A number of years ago, a Reddit user Asked Neil Degrasse Tyson: “What books should be read by each intelligent person on the planet?”
Below, you will find the list of books offered by the astrophysicist, the director of the planetarium Hayden and the popularizer of science. As far as possible, we have included links to free versions of books.
1.) The Bible (ebook) – “To learn that it is easier to be said by others what to think and believe than to think for yourself.”
2.) The world system by Isaac Newton (ebook) – “To learn that the universe is a knowable place.”
3.) On the origin of species by Charles Darwin (ebook – Audio book) – “To learn our kinship with any other life on earth.”
4.) Gulliver trips by Jonathan Swift (ebook – Audio book) – “To learn, among other satirical lessons, that most of the time humans are yahoos.”
5.) The age of reason by Thomas Paine (ebook – Audio book) – “To learn how the power of rational thought is the main source of freedom in the world.”
6.) The wealth of nations by Adam Smith (ebook – Audio book) – “To learn that capitalism is an economy of greed, a force of nature in itself.”
7.) The art of war by Sun Tsu (ebook – Audio book) – “To learn that the act of killing human colleagues can be raised to an art.”
8.) The prince by Machiavelli (ebook – Audio book) – “Learn that people who will not be in power will do everything they can to acquire it, and people in power will do everything they can to keep it.”
Tyson concludes saying: “If you read all the works above, you glean a deep idea of ​​most of what motivated the history of the Western world.”
He also added other reflections in the comments section below, saying:
Thank you for this continuous interest in my books on books. According to some of your reflections, it seems that the intention of the list was not as clear as I thought. The online commentary after each book is not a criticism but a declaration on how the content of the book has influenced the behavior of people who shaped the Western world. Thus, for example, it does not make it good to say what the Bible meant “really”, if its real influence on human behavior is something else. Again, thank you for your collective interest. -Ndtyson
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Note: a previous version of this article appeared on our site in 2011.
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At Learnopoly, Finn has championed a mission to deliver unbiased, in-depth reviews of online courses that empower learners to make well-informed decisions. With over a decade of experience in financial services, he has honed his expertise in strategic partnerships and business development, cultivating both a sharp analytical perspective and a collaborative spirit. A lifelong learner, Finn’s commitment to creating a trusted guide for online education was ignited by a frustrating encounter with biased course reviews.