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Original poster

Books that have changed/challenged your thinking

36 replies

Twerking9to5 · 06/02/2016 20:03

Can anyone recommend a really thought provoking book? Thinking probably non fiction (although 1984 was one of the books that massively stuck with me).

Thanks!

OP posts:
Sadik · 07/02/2016 16:39

The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin - fiction, but an exploration of what an anarchist society would look like. The subtitle is 'an ambiguous utopia', and I think that's fair enough - the author says that she's not an anarchist herself, and I think that does come through, but it explores a lot of ideas about how our society works.

I've never read Starship Troopers, noblegiraffe, but I definitely will now!

Thistledew · 07/02/2016 10:05

Knowledge of Angels by Jill Paton-Walsh. It's a novel, but analyses some theological ideas in an insightful way.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee are great ones to explore justice and race.

Original poster
Twerking9to5 · 07/02/2016 09:54

These are great suggestions. Thanks!!

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 06/02/2016 20:53

Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein.

Forget the film, the director hadn't even read the book, this is a novel and political essay with discussion of moral philosophy, war, corporal and capital punishment, citizenship, voting rights, personal responsibility and so on. It's required reading for a few branches of the U.S. Military.

I'm pretty sure I disagree with a lot of it, but it makes some compelling arguments.

FuzzyFairy · 06/02/2016 20:31

Under the Skin. It explores issues of humanity, the environment, our obsession with appearances, animal rights and so much more! The movie loses a lot of these themes in translation though. So read the book first!

"Under the Skin is a 2000 novel by Michel Faber. Set in northern Scotland, it traces an extraterrestrial who, manifesting in human form, drives around the Scottish countryside picking up male hitchhikers whom she drugs and delivers to her home planet. The novel, which was Faber's debut, was shortlisted for the 2000 Whitbread Award."

LucyMouse · 06/02/2016 20:30

The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker has always stayed with me. The basic message is "always trust your instincts, and act upon them". Very thought provoking.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 06/02/2016 20:27

YY to World War Z - I really enjoyed it.

scandichick · 06/02/2016 20:26

Oh, and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley if you haven't read it!

scandichick · 06/02/2016 20:25

Depending on your taste it might be a bit out there, but World War Z (about a zombie apocalypse) was genuinely thought-provoking when mapping out how modern society would react to everything breaking down.

Original poster
Twerking9to5 · 06/02/2016 20:24

Ooh that looks fascinating Remus, thank you!

OP posts:
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 06/02/2016 20:20

This was fascinating, terrifying and thought provoking. I thought I knew quite a lot about the Second World War, but this blew my mind a bit tbh.

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