Recommendations based on Propagandaby Edward L. Bernays

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

    by Naomi Klein
    Examination of the exploitation of economic crises and shock tactics by governments and corporations.

    In her ground-breaking reporting from Iraq, Naomi Klein exposed how the trauma of invasion was being exploited to remake the country in the interest of foreign corporations. She called it "disaster ... (Goodreads)

  2. The Prince

    by Niccolò Machiavelli
    A timeless political treatise on the art of acquiring and maintaining power.

    Machiavelli needs to be looked at as he really was. Hence: Can Machiavelli, who makes the following observations, be Machiavellian as we understand the disparaging term? 1. So it is that to know the ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Road to Serfdom

    by Friedrich A. Hayek
    Warning against the dangers of collectivism and the power of bureaucracy.

    A classic work in political philosophy, intellectual and cultural history, and economics, The Road to Serfdom has inspired and infuriated politicians, scholars, and general readers for half a ... (Goodreads)

  4. Leviathan

    by Thomas Hobbes
    Philosophical exploration of the nature of power and justice in a state of nature.

    'The life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short' Written during the chaos of the English Civil War, Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan asks how, in a world of violence and horror, can we stop ... (Goodreads)

  5. No Logo

    by Naomi Klein
    A critique of the negative impact of corporate branding and globalization on society and culture.

    With a new Afterword to the 2002 edition, No Logo employs journalistic savvy and personal testament to detail the insidious practices and far-reaching effects of corporate marketing—and the powerful ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Histories

    by Herodotus
    Exploration into the rise and fall of empires in the ancient world.

    One of the masterpieces of classical literature, the "Histories" describes how a small and quarrelsome band of Greek city states united to repel the might of the Persian empire. But while this epic ... (Goodreads)

  7. Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001

    by Steve Coll
    A detailed account of the CIA's involvement in Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion to the events leading up to 9/11.

    The news-breaking book that has sent shockwaves through the Bush White House, Ghost Wars is the most accurate and revealing account yet of the CIA's secret involvement in al-Qaeda's evolution. It won ... (Goodreads)

  8. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

    by Neil Postman
    Analysis of the effects of mass media on modern culture and how it changes communication.

    Television has conditioned us to tolerate visually entertaining material measured out in spoonfuls of time, to the detriment of rational public discourse and reasoned public affairs. In this ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Art of War

    by Sun Tzu
    Ancient Chinese military treatise outlining strategies for success in battle.

    Twenty-Five Hundred years ago, Sun Tzu wrote this classic book of military strategy based on Chinese warfare and military thought. Since that time, all levels of military have used the teaching on ... (Goodreads)

  10. Democracy in America

    by Alexis de Tocqueville
    A study of the political and social structure of the United States and its implications.

    Democracy in America has had the singular honor of being even to this day the work that political commentators of every stripe refer to when they seek to draw large conclusions about the society of ... (Goodreads)

  11. Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World

    by Anand Giridharadas
    A critique of the philanthropic efforts of the wealthy elite, arguing that their actions often perpetuate the very problems they claim to solve.

    An insider's groundbreaking investigation of how the global elite's efforts to "change the world" preserve the status quo and obscure their role in causing the problems they later seek to solve. ... (Goodreads)

  12. Tao Te Ching

    by Lao Tzu
    A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.

    A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)

  13. The 48 Laws of Power

    by Robert Greene
    A guide to understanding the dynamics of gaining and keeping power.

    Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy, New York Times, bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate ... (Goodreads)

  14. Beyond Good and Evil

    by Friedrich Nietzsche
    A philosophical exploration of morality and truth, challenging conventional morality and religious beliefs.

    Friedrich Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil is translated from the German by R.J. Hollingdale with an introduction by Michael Tanner in Penguin Classics. Beyond Good and Evil confirmed Nietzsche's ... (Goodreads)

  15. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery

    by Garr Reynolds
    Guide to creating effective and engaging presentations through engaging visuals and storytelling.

    Garr Reynolds, author of the best-selling book on presentation design and delivery, is back with this newly revised edition of this classic book, Presentation Zen . Showing us there is a better way ... (Barnes & Noble)

  16. Blitzed: Drugs in Nazi Germany

    by Norman Ohler
    Examines the Nazi regime's widespread use of drugs to fuel its war machine.

    In this highly original book, a bestseller in Germany, Norman Ohler investigates the murky, chaotic world of drug use in the Third Reich. There have been other books on Dr Morell's cocktail of ... (Goodreads)

  17. Think and Grow Rich

    by Napoleon Hill
    A step-by-step guide to personal success and wealth creation.

    This is the original 1937 version of Napoleon Hill's Classic Book: Think and Grow Rich . To the greatest extent possible, the text and formatting have been kept exactly the same as in the original ... (Goodreads)

  18. The Consolation of Philosophy

    by Boethius
    A philosophical journey of self-reflection, exploring the true nature of happiness and existential purpose.

    Boethius was an eminent public figure under the Gothic emperor Theodoric, and an exceptional Greek scholar. When he became involved in a conspiracy and was imprisoned in Pavia, it was to the Greek ... (Goodreads)

  19. Capitalism and Freedom

    by Milton Friedman
    Analysis of economic policies and their effects on individual liberty.

    Selected by the Times Literary Supplement as one of the "hundred most influential books since the war" How can we benefit from the promise of government while avoiding the threat it poses to ... (Goodreads)

  20. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

    by Charles Duhigg
    Uncovering the science of habit formation and how to use it to achieve success.

    A young woman walks into a laboratory. Over the past two years, she has transformed almost every aspect of her life. She has quit smoking, run a marathon, and been promoted at work. The patterns ... (Goodreads)

  21. Relativity: The Special and the General Theory

    by Albert Einstein
    An exploration of the laws of relativity and their implications on science and philosophy.

    An accesible version of Einstein's masterpiece of theory, written by the genius himself According to Einstein himself, this book is intended "to give an exact insight into the theory of Relativity to ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Social Contract

    by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    Exploration of the relationship between a government and its citizens, and the rights of individuals.

    "Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains." These are the famous opening words of a treatise that has not ceased to stir vigorous debate since its first publication in 1762. Rejecting the ... (Goodreads)

  23. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

    by Robert B. Cialdini
    An analysis of the psychology of persuasion and how to use it to influence people.

    Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding ... (Goodreads)

  24. This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate

    by Naomi Klein
    Examination of global capitalism's role in exacerbating climate change and potential solutions.

    Forget everything you think you know about global warming. It's not about carbon—it's about capitalism. The good news is that we can seize this crisis to transform our failed economic system and ... (Goodreads)

  25. Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media

    by Edward S. Herman
    Critique of mass media and its role in shaping public opinion.

    In this pathbreaking work, Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky show that, contrary to the usual image of the news media as cantankerous, obstinate, and ubiquitous in their search for truth and defense ... (Goodreads)

  26. Human, All Too Human: A Book for Free Spirits

    by Friedrich Nietzsche
    A philosophical exploration of the human condition and the pursuit of morality.

    This volume presents Nietzsche's remarkable collection of almost 1400 aphorisms in R. J. Hollingdale's distinguished translation, together with a new historical introduction by Richard Schacht. ... (Goodreads)

  27. Politics

    by Aristotle
    Analysis of the structure and nature of governments and the pursuit of justice.

    What is the relationship of the individual to the state? What is the ideal state, and how can it bring about the most desirable life for its citizens? What sort of education should it provide? What ... (Goodreads)

  28. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation

    by Joseph J. Ellis
    Examines the lives of key figures of the American Revolution and their political disputes.

    Informs our understanding of American politics–then and now--and gives us a new perspective on the unpredictable forces that shape history. An illuminating study of the intertwined lives of the ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Law

    by Frédéric Bastiat
    A concise treatise on the nature of law, its purpose, and its proper role in society.

    How is it that the law enforcer itself does not have to keep the law? How is it that the law permits the state to lawfully engage in actions which, if undertaken by individuals, would land them in ... (Goodreads)

  30. Man and His Symbols

    by C.G. Jung
    An exploration of the collective unconscious, and its implications for self-realization.

    Man and His Symbols owes its existence to one of Jung's own dreams. The great psychologist dreamed that his work was understood by a wide public, rather than just by psychiatrists, and therefore he ... (Goodreads)