Well, I’m still the “rookie” in our group, having started in 5/03, and continuing to look forward to our meetings. I’m especially appreciative of the “stretching” that membership in the club has meant for me. Reading books I never would have chosen, and thinking about their effect on me has been a wonderful education, and the discussions are always interesting to me. So, I started this exercise trying to pick 5, but here’s the 12 and the categories I settled on.
First, Fiction
Cloudsplitter by Banks
Human Stain by Roth
Girl Tattoo by Steig
Man in the Basement by Mosely
Second, Finding Meaning
End of Faith by Harris
Moral Landscape by Harris
Staring at the Sun by Yalom
Third, Learning Perspectives
Lattitudes and Attitudes by Friedman
World is Flat by Friedman
World is Hot by Friedman
Varieties of Scientific Experience by Sagan
Unaccountable by Makary
Now the tough winnowing.
1. Human Stain. The great American novel for me. I’ve read all Roth’s work, and this is the best.
2. Cloudsplitter. The best of Banks that combines history, character study, religious zeal, and tragedy.
3 .End of Faith. This book and author came along as I was undergoing a sea change in my faith, and has been enormously helpful for me
4 .Staring at the Sun. An important book that helped me to consider my mortality. Yalom has been a mentor in my professional growth.
5. The World is Flat. I always feel informed by Friedman, this positive look at the future of the world is my favorite.
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