The Demon-Haunted World

"The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark" by Carl Sagan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon-Haunted_World Also around the age of 8 or 9 I read some Erich von Däniken book and got quite excited by what it contained. However, I eventually realised that it was complete nonsense and I got really affronted that people could write books that contained stuff that wasn't true. A useful lesson! Edit: Another one is "Why People Believe Weird Things": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_People_Believe_Weird_Thing... (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_People_Believe_Weird_Things)

Demon Haunted World (Sagan). The art of baloney detection and scientific thinking. Letters from a Stoic (Seneca). The pursuit of happiness is meaningless, focus on the pursuit of wisdom. Poor Charlie's Almanac (Charles T. Munger). A library of mental/thinking models can take you a long way. Of Human Bondage (Maugham). What is the meaning of life?

"The Demon-Haunted World" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon-Haunted_World Sagan at his most passionate awesome best.

It doesn't sound corny at all - it really is an extremely good wee book. I occasionally like to debate with people what five books we think everyone should read by the time they leave school - The Demon Haunted World is on my list.

> I'd prefer things not directly technical though not necessarily fiction. Sounds exactly like me. I strongly suggest: 1. The Selfish Gene (Richard Dawkins) 2. The Demon-Haunted World (Carl Sagan) ...or if you need a little inspiration... 3. Founders at Work