What books would make me a more interesting, intelligent, well read person?

I don't read much so I was wanting to limit the suggestions to about 10 books. Thanks

What books would make me a more interesting, intelligent, well read person?
I agree with Lornytoo about the bathroom readers. I would also add:





-An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't by Judy Jones and William Wilson (from Amazon: "You'll find everything you forgot from school--as well as plenty you never even learned--in this all-purpose reference book, an instant classic when it first appeared in 1987. The updated version takes a whirlwind tour through 12 different disciplines, from American studies to philosophy to world history. Along the way, Judy Jones and William Wilson provide a plethora of useful information, from the plot of Othello to the difference between fission and fusion. It's not a shortcut to cultural literacy, the authors write in their introduction, but it's an excellent "way in" to the building blocks of Western civilization: the "books, music, art, philosophy, and discoveries that have, for one reason or another, managed to endure.")





-The Intellectual Devotional: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Roam Confidently with the Cultured Class by David S. Kidder and Noah D. Oppenheim (from Amazon: "Millions of Americans keep bedside books of prayer and meditative reflectioncollections of daily passages to stimulate spiritual thought and advancement. The Intellectual Devotional is a secular version of the samea collection of 365 short lessons that will inspire and invigorate the reader every day of the year. Each daily digest of wisdom is drawn from one of seven fields of knowledge: history, literature, philosophy, mathematics and science, religion, fine arts, and music. Impress your friends by explaining Platos Cave Allegory, pepper your cocktail party conversation with opera terms, and unlock the mystery of how batteries work. Daily readings range from important passages in literature to basic principles of physics, from pivotal events in history to images of famous paintings with accompanying analysis. The books goal is to refresh knowledge weve forgotten, make new discoveries, and exercise modes of thinking that are ordinarily neglected once our school days are behind us. Offering an escape from the daily grind to contemplate higher things, The Intellectual Devotional is a great way to awaken in the morning or to revitalize ones mind before retiring in the evening.")





-The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had by Susan Wise Bauer (from Amazon: "Bauer's The Well-Trained Mind (which she co-wrote with Jessie Wise) taught parents how to educate kids; her latest is designed for adults seeking self-education in the classical tradition. Reading-sustained, disciplined and structured-is her core methodology, so she starts with tips on improving reading skills and setting up a reading schedule (start with half-hour sessions four mornings a week, with daily journal writing). Reading is a discipline, like meditating or running, she says, and it needs regular exercise. To grow through reading-to reach the "Great Conversation" of ideas-Bauer outlines the three stages of the classical tradition: first, read for facts; then evaluate them; finally, form your own opinions. After explaining the mechanics of each stage (e.g., what type of notes to take in the book itself, or in the journal), Bauer begins the list section of the book, with separate chapters for her five major genres: fiction, autobiography/memoir, history/politics, drama and poetry. She introduces each category with a concise discussion of its historical development and the major scholarly debates, clearly defining all important terms (e.g., postmodernism, metafiction). And then, the piece de resistance: lists, in chronological order, of some 30 major works in each genre, complete with advice on choosing the edition and a one-page synopsis. Bauer has crafted a timeless, intelligent book.")





-Bulfinch's mythology: The age of fable or stories of gods and heroes by Thomas Bullfinch





-The Age of Chivalry by Thomas Bullfinch





-Golden Age of Myth %26amp; Legend by T. Bullfinch (he has other good ones that explain mythology and fables, etc.)





-The Complete Works of Shakespeare (one version is compiled by David Bevington)





-The Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World by John Roberts





-A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich





-The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm by Jacob %26amp; Wilhelm Grimm (You should have some knowledge of folk-tales and fairy tales, which these show. Be prepared for a shock: these are NOT Disney-esque!)





That's ten, although there are many more that could be named like Homer's Iliad or The Odyssey, Plato's Republic, and various other classics.





I hope this helps.
Reply:I would say just google some 'best book lists' like ny times top 100, things like that and you will come up with loads of ideas of books to read.





Whenever I am stuck for a book I consult the 'big read' site - it was a show they did in the UK - it has directed me towards some great books I had never heard of.
Reply:1984, Brave New World, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Farewell to Manzanar, Slaughterhouse Five, Lord of the Flies, The Scarlett Letter, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Book Thief, The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.





Like the people above me have said, it's not enough just to read books. To be able to analyze books and draw out ideas about life, the world and society from them is what makes someone intelligent and well-read. Exposing yourself to worldly ideas through the reading of quality literature should be the main purpose of reading. It doesn't happen overnight.
Reply:Pick up some bathroom readers. These books often have summaries of classic novels as well as a lot of interesting information. It's a good way to get your feet wet.





The articles are short because of where you are when you read them.
Reply:That is a really tough question. To be able to hold your own at a cocktail aprty you need to be reading some of the latest non-fiction, which isn't all that great if you are not interested in politics and current events.





Reading a novel will not make you come across as interesting and intelligent, but any reading is going to improve your grammar and vocabulary.





My advice is to consider reading magazines. For current events, US News and World Report (not Time or Newsweek - they are biased). National Geographic is great with nature and knowledge of some big world issues. I read the Atlantic Monthly, which is great but a little highbrow, more for college grads. Maybe others can give you more ideas.
Reply:Try these:


- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee


- The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown


- Angels and Demons by Dan Brown


- 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell.


- Gallipoli or The Great War by Les Carlyon.....non-fiction book about WW1.


- Charles Dickens novels (Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Our Mutual Friend...etc.)


- Fyodor Dostoyevsky novels (Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov...etc.)


- Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings if you like fantasy.





Enjoy :)
Reply:To be interesting and intelligent means that you have to find that on your own you cannot listen to what others have done to get where they are. You have to find that on your own because we all have our unique level to get where we are. So i suggest you wander around in a book store for a few hours picking up anything that looks and sounds interesting. Read the summary provided on the book and then make your selections
Reply:That's difficult to answer. If you lived in a time when television didn't exist, novels written by American or British composers would be considered popular culture, thus they would provide the affect you desired because people respond well to knowledge of pop culture. Unfortunately, in our day, that means you have to know a lot about Paris Hilton and her friends. But, there is an alternative. If you are well informed on current events, not necessarily popular events but important ones, you should be okay. For example, how much do you know about the current presidential race? The War in Iraq? These are topics of which people can appreciate your knowledge. In addition, you could up vocabulary. Read any novel and when you stumble across a word that with which you're unfamiliar, get out the dictionary and look it up. Keep a small journal of the words you have looked up and your vocabulary will begin to grow. These, of course, are not the only ways to become a "More interesting, intelligent, well-read person", but this should give you a good start.
Reply:If you don't read much and only want to read 10 books, then no 10 books on earth will make you a more intelligent or well-read person. Being well-read means that you've read a huge variety of books and that you are quite familiar with many kinds of books, not just a few select classics. And if you aren't already intelligent enough to appreciate reading for what it is, then reading a handful of books that you think will make you look smart while reading them won't do crap all for your brain.





If you want to learn to appreciate reading more, then honestly you should read stories that interest you and that you have fun reading. Forget trying to look like a MENSA member or being seen with the "right" book in your hand. Read for the pleasure of it, whatever that may be. As you get more into reading and start to like it more, then you can think about how to expand your range of books.
Reply:If you're set on reading books, I would relax with Henry David Thoreau's "On Walden Pond". Or you could just read the "Civil Disobedience" essay as a shortcut. Martin Luther King speeches also make a good read and are immensely interesting.


But, if it were me, I would listen to my local NPR station until they did a bit that peaked my interest and then dive into the topic full force with reading up on it electronically and in hardcopy. I honestly believe that what makes people interesting is the passion that they have. I don't care if you can quote Netchze if you are as dull as a log. So, as long as you talk about about things that you are passionate and well-researched on (easy to accomplish the research when you've already got the passion), you should always be a thumbs-up.


Good luck.
Reply:When I was a teenager, some of the books that made an impression on me /made me think were:





--Animal Farm by George Orwell


--1984 by George Orwell


--The Crucible by Arthur Miller


--The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (because of the author’s writing style, I actually thought this was a hard book to get through, but it is a book that really makes you think)
Reply:If you can get through it and understand it, "Paradise Lost."
Reply:One thing is for sure, Paradise Lost made me want to shoot myself in the face. If you are religious and can stand literature that makes absolutely NO sense, then by all means, read it. But, jeez. John Milton, you suck.





Otherwise:


-The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger


-1984 by George Orwell


-Any and all books by Truman Capote


-The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream by Paulo Coelho


-To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee


-The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini


-The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Reply:Well, define "interesting." I mean, most people I've met seem pretty bored by the fact that you've read a bunch of books. So who are you trying to impress exactly?
Reply:1.Plato's Republic


2. To Kill a Mockingbird


3. Romeo and Juliet


4. Julius Ceasar


5. Beowolf (can't remember how to spell that one.)


6. Paradise Lost


7. The Bible (or other religious text from cover to cover.)


8. Leviathan by Hobbes


9. A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn


10. (wow, I need to stop now?) Rime of the Ancient Mariner(I'd start here then skip around the list according to interests.)
Reply:twilight Chronicles by Stephenie Meyer will definitely make you more approachable

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