Dina
For me, it was Anthem by Ayn Rand (although I don't agree with her philosophy in its entirety). I read it as a freshman in high school and it gave me great perspective that carried me through my teen years. How about you? Did you find the perfect, life-altering book at the perfect time? If so, what was it and why did it have such an impact on you?
Answer
Great Question, I like how you say "perfect, life altering book at the perfect time" .
I find that I sorta go in phases where I find one book which has ideas that resonate and stay with me for a while then I find a new profound book and this has sorta happened every few years since I started reading. I don't want to give a huge laundry list of all my favorites so I will just say the most recent.
This book: WorldChanging A users guide for the 21 century http://www.worldchanging.com/book/
I started hearing about this book from many different people/contributing authors (see sources) so I pre-ordered it on amazon and expected great things but it seriously blew me away how much awesome content there was and how many truly remarkable people were involved in making this book. Reading the "selected bibliography" I found I own dozens of the books, but have also found out about so many, many, more. I love learning about new idea and cutting edge technology, this book has got plenty, but more so there are really profound and serious things to ponder as there so many things that can touch our lives without us realizing them. It has been really inspiring to read and opened my horizons and expanded world view. Also the impact has been practical as well, it has been an excellent source for information because I'm going to renovate a house and I want to do it with sustainability and cost in mind.
I have never considered myself to be some kinda environmentalist or social activist, quite the opposite, I suppose I'm very American in my views of being cynical and apathetic. Something has changed my mind, I don't think it was only this book but it played a definite part. I feel that many people are coming to the same idea in the last few years that now is not the time to be complacent, we do not have to only sit and watch as our world is shaped from the unrecognizable into the unthinkable. We do have a part in shaping this reality weather we recognize it or not.
Not that this has anything specifically to do with politics, but I will rant for a sec here to explain my point. To me it seems Un-American to sit back and say ok we will vote Bush out of office, fight over Hillary and Obama and everything will be alright then. Which I totally can't understand because Bush is leaving anyhow and that misses the whole point. I think that many people are changing not just their political views but their whole mindset, and thats is something as Americans or just decent human beings we should have done long before now. I think that this election is the tipping point so to speak for this kind of positive energy and our country and citizens to start participating not just to try to make sure we personally get a leg up but to bring try to bring all of human kind up at the same time as well. Time will tell. Our choice is almost too easy because it seems it is between having a bright green future where we actually value human life or not having a future at all. We still have to choose and just because we do so does not mean we will succeed. The hard part is always the work.
I don't want to end on a down note because I'm trying to say that I have changed my mindset because of the impact of things like this book and the lots of the people involved with it. The reason is simply because it is inspiring to read and see that such a vast number of people are doing so many wonderful things. It was the inspiration itself that made the largest impact, and has not only led me to other inspiring avenues but opportunities as well.
I'll be glad even if only one person who reads this is led to something that they find of use.
If you are not sure about this particular book or don't like reading get inspired by something else like watching videos here http://www.ted.com/talks
they are in the same spirit as the book. I would say that many of the ted talks like the worldchanging book have touched me in a very deep way and have truly had a undeniable impact on me (seriously like the crazy insane way born agains talk about jesus changing their life is how I feel about watching some ted talks).
If there was a time and book, for me it was worldchanging and 2006.
Great Question, I like how you say "perfect, life altering book at the perfect time" .
I find that I sorta go in phases where I find one book which has ideas that resonate and stay with me for a while then I find a new profound book and this has sorta happened every few years since I started reading. I don't want to give a huge laundry list of all my favorites so I will just say the most recent.
This book: WorldChanging A users guide for the 21 century http://www.worldchanging.com/book/
I started hearing about this book from many different people/contributing authors (see sources) so I pre-ordered it on amazon and expected great things but it seriously blew me away how much awesome content there was and how many truly remarkable people were involved in making this book. Reading the "selected bibliography" I found I own dozens of the books, but have also found out about so many, many, more. I love learning about new idea and cutting edge technology, this book has got plenty, but more so there are really profound and serious things to ponder as there so many things that can touch our lives without us realizing them. It has been really inspiring to read and opened my horizons and expanded world view. Also the impact has been practical as well, it has been an excellent source for information because I'm going to renovate a house and I want to do it with sustainability and cost in mind.
I have never considered myself to be some kinda environmentalist or social activist, quite the opposite, I suppose I'm very American in my views of being cynical and apathetic. Something has changed my mind, I don't think it was only this book but it played a definite part. I feel that many people are coming to the same idea in the last few years that now is not the time to be complacent, we do not have to only sit and watch as our world is shaped from the unrecognizable into the unthinkable. We do have a part in shaping this reality weather we recognize it or not.
Not that this has anything specifically to do with politics, but I will rant for a sec here to explain my point. To me it seems Un-American to sit back and say ok we will vote Bush out of office, fight over Hillary and Obama and everything will be alright then. Which I totally can't understand because Bush is leaving anyhow and that misses the whole point. I think that many people are changing not just their political views but their whole mindset, and thats is something as Americans or just decent human beings we should have done long before now. I think that this election is the tipping point so to speak for this kind of positive energy and our country and citizens to start participating not just to try to make sure we personally get a leg up but to bring try to bring all of human kind up at the same time as well. Time will tell. Our choice is almost too easy because it seems it is between having a bright green future where we actually value human life or not having a future at all. We still have to choose and just because we do so does not mean we will succeed. The hard part is always the work.
I don't want to end on a down note because I'm trying to say that I have changed my mindset because of the impact of things like this book and the lots of the people involved with it. The reason is simply because it is inspiring to read and see that such a vast number of people are doing so many wonderful things. It was the inspiration itself that made the largest impact, and has not only led me to other inspiring avenues but opportunities as well.
I'll be glad even if only one person who reads this is led to something that they find of use.
If you are not sure about this particular book or don't like reading get inspired by something else like watching videos here http://www.ted.com/talks
they are in the same spirit as the book. I would say that many of the ted talks like the worldchanging book have touched me in a very deep way and have truly had a undeniable impact on me (seriously like the crazy insane way born agains talk about jesus changing their life is how I feel about watching some ted talks).
If there was a time and book, for me it was worldchanging and 2006.
What is a great book on the different thoerys for astronomy and space?
wiizardman
im looking for a book that will explain the different theorys out there.
i need it to be advanced. i can understand the harder theories
Answer
Here is a list of books I recommend. There are many others, but it really depends on what specific topics you want to read up on. Astronomy and space is way too broad.
Goldsmith, Donald, Einsteinâs Greatest Blunder? (Harvard U.P., Cambridge, MA, 1995). All about the reintroduction of the cosmological constant.
Greene, Brian, The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory (Norton, NY, 1999). Excellent book, not easy reading. See PBS website of the television series based on the book.
Greene, Brian, The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality (Knopf, NY, 2004).
Guth, Alan H., The Inflationary Universe: The Quest for a New Theory of Cosmic Origins (Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1997). Excellent book. Would make a good text if you have a bit of science background.
Harrison, Edward R., Cosmology: The Science of the Universe, 2nd ed. (Cambridge U.P., Cambridge, 2000). Probably the best real textbook of cosmology for the nontechnical reader. It contains much history, philosophy, and wisdom.
Hawking, Stephen W., The Universe in a Nutshell (Bantam Doubleday Dell, NY, 2001).
Hawley, John F. and Katherine A. Holcomb, Foundations of Modern Cosmology (Oxford U.P., 1997). A textbook for a course such as this one. Much of this book is on-line.
Kaku, Michio, Parallel Worlds: A Journey through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos (Doubleday, Random House, 2005).
Here is a list of books I recommend. There are many others, but it really depends on what specific topics you want to read up on. Astronomy and space is way too broad.
Goldsmith, Donald, Einsteinâs Greatest Blunder? (Harvard U.P., Cambridge, MA, 1995). All about the reintroduction of the cosmological constant.
Greene, Brian, The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory (Norton, NY, 1999). Excellent book, not easy reading. See PBS website of the television series based on the book.
Greene, Brian, The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality (Knopf, NY, 2004).
Guth, Alan H., The Inflationary Universe: The Quest for a New Theory of Cosmic Origins (Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1997). Excellent book. Would make a good text if you have a bit of science background.
Harrison, Edward R., Cosmology: The Science of the Universe, 2nd ed. (Cambridge U.P., Cambridge, 2000). Probably the best real textbook of cosmology for the nontechnical reader. It contains much history, philosophy, and wisdom.
Hawking, Stephen W., The Universe in a Nutshell (Bantam Doubleday Dell, NY, 2001).
Hawley, John F. and Katherine A. Holcomb, Foundations of Modern Cosmology (Oxford U.P., 1997). A textbook for a course such as this one. Much of this book is on-line.
Kaku, Michio, Parallel Worlds: A Journey through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos (Doubleday, Random House, 2005).
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