Non-fiction Book recomendations ? (hard copy and audiobooks)

[raw-al]

I love audiobooks and regular books. I always have a number on the go. I want to know everything (know it all  ) before I kick the bucket. All books leave some imprint on us and are thus valuable but some are just a notch above.

So tell me your best picks with the author's name and why it's a good one and a small outline.
 
I'll prime the pump with the latest I've read;

The Greatest Show On Earth by Richard Dawkins - fascinating detailed study about why he believes evolution is a fact not a theory. Completely enjoyed it but I found his condescending attitude and inflexibility is an excellent example of why I and many people hate school teachers. I have my own conclusions regarding evolution and they are not equal to his or any he dumps on. Pisspoor title. I thought it was about circuses when I first saw it.

The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge - fascinating book on how people of different backgrounds have challenged age old beliefs on the workings, capacity and the amazing plasticity that it embodies and demonstrated solutions to age old problems with debilitating diseases and challenges. I highly recommend it

Edgar Cayce My Life as a Seer - The lost Memoirs - excellent read on one of the most genuine people this planet has been blessed with. Very staunch Christian but considering when he lived was very progressive. Compassion and love were truly his middle names.

Anything by Malcolm Gladwell - His books are required reading for everyone.

The Rock Warrior's Way by Arno Ilgner - A truly amazing book which is about rock climbing (my latest hobby) but really it's about how to be in life. It's like the Toa, a classic

Neurobiology Of We Fascinating. Last section is on the latest science on the effects meditation on the brain

Anything by Michael Pollan - books about foods and food production and evolution of food. Required reading for a RPD as it explains modern food production and alternatives. His audiobooks start out a bit slow but they are impossible to stop listening to once he gets in gear. Lots of youtun=bes on this very thoughtful man.

Occult America Everything you ever wanted to know about the rise and flourishing of the occult (guess where) Amazing history that I had no idea of. He pulls the plug on a few items and just seems to report the story not pass judgment.

[pioneer]

Creature from Jekyll Island

The Great Global Warming Swindle (DVD)

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Pottenger's Cats

The War Against Boys

Lights Out

Any book by Rudolf Steiner (these are must reads)

Forbidden Cancer Cures (DVD)

[raw-al]

Supercapitalism.
Very interesting look at how capitalism has evolved and what the author believes to be the next step.
http://www.amazon.com/Supercapitalism-Transformation-Business-Democracy-Everyday/dp/0307265617

[yon yonson]

endgame - derrick jensen
what we leave behind - derrick jensen
collapse - jared diamond

the jensen books are just eye openers if you even give a little bit of a shit about the environment or have an inkling that industrial civilization may be evil.

[yuli]

Breaking Open the Head
A Psychedelic Journey into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism
by Daniel Pinchbeck

It was interesting non-fiction stories about psychedelics, shamans and a different look on psychoactive drugs. The guy visited shamans all over the world.

[BakeyMan]

Wandering God  is a must read for raw paleo dieters.  though it has nothing to do with food.  

It's about how human consciousness has been altered over the rise of sedentary lifestyles.  With civilization came inequality, striving to some superior truth, a dulling of our senses, etc.  What Berman suggests is that constant movement gave hunter gatherer's a sense of security that modern day humans are lacking.  

Im sure eating high meat had a lot to do with it too.  

[raw-al]

Queen Noor "Leap of Faith"
A fascinating look at the Middle East through the wife of King Hussein of Jordan. She was born and raised in the US to a Swedish mother and Arab father. Her father was prominent in President Kennedy's inner circle and also one of the top people in American Airlines.

My first real look into the politics of this region. I now understand why 911 took place.

[raw-al]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Short_History_of_Progress
http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/massey-archives/2004/11/07/massey-lectures-2004-a-short-history-of-progress/

A short History of Progress by Ronald wright as presented on CBC radio Massey Lectures.

An interesting look at how us humans are programmed to go through rising and falling of civilizations and what he feels we are in for in the less than 100 years from now.

CBC I find is either very good or very bad. This is the former as opposed to their usually insipid feminist etc. whinging claptrap.

[raw-al]

The Jesus Papers Michael Baigent. A look at historical data on the times of Jesus Christ including the unlikelihood of the crucifixion, where he most likely got his education, what he was most likely really teaching according to what was present in the surrounding areas at the time (Egyptian Mystery schools). He also examines the Catholic church with their history of war-mongering, murder, power grasping, cheating, lying, hiding of truth etc etc that continues on today via the Vatican and Popes.

This author was a co-author of the book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" which follows some theories of what really happened to Jesus. This book was plagiarized by Dan Brown for "The DaVinci Code".

[The King of Currumpaw]

Discourse on the Origin of Inequality - Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Unto This Last - John Ruskin

One-Dimensional Man - Herbert Marcuse

The Gift of Death - Jacques Derrida

Straw Dogs - John Gray

[raw-al]

"Follow The Money"

Tales of corruption, greed, scams, dirty tricks, lobbying scams, you name it, during the younger Bush presidency which ultimately brought it's deserved demise.

Big pharma, big tobacco, alcohol, airlines, you name it all giving out bucks for favourable legislation to President Cheney and VP Bush.

Obviously written by a Democrat.

[raw-al]

This is the audiobook version of the book on English by Bill Bryson. An older book but fascinating and humorous.

There is ways of downloading it with a program "Wondershare free youtube downloader" for Apple computers. A quick search would probably yield a Windoze version. To put it into your ipod etc just go to the download folder.

Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FL4Io3LMw0

Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Rf8586JIE&feature=youtu.be