8 Books Every Intelligent Person Should Read According To Neil deGrasse Tyson
Celebrator of science, Neil deGrasse Tyson, took part in Reddit’s Ask Me Anything and was asked the following question:
“Which books should be read
by every single intelligent person on the planet?”
It’s a great question to ask. Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist and one of this generation’s foremost teachers of science. Tyson’s response included 8 essential books that he recommends along with short comments on why you should read these books.
Below are titles of each book and links to where you can find these classics for free and on Amazon.
#1: The Bible
“…to learn that it’s easier to be told by others what to think and believe than it is to think for yourself”
Free eBook (various versions) | Amazon
#2: The System of the World by Isaac Newton
“…to learn that the universe is a knowable place.”
Free eBook | Amazon
#3: On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
“…to learn of our kinship with all other life on Earth.”
Free eBook | Amazon
#4: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
“…to learn, among other satirical lessons, that most fo the time humans are Yahoos.”
Free eBook | Amazon
#5: The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine
“…to learn how the power of rational thought is the primary source of freedom in the world.”
Free eBook | Amazon
#6: The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
“…to learn that capitalism is an economy of greed, a force of nature unto itself.”
Free eBook | Amazon
#7: The Art of War by Sun Tzu
“…to learn that the act of killing fellow humans can be raised to an art.”
Free eBook | Amazon
#8: The Prince by Machiavelli
“…to learn that people not in power will do all they can to acquire it, and people in power will do all they can to keep it.”
Free eBook | Amazon
“If you read all of the above works you will glean profound insight into most of what has driven the history of the western world.”
– Neil deGrasse Tyson
More Resources:
Paul Nowak
Paul is the founder of Iris Reading, the largest provider of speed-reading and memory courses. His workshops have been taught to thousands of students and professionals worldwide at institutions that include: NASA, Google, HSBC and many Fortune 500 companies.
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