Greatest 25 Books read by each PDFer.......either fully or partially

[Juggernaut_Flat_Plane_V8]

I will start first with a possible one line comment...First I thought it would be 10 books, quickly ballooned to something like 40, cut it down to 25...less than this not possible

Before you read the detailed List, here is how my interests pan out:

Topics---------------------------------------------------Number of Books or entries in each topic
The Mechanics of Human Achievement -----------2
Pre-Buddhist Hinduism ------------------------3
History of Indian Buddhism -------------------2
Historical Evolution of Meditation -----------3
History of the Indian Subcontinent------------5
Rise and Fall of Civilizations ---------------5 **** This is what interests me the most
The Evolution of the Scientific Method -------3
Engineering of racing cars and racing Bikes --2

1) Human Accomplishment:800B.C. to 1950------------one of the two most important books I've read
2) The Global Bell Curve:Race,IQ and Inequality Worldwide--------------racial differences are real
3) The Principle Upanishads by Olivelle-------------important to know how your ancestors thought
4) Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana by Oertel--------------------------------------same as above
5) The Rig Veda by Jamison and Brereton (2014)-----------------------------------same as above
6) Greater Magadha------------------evolution of definition of "Aryavarta " in detail in this book
7) Indian Buddhism by AK Warder
8) The Origins of Buddhist Meditation------------The One book on how meditation originated in India
9) The Ideas and Meditative Practices of Early Buddhism -------------precise explanation of terms
10) Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge
11) The Historical Atlas of South Asia -----------extremely important to get a spatial feel of History
12) An Advanced History of India by R.C. Majumdar and H.C. Raychaudhuri
13) The Wonder that was India-----------good reminder that Ancient India didnot have superpowers
14) An Introduction to the study of Indian History --------miracle working holymen and prophets never existed
15) India through the Ages------------------------------a romantic colonial view of Indian History
16) The Fate of Empires and the Search for Survival by J.B. Glubb------------the 2nd most imp book
17) Muqaddimah by Ibn Khaldun-------------How nomads conquer and in turn get conquered
18) The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler-------------------outrageous but very ambitious
19) A Study of History by Alfred Toynbee------------a must in order to see civilizations as organisms
20) Uncommon Sense:The Heretical Nature of Science-----------Science is a very radical endeavour
21) Imagining the Impossible------------how children and by extension non-scientific cultures think
22) Logic of Scientific Discovery by Popper-------------a must in order to view the world rationally
23) Grand Prix Engines by Kevin Cameron------------the definitve guide to racing motorcycle engines
24) Sportbike Performance Handbook-----------Cameron tells what happens to turbo bikes in corners
25) The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by E. Gibbon------perhaps the definitive book on fall of civilizations


But of all these books if I had to choose one AND ONLY one, it has to be
"The Fate of Empires and the Search for Survival" by John Baggot Glubb "Pasha"

It is a relatively thin booklet that is written in fairly accessible language and can be finished in two hours maximum. But it has the ability to change your life or the way you see the world.....The first part of the book is widely available on the Internet but the second part is much rarer (the Search for Survival)...John Baggot Glubb's estate refuses to republish the book...But you owe it to yourself to read it once in life

Here is one link that has both the first part and the much rarer second part (the Search for Survival)...I won't say anymore to spoil it for you..Give it a try and you won't regret

http://www.physicsoflife.pl/e-books..._Fate_of_Empires_and_Search_for_Survival.html



These are the people I promised I would tag in this thread in the past..I hope they donot mind:

@Talwar e Pakistan
@Joe Shearer
@Kaptaan

 

[halupridol]

The book which actually inspired me to gather the patience to move frm comics to books.
The Toilers of the Sea.(Gilliat,my ultimate bichara,,n typical de ruchette)