Hello! I struggled a lot in school (mostly because I knew that I'd never use the Pythagorean Theorem ever again) but I love learning and desire to be more well informed and versed in a wide array of knowledge.
I grew up in Virginia, so Early US History and Civil War are something I know a lot about. I would love to learn more about World History Pre-1607, Woman's History, Nordic Mythology, things of that sort. I also desire more objective accounts, no politically biased historical accounts or current event books.
Any suggestions even outside of this realm, maybe cultural history of certain people groups or languages are completely welcomed. Just a young guy looking to walk through life better informed. thank you!!
by Sudden_Parking
4 Comments
dude YES this is my jam! for womens history definitely check out “The Ascent of Woman” by Melvin Konner – super comprehensive and not preachy at all just solid facts. For nordic stuff you gotta start with “Norse Mythology” by Neil Gaiman its like the perfect gateway drug then move to the prose edda
also if youre into early world history “Sapiens” by Harari is mind blowing – covers everything from hunter gatherers to agriculture and really shows how we got to where we are. the writing style is super engaging too not like those dry textbooks that made you hate school
*The Jakarta method* by Vincent Bevins
*The dawn of everything* by Davids Graeber and Wengrow
**When Languages die by K. David Harrison.**
As per the linguists, majority of the language that exist today will disappear within our lifetime, and this book discusses that.
It’s a extremely well written book, where the author travels around the world, researching dying languages, why they die, speaks to people who speak these languages, etc.
There’s a language (I’m forgetting the name) that has only 2 speakers, a husband and a wife, and once they die, so will the language.
MANY such languages are spoken about. The book also discusses what people lose when a language is lost.
It’s one of the most intense, informative, and heartbreaking books that I’ve read. I even cried a few places because of how absolutely powerful some of the emotions that are expressed in this book are.
This is, hands-down, one of my most favorite non-fiction books!
The rebel by Albert Camus. It’s a philosophy essay on rebellion and revolution, and discusses rebellion in religion, history, philosophy, literature, and art. First book I read after graduating college and really helped shape my understanding of the world
Simulacra and simulation by Jean baudrillard. Postmodern philosophy essay, great for understanding the destruction of truth in the present media controlled reality
And don’t neglect fiction! Classics can teach you a lot. The sun also rises by Ernest Hemingway, the stranger by Camus, handmaids tale by Margret Atwood, crime and punishment by Dostoyevsky, the metamorphosis by Kafka