Five books EVERYONE should read

One could argue for works of Shakespeare, books on the origins of species, or books based on one's own belief system. These might be of interest to certain people, but not something that I think that, quite literally, everyone should read.

In today's age of misinformation and education systems that are not designed for the times, how do we sift out fact from fiction? How do we recognise propaganda and fear-mongering? How do we know when we are fighting for the truth, or have unknowingly fallen down the rabbit hole of our own echo chamber?

Today's connected world is a double-edged sword and we need the tools to safely navigate it. We need to understand that we will inevitably sit within an echo chamber, not just of our making, but that of algorithms designed to draw us in and click, click, click. Designed to keep feeding us information based on whatever thing we've expressed an interest in before, without ever exposing us to different views.

THAT is why I think these books are so hugely important. If you are interested in discovering the truth, in finding out where you might be wrong about something and in learning more about yourself and the world in the process, then these books are definitely for you. If you would rather not have your beliefs ever questioned, if you hold on to views with absolute certainty and with no willingness or ability to change your mind no matter what, then I would suggest you read these anyway. Ask yourself if you really care about the truth.

The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan

This one has to go to the top of the list, and written by an author with such a fantastic grasp of science, reality, and language. Arguably one of the best science communicators out there and an accomplished scientist and author.

A quote from the book sums up perfectly the aim of the book.
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."

It will introduce anyone to the concept of using scientific principles in understanding the world around us. It provides you with some of the tools you need to hone your bullshit detectors. You can't go wrong by starting here.

An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments by Ali Almossawi

An excellent, easy-to-read book, complete with amusing illustrations. A great introduction into some common fallacies and how not to argue. Or how to recognise when someone else is presenting a bad argument. And best of all, you can read online here for free!

However, if you like what you see, please consider buying the book.

If you're looking for something meaty, this won't be for you. But if you are brand new to concepts of logical fallacies, it's an easy to digest entry-level book.

You Are Not So Smart by David Mcraney

You just have to read this. It's not only informative but easy to read and entertaining with real-world examples. Plus, he has an excellent podcast too... with cookies!

Now don't be put off by the titillating title. His whole thing is about understanding why we think and act the way we do. How we can recognise these all too human failings, and how we can react better because of it.

How memory isn't what a lot of people think it is and how malleable it is. How people can react so strangely in disastrous situations. A deeper dive into a number of fallacies and biases. A perfect follow on book from the previous suggestion.

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari

A very interesting read and very pertinent to our current times. Written by a prominent historian and author of Sapiens: "A Brief History of Humankind" as well as "Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow," I really cannot recommend this book highly enough. A book on human nature and how we use stories to navigate through our lives. A book on the here and now, but not forgetting how we got here or where our possible futures lie. There are some big topics here. Wars, identity, religions, money, truth and justice, the use of data and artificial intelligence and both its benefits and consequences. A positive book that looks at many of our modern day concerns. 

This isn't a review. It's a recommendation, which is just as well, as the book covered a lot of topics and I feel I would need to go back and read it again (after about a year) to do it justice. And I would enjoy doing so.

The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris

Ok. I'll level with you. This book is not 100% in theme, and to be honest, it may be a bit of a hard read unless it's a topic you're particularly interested in. But it is related. Sam Harris makes a compelling case for objective morality. 

Attempting to understand (or prescribe) what is right and wrong makes up for a large swathe of human endeavor and conflict. What one person says is right, another will undoubtedly see as a heinous crime. Here Sam lays out a scientific framework, in detail, for how we could all objectively agree on what is right on wrong, as long as we accept one premise, and that morality is ultimately tied to well-being. Just like we can now objectively say what is healthy (this wasn't always the case), we should now be able to say what is moral. Sam doesn't pretend to know all the answers to what is right and wrong. but having a framework to help us do so, bit by bit, the world could become a much more peaceful and greater place than anyone could imagine. If the book is a bit too much, this YouTube video of a debate could help in summarising a number of the points Sam makes.

To conclude:

These are books that I've read and would recommend, but they may not be the best out there. If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me now.