100 Must-Read Books: The Essential Man’s Library
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May 14, 2008
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Written by: Jason Lankow, Ross Crooks, Joshua Ritchie, and Brett McKay
Photo by the nonist
There are the books you read, and then there are the books that change your life. We can all look back on the books that have shaped our perspective on politics, religion, money, and love. Some will even become a source of inspiration for the rest of your life. From a seemingly infinite list of books of anecdotal or literal merit, we have narrowed down the top 100 books that have shaped the lives of individual men while also helping define broader cultural ideas of what it means to be a man.
Whether it be a book on adventure, war, or manners, there is so much to learn about life’s great questions from these gems. Let us know in the comments which of these you loved, hated, and the books that meant a lot to you and should have made the list (you can even get really indignant about your favorite book). And without further ado, this is our list.
Amazon Listmania: The Essential Man’s Library Part I
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Set on the East Coast in the roaring 20’s, this American novel is a classic. From it we learn that often the wanting of something is better than actually having it. It is relevant to every man’s life. Furthermore, one true friend is worth infinitely more than a multitude of acquaintances.
“He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles… It faced–or seemed to face–the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor.”
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
Considered by most to be the authoritative text on statesmanship and power (how to obtain it as well as an illustration of its trappings), although certainly a shrewd one.
From this arises an argument: whether it is better to be loved than feared. I reply that one should like to be both one and the other; but since it is difficult to join them together, it is much safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking.
Essentially, Machiavelli advocates letting your people have their property and women, but making sure that they know what you are capable of doing if they step out of line.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Through the beloved Billy Pilgrim, we see the central themes of Vonnegut’s humanism along with his satirical take on how disgusting it is when humans don’t use their (limited) free will to prevent simple atrocities. A great example of how we use humor to deal with hardship, and the conflict between the way heroism is conveyed through stories for actions in situations that perhaps could have been avoided altogether.
“So then I understood. It was war that made her so angry. She didn’t want her babies or anybody else’s babies killed in wars. And she thought wars were partly encouraged by books and movies.”
1984 by George Orwell
If you are already worried about the information that your computer is collecting from you, re-read this one and you will feel much better! Or, perhaps, you will throw your computer in a river. This is the classic text for the will of the individual to maintain his privacy and free will, and how easy it is at the end of it all to just try to blend in and go with the flow to avoid making things even worse by speaking out.
“But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.”
The Republic by Plato
Since every man can use a fair portion of philosophy in his literary diet, the origin of legitimate western thought might be a good place to start. Plato’s most well known work breaks down topics of which you should have a fundamental understanding such as government, justice, and political theory.
Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The final work of Dostoevsky (commonly accepted English spelling of the name) has a lot of meat to chew on…it strikes at the core of who we are and what drives us. Ultimately, for all of our strength and wisdom as individuals, we are often frustrated by our failures to do what we know we must do (or at least think we should do) and need the power of forgiveness in our lives. Many important thinkers consider this to be one of (if not the most) important masterpiece of literature, including Sigmund Freud and Franz Kafka (who did not think quite alike, to say the least).
“So long as man remains free he strives for nothing so incessantly and so painfully as to find some one to worship.”
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Holden Caufield, if nothing else, should serve as a point of reference for the angst and cynicism that you perhaps once had, or ideally never had. If you thought like him when you were 16 or 17 years old, you are forgiven. If you still identify with him, you need to find some more joy, somehow…fake it ’til you make it. Do something.
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
The fundamental work on free market policies: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.” Want an education in economics? This book is a great start. (Pictured is the copy that belonged to John Adams).
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
Set in the Spanish Civil War, this novel explores who man becomes when faced with the prospect of his own death. It is worthwhile for all of us to consider what we would give our lives for, as this defines what and who we truly love. This is one of the great examples of how war has shaped men, past and present, and has in part defined the image of a true hero who is courageous even when it has brutal consequences.
“You learned the dry-mouthed, fear-purged purging ecstasy of battle and you fought that summer and that fall for all the poor in the world against all tyranny, for all the things you believed in and for the new world you had been educated into.”
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Arguably the best work from the ever-quotable Wilde, this novel is a guide for how to live a life of pure decadence. Packed with impeccable wit, clever one-liners and an excessive amount of egotistical vanity. At the very least, this book will show you the glory and the pitfalls of being the best looking chap around.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
One of the most controversial books of its time, the Joads are “Okies” who head west to the fertile valleys of California during the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s. Because of the social solutions that the book proposed, and its depiction of work camp conditions, some groups attacked the novel as communist propaganda. However, it was widely read as a result of the national attention, and is a classic example of a man doing what he had to do for his family and persevering through all plights and conditions.
“Fear the time when the strikes stop while the great owners live - for every little beaten strike is proof that the step is being taken…fear the time when Manself will not suffer and die for a concept, for this one quality is the foundation of Manself, and this one quality is man, distinctive in the universe.”
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
With a revolutionary and controversial view of the future, Huxley’s satiric take on the “utopia” of tomorrow has provoked reader’s thoughts for decades. Depictions of genetically enhanced embryos predisposed to a specific social class cast warning signs for technological interference with human life.
How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie
This is not a Dr. Phil self-help book. Citing intimate examples from the likes of Rockefeller, Charles Schwab and FDR, this comprehensive guide is all about how to get ahead in business, relationships and life. Read one chapter a day for the rest of your life. It will make you a far better man than you would ever be without it.
Call of the Wild by Jack London
The tale of a domesticated dog forced to adapt to a life of work in Alaska during the Yukon gold rush. Most of us can recall rooting for Buck in the ferocious battle to be the leader of the pack. Make sure that you embrace the benefits of competition to push yourself to become better in your work, but do it without biting and/or killing co-workers.
“…men, groping in the Arctic darkness, had found a yellow metal…These men wanted dogs, and the dogs they wanted were heavy dogs, with strong muscles by which to toil, and furry coats to protect them from the frost.”
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt shows what made Theodore Roosevelt the great man he was. Reading this book will inspire you to get off the couch and start moving in your life. Harvard graduate, New York Assemblyman, rancher, historian, author of several books, New York City Police Commissioner, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Governor of New York, and commanding officer of the Rough Riders are all titles that TR had before he became president at 42.
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
Every boy can stand to learn a bit of old fashioned resourcefulness from their pops. Finding yourself on a deserted island is surely the way to learn these skills in a hurry. Tree forts, treasure hunting, and constant adventure mark the Swiss Family’s 10 year run. Lesson number one? Shipwrecks make for some good literature.
Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac
An idealistic vision from the man who fueled the Beat Generation, a life on the road without concern for wealth or even stability, rather an enjoyment of surroundings, whatever they may be. This is a great book for reminding us to get away from technology, at least for a day, to appreciate nature and some of the more simple pleasures of life. Don’t feel inferior to the beatniks if you still like driving your car…don’t ever let hipsters give you guilt trips.
“I felt like lying down by the side of the trail and remembering it all. The woods do that to you, they always look familiar, long lost, like the face of a long-dead relative, like an old dream…”
The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer
(2 for 1 special) Though the authorship is disputed, the place of these two epics in the man canon is not. Roughly based around the events of the Trojan War, these poems are likely a great collection of common Greek folklore surrounding the events in those days of fierce political turmoil. It is rumored that there were 10 epics in all, and 8 were lost over time. This may be a blessing in disguise, because, if they were around, you would never get to the rest of this list.
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
The logic here is simple: any book which has the influence to have coined terminology commonly used in our society for decades on end should be perused based solely on principle. Nothing is worse than a man being caught using language of which he is unfamiliar with its proper meaning or origin. Also, it is a great book.
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
A bit of isolation never hurt any man. Thoreau spent two years, two months and two days writing this book in Walden, a cabin tucked deep in the woods near Concord, Massachusetts. This work of non-fiction describes the changing of the seasons over the course of a year and was intended to give the author an escape from society in order to achieve a more objective point of view. A real man would take this sabbatical himself, but the book should suffice for those of you who are employed.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Primal instincts. With only the most basic of needs to consider, human nature takes a different approach. A fictional study of the struggle for power and the unspeakable things that man (or child) will do when taken outside the order of civilization.
The Master and Margarita by by Mikhail Bulgakov
There is nothing more manly than a bout with the Devil. An entertaining commentary on the atheistic social bureaucracy in Moscow in the 1930’s wherein Lucifer himself pays the town a visit to make light of their skepticism regarding the spiritual realm.
“As a result he decided to abandon the main thoroughfares and make his way through the side streets and back alleys where people were less nosy, and there was less chance that a barefoot man would be pestered about long johns that stubbornly refused to look like trousers.”
Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut
Written as the autobiography of Rabo Karabekian, of course with Vonnegut’s own war experiences drawn upon as inspiration to the aging artist who narrates his own story. It is a hilarious take on abstract art, and takes jabs at both the inflated self-importance of the artist and the people who simply refuse to look beneath the surface.
“My soul knows my meat is doing bad things, and is embarrassed. But my meat just keeps right on doing bad, dumb things.”
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Exploring the “virtue” of living for ourselves, this monster of a book (1,084 pages in my version) is certainly worth plowing through as it is simply a great story. The fundamental concept is that our world falls apart when individuals stop seeking their own satisfaction through personal achievement and feel a sense of entitlement to the accomplishments and work of others. This book challenges us on many levels…you may find it conflicting with your value of other people, her treatment of God, or any other beliefs you already hold. Yet, who can argue with “The most depraved type of human being … (is) the man without a purpose.”
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Photo by Celeste
As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.
None of us want this to happen. Well, most of us don’t. Kafka employed terms from law and politics, and was always concerned about some vague, oppressive bureaucracy that sought his ruin, though seeming cool and detached. We can take something from the very approach of Kafka to his work and find a balance between reading too much meaning into an event and, on the contrary, caring too little and being completely disillusioned.
Great books … Remarcable
I’ve seen a little error
“The Catcher in the Rye” not “The Catcher and the Rye”
This is pure awesomeness, guys! Off to the library see you in a few weeks
This will give me something to do for the next…few years…I like the list. I have read about a dozen of those, but I look forward to reading the rest
Very well-done list- every time I thought of a new one, I’d see it on the next page. I might be female, but you’ve sure given me some great summer reading suggestions. Great job!
You have 4 books on Teddy Roosevelt, but have neglected to include The Fountainhead? Come On! I understand Teddy is a great man, and this site has a cery high opinion of him, but the Fountainhead is an incredible book that teaches a man to stand for what he knows is true, no matter the opposition. It may have been written by a woman, but she showed the world what makes up true manhood.
I would also like to give a runner-up prize to “The Sea Wolf” by Jack London. The transformation to a self-realized man is a voyage we should all take.
Much like when I go to a record store and forget what I went in there for in the first place, when summer rolls around, I try and make it a point to read books I’ve always meant to read but never got around to only to forget which books those are.
I will be coming back to this page for the remainder of the summer. Thank you very much.
Bravo….this is a great list indeed. I will be referring back to this list for some time as I read through this list of great works. Sadly the only book I have read in its entirety that is on this list is “Moby Dick” I have read a good portion of the “Holy Bible” as well. Now I need to go to the library
Great list. Your readers might also like to reference the Harvard Classics “Shelf of Fiction,” which they can peruse online: http://www.bartleby.com/hc/
Sorry, but no list of Essential Man Books should ever include anything by Rand or especially Vonnegutt.
I remember an old Yale Daily News item on students’ favorite authors that included the line “a few, apparently under the impression they were still in high school, named Kurt Vonnegut.�
Vonnegut is an anti-American, terrorism apologist.
Excellent list, men. To ensure that these actually get read, I’d encourage your readers to develop a reading plan. Pick a few titles each month and you could easily get through the list in two years. This is how I’m planning to read 50 books in the next year:
http://michaelgowin.com/blog/50-books-project/
Great list! I’m particularly pleased that you included “The Hatchet,” one of my childhood favorites that I hadn’t thought about in years.
Also, The Bible. I think a great book for young men specifically inside the Bible is Proverbs. Filled with some incredible wisdom and advice for everyday living. I have been reading one per day for the past several years and still find something new to chew on each time I sit down.
This is up there in the Top 5 Blog Posts I’ve ever read. Excellent work!
Scanning the list at first, I had fond memories of the books on the list I’ve read, and was motivated to pick up a few more on the list that I haven’t.
I agree with Cameron - the obviously missing text is the Bible. (Heck, it even literally means “Book”.) But I’ll add to his Proverbs suggestion… Sirach is the book for men.
This a good list. However, it’s pitiful that there is only one book by a Black author. (Alex Haley/Malcolm X)
These are classics, powerful books that deserve to be in this list.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Native Son by Richard Wright
The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon
The Souls of Black Folk by WEB Dubois
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.
Some additions:
“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens
“The Lord of the Rings” by J. R. R. Tolkien
“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupéry
“The Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis
“The Chronicles of Narnia” by C. S. Lewis
“Mutiny on the Bounty” by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall
The various Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Arthur Conan Doyle
Interesting list…so real thought provoking stuff…..
But….
No Byron?
No “Proverbs of Heaven & Hell by Blake”
No Last of the Mohicans?
Some glaring omissions…but perhaps this might lead to a recommended classic book of the month as a feature?
What do you think?
Rita Hayworth & the Shawshank Redemption (Stephen King)
Brilliant list, want to go buy a lot of these books now, but I would say the the inclusion of Moby Dick is faulty. It is one of the worst books I have ever read… ever. But overall, great list.
Awesome list! Posted and shared it with friends.
Some additions:
- Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
- The lord of the rings books. I know that you have the Hobbit on there, but I liked the other ones better
- Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
- Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegutt
If you guys could create an Amazon list it would be great to keep track.
@Robbie Cooper: Even if I had never read anything by the authors you mentioned, just your simple fascist comment should be enough to prompt me to devour their work. First, anti-american and supporting terrorism are two concepts so far apart that you can’t see one from the other, 2nd, since when is different oppinion than yours a crime or a ban-able offense (you say they shouldnt be included)?.
And one other thing, stop making the stupid assumption that the internet is only for americans and by americans - you’re not even the majority of internet users anymore. And anti-american is one group I’m proud to stand with, since it’s been a long long time being “pro-american” has meant anything good.
Thank you for your time,
CC
“Hate and Loathing in Las Vegas”
“Atlas Shrugged” is in fact a great book, but the Bible should be the first one recommended in this list as several of the other commenters mentioned. I would recommend the book of Proverbs, but also the books of Ezekiel. You will find that chapters 38 and 39 are cooking to become a reality.
Many blessings,
Art Gonzalez
Check my Squidoo Lens at: Quantum Knights
You forgot Gulliver’s Travels!!!!!
A must read
Wow, you took like every book I hate and put it in a list. Catch-22, Catcher In The Rye, The Grapes of Wrath, The Great Gatsby…that’s hilarious.
I agree with a lot of your choices here, and would also recommend To Kill a Mockingbird. Great book. I am definitely going to get the ones you listed that I haven’t read yet
I have read about 22 of these books. 2 books need on here that arent. And they are The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Johnny Got His Gun.
this is a really great list though!
Nice work!
An interesting list!
However, Thoreau did NOT spend his years at the pond writing “Walden” (a common misconception). He was actually writing his first book, “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”.
“Walden” was written a few years later.
Great list, though I agree with some of the others about ones that were left off. That said, it’s only a list of the 100 ‘manliest’ - not the 100 best, so that makes for a serious difference.
In any case, I’ve compiled the list into a .pdf document (because I have that kind of time) that may help others. You can download it here.
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guan Zhong is also a book read by many all around the world. A hard read but still a very good book.
“the jungle” by upton sinclair
“ficciones” by jorge luis borges
“100 years of solitude” by gabriel garcia marquez
“les miserables” by victor hugo
Oops, sorry, thought I had gone through the whole list when I recommended To Kill a Mockingbird, but I missed seeing you had already listed it!
@Gene;
It’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, not Hate and Loathing in Las Vegas
@Robbie Cooper;
As Concerned Citizen already said to you, accusing a writer of being anti-American for whole the world to read is just stupid. nobody cares about these things, other posters just made comments that were worth reading in addition to this list, or were useful for the author, who by the way have done a nice job. Also being anti-American does not make you or anybody a better or worse writer, so please keep it down and let people enjoy reading the list and comments please.
@ author;
Great list as i have already said. Some additions might be Perfume by Patrick Suskind (1989) for general reading. The Meaning of Hitler by Sebastian Haffner (1969) due to the increase of neo-nazism in many countries, whilst most people don’t even knew who Hitler was beside a dictator and mass murder. It’s an easy to read 200 page analysis of Hitler (Not a biography).
I’m currently reading Catcher in the rye and find it very amusing. People who also liked it might wanna read Ryu’s Murikami’s 69 (Get the translation by Ralph McCartny) for it has the same storytelling, but another story, country and culture.
For Whom the Bell Tolls was set in the Spanish Civil War, not the U.S. Civil War, as its entry implies.
Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom The Bell Tolls” is set in the Spanish Civil War - specifying “Civil War” is hardly specific enough and might lead many to assume you are speaking of the United States Civil War. The two conflicts could hardly be more dissimilar.
How do I get this list in a word doc or excel sheet?
The list is incomplete. No one should go through life without having read “Stranger In A Strange Land” by Robert A. Heinlein.
More than 85% the books on this list are totally unworthy, and some of the omissions are inexcusable. To leave out Dream of the Red Chamber, Shallow Soil, and so many of the truly great books is just lame. Did a 8th grader compile this?
Billy Budd by Herman Melville: When the Law is wrong
It might be helpful to have a list of links to these books on Amazon, or another place to buy these books. You could even use affiliate links to earn revenue. That way we could add the books to our Amazon wish list, instead of having to copy and paste. Maybe I’m just lazy…
there’s kind of a major problem w/ your Oddessy / Illiad entry. it’s a compendium of GREEK lore, not ROMAN. maybe if you are passing yourself of as literary critics & manly men, mistakes should be checked before posting.
Surprised that there wasn’t any Bukowski. His carefree attitude is a great example of not having to worry too much about life, and just take it as it comes and enjoy what little pleasures you might have while they last.
Some mention of Lovecraft would have been wonderful as well. No matter how big and important we are, we are actually insignificant specs of life in a massively huge universe of the unknown.
Great list - A lot of essentials yet many books I’ve never heard of - Also, I’d recommend Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (unabridged) - Hugo has a way of capturing the essence of that time and its ideas better than most I’ve read.
Cool list I might read one……or burn it
Hey Cameron Schaefer what’s up!? I’m a friend of Ryan Rayborn’s. Didn’t expect to see a comment by you here.
This list is great. It’s a shame that I’m just discovering it on the tail end of my spring reading push. Studying will take over in June.
Only complaint… no Of Mice and Men. However I do realize that East of Eden is included. Have not read past the introduction thus far, but I can’t wait! He is a fantastic writer.
With regards to A River Runs Through It, it’s the Blackfoot River, not the Black. The Milltown Dam that flooded the cataracts described in the book has been removed. The river runs free for the first time in almost a hundred years.
there’s kind of a major problem w/ your Oddessy / Illiad entry. it’s a compendium of GREEK lore, not ROMAN. maybe if you are passing yourself of as literary critics & manly men, mistakes should be checked before posting”
Yes, that’s the funny part, it seems that he (definitely a male) hasn’t even read them. Oprah’s list are barely worse than this.
For Whom the Bell Tolls was set in the SPANISH civil war … otherwise good list.
Seriously if The Count of Monte Cristo is not on here then I just cant give this list the A+ it deserves …
COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO< READ THE ORIGINAL BY ALEXANDRE DUMAS !
Vonnegut is a humanist. Not a terrorist apologist.
If we all had been able to write our favorites, this list would have been in the thousands. Narrowing it down to 100 (manly books) was the difficult part, and many of you have written some books that just barely missed the list.
Glad most of you enjoyed the list.
@All-Thanks for the corrections. We’re not literary critics or experts, just some guys who enjoyed these books. With 100 entries, there’s going to be some mistakes. We’ll make the changes.
I hate to be another one of those guys that lists off more books for you to include, but I’m going to. First and foremost, great list. My additions are no to replace any of these, but to add to them. Second, Jason and Ross are girls themselves, and should not have been allowed to contribute to this list. Here are my additions:
The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
Endurance - Alfred Lansing
Survival In Auschwitx - Primo Levi
Emotional Intelligence - Daniel Coleman
The Raven - Edgar Allen Poe
Solid list, but maybe a bit more international representation?
Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombian) — One Hundred Years of Solitude, Chronicle of a Death Foretold
Milan Kundera (Czech) — The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Immortality
Graham Greene (British) — The Comedians, The End of the Affair
Chinua Achebe (Nigerian) — Things Fall Apart
Pablo Neruda (Chilean) — Heights of Macchu Picchu, The Captain’s Verses
Arundhati Roy (Indian) — The God of Small Things
…and a few other worthwhile reads…
Walt Whitman — Leaves of Grass
R.W. Emerson — Nature
Robert Penn Wilson — Spin
Isaac Asimov — Foundation Series
Tao de Ching — Lao Tzu
The Diamond Sutra — Siddhartha Guatama
“Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig” This is a horible book. A decent list before this.
I would have included these books: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce and Demian by Hermann Hesse; otherwise a great list.
One word …. Bukowski
Also…The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
Krakauer’s first name is spelled Jon in one place, John in another.
It’s “Jon.”
How about Henry Miller? In one of the books, Tropic of Cancer, or Sexus, Nexus, (I’ve forgotten) he describes a penis as a lead bar with wings. Common, that’s manly.
Real men read Jane Austen
What about the Aubrey Maturin series by Patrick O’brian? Or even 2 years before the mast. The very first book about life on the California coast in 1835?
I love the list and have read most of them. My only issue is why is there not a single mention of Upton Sinclair? The Jungle and Oil! in my opinion are essential for the growth and development of any man, and are perfect lessons in man’s dark side.
wot, no Burroughs? - Surely “Naked Lunch” or perhaps “Junkie”
J.G. Ballard’s “Crash”
and as mentioned previously, how about Hunter S. Thompson? “Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail” or “Hells Angels” more than “…Las Vegas” in my opinion.
‘heart of darkness’ joseph conrad
Atlas Shrugged is a great book IN SPITE of Ayn Rand’s horrible writing skills.
It would be far more popular if she utilized the services of an actual editor. He would have chopped a good 20% of crap out of it that includes mindless banter (alongside very meaningful discussions), unrealistic romance tangeants and the FAR too detailed look into everyone’s mind.
Notably absent from this list is Starship Troopers.
A cracking list indeed- some belting reads!
I’d have included:
The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham.
Gives a level headed way of dealing with finances, very appropriate given current financial climates.
Hey, great list. I would add “Cryptonomicon” by Neal Stephenson as the 101st, along with just about any of his other works, each of which will give you some nugget of understanding about how the world really works, and are otherwise entertaining and funny. To tackle one of the shorter ones, try “Cobweb”.
Wow! what a great list.. As a compulsive collector of things, I now have a mission to collect each of these books and read them. Thanks for giving me a new hobby (as if I needed a new one). Keep up the great work!
p.s., I don’t fault your list at all, unlike many posters here who chastise you for having forgotten their one favorite. That’s what comments are for, people.
Including a book by P.G.Wodehouse, e.g. ‘Jeeves’ or ‘Mr. Mulliner’ will make the collection complete.
ROBBIE COOPER got his little pecker stepped on.
Wonderful list, I would also recommend A Prayer for Owen Meany as a great read for any guy.
Hmmm… not bad, despite a very clearly American list (nothing wrong with that, ’specially if the audience is American)… I’d also add my vote for “100 Years of Solitude”. An epic, if there ever was one.
What a wonderful blog, and excellent list.
Many of these books have been significant in my life. Atlas Shrugged particularly opened my mind at a very formative period in my late teens.
Peace,
Alec
Pretty nice list. Though I was surprised at the inclusion of multiple books by Steinbeck, Hemingway, and even a McCarthy - but no Faulkner?
Also: you’ve got some great pictures of the books here. How’d you go about collecting those?
“The Virginian”
How about Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States”? I thought I’d see that one for certain.
Oh…and no Charles Bukowski? You certainly wouldn’t find him on a Must-Read list for women…
This is a great list…for women too
Oh and this…tj on May 14th, 2008 11:19 am Oh…and no Charles Bukowski? You certainly wouldn’t find him on a Must-Read list for women…
I like him and I am a girl.
four roosevelts, was the necessary? also, two vonneguts and not a single pynchon… I would have liked to see gravity’s rainbow on the list
Great list, although I personally don’t think that the Bible belongs in it. We should put this medieval belief in “gods” behind us and focus on things that actually exist and are important.
I would think to include the following:
Where the red fern grows
The crossing
Fear and loathing in las vegas
I would have added Aesop’s fables, but overall this is one of the best reading lists I’ve ever seen. I’ve read a bit less than a quarter, but I’m planning on reading most eventually.
There are a lot of solid books on this list, but way too much in the way of Teddy Roosevelt and Steinbeck. I was happy to see Dashiell Hammett and Edgar Rice Burroughs. However, I am surprised that writers like Robert E Howard, HP Lovecraft and Philip K Dick aren’t on here.
Lovecraft’s work reminds us we’re absolutely insignificant in the truest sense of the word. Dick’s reminds us to keep our eyes open so that we don’t forget about the wonders around or or lose ourselves in the noise. Howard’s Conan stories tell us that absolutely no one is in control of us but ourselves.
And despite what some people might say, being a man isn’t ALL about liking old stuff. The civil war is great and all, but again, too much reliance on a particular subject.
Instead of the bible, I might’ve put Takuan Soho’s The Unfettered Mind or even Yoshikawa Eiji’s Musashi on here. Musashi especially as it walks us through the life of one of the most famous swordsmen in history and his growth from a young punk into an iron pillar of a man, absolutely open but without a sign of weakness.
@ A
I love women who read Bukowski.
Buk took poetry to the places where poetry was never welcome. Poor houses, streets, bars. The stock rooms of shitty jobs.
I’ve always argued his case on the sexism issue. I don’t think he was so terrible towards women. He just wrote about the people in his life, which included some awful women (and he probably describe them accurately). In many moments, he was capable of incredible bouts of love poetry.
Speaking of which…no ee cummings.
Great post. Lots of good comments thus far. The only thing I’d add is that there’s a little too much Steinbeck. As Robert Gottlieb, writing in the New York Review of Books, recently put it, “The extraordinary thing about John Steinbeck is how good he can be when so much of the time he’s so bad.” (See http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21264 for the full article — it’s well worth reading.) Hence a suggestion: replace the Steinbeck with books readers have suggested above.
Damn, whoever compiled this list sure was hung up on Teddy Roosevelt.
Heh. I was almost to the end of the list, and starting to hold out faint hope that you wouldn’t pander to the Christian screamers by putting the Bible on it, when there on the last page … bang, you had to do it. There would be shrieks up to the sky if you didn’t include it, wouldn’t there? Wussies. Wading through the Bible, for a non-Christian, is excruciating. How about a few more books on science and reason instead? How about Charles Darwin’s “The Origin of Species”? Steven Pinker’s “How the Mind Works.” Or even Tom Paine’s “The Age of Reason.”
(Oh, reading the preceding comments, I see the Christian screamers have chastised you for not putting the Bible FIRST. Gawd, how typical.)
Just a question too: Have any of you READ Huck Finn lately? It might be the first great American novel, but it just isn’t that good. Twain’s one of my heroes, but this book is written like Twain lost interest in it about 3/4 of the way through, and then just hurried to finish. I’d recommend his “Innocents Abroad” as more readable.
I’d probably include a good-sized dictionary on my Top 100 list, and — these days — maybe something on grammar and punctuation.
Considering this list is probably aimed at stupid Americans (I’m one of them), why not something on how to win the lottery, or a book or two on having the perfect orgasm? And where’s The Britney Spears Story???
And what about:
Sinclair Lewis’ “The Jungle”?
Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451″?
Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land”?
Wilson Rawls’ “Where the Red Fern Grows”?
Nathaniel Branden’s “The Psychology of Self Esteem”?
And just my opinion, I don’t think you can be a properly-grounded macho guy without reading Dr. Suess’ “Fox in Socks.” Out loud, to kids.
@S3An3Rs I agree. Count of Monte Cristo should have been on the list.
Dugg for ZMM and The Art of War.
good work. id like to see fear and loathing in Las Vegas and The Stand up there- good manly reads.
Shashank-Monte Cristo is on the list.
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
@Brett… you are right. My bad.. after reading thru all the books I thought I did not see Monte Cristo on the list. =))
Great list, but it could include a couple of American authors that weren’t listed. Wallace Stegner - Angle of Repose and Edward Abbey - Monkey wrench gang.
The Plague by Albert Camus is also a great read.
Looks like I need to update my list on Amazon.
Interesting.
The real gaping hole in your list is your inclusion of The Prince, by Machiavelli.
You should replace it with the Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, possibly the greatest swordsman who ever lived.
Why?
Because, if you look at the world these days, it is OBVIOUS that Machiavellian statecraft and behavior lead to;
COWARDICE.
That is not a thing for a real man. Use and abuse of power in the way of Machiavelli is for cowards who would rather others fight their battles for them. The “higher” you get in our so-called civilized society, the more you will find people who never took a punch, never bled for their work - well, never blood anyway, but maybe they bled away their humanity. It’s foolish to look for “role-models” in high places when the greatest people you will find are right next to you. Machiavelli is for those who are truly lost and starving. Just like Ayn Rand’s materialism.
Why does a capable and self-reliant man need power over others? Why does he need control over others if he is so great? The greatest leaders have been followed by people who joined them of their own free will, without coercion.
If you have to use power to keep people in line, you are weak, as weak as those who need money to feel successful, and no matter how nice you make it look, you live in one hell of a gutter.
another vote for: Heart of Darkness and Stranger in a Strangeland. I would also submit Heinlen’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
Amazon link is incorrect on this page.
http://www.amazon.com/100-Must-Read-Books-The-Essential-Man-s-Library-Part-III/lm/RYEM6Q77707AX/ref=cm_lm_byauthor_title_full
Light in August, Faulkner
I must admit that I am not the heaviest book reader out there. I do read books on occasion, or whenever something is highly recommended to me.
But damn, I have to agree that there are some bad ass books listed here. Very inspiring list, maybe I might have to pick a up a couple listed here.
It would be also be a good mention to add a couple of other Religious texts, seeing as they are informational whether you are of the religion or not.
And I am a little surprised that The 48 Laws wasn’t mentioned among these titles. All in all, great list. Manly, list that is.
Bluequiz might be the most boring book Ive ever read
I would say heavy on the teddy Roosvelt I would take oout two of the teddy books and put in two biographies on the founding father fueds like Jefferson and Adams. Or Burr and Hamilton. I think that reading books like that show that all the great men in american history didn’t get along and that is important to know that there was no golden age of everyone getting along in America and polotics were always as bad as they are today. Back then the name calling was just worse.
Why so hung up on Roosevelt? And where is Heart of Darkness? Overall a great list though.
You have made a mistake in your list. Nietzsche did not found the existentialist “movement” as you call it. In addition religion and existenzialism are not an oxymoron.
Kierkegaard was the “founder” of existentialism, with his thoughts about making choises, best example for that is his “either-or”
He also was a very religious man.
So your comment regarding Nietzsche and Existentialism is wrong on many levels.
I saw a lot of good books on your list that I hadn’t read yet, but reading your list kind’ve soured my anticipation. There appear to be several plot spoilers in your descriptions of fiction books. Even if you don’t give away the ending, knowing that someone’s child dies, or that so-and-so gives up his pursuit of revenge is a huge kill-joy.
Otherwise, a lot of your picks piqued my interest. Thanks for the recommendations!
wow. great list. I’m not goin’ to touch the ignorant arguement, but I love Kurt’s work. What I found missing was Polahnuk, c’mon the author of Fight Club, man. Every one of his books are excellent and manly!!
Wow! This is like, so awesome. There are almost no female authors on this list!! What a brilliant way to expand your mind through reading - by focusing only on books written by white men! Boy, boys are smart.
A good list, like many others I have found reading material for years…if not the rest of my life. However, 4 books on Teddy is absurd. 3 of those spaces should have gone to classics mentioned by other comments.
@Crimson Praetorian,
You forgot the URL in your link…
@All,
This is an American site, thus it has an American focus. That said, I’m surprised by the complaints that this list has little international influence. While I didn’t count, it seemed to me that close to half of the books were written by non-U.S. authors.
Also, remember that this list was compiled of books that — in the authors’ (yes, plural) views — are “essential” for a man in various ways, not favorites, good reads, etc.
@Concerned Citizen,
I love how you hide behind an alias…at least Robbie Cooper wasn’t afraid when he made his inflammatory comment. Oh, and let’s bring up the fact that, based on your command of language (”americans - you’re not even the majority of internet users anymore”), you aren’t even an American, so how can you be a concerned citizen, hm? If I’d have to hazard a guess, I’d say you’re French.
What, No Fight Club? Not a singly work by Chuck Palahniuk?
I guess I should make the recommendations of Fallen Founder: The Life of Aaron Burr by Nancy Isenberg and Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. The Fallen founder is too bias but all the negative bias against Burr this is understandable. These two books together not only show conflicting lives of early politicians but also the editorial processes of history and how we can never really know what really happened.
The Decameron By Giovanni Boccaccio
Lives of the artists By Giorgio Vasari
Alice in Wonderland By Lewis Carroll
Diamonds Are Forever (James Bond Novels) By Ian Fleming
Nineteen Eighty-four By George Orwell
A Study in Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes Novels) By Arthur Conan, Sir Doyle
Night By Elie Wiesel
I disagree with Staked Plains Texan on The Prince. So long as workplaces are filled with all kinds of people, an understanding of Machiavelli is essential whether one practices its strategies or not. Real men do use their brains for more than the pickle in a bath of testosterone brine. “Cowardice”? I guess from an ivory tower overlooking the Plains of Impracticality, the word might apply.
Moreover, the greatest leaders were often forced to use coercion at times. Alexander the Great’s long march back from India would be a great example. Often these are situations caused by their own errors or egoism, but many a mutiny has been put down by a leader who most (if not all) respect when the final tally is done.
I quite like Musashi though, and it follows from the idea that the greatest books are seldom about what their setting and plot suggest. Book of Five Rings is one such book, a classic.
Ayn Rand materialistic? At least so far as Atlas Shrugged goes, I am not sure I follow. Objectivism stresses that pursuit of one’s own happiness is the highest virtue. Her protagonists - Dagny Taggart, D’Anconia, Galt, Reardon - all are wealthy, but work in inauspicious offices and are willing to work hard at dirty jobs to get there. Their accomplishments are their implacable trappings, regardless of whatever else they may be materially burdened with. The heroes were willing to foresake the world and their wealth for a greater cause. I would agree that objectivist thinking is a little off-pitch for pure reason, but “materialistic” is off-target.
Anyway, a thoughtful list.
It is a great list indeed. Only I am very surprised none of C. S. Lewis’s books made the list. For instance, The Screwtape Letters is by far a book every human should read.
Sweet list - and way to give a shout out to Christine de Pizan. She’s bad ass - I thought the only other person who knew about her was my “Gender in the Middle Ages” professor.
I can only wonder if the author has ever read “War and Peace”.
I’d add to that list Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer, one of the best books on the horrors of war. Guy was a naive French volunteer for the German army in WWII sent to the Russian front. The physical trials he (and the other ill-equipped soldiers) had to endure were massive - sleeping outside in sub-0 weather while starving and sick with diarrhea just to name one.
List of great books.. I would add “War and Peace” by Tolstoy though
Tarzan? You must be fucking kidding me. Tarzan is one of the most ridicules, racist, sexist, pieces of pulp ever published. Tarzan is in no way the model man (at least not the contemporary man) and his actions should not looked up to. He lynches a black prince and stabs him in the chest for FUN because he discovers the noose for cryin’ out loud.
so — if we are talking about 100 / must(s). … how about music?
just add what you like - and comment away…
Where the Hell’s Angels is Hunter S. Thompson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?
http://authwhore.com/2008/03/25/fear-and-loathing-on-the-campaign-trail-72-by-hunter-s-thompson/
Alexander pope’s - An essay on man
I’m happy that Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig was on the list! Life-changing! Nice work!
how about ender’s game or any enders series books by orson scott card.. i know its geared for young adults but it’s still a must read
also what about man’s search for meaning by frank e doyle?
@Mario-Check out our forum. There’s a forum topic about the best music.
Dang–I’ve read about 75% of the books on this list. Should’ve gone outside a wee bit more in my salad days…
Not a bad list, but where’s The Origins of Conciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes?
This was incredible list. Never have I seen a list that comprised some of the best writings for an up-and-coming man to read. I am just going to go down the list till I am done with all of them. I am seventeen, I have time to read them all before I… before I have to decide what to do with my life. I am going to call this list “100 Books to Manhood” I am going to start reading one of them today, The Great Gatsby.
Somtimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey
Wow, I’ve read maybe six of these. I’ll certainly read some of these others.
And what about Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy? I would personally have to say that that book carries quite a tale of manliness.
Weighing into this Kurt Vonnegut discussion — I’ve found Vonnegut’s books to be simply worthless waste of time. So why is he popular with some people?
My theory is that Vonnegut’s politics get him the accolades. For example, Slaughterhouse-Five is a pacifist’s dream novel.
If you are a far left-winger then you may like Vonnegut, but for anyone else, you’ll probably feel like I did – his plots are stupid, his characters ridiculous and his “jokes� are consistently unfunny.
I’d like to add to the list of corrections:
First, concerning The Stranger. Though Meursault may well be “the ultimate man,” it is not because he was “unable to cry at his own funeral.” While true, this particular accomplishment is also common to every other human. What you were trying to say, I think, is that he was unable to cry at his own *mother’s* funeral.
Also, Erich Maria Remarque’s name has been misprinted as ‘Remarq.’
Very Interesting. Some additions:
Julian and Myra Breckingridge by Gore Vidal
Generation X by Douglas Coupland
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
The Dispossessed by Ursala K. Le Guin
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins (also The God Delusion)
The Demon-Haunted World Carl Sagan
And Deletions:
The Bible? Pure nonsense.
Miller and Kerouac but no Burroughs or Bukowski???
The “Collected Poems of Robert Service” helped me learn to chill and be more adventurous. He’s probably most famous for his Yukon ballads, but he wrote many others. A favorite “The Bohemian” begins
Up in my garret bleak and bare
I tilted back on a broken chair,
And my three old pals are with me there,
Hunger and Thirst, and Cold;…
His poems are online free.
“But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Barack Obama.�
The Bible?
Anna Karenina?
War and Peace?
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (complete)?
The Decameron?
The Aeneid?
Other Shakespeare?
The Magic Mountain?
The Cantos of Ezra Pound?
The best list of must-reads would probably be Harold Bloom’s assessment of the literary canon.
I wish you wouldn’t reveal the endings in your descriptions, specifically in your description of “The Pearl” by Steinbeck. It ruins the inclusion of a specific book, for the drama of reading the ending of a book with one’s own eyes plays a great part in the realization of the theme and its significance.
A better choice than a number of the books on your list would be the biography of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the hero of Gettysburg. The story of his early life as a boy being educated in Maine is particulary instructive, as is his strong moral character during the war and after.
“written during the ’20s” — there, fixed that for you. In reading all 100 of these books you seem to have missed the proper use of punctuation in dates.
“The Bible? Pure nonsense.”
I think this comes from someone who never took the time to actually read the Bible.
Maybe that person should consider that not only is the Bible one of the largest influences of modern society and a great historical read, but also contains some wonderful poetry.
Not bad, but definately american oriented. Four books on Roosevelt is a bit much for those of us who do not inhabit the USA. I disagree with some of this, but like anything else it is simply anothers opinion.
Very good, I published your post on my blog in Brazil http://thefries.blogspot.com/
You got the credits…. thanks
An excellent list. I was particularly pleased to see Cyrano de Bergerac make the list. People often forget that romance is the manliest of arts.
I would also recommend the works of Robert B. Parker, John Sanford and Lee Child. If you are looking for a manly role model, you can’t do much better than Spenser, Davenport and Reacher.
Congrats on hitting 1,000,000 visitors! That’s amazing!
Excellent books list! I’ve got some great reading ahead from the looks of it…
If there’s one book that I wouldn’t recommend on this list it’s the Stranger by Camus…god I hate this book!
What about the most influential books of our time? HARRY POTTER
i already read 11 of those books for school. im a senior class of 2008
WHy there is no tolstoy here!! I would add War and peace , and also Anna karennina!!
NO DICKENS? PUHLEEZE.
Pretty good list! I’ve read a lot of these. However, there is far too much Hemingway and not enough Faulkner (as in, why isn’t there any at all? He trumps Heminway in style, emotion, prose, chracters, situations, language, & on).
Or Gabriel Garica Marquez.
Or Borges
Or John Crowley (Little, Big, man, Little, Big)!
Nabokov?
Jan Morris?
Still, the real crime is the absence of Faulkner. I think.
Otherwise, very cool.
Oh, and Pynchon! How’d he get omitted?
Does this list have The Good Earth?
If it doesn’t, it’s not worth considering, we’ll just have to wait for the next blog list like this. Sorry.
Excellent, excellent list. I’ve been looking for a list like this for years. I’ve only read just over 1/4 of it so I need to get to work!
Hmm… Very good selection, but no Beowulf? One of the greatest stories in English Literature, and also some other ppl make good points as to no Dickens, Tolstoy, and several others.
By the way, you can just take off the bible.
“The Stand” Steven King
Not to nitpick but…….
The Boy Scout Handbook shown is the 5th edition published in 1950
A list can be found at
http://www.threefirescouncil.org/History/1948.htm
Still a very good book.
Avoid the 8th edition….It almost single handedly destroyed scouts..
So which edition did you read????
I’m still surprised people are STILL saying (and I’m paraphrasing here) “Definitely is focused towards Americans”. That’s interesting, as stated already, most of the authors are not from the U.S. so don’t go assuming anything.
I’ve only read a few of these books, it looks like I have a TON of reading to do!
Concerned Citizen - Sorry, the internet was BY Americans, so you can fucking jump off a cliff.
To the author - Shane should have been listed. And anything by Louis L’amour. He really had insight in what he had written.
The Bible? Meh, nothing in there you can’t learn from any other book of faith. Koran, Dhammapada, Ashtavakra Gita, Torah, Daozang, etc.
Although I would certainly like to read up on Theodore Roosevelt I think having 4 books about/by him is overdoing it. That’s 4% of your list [however, I do appreciate that it's -your- list, so whatever I say doesn't count].
I would have liked seeing ‘The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, which is most certainly a monument in its own right.
This is a great idea. People should be inspired to read a great deal more.
Keep up the good work.
I would add A Clockwork Orange to the list. I was surprised I didn`t see it.
_Dracula_ - duh!
_Childhood’s End_ - A.C. Clark.
(think “Independence Day”)
_Captians Courageous_ - R. Kipling.
_Plain Speaking…_ - H.S. Truman
_Pet Sematary_ - S. King
(not at night though- trust me)
No Patrick O’Brian? No Arturo Perez-Reverte?
Most of these “classics” are drivel that are so beyond dated, the impact and messages of the books are completely lost.
There are some highlights in this list however.
@The “bible” guys. The bible may be your faith and all, but it’s NOT a work of literature, and if you want to consider it one, it’s TERRIBLE. 1 dimensional characters, guidelines to live your life by that cannot possibly apply 5,000 years later. (let’s kill everyone who works on the sabbath, beat disrespectful women, and kill unruly children)
@jessica rabbit. Female authors are almost always terrible. I can’t think of a good one at the moment, but I’m sure there are a few.
@”proud american” You sir, are a buffoon.
I just wanted to thank you for putting such effort into constructing this list. These are all of them good books for a variety of reasons, and well worth the effort even to slog through the more difficult ones. A good book is still an accessible bargain of transportation, imagination, and education. Great job, thanks.
Without Lolita, this list is fundamentally flawed. Not to mention a complete absence of Hunter S. Thompson’s works. For shame.
C’mon, how many T.Roosevelt biographies do you really need?
Ullysses by James Joyce…
yep I have yet to meet a person who have actually read the entire book.
i tried to but could not get past the first several pages…
this is a case of the emperor’s new clothes syndrome…
because someone (don’t know who) said that it was a great book…everone followed. i really don’t know how it could have been a “Book of the Year” or was it the century???
I wholeheartedly concur with the previous post suggesting the addition of Fahrenheit 451.
In fact, almost anything by Ray Bradbury is great brain food for the Man. I mean, adventure and exploration is pretty manly. To adventure and explore SPACE? Now that is something else altogether.
So, I would further add The Martian Chronicles and any other of his short story collections, most of which have at least one tale of the Final Frontier.
Also, Issac Asimov would be another welcome addition. The Foundation Trilogy is excellent reading.
You need to quote a different line for 1984 … that’s the last line of the book, and while its not a spoiler, it has a better effect if you’re expecting it
Love the book though
Nice collection, though I’m kind of surprised that none of Ken Follett’s work made the list. The two that are coming to mind are the thriller “The Eye of the Needle” and the epic “The Pillars of the Earth”.
This is a very good list, and I have about 80 more books on my “To Read” list now, but I think you should have considered putting Siddhartha on the list. Siddhartha is a very good book that I think definitely deserves a place on this list.
what about Meditations by Marcus Aurelius:
http://www.amazon.com/Meditations-Penguin-Classics-Marcus-Aurelius/dp/0140449337/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210825620&sr=8-1
Thus Spoke Zarathustra, an amazing piece of philosophy and humor, is also absent from the list. Perhaps it could replace Hatchet, of 6th grade summer reading fame, or be added to the blog “The Art of Surviving Cooties”.
A good list, if a bit Roosevelt heavy and lacking in more current literature.
Tao of Jeet Kun Do mayhaps? It’s an entire mindset, along with showing you how to beat ass, all in one nice book, written by Bruce Lee.
I find it difficult to believe that you never mentioned any graphic novels (or as they are also known, comic books.). Dark Knight Returns, for example, is a masterful piece that details a Batman who’s grown weary of his fight, but some ten years later, seeing how far his charge, Gotham City, has fallen, decides to don the mask again to clean up his town.
And I don’t think I need to go into graphic detail about graphic novels like 300, or Sin City, as I’m pretty sure you’ve seen the movies.
The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane
It’s on there Jack. Look again.
Night by elie weisel should definitely be on this list
Why not just say,
Books for Pussies?
I love how the girls all rogered up for the splendid list of crap books you offered as essential reading for men. I’m surprised you didn’t offer up Jane Eyre.
The Great Brain
The Thief
The Queen of Attolia
Time Enough for Love
The Gathering Storm
The White Company
Hornblower
Sharpe
Sherlock Holmes
Lord Kalvin
Across Realtime
Edward E Smith
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Chris Bunch and Cole
Civil War series of PBS
Roger Zelazny
Jerry Pournelle
Larry Niven
Randall Garrett
Arthur Ransome
Robert Heinlein
David Weber
Winston Churchill
Sir Charles Oman
The Political History of England in XII volumes
Tarzan, John Carter, Carson of Venus
Edward E Smith and Triplanetary, Lensman, Masters of the Vortex
Leon Uris, Exodus
Greek Mythology
H.Beem Piper
9 Princes in Amber
where ar thou chinaski?
no bukowski no list. sorry
there are a lotof books i should read, but i think several of these books they dont deserve to be here..anyway no way everybody will b happy always.
This is more like a hundred books to read if you are an American man and don’t want to know about anything outside of your own country. Seriously, the amount of worthwhile books by Americans is surely vastly swamped by the number written by, you know, the entire world. We are lucky to be able to read almost anything from any country translated for us into English.
This was a great list; maybe heavy in some areas, that is your choice. obviously.
In regards to comments regarding whether the Holy Bible should have made the list, I would have to agree with its placement. Being an atheist myself and understanding that it is not of the highest literary standard, it is still good to read if only to better understand the other books on the list. The majority of these books were written in the West, and therefore, are highly influenced by Christianity. Most people understand the basic story of the Bible, but it takes a more in-depth look to understand the nuances of The Divine Comedy, Paradise Lost, etc.
As for additions I was surprised by the lack of Hunter S. Thompson.
And to spread the list passed Christianity I would also suggest The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Ramayana, and the Qur’an (especially for people afraid of those Arabs, for no particular reason).
A personal request would be a Chuck Palahniuk book, as while they have not stood a large test of time, they are an excellent read for all men.
Just two to go
I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed with the synopsis of “The Count of Monte Cristo”. The point is not that he has to choose between his love for Mercedes and his love of revenge, and that justice is carried out anyway. The point is that he did not have the right to take revenge as he did, and his love for Mercedes did not end up consummated anyway. Two innocent people died because of his attempt at revenge, at which point my favorite quote from the entire book comes out, when he realizes that, “God is a father first, then a judge.” Dantes realized that he had been given a new lease on life - a vast treasure with which to start a new life and a woman who loved him (the Greek woman, not Mercedes. Yes, he was like a father-figure to her, as he raised her, but keep in mind the book is French and it comes across very well that she loved him as more than just a father), but instead Dantes had refused to move forward and take what God had given him, using his wealth to end the lives of those who had ended his old life, completely ignoring the love of the Greek woman. That is why he does not live with Mercedes at the end - Mercedes lives alone in a village, her son joins the army to earn his own honor, and Dantes and the Greek go elsewhere to live.
Wow, this is way too long. Sorry.
Oops. from the first page that is….
[pedant]
In Lord of the Flies you say its an example of what happens when we’re taken outside civilisation. The boys, however, are rescued by a naval officer, presumably engaged in the war that is going on at the beginning of the book.
The message being … that what happenes to Jack and Ralph and the others is also happening to the ‘civilised’ adults on a much larger scale.
Or in other words … we’re doomed to nasty, vicious and brutal lives, even if we do have plasma screen TV sets.
[/pedant]
Great list for the most part. My list would include a few more genre. A few examples:
Historical Fiction:
The Virtues of War by Steven Pressfield (Story of Alexander the Great)
The Flashman Series by George McDonald Frasier
Science Fiction:
The Robot Novels by Issac Asimov
The Gripping Hand by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
Biography:
His Excellency by Joseph Ellis(George Washington)
Issac Newton by James Gleick
A must read: A People’s History of the United States
I think someone already mentioned it.
Its a history book and yet I’m mentioning it on this list..so think about that.
and I’m not some loser who doesn’t have any other life but reading books, and I will admit it was for APUSH (advanced placement in united states history) but I have to say it was one of the most gratifying, eye opening books that i’ve ever read.
It also made me ashamed of being …. human. (I don’t blame the US for what it does, it does what any other country in its place would do,not that that makes it any more right or wrong.)
I think the 1st chapter starts out w/ Columbus killing native americans who come out to greet him w/ tomatoes in a fruit basket (hitherto, the only known tomatoes to the white man were poisonous, so he had them tied; their arms and legs cut off and killed. He was genocidal; wiped out more than 1 tribe and his soldiers used babies for target practice; they would throw them up and cut off their heads as they came down.) I could be wrong its been…a good 6 years since I’ve read it.
Like i said, eye opening.
Also surprised that no Orson Scott Card books or Isaac Asimov books are on here. Excellent authors who’ve won the Nebula and Hugo respectively.
Definitely: 48 Laws of Power should have been on here.
C’mon Great Gatsby!?
the only thing i learned from that book was that writers in the 50s sucked. (or whenever it was written)
The Bible? i have to say while western society may have been built on it, the average guy doesn’t live his life according to the principles of it. Shoot most of the people I know drink, have pre martial sex, lie..etc..
its a religious text and says the same exact thing any other religious text says..its not any more important or valid.
I’m guessing the authors were Christian though, so right on.
sorry for the length
Pretty good list. I would advise anyone read these books is to read them SLOWLY. Many of the ideas and concepts in these books need time to be absorbed. I advise reading a few pages, putting down the book and thinking about what you have read. It makes no sense to “power” through a book and miss the concepts, emotions, situations the author has written. If you get through these in 25 years, you’ve done just fine.
I was just thinking about this, Where also is Farenheit 451? And maybe mix it up a little with some Edgar Allan Poe?
Surprise - an excellent list!
For those who take the time to look, there are many, many non-American authors/books.
I, too, was a little taken aback by the inclusion of four Roosevelt books.
I would add: The Joy of Sex (I forget who wrote it).
But it’s a far, far more comprehensive list than I (or, probably, any of the nay-sayers) could ever come up with.
Ralph
Great list. And I was pleasantly surprised that I had indeed read a few of them. One of my favorites is: “Still Life with Woodpecker” by Tom Robbins. A buddy of mine back in college suggested it to me, and I have loved it ever since. Thanks.
This list is not simply for men. More than half ought to be read by women, also.
Some of these I read when I was younger than 16 - a notable fact considering what we were exposed to for literature in the 50’s and 60’s.
Ayn Rand?? No thank you. The only purpose for that drivel would be to learn how NOT to live your life. Poorly written, poorly conceived and hypocrtical as the day is long.
Lonesome Dove. How to live a life free and happy, how to live a life forever bound by duty. Having lived, how to die; which is remarkably absent from Western culture.
It is a bit Teddy heavy, even including 2 books by the same author about the man…
Oh, wow, guys. This is ambitious!
To everyone who has ignorant and combative things to say about the inclusion of the Bible:
The Bible has been and continues to be one of the most influential books in Western culture. Our culture is becoming dangerously Biblically ignorant, meaning most people have no idea where many of our beliefs and practices come from. It is important to understand the Bible, to know how it shaped our history, and to know how it continues to influence our lives today. If you want to just accept what an authority figure tells you is in the Bible, don’t read it for yourself. If you want to argue unintelligently with “believers” without solid evidence that many modern religious practices have no basis in the Bible, don’t bother to pick it up. If you would like to be an informed citizen of the Western world, able to carry on intelligent conversations and read literary masterpieces, please do everyone a favor and educate yourself by opening a good translation of the Bible.
I would also recommend reading Milton’s *Paradise Lost*, which has been arguable more influential in Western society than has the Bible. Also, read Pullman’s *His Dark Materials* trilogy, which brilliantly challenges our society’s blind dependence on religious leaders and gives us hope for a new kind of world, not to mention the appeal of the strong female protagonist - many of these “men” could learn quite a bit from her example about being a strong, independent, and intelligent human being.
I can’t think of a book that could possibly be any manlier than Blood Meridian by Corrmac McCarthy. Great to see it on the list. My favorite book of all time.
No point in contesting inclusions/exclusions in any list, especially on a subject as significant as this. You have produced a great and worthwhile list and presented it nicely. I had to smile out loud when I saw “Boys of Summer.” Did I say this was a great list?!
It’s incredible that you’ve included the Federalist Papers. I get a lot of grief from friends when I mention that it’s in my top ten.
Even more amazing is that our collections match quite well on pages one and three, but not so well on two and four.
No mention of Thomas Pynchon’s “Gravity’s Rainbow”?
Also, I would add “Junky”, by William S. Burroughs, and “Infinte Jest”, by David Foster Wallace…Douglas Adams is also worthy of mention, here, too…
I wish there was a way to export this list (titles only). Like to notepad or a spreadsheet file or something. If you guys have one laying around there could you email it to me please.
Wolfe- The Right Stuff
Gibson- Neuromancer (the man coined the phrase “cyberspace”)
Bowden- Black Hawk Down (Killing Pablo while your at it)
Golding- The Hot Gates (better than Lord of the Flies)
McCarthy- The Road*
*A little “Johnny come lately” but an incredible read that will stand out for decades.
Excellent list, have already ordered some of them.
Atlas Shrugged I am especially excited to read.
I must confess that I am surprised that not one of the Dune books are on this list, perhaps one of the ultimate coming of age stories ever told.
And for that extra manliness I recommend any book by Wilbur Smith.
Especially “The Courtney Series” , and The Egyptian Series.
Oh yeah. I don’t want poor Anomie to be the only dork around here that mentioned graphic novels (solidarity and wha