The good thing about literature is that it simply By opening a book we can transport ourselves to any imaginable world But many times, we focus too much on the good of entering new and stimulating worlds and ignore, in the meantime, the possibility of making new points of view enter us.
And books do not have to be simply a tourist destination to go to to disconnect and entertain ourselves. They can also be experiences that change our way of understanding things to our philosophy of life.
Below you can find a selection of books, fiction or non-fiction, that have the power to change the way we interpret reality.
1. A brief history of almost everything (Bill Bryson)
One of the books with which you can learn more from a single reading. Among its pages is a review of the development of science, the way in which some of the main discoveries were made, and the flesh and blood people behind them. Furthermore, everything It is written with a simplicity and honesty that made the work a best seller
2. How to Rethink Mental Health: The human contexts behind labels (Bernard Guerin)
The book “How to Rethink Mental Health: The human contexts behind the labels” by Professor Bernard Guerin offers a series of theoretical alternatives to consider psychological alterations beyond the labels usually given to them.
The book is priced at €33.25 and in it, its author is based on interdisciplinary social sciences and discourse analysis, rather than on classical medical studies.
3. The Pentateuch of Isaac (Angel Wagenstein)
The story of a Jewish man who went through two world wars and, despite that, did not lose his sense of humor. A story that combines poignancy with jokes and that, curiously, does not fall into the trap of trivializing suffering or violence.
4. 1984 (George Orwell)
It is already a classic, but that does not mean it has any less capacity to leave a mark on our ways of thinking This book, based on a dystopia, shows that violence does not have to be physical, but can also go beyond it and permeate all aspects of daily life through a system of surveillance and propaganda.
– You may be interested: “Stephen King: life and work of the master of terror”
5. Lord of the Flies (William Golding)
To what extent is our identity linked to the norms of the society in which we have always lived? Normally we believe that we are the fruit of our own mind, and that external influences influence us in some details or limit us in certain aspects, but they do not change who we are.
This book questions that idea and shows, through a kind of thought experiment, to what extent we are what we are because without realizing it we have internalized certain norms and rules. AND He does this by turning to a group of children trapped on a desert island
6. Epileptic (David B.)
A graphic novel that delves into the life of its author and the relationship he has had with his brother with epilepsy over the years. Rich in symbolism Honest and inspired, this narrative transports us to the universe of the protagonists without the slightest effort.
In this link you will find more information.
7. High Fidelity (Nick Hornby)
A story by and for thirty-somethings in crisis of identity and life projects, but also a love story The quality of this book has not gone unnoticed, and in fact it has a film adaptation starring John Cusak.
There is more information on this page.
8. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
A story that raises interesting questions about the type of societies we live in and the way we manage pleasure. Do we exist to experience pleasant sensations, or is it worth channeling our forces into something else? Unlike other dystopias, this one does not make it obvious which is the correct option, so the debate is open.
If you are interested in the book, click here.
9. The concept of the mental (Gilbert Ryle)
Not everything was going to be light reading. In this work, the philosopher Gilbert Ryle addresses one of the most used and, at the same time, most mysterious concepts: the “mind.” And in the end we tend to use this concept in a very imprecise way even though our identity is linked to that feeling of consciousness.
A story of improvement starring a young man with facial deformities. In addition to being inspiring, This book serves to self-examine and reflect about the ease with which we can dehumanize people.
Here you can see more information about the book.
11. The Steppenwolf (Herman Hesse)
One of Herman Hesse’s best-known books. It delves into problems that many people go through, especially those linked to isolation and melancholy, although it is a very personal story.
If you are interested, you can buy it here.
12. Fictions (Jorge Luis Borges)
A compilation of stories that you will never see written by any other author. Borges describes in prose situations that are pure poetry and that mix fantasy with metaphysical explorations.
– You may be interested: “Stephen King: life and work of the master of terror”
