Expand our horizons and discovering new ways of thinking and seeing the world and the different aspects that are part of it is something that a large number of people want. They seek to enrich themselves internally or increase their knowledge through different methods, one of them being the use of literature.
However, centuries and centuries of history have allowed the existence of a large catalog of documents and works on different topics, so in order to facilitate the search for interesting material, we present you a small selection of recommended essays
An essay is any writing done in prose in which the author or authors delve deeper into a topic certain. This literary genre observes and analyzes the topic to be discussed from a well-founded point of view, attempting to introduce and make the reader think about the aspect on which the work is based.
For this reason, they are usually acquired by people interested in increasing their knowledge regarding various subjects, although sometimes the content tends to focus more on the author’s subjective beliefs than on proven facts.
14 recommended essays
Below we present a series of recommended essays to make us think about various elements and situations in our lives.
1. The art of war (Sun Tzu)
A well-known Chinese work dating back to ancient times, The Art of War It is an essay based on the use of strategy during times of conflict Although its name seems fully dedicated to military strategy, this essay reflects a philosophy applicable to various vital aspects such as social and work relationships or even the individual’s own behavior.
Written by Voltaire in 1762 after the French edict allowing freedom of worship was revoked, in this work François-Marie Arouet (Voltaire’s real name) It tells us about the need to tolerate the beliefs and thoughts of others stating that no one should die for their ideas and criticizing fanaticism and violence.
3. History of hell (Georges Minois)
In this essay the author reviews the conception of hell through the ages, from antiquity to modernity and with some emphasis on the Judeo-Christian version. This work allows us to see how culture has evolved, analyzing the way in which hell was used as a deterrent to the commission of actions contrary to tradition and the law. Likewise, we are shown how the traditional idea of this concept has faded over time and how some of its elements have been identified in other facets of modern life.
4. Hunger (Martín Caparrós)
This essay tells us about a topic that most of us overlook in our daily lives, since we tend to have enough resources not to be devastated by it. It’s about hunger, which causes death by starvation of a large number of people throughout the world. Throughout the work the author reflects the stories of different populations affected by it, the people who try to fight against it and the mechanisms that cause this problem to remain such today.
5. Essays on music, theater and literature (Thomas Mann)
This is a collection of essays in which the author, Thomas Mann, makes a review and analysis of the development of European culture Focusing on aspects such as literature (among which the essay stands out Sea voyage with Don Quixote), theater and music, the author also refers to other themes such as the capture of reality, spirituality and the connection of the artist with the world around him.
If you are interested, you can obtain it by clicking here.
The father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud is one of the best-known figures in the history of psychology Although his theories have been partially superseded by different authors and theoretical currents, the observation and reading of his theories regarding the human psyche and its configuration continue to be of great interest. In this work the author offers us his vision of sexuality and its development throughout life.
To read more about this work, click here.
You may be interested: “The 5 stages of psychosexual development by Sigmund Freud”
7. In defense of error (Kathryn Schulz)
We live in a society that requires us to be competitive and efficient in everything we do. We have to seek perception, being harshly criticized for the errors committed. However, making mistakes is, in most cases, an opportunity to improve and open up to new ways of acting and seeing the world. In this essay, The author reflects different mistakes made by some of the most relevant personalities and recognized throughout history.
If you are interested, click here to read more about this work.
8. The soul of puppets (John Gray)
This essay tells us about one of the rights and values most defended and valued by human beings throughout history: freedom. Throughout this work John Gray reflects that although we consider ourselves liberated, Human beings continue to be constrained by different elements that force us to act in a certain way. As if we were puppets, we continue to be controlled by our conscience, ideas, beliefs and personal history, in many cases unable to move beyond specific limits, whether imposed by others or by us ourselves.
To see more information about the book, use this link.
9. The genealogy of morality (Friederich Niezche)
This essay by the well-known philosopher deals with topics such as culture, good and evil, science and asceticism, guilt or sorrow, establishing a fierce criticism of the concept of morality and to the values that govern society.
This work by Umberto Eco studies topics such as war, immigration or the media from the perspective of its influence on morality, based on the analysis of recent history.
If you are interested in this essay, click this link.
11. The inner journey. Essays on Jungian Psychology (Barbara Hannah)
The author of this book takes a tour of the work of the well-known author of depth psychology, CG Jung. Aspects such as archetypes and complexes or personality They will be aspects explored throughout this work with language that is easily understandable for the reader.
You may be interested: “The archetypes according to Carl Gustav Jung”
12. Writing: an introduction to alphabetic culture (Jesús Tusón)
Writing is one of the skills and tools that today are considered essential and that have allowed the transmission of values, beliefs and knowledge through the passage of history. It has allowed human beings to start from previous knowledge to advance and develop. In this essay, Tusón reflects the process and existing theories about the beginning, development and expansion of writing as a method of human communication.
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13. The musical brain (Daniel J. Levitin)
Music has been part of humanity since time immemorial. Used as a mechanism for communication and expression of emotions, feelings and intentions, it is an artistic expression that even today accompanies us and is part of our lives from childhood until death. In this essay the author tries to explain the role of music throughout history and its importance for individuals and groups that have passed through the world.
On this page you will find more information about the book.
14. Eroticism (George Bataille)
This essay tells us about the role of eroticism in different vital aspects and the link between it and aspects such as love and passion, creativity or even aspects such as its relationship with death and aggressiveness, also making reference to characters such as the Marquis de Sade or aspects such as incest.
