22 Tweets 32 reads Jun 22, 2023
Here are 20 classic reads
All under 200 pages
Read to learn how they’ll make you a better man
1) Poets of the 1939-1945 War by RN Currey
A poetry collection/essay reflecting the grim experiences of soldier-poets during WWII
Currey shows the horror of mechanization, the death of honor, & how those who lived through both tried to overcome them in a way you can as well
2) A Man Of Singular Virtue by William Roper
This biography and series of letters chronicles Sir Thomas More, his moral principles, and his feud with King Henry VIII
Here you'll gain insight into the importance of religious freedom & maintaining integrity in the face of death
3) Confessions of a Heretic by Roger Scruton
This pocket-sized essay collection teaches everything from the need for traditional values to how to tell good art from bad
If you're looking for quick, conservative inspiration to seek truth amidst societal pressures, this is it
4) The Cloud of Unknowing
A classic of Christian mysticism, this 14th century text advocates a direct experience of God through a state of unknowing, where limitations of human understanding are set aside to encounter God
Want to pray like a mystic? You'll learn how to here
5) Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke
Rilke's letters offer insight on creativity, solitude, and embracing uncertainty that go beyond the teaching of poetic forms
You'll learn the importance of authenticity, patience, and the transformative pursuit of beauty in all places & forms
6) On The Advantage & Disadvantage Of History For Life by Nietzsche
This consideration of history’s role in our lives challenges us; it is necessary for promoting action, but when reduced to mere facts, it deadens our spirit
Read this to learn how to read history properly
7) The Trial by Kafka
Josef K. is arrested for an unknown crime, trapped in a bewildering bureaucracy
Kafka plunges you into an absurd struggle against faceless authority that will have you reflect on the fragility of justice, conformity, and the need to find meaning in pain
8) What's Wrong with the World by GK Chesterton
Chesterton challenged "modern sages who turn reform into routine" through modernity, materialism, and gender roles
His insights on family, education, and politics will have you questioning your assumptions about all three
9) Notes from Underground by Dostoevsky
A tormented narrator delves into his psyche, exploring human existence, free will and consequences of rationality
Notes exposes you to the absurdity of expecting humans to always be rational and why nihilism must be resisted
10) Zen and the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel
Herrigel bridged East and West with this slim tome unveiling the deeper meaning of archery through encounters with a Zen master
More than technique, it teaches you mindfulness and the harmonization of body and mind in all actions
11) Leisure: The Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper
Pieper challenges the idea of work as the measure of human worth, and warns that the gems of culture and religion can only come from true, intentional leisure
Read this to distinguish life-giving leisure from hectic distraction
12) Candide by Voltaire
Candide's optimistic worldview is shattered by a series of misfortunes and encounters with human suffering
This satire critiques naïve optimism and religious dogma, challenging you to confront reality rather than hide behind unsustainable beliefs
13) As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
Allen's classic empowers you to take responsibility for your thoughts, showing the link between a man's thinking and his destiny long before self-help gurus ever touched on the topic
Read this if you would master your thoughts and your life
14) Of Other Worlds by CS Lewis
These essays on storytelling explore the nature of myth, fairy tales, and science fiction, highlighting their ability to awaken our imaginations and impart profound truths
Read this to understand the human need for story and how best to defend it
15) The Song of Roland
This French epic recounts the heroic death of a knight in Charlemagne's army
One of the classic tales of honor, loyalty, and sacrifice, it nevertheless also teaches you the deadly consequences of pride and spitefulness in both friends and foes
16) A Shropshire Lad by AE Housman
These poems of dead youth and bitter loss capture the essence of a rural life now gone
But in their longing, Housman's poems tell you to make the most of life, since "when the journey's over/there'll be time enough for sleep"
So Carpe Diem
17) Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
Postman critiques the impact of TV and media on culture and intellectual discourse
It trivialized information and eroded critical thinking
Want to learn how media is making us dumber by the decade and how to avoid it?
Start here
18) He by Robert A. Johnson
Johnson uses deep, Jungian symbolism of the Grail Myth to teach the complexities of masculine psychology, outlining the milestone all men must pass to achieve mature masculinity
Wherever you are on your own journey, you'll see it reflected in here
19) The Wave by Todd Strasser
This fictionalization of a real social experiment tells of one teacher’s efforts to show his students why ordinary people fall prey to authoritarian movements, by starting one of his own
Read this for great insight into group/mob psychology
20) The Prince by Machiavelli
The classic text on leadership, statecraft and the delicate balance between morality and practicality
Its lessons on the nature of power and the dynamics of political maneuvering are as relevant to you today as they were for nobles 500 years ago
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