Kepone's Blog

for Environmental stuff

*Desert Solitaire or The Monkeywrench Gang by Edward Abbey

---Fabulous books. The Earth Firsters formed after reading his books.

*Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

---Fabulous analysis of toxins in our environment. It got DDT banned.

*Zodiac by Neal Stephenson

---Decent story. Made my friend all scared of water in cities.

 

for Alternative History stuff

*Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown.

---I'm kinda assuming you've already read it, but everyone should.

 

for Alternative Science stuff

*Red Earth, While Lies by Vine Deloria.

---Dated and ranty, but good. Attacks a lot of scientific assumptions.

 

for Things I've Been Meaning to Read But Haven't Gotten To Yet

*On the Road by Jack Kerouac.

*Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

*Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig.

*Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig.

 

I'll second this. I'm not sure if it could be classed as left-wing, but it is a book that everyone should read. Basically an introduction to philosophy and the meaning of quality, but set in the context of a motorcycle ride across the USA. The sequel "Lila" is also first rate, and if you like this kind of thing, then "Sophies World" is also a good read. For left-wing material anything by Franz Kafka is a good read (though I really hate the arbritrary left/right-wing distinction in general).

 

Chris

The only reason I use "left-wing" is because a lot of the political stuff I've read is tilted mainly towards the Left end of the political spectrum.

 

In other words, I'm a mortal enemy of childish sycophants like Rush and Sean Hannity.

Ecotopia

wikipedia link

Amazon link

for Alternative Science stuff

*Red Earth, While Lies by Vine Deloria.

---Dated and ranty, but good.  Attacks a lot of scientific assumptions.

Personally, I'd avoid anything about "alternative science" because there is no alternative science. What is in books like this is pseudoscience - stuff that sounds scientific but is complete hogwash.

for Things I've Been Meaning to Read But Haven't Gotten To Yet

*On the Road by Jack Kerouac.

I read this. It wasn't bad, but I don't think it was as great as people claim. Though maybe I just didn't "get it."

*Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig.

Great book. A hard read but worth it. My own novel (unfinished) is based a road trip I took, partially because this book inspired me to do so...