10 books you MUST read before dying
Dr. Peter Kreeft is an expert in CS Lewis, Aquinas, and Plato
After teaching philosophy for 50+ years, he says there are 10 books you MUST read before dying
Here’s his list, and a run-down of what each book can teach you about the pursuit of life’s Truth, Beauty, and Goodness:
1.) The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoevsky
“This is the greatest novel by the greatest novelist”
Brothers' characters are all weird - at times they're in heaven, other times hell
The genius is - you’re weird too - and Dostoevsky helps you discover this weirdness in yourself
2.) Confessions - Augustine
Kreeft calls this “The greatest book ever written outside the Bible”
It’s an autobiography of how Augustine went from committing every sin in the book to becoming a great saint
It reveals that even the WORST of people are capable of the miraculous
3.) Brave New World - Huxley
“This is the most prophetic book of the 20th century… we are living in Brave New World”
It’s a dystopian novel about how pleasure is a drug that is destroying society
While fictional, it's disturbingly accurate to how society is operating today
4.) Lord of the Rings - Tolkien
Tolkien's characters are larger than life
They evoke spirits of grandeur and heroism like nothing else
Lord of the Rings teaches you what it really means to be a hero
Read this story and seek to follow the example of its protagonists
5.) Pensees - Blaise Pascal
“In my experience of teaching philosophy…Pensees is the most effective way to reach the modern pagan who doesn’t care about Truth”
Pensees focuses on metaphysics but is clear and simple
It awakens a desire for Truth and Goodness like few books can
“Without The Apology, you don’t have philosophy, the love of wisdom, sanctity, or civilization”
This dialogue recounts Socrates’ trial, right before he was put to death
He teaches you the purest meaning of philosophy - to love wisdom more than life
Boethius wrote this in prison before getting executed via a wicked politician
It’s the perfect foil to The Apology, as it answers the question:
“What can philosophy teach you in the face of death?”
Kreeft calls this a shorter version of Dante's Divine Comedy:
The protagonist is in Hell, on a journey to Heaven
This story has a mind-shattering conclusion about the nature of hell, and will teach you troves of wisdom about human nature
“The greatest play ever written”
Despite its brevity, there are more quotations used from Hamlet than any book in history (excluding the Bible)
It’s arguably the most influential piece of fiction ever written… read it
“Orthodoxy is a masterpiece that explains everything and denies a label”
Orthodoxy reveals that things in life are often the opposite of what they seem
It suggests that a truly wise life means defying conventionality in favor of virtue
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