Improve my mind!

[leebase]

Ok folks. After listening to others share what effects ebooks have on them, I've decided I aught to take more advantage of out of copyright books than I have been. I read mostly sci-fi and thrillers with the occasional history book thrown in.

What "classic" books should I read. The books need to be available in epub or mobi -- preferably the wonderful books from MR or easily obtained from Amazon. I do prefer epub though, when I have the option.

What books should a "well read" person have read? Which books will expand my mind? Which are the great histories?

Lee

[DiapDealer]

It's entirely possible that the Reading Recommendations subforum already has the answers to you all your questions.

[leebase]

I thought of that after I posted, perhaps the mods will move the thread.

Lee

[ApK]

Originally Posted by leebase

Ok folks. After listening to others share what effects ebooks have on them, I've decided I aught to take more advantage of out of copyright books than I have been. I read mostly sci-fi and thrillers with the occasional history book thrown in.

What "classic" books should I read. The books need to be available in epub or mobi -- preferably the wonderful books from MR or easily obtained from Amazon. I do prefer epub though, when I have the option.

What books should a "well read" person have read? Which books will expand my mind? Which are the great histories?

Lee

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/20-c...n-one-sitting/

[garrybuck]

I don't know how to answer the question. It's kind of like asking, "What food will blow my mind?" "What list of foods should I eat that will turn me into a foodie?"

I think it's different for everyone. It's like a buffet, if you sample a little of everything, you'll come to know what you like and don't like. If you do that a lot, your taste might evolve over time, that's kind of cool. Does that make one an expert; who cares? Just enjoy the process.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by leebase

What books should a "well read" person have read? Which books will expand my mind? Which are the great histories?

Start with the Harvard Classics:

The Harvard Classics, originally known as Dr. Eliot's Five Foot Shelf, is a 51-volume anthology of classic works from world literature, compiled and edited by Harvard University president Charles W. Eliot and first published in 1910.

Eliot had stated in speeches that the elements of a liberal education could be obtained by spending 15 minutes a day reading from a collection of books that could fit on a five-foot shelf. (Originally he had said a three-foot shelf.) The publisher P. F. Collier and Son saw an opportunity and challenged Eliot to make good on this statement by selecting an appropriate collection of works, and the Harvard Classics was the result.

[khalleron]

Well, since you already like Sci-Fi and thrillers, then perhaps you should start with some classic SciFi (Jules Verne and HG Wells), and some classic thrillers (Wilkie Collins and Mary Roberts Rinehart).

H. Rider Haggard, Alexandre Dumas and Raphael Sabatini for good adventure stories.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by khalleron

Well, since you already like Sci-Fi and thrillers, then perhaps you should start with some classic SciFi (Jules Verne and HG Wells),...

Verne is my favorite author of all-time. Wells is also a favorite.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by garrybuck

I don't know how to answer the question. It's kind of like asking, "What food will blow my mind?" "What list of foods should I eat that will turn me into a foodie?"

I think it's different for everyone. It's like a buffet, if you sample a little of everything, you'll come to know what you like and don't like. If you do that a lot, your taste might evolve over time, that's kind of cool. Does that make one an expert; who cares? Just enjoy the process.

I have read that the average taste bud lasts 2 weeks before it is replaced with a new one. Supposedly, if you want to change your diet (like, say, less salt or sugar), sticking with a steady new diet for 2 weeks is the time necessary for your tastebuds to readjust from "tastes wrong" to "tastes right".

One wonders how long the process is for genres.

[leebase]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Start with the Harvard Classics:

Fantastic, thanks.

Lee

[leebase]

Originally Posted by khalleron

Well, since you already like Sci-Fi and thrillers, then perhaps you should start with some classic SciFi (Jules Verne and HG Wells), and some classic thrillers (Wilkie Collins and Mary Roberts Rinehart).

H. Rider Haggard, Alexandre Dumas and Raphael Sabatini for good adventure stories.

Great suggestions, but I had in mind more of the intellectual. As in "read these books and you'll be more intellectual". I'm not merely looking for entertaining reading of free books.

Lee

[ApK]

Originally Posted by leebase

Great suggestions, but I had in mind more of the intellectual. As in "read these books and you'll be more intellectual". I'm not merely looking for entertaining reading of free books.

Lee

I'm pretty sure those suggestions qualify.....

[leebase]

Originally Posted by ApK

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/20-c...n-one-sitting/

Nice list. I've read many, but there are some interesting books.

Lee

[leebase]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Start with the Harvard Classics:

I see these books have been covered well on MR. I'll download them in the mobi formats they are in and convert them via Callibre.

Reading the entire works seems like a nice goal.

Lee

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by leebase

I see these books have been covered well on MR. I'll download them in the mobi formats they are in and convert them via Callibre.

Reading the entire works seems like a nice goal.

Lee

Other sources:

• Bartleby
• Internet Archive
• MobileRead
• Project Gutenberg

If you have $3500, you can get the 50 volume leather bound set from Easton Press

(MobileRead link added for the benefit of others interested)