If you were asked to recommend 3 books....

TGMatt
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Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:43 pm

Yeah I know that ..but the idea was the same...


RicksPick
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Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:23 pm

Trying not to be too pretentious here, being really pretentious I find it very difficult:

1. If you've already read the Bible, read the Koran. Having studied both I think you'll be surprised by what we have in common. It would be nice if we could approach all of the world's problems from what we have in common instead of how we are different. Nah...never happen.

2. Frederick Buechner - The Sacred Journey. Not as religious as it sounds. It's more about one man's approach to life. Very short, but hits you like a ton of bricks. It really makes you appreciate all that is going on around you.

3. Richard Feynman- The meaning of it all, thoughts of a citizen scientist.....Hey, I'm officially a genius,(which, along with $5 will get you a venti mocha at Starbucks), but this guy makes me look like I ride the short yellow bus to school. Oddly enough it's an easy read and really makes you think.


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Music Junkie
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Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:27 pm

AndyT wrote:
Hmmm... Bear took 2 of my choices.

1. The Holy Bible. Of course you know this one is number 1 on my list. For all the reasons Bear listed and so many more. Non-Fiction

2. The Shack. by William P. Young. A really great book that has sound theology but gives a whole new perspective on God and how He speaks to us. Fiction.

3. The Lensman series. By E.E. 'Doc' Smith. A great rollickin' space fantasy adventure series. Nothing but fun and entertainment. Fiction
Hey Andy!

My boss read "The Shack" last year and could not stop talking about it. He found it very moving and has recommended it to me several times. Think I will pick it up to see what the fuss is about (and to get him off my back......lol).

MJ


ncsurfer
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Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:48 pm

This is a tough one, I could list dozens of books I am passionate about but I'll just stick to the ones I've just read recently.

Born To Run by Christopher McDougall - Inspiring factual account of a tribe of people who can outrun the best ultramarathoner(100 mile+ racers)into the ground while wearing used tire rubber sandals and laughing all the way to the finish. Also excellent insight into why we should all be barefoot and happy about it. Funny and eye opening.

Getting Stoned With Savages - by J Maarten Troost - If you like Bill Bryson you'll get a kick out of this author writing about living in the South Pacific. Tony Horwitz "Blue Latitudes" is also a witty travel writer.

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell - I'll have to read more from this guy. So, it will take me 10,000 hours to get really good at this guitar thing? How many hours have y'all put in so far?

I'm now reading "Guns, Germs and Steel" and learning all about why the world turned out the way it did.

Has anyone read the book "Guitarman" yet? Its on my Christmas list but I know little about it other than the author writes about learning to play guitar...thought it would be good for my own learning process.

I'm going hunting for some of the books listed by y'all....good thread!


rbrisson
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Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:53 pm

I'm going to cheat a bit and share a couple of my lists. I have about 6000 books in my personal library, so narrowing it down to just three is a really, really tough one for me. But here it is: the first list is music-related:
1) Clapton's Guitar: Watching Wayne Henderson Build the Perfect Instrument, by Allen St. John. This is a must-read for anyone who loves guitars, I couldn't put it down until I finished it. It wonderfully weaves the story of one of the world's great guitarists personally ordering a custom guitar from one of the world's great luthiers, and the process involved in crafting it.
2) Zen Guitar, by Philip Toshio Sudo. I read this right after getting my Taylor custom 12 or so years ago, and it had a profound effect on how I viewed playing music. After reading this book I realized how spiritual playing music and performing really is. For me every time I pick up my guitar I'm in some way performing a spiritual exercise. I never "noodle"...
3) The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music From the Heart, by Madeline Bruser. Everyone who plays an instrument *has* to read this book, it's simply required reading.

In terms of a general list, I'll mention these as three that quickly come to mind that had a deep effect on me:
1) The Passion of the Western Mind, by Richard Tarnas. I'm going to come right out and say I believe this is one of the most important books written in the past 50 years. I read it through in a couple of days after it first came out some 15 years ago, and more than any other book it helped me to understand both my place in the world and the nature of the world itself. If I were stuck on a deserted island this would be the book I'd take with me.
2) Steven Pinker's The Blank Slate. Everything by Pinker is just great reading, and The Blank Slate is one of my favorites.
3) The Art of Possibility, by Rosamund Stone Zander. I include this book because it relates profoundly to all artists, including musicians. I guess the best way to describe it is a meditation on the psychology of performing.

And finally, my favorite three "classics":
1) Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. The most important work of the modern era.
2) Spinoza's Ethics. For developing a better understanding of God.
3) Milton's Paradise Lost. For better understanding the mythology of Christianity.


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neverfoundthetime
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Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:00 pm

Great response everyone! If I may, I'll just comment on the last post: Great stuff surfer! Malcolm Gladwell is really worth the reading: Outliers, Blink are just as good. Yup, I've done my 10'000 hours in Tennis & Squash and in coaching and must be moving along now with the guitar so I'm looking forward to getting that mileage down! Born to Run and Getting Stoned sound right up my ally so I'll be looking into them.

I hope this thread keeps attracting posts... this one can be a slow burner over time.... books are so important and can really make a difference. I'm off to bed where I have Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness waiting... fascinating stuff!

After Post Edit: Must have been writing same time as rbrisson! Some great stuff there too, especially like the sound of The Passion of The Western Mind. And Pinker is brilliant... his voice reminds me of Woody Allen and his humour does too! B)

Oh, okay, I can't just answer a few.... :-):

@ Chas: I’m definitately not reading any cookbooks! Even if they are NZ lore!
@Bear: The Prophet by Khalil Gibran an awesome choice! You can list some more if you like too, no one’ll dock you pizza points on this thread, my friend! ;-)
@beaker: Siddartha -Herman Hesse is just wonderful. One of the first books I could read in German.
@MJ: Liked Shibumi too!
@Matt: The Randy Pauch Last Lecture is posted on my wall. Very moving.
@Max: Love Bill Bryson. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid sounds great!
@David: If you mean M. Escher… he did some really interesting stuff. Haven't read your reference.
@Suzi: Looking forward to The Power of Babel
@Andy: The Shack could be good, by all accounts.
@American Chris: My brother and sister swear by Terry Pratchett!
@Temo: Who wrote Tokyo?
@Wandoctor: We can still jam and have that beer and you can be condescending to me if you’re really a certified genius! ;-).
@reiver: You owe us 3 book recommendations! ;-)


jayswett
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Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:21 pm

No never condescending, only pretentious.


My parents would tell you that has always been the problem with me, beer and a jam wins every time.

I'm up for it when you are. Time and place are all I need to know.

I have family in Austria, close enough I suppose. I'll let you know when I'm coming for a visit. Keep the beer cold.... ;)


Lavallee
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Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:51 pm

I have 3 books that I really enjoyed reading, different types but fun:

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. If you think some people of the world are smarter than others because of what they have accomplished as civilisation in history,think again.You will find out that it is not because they are smarter at all, just lucky.This book was made as a documentary on PBS.

The Pillar of the Earth. A novel by Ken Follet, giving the story of a monk in the middle ages who promised God to build a church and the political battle he has to fight all his life. Not a religious book at all, but more an intrigue which could be transpose today.

A Briefer History of Time by Stephen Hawkins. A very approachable book to astrophysic explaining all the main current theories of the universe. You do not need to be scientist ro read this, just curious.

Marc


haoli25
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Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:59 pm

There are many books that I enjoy reading, but if I were to recommend 3 books, I would stay with the classics;

A Tale Of Two Cities

The Lord Of The Rings

Don Quixote





Bill


johnrfeeney
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Thu Dec 17, 2009 11:11 am

Tragedy and Hope by Carrol Quigley

The Creature from Jekyll Island by G Edward Griffin

Brotherhood of Darkness by Dr. Stanley Monteith


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