Any book recommendations - non fictional ? (Further info in description)

[Everybody_yells]

Hey All,

I haven't been a reading material, in fact I hated it and I am pretty sure I still do. But the current situation demands that I read some it seems.

I am quite sure that I am definitely not on the path to recovery which sort of contradicts my intention to post here, but I do know that I am searching for some deeper meaning beyond this mundane routines of the world. Of course I am not speaking about spirituality, but.... I don't know how to phrase it, maybe something philosophical but gives you different perspective to life?
I mean I am not looking for those "How to win hearts blah blah" kind of stuff for sure. But something that can change the way you think of things after you are done with the book, howsoever deep the rabbit hole goes.

I have heard of Camus and his books that people read, but I have also heard not-so-good reviews as well. So I am not sure if I should start there. But like I said, I am a total stranger when it comes to books, so if any of you have any recommendations, I'm all ears !

Cheers,

 

[Samsal112]

M Scott Peck has a trilogy of "self-help" books that are really good. I know, the term self-help usually turns me off, but these are pretty good. If I could find a therapist as good and inquisitive as this guy, I would be doing a lot better. Each book takes on a different topic such as death, spirituality, and solving painful problems. For people who come from dysfunctional homes, the beginning of the first book explains how parents are at fault.

 

[callme]

It sounds you are in the right mindset to read the Myth of Sisyphus (and The Stranger), you have put exactly Camus' words in the same way of thinking. Not to give much away, but he describes the futility of everyday life and what according to his own conclusion, meaning of life or a lack of it similar to what you seem to conclude.

It's definitely not anything positive of a view on humanity or an exercise in wishful thinking on what transcends life, just plain realism.

If you do however, make the case and push for a recovery and need more of a psychological guide, I'd say Carol Dweck. Definitely don't choose the much talked about and recommended Brene Brown or dr. David Burns. Both are very recommended in the self-help community, but lots of flimsy feel-good advice.

I certainly didn't like Burns' approach, his examples of conversations with patients aiming to prove how changing your view is the cause of your problems is damning to me. Probably intended for a much healthier, well-to-do set of people, preferably those with money.

He plainly states, in the only sentence that matters to me in his whole book (in the depression section), if you are severely depressed - WOW - seek psychiatric help! Need I say more?

I feel Carol's book has a lot of repetition (bad reviews too) and nothing you've never heard of before, but at least would make you use what you already have and know, in terms of positive psychology, such as a productive mindset.

 

[whatevs]

I liked "The Rebel" by Camus, I recommend it. It´s more of an overview of different groups and streams that defied society or Nature itself than a proper philosophical treatise, but honestly I don´t think he was never good enough for that kind of work anyway.

"The Stranger" is OK. I don´t remember a word of "The Myth of Sysyphus" which I read years ago. Didn´t leave much of an impression.

My favourite book, which was written by a suicided author as well, is probably No longer human by Osamu Dazai.

 

[Everybody_yells]

Thanks for all the recommendations. ! I guess I can get started with some of Camus's books.

 

[Dot]

Victr Frankl - Mns Srch Fr Meanng

 

[SexyIncél]

Days of War, Nights of Love

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[codedarchaeologist]

This is a pretty old thread, but since it's been necromancied anyway, I'll throw in a couple recommendations.

Helen Keller's The Story of My Life is an autobiography by a deafblind woman who learned her first language at 7. The way she describes her conceptualisation of the world pre-and post-language is fascinating. It made me reconceptualise a lot of stuff as well.

William T. Close's Ebola is a historical novel that retells in detail the first ebola outbreak in Zaire in 1976. It's really not a feel-good story - a lot of people suffer horribly and die and as we know 50 years later, the heroes don't win in the end. It's like one of those fiction novels that start with the final scene and the rest is just figuring out how we got there, except it's all more or less real. From the moment I picked it up, I could hardly sleep with how invested I was. Really wonderful read, if you can stomach the subject matter. Really shook me for a bit.