30 Books Everyone Should Read Before They Are 30

[mrbasehart]

I think it's probably more important that everybody read almost any 30 books before they're 30.  

[Tripe]

Actually, I was referring to "The Art of War" rather than Dale Carnegie.

Particularly since On War would be a better text to read.

[RobtheBarbarian]

What really gives this list a flavor of "list of things you should read to say you did" is The Origin of Species.

[Tripe]

Yeah while I'm not totally on board with some of the descriptions I think this

list of things you should read to say you did

plus

Wow. A grab-bag of "Forced on you in middle school or high school" books, a few "classics", some crap that trendy managers read to make up for a lack of actual business skills, a handful of readable work, and a smattering of pieces of "literary" tripe.

Pretty much covers the nature of the list quite well.

Most of the books on the list are pretty easy to read but really few of them are all that spectacular in the greater scheme of things.

However some books it might be worth reading divided by the three decades leading up to 30

By the time you are 10
The Velveteen Rabbit
Wind in the Willows
Watership Down
Diary of a Young Girl
The Great Brain
Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective
The Eagle of the Ninth
The Once and Future King
The Hobbit
Where the Sidewalk Ends

By the time you are 20
Notes from the Underground
Heart of Darkness
L'Etranger
The Prince
Of Mice and Men
Ariel
I Claudius
The Canterbury Tales (preferably in with a good modern English translation)
The Man in the High Castle
The Gormenghast Trilogy

By the time you are 30
A Canticle for Leibowitz
On War
Moll Flanders
A Confederacy of Dunces
Gulliver's Travels
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Go-Between
Wise Blood
The Waste Land
All Quiet on the Western Front

[AmandaGal]

Actually, I was referring to "The Art of War" rather than Dale Carnegie.

I stand corrected. Haven't read that one.

[Tripe]

It's not bad but it was really popular with arsehole manager types who believed in some sort of Zen of Business bollocks. Essentially it's another of example of the phenomena whereby if the wisdom comes from far away (or more specifically "the east"), it somehow is more worthwhile (see also "the inherent superiority of the Katana").

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Wisdom is one of the few things that appears larger when seen from a distance.
-Terry Pratchett

[bettertomorrowamy]

Is there a top 10 favorite books thread yet?  This would be the place for one if there isn't one.

[RobtheBarbarian]

It's not bad but it was really popular with arsehole manager types who believed in some sort of Zen of Business bollocks. Essentially it's another of example of the phenomena whereby if the wisdom comes from far away (or more specifically "the east"), it somehow is more worthwhile (see also "the inherent superiority of the Katana").

I don't think I could ever make you understand how much frustration and grief this phenomenon has brought me.

[Tripe]

Oh I think I probably share some of it

[AmandaGal]

I had to read some "Zen of Business" (something like that) for a class.  It was stupid.  Probably along the same lines.

[PlayMSTie]

Nine for me, and I'm three years past 30. Got some catching up to do!  It's not such a bad list, though I'd take off a few of the self-helps and add more classics. I did get Getting Things Done for Christmas, though, at my own request. I really do need something to help me get organized.

(The blogger could have eased up on the adjectives a bit. I tend to strip-mine the thesaurus myself when I'm writing reviews -- it's an occupational hazard -- but . . . wow.)

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

I had to read some "Zen of Business" (something like that) for a class.  It was stupid.  Probably along the same lines.

Well, at least that was actually a book about buisness, whereas Art of War is about, yep, war, and is still considered prime reading for various bumbling managers.

[Doc Steve]

Actually, I was referring to "The Art of War" rather than Dale Carnegie.

Particularly since On War would be a better text to read.

I finally finished von Clausewitz, but it required nearly two years of on-again/off-again effort.  It is incredibly difficult to understand if you have no grounding in Continental Idealism.  Most of his discussion of actual ground tactics is still surprisingly valid, though.

I'm still searching for a good book on 19th century tactics, particularly American Civil War tactics.  By this, I mean a detailed account of how the men actually fought (such as the practice of laying down to reload or withstand a barrage).   

[Doc Steve]

I had to read some "Zen of Business" (something like that) for a class.  It was stupid.  Probably along the same lines.

Well, at least that was actually a book about buisness, whereas Art of War is about, yep, war, and is still considered prime reading for various bumbling managers.

The Art of War isn't really applicable to business at all.  It has extended chapters on how to lay siege to a fortress, the advantages of defense in swampy terrain, etc.  Saying any of it is applicable to business is pretty far-fetched.