A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthor's Court
Tim O'Brien - The Things They Carried
Goethe's - Faust
Will Shakespeare - Julius Caesar
Apologies if any of the above were there and I just missed them. And thanks again for the list.
Do you really believe that everyone who doesn't agree with your religion will go to a "bad" place for eternity? Don't be so vain as to think you deserve an afterlife when you take this life for granted.
"Great books … Remarcable
I’ve seen a little error..."
...and left one too? ;)
“The Catcher in the Rye” not “The Catcher and the Rye”
Great list, how about "Two Little Savages" by Ernest Thompson Seton? Natural History and North American Native Lore for 12 year-olds.
An ellipsis ('...' or the three dots you used) does not require a capital letter after it, as it is not a new sentence.
I could go on, or you could just let the guys at www.artofmanliness.com do their work (well done guys, great list).
As you were.
# Nadal on May 14th, 2008 1:10 am
Great books … Remarcable
I’ve seen a little error
“The Catcher in the Rye” not “The Catcher and the Rye”
A skeptical biography of the polymath Robert Moses, who literally and figuratively re-shaped the landscape of New York, and who held in his hands the fate of the lives of millions of Americans.
Quite possibly the most untouchable and ruthless American to risen to power in our country since 1776.
I echo another commenter about the spoilers. It was quite disappointing to see the entire plot and ending laid out right there on a few selections.
Also to all the commenters poo-pooing these choices. It's a good stepping stone for discussion and keep including your own choices and favourites! I added a handful more to my list from the comments alone. Try and keep your faux hipster intellectual bullshit lingo to a minimum though.
I noticed a comment or two that mentioned links to buy the books on this list. I happen to know of a very good website that has many of these titles included that does in fact have a "purchase here" link. It is also fairly informative /entertaining as well. Here it is for the intrested: http://title.forbiddenlibrary.com/
By the way, in reference to the comment by Neil. I think I speak for many intelligent women when I say to you, "UUgghh." (eye roll, deep collective sigh).
Sorry to Neil, the collective sigh wasn't intended for you (if you exist on this commentary) Apparently LOUIS (Louis on May 17th, 2008 9:03 pm) impressed my so much that I forgot his name.
I pulled the equivolent of speaking my mind and walking out and slamming the door and then realizing I forgot my purse!!
Opps! Sorry for the confusion. (both mine and any I may have caused poor Neil)
I have a great library system and most of these books have audio copies. This is great for some of the more complicated books since the reader/actor always gets the pronunciation, tempo, and emphasis right. I love my commute and sometimes sit in the car after arriving at my destination to get a few extra minutes. I don't mind traffic and detest interuptions like the cell phone or drive through windows.
"http://www.mcu.usmc.mil/ProDev/ProfReadingPgm.htm" - not sure if everyone will be able to access this since it is a .mil site
There is a heavy focus on history, warfare, leadership, and now Arab and Islamic culture.
Rifleman Dodd, We Were Soldiers, Battle Cry of Freedom, Bridge at Dong Ha, Band of Brothers, Ender's Game, Starship Troopers, and the Killer Angels were some of my favorites from the list of my time.
Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States" should be required reading for everybody in the US.
Glad to see Hammett and Chandler represented. I wish John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee series had made it. As a teenager, I learned a lot from that series. Perhaps Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series as well.
-LittleWarsaw
Other than that, I've read ~50 of the books on this list, they are truly amazing reads.
I have noticed a strong American bias, but that is understandable, since there are many people that think the sun evolves around America.
By the way, the bible contains many contradictions, perhaps meaning it was written by more than one person. So it is a compilation, rather than the work of one "being".
No offense, but I think we need to have more of life and less of religion. The more of this list you read, the more enlightened you'll become. Only then you can evaluate the literal value of the books of the religions.
Regardless, again - Great List!
My additions would echo many of the others posting here, but incase some were missed :o) -
The Things They Carried - by Tim O'Brien - Great book about soldiers' eperience Vietnam.
The Invisible Man - by Ralph Emerson - a book that profoundly affected my views on race.
Silence - by Shusako Endo - a tale of Christianity and personal faith/devotion in ancient Japan from the perspective of a spanish preist. A remarkable novel.
Free to Choose by Milton and Rose Friedman
Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman
The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich Hayek
Our Enemy, The State by Albert Jay Nock
The Future of Freedom by Fareed Zakaria
The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama
The Clash of Civilizations by Samuel Huntington
The Lessons of History by Will & Ariel Durant
What's So Great about America by Dinesh D'Souza
Applied Economics by Thomas Sowell
The Making of Modern Economics by Mark Skousen
And a fiction work or two I was surprised not to see on the list:
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Very good list. Thank you for the compilation.
Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.
NY Times article on 1001 books to read before you die. i wonder if all the critics here would be satisfied with this list?
Someone start a poll whereby people submit their entries on the matter. Let democracy, the opinion of the lowliest man decide such affairs. There is almost no exception where a doubling up of authors is acceptable considering the cannon available. Men have been writing actively for far longer than women (unfortunate as that is), so most literature is by definition manly.
Teddy four times and Shakespeare once? Fuck Teddy, I never disliked the Neanderthal, but now, I have reason to. Also, Ayn Rand is too 'emo' to be manly. Selfishness isn't manly, it's childish and weak. Her protagonists are pathetic, I nearly thought Atlas Shrugged was a satire. When I think of manly, money doesn't come to mind. In fact, where economics is involved, I believe material possessions cloak deep rooted repression of inadequacy.
I'd have to agree with the prancing narrative of Louis up there, the books presented reflect more the stereotype than the reality or even opinion of the definition of masculinity.
Socialism doesn't need parentheses, neither does sarcasm.
Otherwise, a fairly decent list of acceptable literature, although again, I must stress, some sort of voting should be made. I could see nearly have of these books falling straight of this list in favor of better works by less culturally biased authors and critics.
The list seems fluffed. Couldn't think of any other titles or what? Many of the books listed, especially those of authors already on the list, are uninspired choices. Teddy? Seriously? Politicians aren't manly unless their dictators or plain crazy. Dancing for the masses is by far the least manliest thing one can do. Unless of course you are taking the 'Prince' very literally and trying to cause catastrophic social change.
Caligula was manly.
Not kidding.
But sarcasm does no need a marker.
But his list still does suck.
2. Dante's Divine Comedy
3. King Lear
4.- 100. - Everything else
I'd argue that Sunzi is more a collection of obsolete (and often obvious) aphorisms and I'm sceptical about publishers claims that it timelessly applies boardroom strategy. I'd also say the title is better translated simply as "Strategy" than the more poetic (and marketable) "Art of War" that's often used, and the book is really not great literature either in Chinese or English.
Three more worthy Chinese masterpieces immediately spring to mind:
"Three Kingdoms" (San Guo Yan Yi) by Luo Guanzhong - Ming dynasty classic in which swashbuckling heroes and devious strategists spit memorable one-liners as they battle for control of China (and invade Vietnam almost as an afterthought). A sort of Chinese "Iliad".
"Water Margin" (Shui Hu Zhuan), also attributed to Luo Guanzhong - a motely assortment of stalwart outlaws band together to defy the corrupt and tyrannical empire. A sort of Chinese "Robin Hood" (with more torture and cannibalism).
"Analects" by Confucius - The master's pithy and truly timeless advice on the conduct of a gentleman. ("All good men are brave, but not all brave men are good" etc.)
The Bible is one such work. To deny that it has broadly shaped Western civilization is delusional. To deny that it has broadly shaped English-language literature is delusional. I seem to recall an estimate that 60% of literary references -- that is 3/5 of all references to other writings, that are made in the English language -- are references to the Bible.
Regarding H. P. Lovecraft, and how important it is to realize that we are nothing before the vastness of the universe, as his characters are: that is entirely contradictory to the mindset that the site creators are trying to create. Here, we are encouraged to take responsibility for our situations and actions, to do things to improve them, to "man up." Belief in your complete and utter insignificance is contrary to that.
Regarding Douglas Adams: his writing emphasizes how both we, and the universe, are completely absurd. This is nearly as contrary to the exhortation that we "man up" as belief that we are insignificant.
Regarding Hunter S. Thompson: I have only read one of his books, a collections of essays and semi- to pseudo-autobiographical short stories. They all reflect his famous quote, "While I can't recommend drugs and violence to everyone, they've always worked for me." Compare that to manning up as advocated by the site creators, and you will see why they did not include him.
As for Heinlien: "Starship Troopers" is a cracking good manly read. It discusses the relationship between morality, society, and politics, and emphasizes the need for leaders to be men of sacrifice and service. I can see it being on this list. "Stranger in a Strange Land" and "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" both share a very grave flaw: the protagonists presume that human nature regarding sexuality can be changed, and when it is, human societies will adapt. The premise is wrong, and when we try to live as though it isn't, human societies self-destruct.
As for Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" series: Read "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Gibbons. Different setting, and mostly the same story, except for Asimov's presumption that individual efforts, inventions, and creations rarely change anything. Psychohistory HAS to presume that any invention or other idea that changes society can be anticipated, which is pure buncombe.
"Regarding the Bible. Considering that most of the environmental destruction, war, and disasterous economic policies of “Machavaellian” elitists, have come from western “Christian” societies...." -- Jim Foreman on May 15th, 2008 2:38 pm
Actually, they have come from societies which denigrated or even sought to destroy Christianity, e.g. Communist societies, which slew at least 100,000,000 people in a mere 90 years, and turned much of Eastern Europe into a toxic waste dump.
It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong. It might be written in a grating style, but this guy has one helluva story.
Endurance by Alfred Lansing. The account of Shackleton's survival in the Arctic. Even though you know they make it, the fact they do is scarcely believable. Astonishing resourcefulness in the face of overwhelming odds.
The Silent World by Jacques Cousteau. He invented the aqualung and discovered a new world; glorious adventure ensues.
Shogun by James Clavell. Highly fictionalised account of William Adams' exploits in Japan - a pilot, he was the first Briton to reach that country. Samurai, ninja, seppuku, high intrigue; all good stuff.
Longitude by Dava Sobel. Wonderful story of the eccentric who solved the greatest problem in seafaring with a beautifully elegant technological solution.
The Double Helix by James Watson. A ripping yarn of scientific discovery - skulduggery in the race to the greatest prize in academia of the 20th century.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. Crime fighting genius stalks the foggy streets of London.
The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin. So good all other fantasy writing seems lame in comparison.
Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brien. Aubrey and Maturin are a classic pairing; if you like this, O'Brien wrote another 20 books of similar quality.
1. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming - how can you not include the original Bond novel?
2. Flashman - George Macdonald Fraser - the ULTIMATE rogue! All 12 in the series are worth reading for the caddish behaviour and historical education
3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy - Douglas Adams - comedy genius
4. The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins - read this before the Bible (or after, you'll get the same reaction)
5. A Short History of Everything - Bill Bryson - the best modern American writer of his generation
6. Carter Beats The Devil - Glen David Gold - a genuinely brilliant novel
7. Commando - Deneys Reitz - life fighting during the Boer War, real survivalism
8. Freakonomics - Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt - the world revealed!
9. CB Fry; King of Sport - Ian Wilton - played cricket, football and rugby, a journalist, a statesman and so good at everything he was offered the crown of Albania - the ultimate polymath
10. Viz's Profanisaurus - I dare you to read it and not cry with laughter (very, very dark and very, very wrong!)
I don't profess these to be right for everyone but my life has genuinely been enhanced by reading these books...
Ben Koshkin
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
That's got to qualify for your list.
Brisk, to the point, and invaluable economic wisdom.
I can think of a few serious omissions:
Death in the Afternoon - Hemingway (must read by any man)
Log from the Sea of Cortez - Steinbeck (ditto)
Lord of the Rings - Tolkien (although if I had to choose, the Hobbit would win out, but it was better when I was little)
All 21 of Patrick O'Brians Captain Jack Aubrey and Steven Maturin series
Many, many more.
Uncle Tom's Cabin - great for teaching the atrocities of what man can do to another human being
The (Auto?)Biography of Frederick Douglas - understanding what it means to be free in a world where others are oppressed
The Stand by Stephen King - understanding the logics of pure evil and pure good and how easy mankind can fall
Having read it not long ago... it is extremely thick and gets painfully detailed about halfway. An excellent alternative EVERY man should read is New Ideas from Dead Economists. Great book for sharpening your mind.
"What you said at the beginning I do not remember; for that reason I do not comprehend the middle part; and the conclusion I do not approve."
Wouldn't you love to say that at the end of your next long, pointless, boring meeting. Leave it to a Spartan.
Come and take them...
Keep up the good work !
Oh, and Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon is a good book for a manly man as well.
A few more on how to be a good man (some of which were already mentioned by other posters):
Plato: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo (each is more accessible than the Republic; all of them together give an account of the trial and death of Socrates)
Aristotle: Nichomachean Ethics
Dickens: A Christmas Carol
Lewis: The Screwtape Letters
On manliness in general (but not necessarily good manliness):
Puzo: The Goodfather (I can't believe no one mentioned this!)
Thomas Ellis: The Rantings of a Single Male: Losing Patience with Feminism, Political Correctness... and Basically Everything (little known but hilarious work; it should be noted that it is rather explicit)
http://totallygonzo.wordpress.com
"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everyone."
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Kierkegaard, by the way, should make this list.
And I don't buy the argument that just because lots of people read something, that means it's some how dumb downed fodder for the masses. Seriously, you're telling me that 95% of the people in the world have read Plato, Aristotle, or even Fitzgerald?
And your argument that these books are simply pop culture is completely bunk. Just because something is not "indie" and "avant garde" does not mean that it has been relegated to "pop culture." Homer, Dostoevsky, and the like write about timeless and universal themes in humanity. It's sad that they simply get brushed over as "pop culture" just because they're widely read. The prevalent idea these days that something must be "underground" or undiscovered to be worthwhile is utter baloney. Sure, some music and books that get really popular get that way because they are pushed relentlessly by corporations. But a lot of stuff gets popular because.....wait for it.....it's really good.
Since I am young I like reading things that enlighten me on many levels, aid in my development personally and professionally, as well as open my eyes. So if someone would be so kind as to prescribe an order to these books or some recommendations I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks
Sólo por mencionar otros dos idiomas, les cuento que más de 420 millones de personas en el mundo hablan castellano y más de mil millones, chino.
(I dont expect you to understand my message... of course. Here is an aprox translation: "So...Is The Essential Man’s Library written in english? Isnt that egocentric guys?!!
Just to mention two other languages, let me tell you that over 420 million people all over the world speak spanish and over a thouthand million, chinese")
;)
Ditto for Ayn Rand.
Includable: A M Homes' "This Book Will Save Your Life."
Maybe you should go back and read the entry on the Bible again. No one suggested you had to be a Christian to be manly, but since many of the other books on this list allude to or directly quote the Bible, it would be a good idea to read it, even if you don't agree with it.
The "Ditto on Ayn Rand" is a bit confusing the Bible and Ayn Rand are on opposite ends of the spectrum in many ways.
I guess ML Harris also thinks you don't have to make sense to be a man.
Homer is actually very enjoyable on audiobook, as his poems were developed to be heard, not read. Barnes & Noble has a very good reading of the Illiad (though its reading of the Odyssey is just okay).
As I recommended elsewhere, it may be easier for beginners to start with the Platonic dialogues dealing with the trial and death of Socrates (usually packaged as the Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo) than the Republic, which is also certainly worth reading but contains much more material to analyze.
I have never read Aristotle's Politics (which I am ashamed of, since I am a philosophy graduate student), though his Nicomachean Ethics will help you to lead the good life.
These several books alone could keep you busy for some time. Happy reading!
You must understand the way people think about issues, even if it is foreign to you. Without it you are an "ugly American" or the equivalent.
I would also add some of the writings of John Shelby Spong, this retired Episcopal Bishop (Newark?) has some amazing writings on Christianity, that I find insightful.
All in all this is a good list, I will recommend it to my son.
they were not all written in English... Look back at the list, there were books written in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Aramaic.... the translations are in English. Likely because the complier of the list writes and READS in English.
Comprende?
to J Blake on June 8
Don't let someone else prescribe an order or a even a list; use this list as a springboard to learn to THINK critically about the world around you. As a Penn State Eng grad you likely can think critically about technical topics, now dive into philosophy, literature....
To Karl Fergins, who wrote that most women authors are awful, I'd say: First, take the three listed in the top 100--Harper Lee, Ayn Rand, and May Wolstonecraft Shelley. Add to those Jane Austen (thanks to Rob Davidson!), Margaret Mead, Virginia Woolf, Willa Cather, Pearl S. Buck, and Joyce Carol Oates, just to name a few.
There are a number of items I would add:
First, to Shakespeaere's entry I would add Macbeth, King Lear, Richard III, Henry V, and Julius Caesar.
Authors I would add: Dickens, Poe, C.S. Lewis, Robert Frost, Robert Bly, and Dr. Seuss.
Books I would add: Stranger in a Strange Land, 100 Years of Solitude, Leaves of Grass, Pride and Prejudice, The Little Prince (in French, if possible), Les Misearables, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
I agree with everyone else who questioned the need for four books on Teddy Roosevelt!
As for Fight Club and Trainspotting, I thought the movies were brilliant! I have not read either book, but they have not yet stood the test of time. They should be ready to add to the list in 25 years or so.
Give me a break
The DaVinci Code - Dan Brown: Probably the best example of a thriller novel and not to mention the second best selling book in the world. Right behind the Bible.
Godel, Escher, Bach - Douglas R. Hofstadter: A thick, Pulitzer-prise winning book that my friends and I summarize by saying "it's about approximately everything." The book's central thesis is trying to deduce how we think, but it covers so many other things on the way there that it deserves a broader characterization.
A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving: A great novel with hints of English humor.
What were you thinking?
W. Somerset Maugham
how about kesey's "one flew over the cuckoo's nest"
or
o'briens "the things they carried"??
I have a couple to add:
The Game by Neil Strauss- helped me tremendously with women.
The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida- This is a must read for anyone with a penis.
come on sydney carton is that ultimate man in that book and its a great story
One glaring omission: ZORBA THE GREEK, by Kazantzakis. How could you leave out Zorba, a man's hero who devoured the marrow of Life?!!
I am going to nominate Ender's Game again because it was really such an excellent read.
Also, @ Michael on May 22nd, 2008 2:45 pm
Your list is extreme right wing neoconservative, not to say it is not worth value, but you should warn your readers. Also, I see you included:
The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama
Instead, why not recommend his more recent work, America at the Crossroads: Democracy, Power, and the Neoconservative Legacy where one of the founding intellectuals of neoconservatism basically disowns the movement! Just sayin' !
And, for all the anti fundamentalists out there, you could not ask for a better read than Sam Harris's book, "The End of Faith"
It is much more respectful and logical than the title implies.
Cheers to this list!
Tennesse Williams in particular
"A Streetcar Named Desire" or "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"
The play "Our Town"
Thanks.
A not to all those who say "Great list, ..... I will START reading this summer"
1) You are just a procrastinator.
2) If you already not have read many of these books, sorry to say but you really cannot count yourself as literate.
3) If you have poor reading habits, its very unlikely you will start reading all of a sudden. It takes a real commitment (like exercise).
4) Don't just keep praising the author for the GREAT LIST, just read them, that's the best favor you can do to the author.
5) You can barely manage a conversation outside sports/presidential debates.
Now if you really want to start reading books (even if your reading speed is very low)
1) Get a library membership tomorrow
2) Start with a small book (simple language and small content length)
3) Carry the book everywhere.
4) Finish the book over lunches, commute etc. etc
5) Repeat steps 1...4 for more recondite, longer books.
Isn't altruism manly? I'd like to think so, I abhor Rand. I did read Atlas as a testament to my dedication to understanding all people.
The Four Agreements -Don Miguel Ruiz
Rules of Golf -USGA/R&A
Great list!
Irepisanidiot
For those bitching and whining about America - this website is written by an American in America and while for all men, is geared towards men of the United States who are becoming as pussified as the European men. YOU get over it.
If you don't like America, be sure to write your government(s) to refuse all protection, monies, foods, etc. from America. Until the rest of the world stops being protected, supported and fed by the US, you have absolutely no right whatsoever to bitch about us.
The old man and the Sea - Hemmingway
Farenheir 451 - Ray Bradburry
White Fang - Jack London
The Dog who wouldnt Be - Farley Mowatt
The Moon is Down - John Steinbeck
***NIGHT - ELIE WIESEL***
I can be reached on my website ( my email adress is there)
Suttree Cormac McCarthy
Invisible Man Ralph Ellison
Hard Times Charles Dickens
The Mill on the Floss George Eliot
A Good Man is Hard to Find Flannery O'Conner
Colonel Chabert Gustave Flaubert
Any or all Dostoevsky, Faulkner, and repeat
Two women, for those who discount such, and technically two short stories. I agree with many of the blog suggestions that I did not repeat here, but felt compelled to repeat Ellison's best work, best American novel had to be by a black man, didn't it? I can't fathom why Steinbeck and Hemingway are so revered; they are blathering egotists, their simplistic structure is so boring... might as well read the bible if you like that sort of trash (even for edification).
There is not a single Mario Puzo book here, and you dare to put a book of streaming thought up. Who are men to deny the mafia!! or the omerta!!!
Seriously TOP 100 I would at least think. Also maybe its just me. But before I would own a history of Herodous. I think thats the correct spelling Id rather own a full copy of Euclid's Elements.
The Bible is a must, but lets be realistic, if a man needs a library The first edition boy scout handbook need not be a part of his collection. He should have it memorized able to draw the pictures at a whims notice by only having been told a page number and edition.
I am shocked I thought this was the Man's Library not the sissy collection.
Just Joking I was suprised that so many were not mentioned. I would add several autobiographies before Ben Franklin and not include the fedralist papers at least in the top 100
I was amazed and reminded of some books I need to pick up for my library.
Thanks Again
Taylor
For this reason, I suggest that "The Naked Civil Servant" by Quentin Crisp should be on any such list.
This self confessed "Stately Homo of England" lived a flamboyant and unapologetic life as an effeminate homosexual when such behaviour was effectively criminal in the UK, and his memoir describes his willingness to stand alone and be true to himself in the face of violence, hostility and social annihilation.
Without shedding an ounce of grace, charm and his typically English stiff upper lip, he went from being a pariah to a demi-god both in the UK and in the Upper East Side in NYC where he spend his later years, simply by refusing to submit to what the world expected of him.
There were two great icons of manhood in the twentieth century: Mohammed Ali was one, and Quentin Crisp was the other.
The scooter was a necessity. TravelScoot served me well.
many folk have asked me about it and I tell them your website address.
http://www.travelscoot.com
... and the video
http://www.travelscoot.com/demonstration.htm
Sincerely yours,
Paul
Notes of a Dirty Old Man (that or any Bukowski), or Les Miserables weren't on here.
Oh well - just finished On The Road, and this'll make picking the next book easier.
-100 Years of Solitude
-The Fountainhead
-The Lord of the Rings
-War and Peace
-Anna Karenina
-A Tale of Two Cities
-Augustine's Confessions
As in life, take what you will from what you read and leave the rest. You must ask yourselves," Why are some folks so butt-hurt about certain books?" If something draws such strong emotion should you not experience it for your self (for better or worse)? I LIKE "The Bible". I LOVE The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I am an agnostic, I don't fault those who need/want the structure their faith brings them. I just do not, myself, require religion.
The author is not requiring you to read the entire list nor to pile all these books on your shelf. Stop acting like teenagers whining about an assignment they don't like.
As for the "anti-American" comments, I don't care about what you think of us.
You wouldn't even have an internet or be free to express your opinions if " we hadn't saved your butts in WWII" ( tongue in cheek, for you hard-cases). America leads the way. We also lead the way with our arrogance and lack of understanding of other cultures. So let's call it a "push"?
I wish the world was a happy place where we didn't have to go out and kick @ss,
but hey..... Love us or hate us we kill a lot of people to keep you safe.
Here are some books I like, not TELLING you to read them. Not saying they should be on this list either.
"IT" - S.K.
"High Fidelity" - Hornsby ( Brit )(as with "IT",don't judge it by the movie)-
"The Fifth Profession" - Morrell (Canadian)
"Boot" - non-fiction about U.S.M.C. boot camp in the '80's
"Mona Lisa Overdrive"- Gibson
"The Chronic-what?-cals of Narnia"
"Infidel" - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The entire Douglas Adams Catalog
DON'T PANIC-(it's just a list)
You could try and argue that I'm just another ticked Christian, but you'd be wrong.
That book was just poorly written. The only reason it sold so well was a) the controversy (and remember if it burns it earns), and b) the release of the movie (which was even worse than the book).
The story was also very predictable.
If I could add any one book to the list it would be "The Creep" though I can not recall the author's name.
-=jF
You've picked some different books to me - and in some cases the same ones -and overall I laud your judgement, you've selected some great stuff here.
My book isn't published in the States until April 2009 (but it comes out in September 2008 in the UK and much of the rest of the world) and naturally has a more British take on things - we have plenty of great writers in the UK who are very strong on manly themes. Incidentally, my book was conceived and pitched at my publishers in April 2005, so I've been thinking about it for a long time - the idea came to me while I was standing behind the counter of the bookshop I used to manage then and decided I wanted to recommend more books to men, who are somewhat neglected by the British literary establishment in my view.
I've included non-fiction as well in my selection. Many of the books you;ve covered here are included in other titles in the 'Must Read' series I've been contributing to for some years. I hope some of you will pick my book up in future, as it will make an interesting comparison with your selection here. The debate on the greatest books for men truly has begun !
Best wishes, Stephen E. Andrews, author '100 Must Read Science Fiction Novels', '100 Must Read Books For Men'
I have to agree with Daniel that the following should also be on this list
-100 Years of Solitude
-Anna Karenina
-A Tale of Two Cities
-War and Peace
That can't be part of any essential mans library.
The Story of My Experiments with Truth - M.K. Gandhi
This book gives a penetrating insight into the quality of truthfulness in spirit and purpose
As great a list as this is, there are a few books I am wondering why you did not include on the list. Most importantly is "The Sun Also Rises", "Old Man in the Sea", and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" by Hemingway. One book about bull fighting, another about fishing, and the last about an Africa Safari. On top of which, each deals with issues of being a man. When ever I think of books for men, these are the first books I think of. Those two books and "On the Road" which you included.
For a more modern read, I suggest "Fight Club" by Chuck Palahniuk. One of the better examinations of being a man in today's society,
For the business or military professions, along with "Art of War" and "The Prince", another must read is "On War" by Clausewitz.
Finally, I would also recommend "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield. Not historically accurate and, yes, Sparta is not a model society; however, the book does portray great examples of duty and honor and doing something greater than oneself.
Estranged second son Lee returns home to his logging family to revenge himself on his brother. And that is just one of the plots.
The descriptions are out of this world; you really feel as though you are in the old growth forests of Oregon.
Give it one hundred pages and you will not be able to stop!
It is always important to have both sides of an argument presented. That includes these two books. They go hand in hand. To have one and not the other is a disgrace!
Ken Follett - Pillars of the Earth & World Without End
Dalton Trumbo - Johnny Got His Gun
Frank Herbert - Dune
J.R.R. Tolkien - The Silmarillian (read that then go read L.O.T.R.)
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time Series
Mostly I agree that they belong on the list... except for Paradise Lost. I suffered through that book and I'm someone who loves to read and loves the English language. But mostly what made it so difficult to like was Milton's premise for writing it, ie. to absolve God of any blame for the fall. So... God needed absolving?
"I did not trick that woman into picking that apple!"
Eh?
From my own reading list I would add Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Talk about good use of the English language! And it's particularly impressive since English was not his first language but his third.
Also Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods because it's very funny and about the "manly" pursuit of hiking in the woods.
Finally I would add The Picture of Dorian Gray because Oscar Wilde is a fantastic wit and should have written more novels.
I might suggest a few for those of us with more than just an interest in the liberal arts (after all, it is manly to understand the underpinnings of the physical world):
The Feynman Lectures, GEB, The Principia, and something by Hawking perhaps?
I would like some recommendations for exceptional works on boxing, music, martial arts (practiced and meditations) and dogs. I'm working on getting Jake LaMottas book as a start for boxing. Musicians I enjoy are Steve Earle among many others. Generally, some books that would be considered "Lowdown, rough, and folkish".
The list itself pointed me in a direction but these comments and recommendations showed me the way. Thank you. Anyone interested in getting an online club of sorts amassed my address is maxrdenny@yahoo.com
P.S. If anyone can tell me where to find or acquire to sell me copies of "A Rifleman Went To War"; " The Short-Timers" by Gustav Hasford please give me a shout or offer at maxrdenny@yahoo.com
Thanks again.
"In Search Of The Warrior Spirit" is excellent.
But..I believe "My Bondage My Freedom" the autobiography of Frederick Douglass should be near the top of your list.
And as the Bible is largely a byzantine hodge-podge of often contradictory advice and dubious myths, I cannot recommend it either. A most tedious and puerile read. It could use a good editor.
If you're reading this, im only 13 :D.
I find all the classics listed here (and not the modern books, no misunderstandings please) are collected already in my website WebLiterature.Net - readers are welcome to enjoy them.
Anyone wanting a good book on manliness can put this one in front of all the others ones listed in this posting (though I must say I am a fan of the classics and advocate reading them all): Atlas, by Teddy Atlas. Teddy was a one time trainer for Mike Tyson and the trainer for heavyweight champion Michael Moorer. The book follows his upbringing and the struggles he had with his father to his run-ins with the law and how boxing set him on his life's course. TRUST ME, GO GET IT!!!
http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Streets-Ring-Strugg...
This is a great list of books and I have read quite a few of them. I would also recommend
"Papillon" by Henri Charrière, and
"Warriors of the Way" by Harry Harrison
They are pretty bad ass books!
i have read only few of these.
Wow Al, you are a real prick. For those of us that haven't had our head shoved inside of a book our whole lives I'd say this list looks -at least- interesting. Aside from that, what is an apparently well read creep like yourself doing on a top 100 list anyway? I thought for sure you'd be at 1,000 by now.
WOULD DEFINITELY ADD REPORT TO GREKO BY NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS.
separate peace and farewell to arms are really good tho
That said, read ALL of Jack London, read ALL of Ernest Hemingway. Don't read Plato's Republic, since it is just dumb and goes against everything we know about human nature, read The Art of War by Sun Tzu. [Insert long rant on Ayn Rand here] Read about humans, read sociology, read HISTORY.
Yea, read Tacitus, your eyes might bleed, you might throw up, but those things really happened, and still do whenever circumstances are like those back then.
And those who suggested that Narnia gets into first 100 essential books for MEN should really grow up. Like, read A Song Of Ice And Fire, if it has to be fantasy.
Oh, and do read Iliad. It's just brilliant, amazing, and easily downloadable from Gutemberg.
But there are some books here you should stay clear of until you grow up (whenever you do, age matters not, maturity is everything).
http://www.raabidaardvark.com/?p=97
Have fun reading!
Zorba the Greek or The Last Temptation of Christ
No Exit
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Leaves of Grass
The US Constitution
Stranger in a Strange Land
Invisible Man [Ralph Ellison]
Silent Spring
The Descent of Man
Why I am not a Christian
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Eisenhower's Farewell Address
Das Kapital
In Praise of Folly
The Name of the Rose
The Diaries of Lewis and Clark
Lives of a Cell
The Guns of August
A World Lit Only by Fire
Three great reads:
Inherit the Wind
Beowulf
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy(SciFi isnt childish its merely taking a metaphor)
I'm not sure if it would be okay to include Inherit the Wind since it's a play -- not a novel. Regardless, it is one of the greats in American Literature. And, if you're allowing plays, how about All My Sons and The Crucible???
If you went through a fraction of what Vonnegut did in WWII I might take your opinion into consideration but since it's highly unlikely that you were a POW who survived the destruction of Dresden I'm going to have to say that you, sir, are full of horse apples.
and - please do your statistical homework again. North America's 75% of population usage dwarfs even the next closest competitor, Europes 50% in 2008. God bless America
1) "Miles Gone By" by William F. Buckley Jr. Buckley's autobiography provides an intimate look into his full and influential life. He discusses, among other things, his childhood, many trans-Atlantic sailing adventures, Yale, founding of Firing Line and National Review, proper use of the English language, and his influential and powerful friends. Buckley was very much a manly man and I think his life is exemplary.
2) "The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone" by Robin Graham. I read this as a kid and loved it. I read it again last year at age 30 and was fascinated once again. This is the true story of a teenager who voyaged around the world on a 26' sailboat. In his five year voyage, Robin completed his education, met his wife, found his God, and weathered deadly storms. This is a very good book for kids as an example on growing up.
Other than that, good list.
As for a good Hemingway book, I much preferred Old Man and the Sea or Death in the Afternoon, both deal with what it means to be a man (the first in terms of proving our worth and doing what we do best, the latter an examination of man's fixation on the aesthetics of danger and violence).
thanks for sharing this list
What drew me to Malcolm's account, was that he came to acquire all these high qualities of "manliness"- most notable his "moral" integrity. That played out in his honesty, his aspirations towards truth and justice as he saw it, and the ability to admit his mistakes and seek to rectify them. He attributed this to many things, but not in the least to his spiritual state: being a muslim.
alot of what your articles contain, i've seen resonating with islamic principles found in the quran. your site above all else calls on people to realize and uphold their moral integrity, and that i found first in the quran, and somehow led me here a few weeks ago.
Peace!
--
Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; But turn away from the ignorant. Quran 7:199
@Concerned Citizen -
Letters to Phillip by Charlie Shedd; (great advice to a young man on how to treat his wife)
How to Father by Fitzhugh Dodson; (excellent for fathers who may not have had a good male parental role model in their lives)
PT 109 by R. J. Donovan; (true story of J.F. Kennedy's herosim and the PT 109 in WW II)
The Analects of Confucius; especially Chapter 5, "At first, I listened to a man's words and trusted him to act accordingly; Now, I still listen, but I watch carefully what he does."
Think I'll be lowbrow and stick with Stephen King, a lil' Peter Straub, and other various Fantasy/Horror authors here and there; this is simply so I don't die of boredom and eye strain.
READ ON!!!!
I suggest: The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
One book I thought I'd add to the could've should've department is The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger (I believe I've got the title and author right). An adventure but an essentially true account, filled in with some speculation. I also think that a case can be made for The Sheltering Sky - as a great and indelible "travel novel" with deeper, darker intimations which I admittedly do not ultimately understand but which are still unforgettable evocations. Lastly I would nominate -
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, The Painted Bird (by a great author whose name I am forgetting at the moment) (Jerzy Kozinski I think?) and Deliverance by
James Dickey. OK. I've said my piece!
> waste of time. TV is a much better alternative. I haven't read a
> single book since about 6th grade or 7th grade.
http://defyingempire.com/
Punishment: a white box with an error message
I'd love to have seen listed, Truman Captoe's In Cold Blood here and also Bryan Burroughs' Public Enemies, which is a fantastic book, entertaining and insightful into the lives of the most iconic criminals of the 1930's.
Also, not to be pedantic, but Raymond Chandler's The Long Goodbye was the second to last Phillip Marlow detective novel, as it was followed by Playback. Maybe even third last, if you counted Chandler's unfinished 'Poodle Springs' later completed by Robert B. Parker. All worth reading - but I'd agree that The Long Goodbye is the best and my favorite.
Also, I must say that throughout I was consistently impressed with the photography. As a confirmed bibliophile I must say that some of the images were nothing short of book porn. Tasteful book porn, of course.
Can someone pass on link to download "Night" by elie Weisel - free????
Interesting study
To Robbie Cooper who said that "Vonnegut is an anti-American, terrorism apologist." Oy!
Perhaps you should actually READ Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. The bombing of Dresden - a city of CIVILIANS - is an illegal act of war.
I absolutely agree with you an Ayn Rand - loathe her books and loathe her "objectivism" philosophy.
To Specter: who noted : "Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer,
I just read this last month - you are absolutely right that it is "one of the best books on the horrors of war." Right up there with "All Quiet..."
to AMManess who noted "On War” by Clausewitz - temper that with "Just and Unjust Wars" by Michael Walzer
The Bible should be read - as literature - as should the Torah and the Qur'an (and...and...)
Also - glad to see Dostoevsky - but I would add (my fav): "The Possessed" (sometimes translated as "The Devils" or "Demons")
To all others - thanks for adding - a lot to agree and disagree with.
And, as controversial as the two following writersare in some circles, it would haveadded to the richness of the list if Thomas Pynchon and William Faulkner had been included. They are two powerful voices that need not be overlooked.
jk, good list though, even though I think Descartes should have been added to this list.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Why isn't it on there?
Also:
Chuck Motherf***ing Palahniuk
i like fiction but give me a break.
A bit concerned about a much earlier posting by Robbie Cooper saying that no list should include Vonnegut. I'm pretty sure I want to refute that although it looks as if some of the original message has been lost so it's not clear why Vonnegut is 'Anti-American' and a 'terrorism apologist'... does anybody know? Although to quote Adam Buxton to respond to any sort of initernet comment is to descend into a spiral of insanity...
As an English major, most of my classmates in my various literature classes missed the greater depths of about 85-95% of the works we read, simply because of the multiple Biblical allusions in almost every piece.
Even direct allusions aside, a majority of themes used in modern Western Literature are directly taken from Biblical themes. This holds true for other forms of media as well, such as films.
Why just last week I was watching a manly movie "Gran Torino" and thinking of how Eastwood's character was a great representation of a Christ figure. SPOILER ALERT: He lives as an example, training and mentoring a young man. When there is no other way to save the young man from a life of gang violence and death, he goes alone to sacrifice himself, giving himself to be killed. It's the only way he can save the boy, and gives the kid and the kid's family life through his own death. Would have missed that without knowing the doctrines and purposes laid out in the Bible of Jesus' self-sacrifice and death on the cross.
So why can't you read that and not be offended and think someone is trying to convert you or cater to "wussie" Christians? Isn't it still an interesting story even though you aren't required to believe it or believe IN it?
A lot of Steinbeck and Roosevelt, but you made the list.
Why are so many people discriminating the Bible?
I'm not religious, but I still think the Bible is an important book to read because most of the other things you will read will have something to do with the Bible. You don't have to believe whats written in it, but it is an important book for everyone to read.
I would ask that others also read the Quran, Tao Te Jing (one of my favorites), Bhagavad Gita, and Siddhartha, not a religious text, but works like one.
I think I am determined to start boning up on mythology.
these two books are wonderful with a very deep and important meanings,and in the time being we can touch and see what these two authors were talking about fifty years ago,like they wrote it today..
And I do agree with the others, one of Heinleins classics is definitly needed there, so greatful I decided to pick one up while at the book store. Within less then a year, I devoured many of his books.
And if you want trash pulp, I saw it mentioned by one other, absolutely love the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child. That guy is a man.
Sheryl
I do not mean to argue with you, for this is an excellent list. Everyone will have their disputes.
John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck
.....Steinbeck...Steinbeck..Steinbeck
What's this? Where is tolstoy? Checkhov or Turgenev? Steinbeck was only a mediocare novelist.. this ppl are complete idiots., f **k their menliness
The Scarlet Letter?
Of Mice and Men?
Things Fall Apart?
Night?
Heart of Darkness?
Poe?
Their Eyes Were Watching God?
The American Scholar?
The Way to Wealth?
The Canterbury Tales?
Beowulf?
No Jonathan Swift?
NEW MOON!!
ECLIPSE!!
BREAKING DAWN!!
THE HOST!!
THIS LULLABY!
THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER!
DREAMLAND!
THE LOVELY BONES!
WUTHERING HEIGHTS!
BLUE BLOODS!
MASQUERADE!
REVELATIONS!
FLIPPED!
A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY!
REBELS ANGEL!
THE SWEET FAR THING!
ROMEO AND JULIET!
A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM!
THE AWAKENING!
THE HUNGER GAMES!
CRANK!
GLASS!
BURNED!
IMPULSE!
IDENTICLE!
UGLIES!
PRETTIES!
SPEACIAL!
EXTRAS!
umm.. thats all i can think of :]
Perhaps a modest proposal? How about a list of the 100 AUTHORS?
Hahahahahahaha. Makes my point for me. The list is actually a narrow view. Perhaps it should be titled The Essential Man's Library" and even at that you have the actual ignorance and lack of understanding of Vonnegut displayed here
Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence
My Side of the Mountain by Jean George (for children, but very good)
The Path to Rome by Hilaire Belloc
I am a high school student and a passionate reader, although discouraged because all we ever read in English class is feminist books. One must read the classics on his own these days. This list is great and I hope it is viewed by many!
Not a word on astronomy, biology, mathematics, physics, nothing.
No science fiction? What about Isaac Asimov, or Arthur C. Clarke?
No Carl Sagan?
This list is severely lacking.
Please do not change your list for the complainers. Let them make their own list.
I'm sticking to your list.
go snowball!!!!!!!!!!!!
Isn't it strange that the absolute majority of these so-called best books should happen to be written in English! What a miracle! For those of us who represent several differing cultures (for me: English, German, French, Norwegian) and read novels in non-English languages, we cannot but feel put down. Of course, the list might be indicative of the limited scope of those who have compiled it. If you know only one culture and language it's evident you are limited. Consequently it is utterly preposterous to claim world championship in literature if you only compete in one very limited area and culture. That would be about like a world championship in ski-jumping - with no contestants from Africa? No wonder there are so few winners from that area.
Maybe you could have called your list: Best Books within Englo-European literature.
http://www.bookarmy.com
http://www.e-booksdirectory.com/
A must read were was it?
you have a hundred to choose and some of it's boring
by the way A Proud American. IE A Dumb American...the internet was invented by an englishman.
and i'm german by the way
Hard to pin it down to 100.
What about One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest? I re-read it recently and it blew my little mind!
And Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles. It would be good to see a James Ellroy in there and Lunar Park by Brett Easton Ellis.
Oh, oh and The Razor's Edge by Somerset Maugham...
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
The Modern History of Vietnam by Stanley Karnow
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Were there not more Italian, French, Spanish, Irish, English, Scottish, Russian, Japanese, German, Indian, Persian, Chinese or African writers you could have included?
What about the Gospel of Mark from the New Testament? Oh no, but you have the first edition of the Boy Scouts of American manual in there. What a freakin' crock!!
Gert it together guys, this list is lame and you know it. Don't just pad it out a junior high reading list with books from a elementary school library and call it "manly." As it stands, this list is total waste of time.
And, the Bible detractors are amusing. Perhaps they need a fresh (or first?) reading. Mark is a good place to start.