Last week I presented an exploration of many popular beliefs that can disrupt our lives and undermine our relationships: “30 Bad Ideas Men Should Embrace if They Want to Destroy Themselves.” The list utilized books from gifted writers exploring concepts across culture, history, and religion. Here are links to their books and where you can read more of their writing in the series:
1. Lisa De Pasquale with her memoir Finding Mr. Righteous
The seven men from Lisa’s book were each explored throughout the series starting with Chris the Atheist and ending with Brandon the Non-denominational Believer.
2. David P. “Spengler” Goldman with his essay collection It’s Not the End of the World, It’s Just the End of You
3. Leora Batnitzky with her scholarly study Idolatry and Representation: the Philosophy of Franz Rosenzweig Reconsidered.
Goldman’s books are great introductions to the tools of Jewish philosopher Franz Rosenzweig for understanding the impact of Paganism, Judaism, and Christianity on modern thought. Batnitzky’s book provided an opening for understanding the differences within Christianity as relative to their attitudes to Judaism.
4. Camille Paglia with her essay collection Sex, Art and American Culture and magnum opus Sexual Personae
Discussed to illustrate points here and here.
5. The super-blogger the The Anchoress Elizabeth Scalia with her very accessible introduction to idolatry, Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life
My list discussed Scalia’s perceptive insights on technology addiction and workaholism.
6. Five Feet of Fury Blog Empress Kathy Shaidle with her great culture critique and memoir e-book Confessions of a Failed Slut
Kathy points to the future that’s coming and how technology is transforming the way men and women relate.
7. Robert M. Hoffstein with his revealing A Mystical Key to the English Language
Exploring the word Love here.
8. PJ Columnist Dr. Helen Smith with her important manifesto Men on Strike: Why Men Are Boycotting Marriage, Fatherhood, and the American Dream – and Why It Matters
Here in the list I explained where I agree and disagree with Dr. Helen.
9. Harvey C. Mansfield with his book Manliness
This and the next two books are useful for understanding men and women who have fallen into a nihilistic ideology
10. Allan Bloom with his classic The Closing of the American Mind
11. Andrew Breitbart with his memoir Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World!
12. Douglas Rushkoff with his introduction to a more mystical, “open source” Judaism, Nothing Sacred: The Truth About Judaism
13. Franz Rosenzweig with his The Star of Redemption
The series concludes with an author Goldman has inspired me to dig deeper into understanding.
In two of the posts preceding the series I also suggested these authors and their books as important for understanding humanity’s fallen nature and marriage’s ability to raise us upward:
14. Michael Ledeen with his Machiavelli on Modern Leadership
15. Shmuley Boteach with his integration of Eastern and Western mysticism, The Kosher Sutra
Need more books that’ll transform the way you understand the world?
For the next big list coming I’m planning on naming some great movies and explaining how they can inspire us….
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