[Lamanai]

This post is really influenced by the discussion we've been having in "Lame Villians".

I mentioned that I really like a book that makes me stop and think. I'm a huge fan of philosophy non-fiction, and I enjoy studying different religions.

So I was hoping for some recommendations along those lines. Books that have some kind of theme that's really worthy of contemplation. Books that make me stop every chapter and spend a while just thinking about what was contained therein.

My recommendations along those lines.

The Divine Comedy -- Dante
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Chronicles of Narnia -- Lewis
Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass -- Carroll
Cryptonomicon (Mathematical, not philosophical, but still made me think) -- Stephenson
Republic -- Plato
Utopia -- Moore
Pilgrim's Progress -- Bunyan
Canterbury Tales -- Chaucer
1984 -- Orwell
Brave New World -- Huxley
The Final Question -- Asimov

[jiels]

hmmm, here are some I think fit.

Paradise Lost - Milton (Dante but not Milton?! Surely that's a mistake http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif)

Dune - Herbert

Speaker For the Dead - Card

Phantasies - MacDonald

A Christmas Carol - Dickens

The Dragon and The Unicorn - Attanasio (the prose can use some work, imo, but good ideas)

Small Gods - Pratchett

Frankenstein - Shelley

The Grand Inquisitor - Dostoevsky

Animal Farm - Orwell (this reminds me of the Wild Cards series and the Watchmen for some reason http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif)

Perhaps I will think of a few more later.

[Lamanai]

You're right. I definitely should have included Milton.

You've definitely got the right idea. Those are the books I'm looking for. I've read all of them except "Phantasies". Could you elaborate a bit on that one? I don't want spoilers. Just want some feeling for what the book is.

[ookey]

The Art of Zen and Motorcycle Maintenace
The World According to Garp - John Irving
Good Omens - Pratchett and Gaiman

I'll second jiels on Animal Farm, great book.

I was trying to think of the book where the children crash on that island. With Piggy, Simon, oh, I can't remember right now, but it's a good one too.

[Lamanai]

I'm always the nit-picker...

It's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Pirsig. An excellent choice. Truly a quality book.

Also, I think the book you're looking for is "Lord of the Flies".

[jiels]

The book your thinking of (Ookey) is
Lord of the Flies - Golding ( I think, it's been awhile)

And here is what the dust jacket of Phantasies says: "This was Phantasies, the thrilling story of the narrator's adventures in fairyland, where he confronts tree-spirits, sojourns to the palace of the fairy queen, and searches for the spirit of the Earth. One of MacDonald's most important works, Phantasies so overwhelmed C.S. Lewis that soon after he began reading it he knew he "had crossed a great frontier.""

It's been a while since I have read it, but lot's of ideas and thoughts presented in a fairytale format. I found it hard to read but that was 10 years or so ago.

And two more then I would like to add I think is:
The Screwtape Letters - Lewis

On Liberty - Mill

[ookey]

Yes, that's it. I wrote several papers on it but couldn't think of it, thanks.

[Llama]

Just a comment; I believe the title of the MacDonald book is PHANTASTES, not Phantasies. At least I've never seen it spelled the latter way.

[jiels]

Llama, your right. It's Phantastes. I was so concerned about copying it right that I mucked up the spelling. Whoops, sorry everyone. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Bond]

Maybe not philosophy but try

Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift
Don Quixote - Miguel de Cervantes
Elric of Melniboné - Michael Moorcock
Foundation series - Isaac Asimov
Thinking as a Hobby - William Golding
The Goldbug Variations - Richard Powers
Guns, Germs, and Steel - Jared Diamond