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We have probably all, at one point or another, come across popularised lists of the greatest or most important books ever written, but most such lists are rather flat, in my view. These lists, for example, are certainly interesting and have many classics on them, but they are rather "obvious" lists, in my opinion.
I’ve noticed a great deal of eclecticism here, which is why I am soliciting Barbelith members to compile their own lists of the greatest books ever written. Cyberpunk or romance novels, Aleister Crowley or Ann Coulter, Plato or William Burroughs...whatever. The list doesn’t have to have a minimum or maximum number of entries, or be in any sort of order. All I want to know is: what books do you think are the most important books ever written, and why? What are the books that have affected you greatly, affected the world greatly, and/or should be read more widely so that they can affect the world greatly?
No lengthy reviews are required (though I, for one, would certainly welcome supplementary information). Just some consideration of your choices would be appreciated, and a few words about each title or author if you have the time and inclination.
I haven’t read that much, myself (which is partly why I am asking for such lists in the first place), but I shall start by mentioning a book that is "alternative" even within the alternative political sub-genre that is John F. Kennedy assassination literature: Final Judgment, by Michael Collins Piper.
This book is, in my view, one of the most informative books on conspirational politics ever written, and probably one of the single best volumes on the Kennedy assassination. In it the author makes the case that rogue Israeli government elements were in some way responsible for the assassination of JFK, along with their allies in the Mafia and CIA. His case is not airtight, but few conspiracy theories are. What he does do convincingly is collate massive amounts of detrimental data and suggestive evidence on Israel, and much more besides. This book is almost a primer on recent global political history, since it encompasses much more than just the assassination of JFK. Vietnam, Watergate, Communist China, Iran, George H. W. Bush, Neo-Nazis...there is a lot of diverse material in this book, in addition to the normal breadth of material that one would expect to find in a book on this subject. Many conspiracies, forgotten histories, and questionable facts are discussed here. I cannot categorically say that Piper is correct about everything, for I have not yet had the time to reference-check everything, but I am aware from other researches that many of his assertions are not impossible, or even improbable. Both book and author are quite controversial, and it is almost worth reading the book on that basis alone, but I think that most who read this will come away with a new perspective on the secret and illegal political machinations that form the undercurrents of visible democracy, and will also desire to learn more, which is important even if one questions Piper’s assertions.
Incidentally, if you’re interested in obtaining a copy of the book, try to get the most recent sixth edition, since it is the most up-to-date; some of the earliest editions have much less data.
A detailed review of the book
The press release for the Sixth Edition (PDF format)
Anyone else read or heard about this book? |
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