- Brain of the Firm – Stafford Beer. The most approachable book about the self-organising nature of complex systems.
- Silence – John Cage. Music as philosophy (with lots of Zen wit).
- The Evolution of Cooperation – Robert Axelrod. How time changes relationship: a
message of hope. - The Clock of the Long Now – Stewart Brand. Why we need to think long.
- Managing the Commons – Garrett Hardin and John Baden. Structural observations
about shared resources. - A New Kind of Science – Stephen Wolfram. Controversial and exciting new approach to
the genesis of complex systems. - Grooming Gossip and the Evolution of Language – Robin Dunbar. The origins and
limits of human community. - The Mystery of Capital – Hernando de Soto. Why capitalism can’t be planted just
anywhere. - Labyrinths – Jorge Luis Borges. The ultimate “what if?” book.
- Africa: A Biography of the Continent – John Reader. The story of Africa beginning 4
million BC. - Animal Architecture – Karl von Frisch. One of the best “beauty of nature” books
academic jaw-dropper. - Contingency Irony and Solidarity – Richard Rorty. A great work of modern
pragmatism: the antidote to Derrida. - Peter the Great – Robert K. Massie. Superb biography of a giant located somewhere
between Ghengis Khan Abraham Lincoln and Joseph Stalin. - Roll Jordan Roll: The World Slaves Built – Eugene D. Genovese. The unexpected
richness and lasting importance of slave culture in America. - Folk Song Style and Culture – Alan Lomax. An extraordinary theory that singing style
is indicative of social structure by the pioneer collector of world music. - The Selfish Gene – Richard Dawkins. Even if you think you know what this is about
it’s worth reading. The atheist’s defence. - Democracy in America – Alexis de Tocqueville. He guessed at the best of it warned
of the worst of it and was right on both counts. - Guns Germs and Steel – Jared Diamond. Compelling account of the physical factors
shaping world history.
For information about any of these books visit Amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/moredarkthanshar
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