Editor’s Note: We’re launching some new discussions and debates this winter in dialogue with the new fiction publishing company Liberty Island. See the previous installments: David S. Bernstein on November 19: “5 Leaders of the New Conservative Counter-Culture,”  Dave Swindle on November 25: “7 Reasons Why Thanksgiving Will Be My Last Day on Facebook,” this collection of discussion starters from Monday: “60 Questions to Provoke Debates About How to Fix Our Popular Culture.”  Also see “My Growing List of 65 Read-ALL-Their-Books Authors” for more description of the method behind the madness of this work-in-progress book collection. The goal: 365 books total, 7 lists of 52 each, organized thematically by day. What books should make it onto the final list? How should the organization structure be revised? Your input and suggestions are most valued. Please join the discussion on Twitter (@DaveSwindle) and Instagram (@DaveSwindlePJM) and your responses might appear in future installments.

Episode 1, December 2, 2014: “I Need Your Help Assembling the Ultimate Reading List For My Brother”

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Check out Frank J. Fleming's great new sci-fi novel SuperEgo about a generically-engineered sociopath assassin! Here's an excerpt from chapter 3 where he meets with boss to hear about his next kill. #sciencefiction #fiction #novel #libertyIsland Frank is a very skilled, creative writer.

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Wednesday: Technology: Tools of Self-Transformation

Wednesday: How does technology transform our lives? And by “technology” I don’t just mean computers — writing is a form of technology. One’s diet is a technology. These are practical tools one should master.

Writing, Poetry, and Comics

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Any Umberto Eco fans out there? #books #literature #philosophy Which of his books do you like/recommend and why? #fiction #culture

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Recommended
The Morning Briefing: Just In Time for Halloween — Somewhat Lifelike Mitch McConnell Stephen Kruiser Trump Pulls Rank on DOJ in Major Guns Rights Fight Ryan Ledendecker

Novels And Genre Fiction

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Film and Television

Economics

Education

Art and Media Theory

Internet and Technology

Pets

Diet and Drugs

Generational Theory

Futurism

Marriage and Monogamy

Some Twitter discussion yesterday with those skeptical of some authors recommended in yesterday’s list:

Thursday: Conservative Ideology Past, Present, and Future

Thursday: How and why do ideological movements change and evolve over time? The word “conservatism” and the goals of the movement it describes have changed a lot. Here I try to untangle some of the conflicting currents of the ideology and point toward the thinkers within it I most appreciate. My intent is to build on the scheme established here last year.

Conservatism 1.0 — The Anti-New Deal Coalition – “The Old Right”

Conservatism 2.0 — The Anti-Communist Coalition – “The New Right”

Conservatism 2.5 – Corporatist Neoconservatism – “The GOP Establishment and Fox News Right”

Polemics and Ideas To Inspire Conservatism 3.0 – “The Next Right”

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Protesters of Ceausescu inspired the dictator to vomit. He couldn't stand the truth of his crimes reflected back at him. Page 320 of Ion Mihai Pacepa's memoir Red Horizons #freedom #tyranny #Marxism #evil #Godless

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Page 320 of Red Horizons: The True Story of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescus’ Crimes, Lifestyle, and Corruption by Lt. Gen. Ion Mihai Pacepa

Friday: Extraordinary Lives – Biographies and Memoirs

Friday: What lessons can we learn from extraordinary lives? I’m trying to pick 52 biographies and memoirs ranging from people in the ancient world through the Middle Ages on through to present day.

Ancient History, Middle Ages, Renaissance

18th Century

19th Century

20th Century

The Boomers and Beyond

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A very thick #history and #culture book on my reading list, recommended by someone whose judgment I trust. What do you think? Anybody know this one or the author? Have any views?

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"The men and women called Anarchists or Nihilists (actually early terrorists) publicized their views by assassination." – Jacques Barzun, From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Cultural Life, page 695. #death #crime #anarchism #anarchy #evil #ideology #nihilism

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“The men and women called Anarchists or Nihilists (actually early terrorists) publicized their views by assassination.” – From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life 1500 to the Present by Jacques Barzun

Saturday – Science, Spirituality and Philosophy

Saturday: How can we reconcile science and spirituality? I try to blend books that take a spiritual approach to science and a scientific approach to spirituality. The fight between science and religion is bogus, reconciled through mysticism.

Spiritual Science

Scientific Spirituality

Greek and Roman Wisdom

The Renaissance and Enlightenment Wisdom That Created the Modern World

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Any G.K. Chesterton fans out there? #Orthodoxy #God #Christianity #books #philosophy Any opponents? Who are thinkers you prefer?

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We do not appreciate how awesome #technology is.

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Sunday – Judeo-Christian Values and History

Sunday: How did Judeo-Christian values emerge from the chaos of ancient paganism and what effect did they have on humanity? We explore books about the history of Western Civilization, Judaism, Christianity, and the religions’ mystical practices.

American History

Exoteric Americanism

Esoteric Americanism

Israel and Judaism

Christianity

Judeo-Christian Mysticism

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Monday: Good Vs Evil

Monday: How can we understand Evil? I explore books about orthodox Islam, revolutionary Marxism, and antisemitism. In particular I’m going to try to explain how they’ve evolved over the centuries.

Islam

1.0 – the Koran and Mohammed

2.0 – Shariah slave states

3.0 – Terrorism and Stealth Jihad

Marxism

1.0 – From Marx and his predecessors to the death of Stalin

2.0 – the Cold War Criminal State and its Apologists and Allies

3.0 – Postmodernist Community Organizing and Stealth Socialism

Antisemitism and Conspiracism

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Great work Kathy Shaidle on your fascinating new article reviewing a book about the #occult #satan #evil #music and #rocknroll

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Today Kathy Shaidle finishes her critical review of  Peter Bebergal’s Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll.

Tuesday: The 5 Points of the Pagan Star

Tuesday: What is the relationship between ancient paganism and today’s popular culture? I argue that the idols described in the first five books of the Bible have a lot in common with the stars up on the screen today. Here I’ll try to break down the similarities and show how they evolved through the books that persuaded me.

Nature-Worship – Animism

Sex-Worship – Hedonism

Skin-Worship – Racism, Tribalism, Ethnic nationalism

Self-Worship – Narcissism

Death-Worship – Nihilism

What books should be added to the list? Please share your suggestions.