Ah. I forgot to say WHY.
"Once an Eagle" by Anon Myrer
In my opinion, this is one of the BEST books on leadership. The power of integrity, hard work and persistence to accomplish things.
"Witness" by Whittaker Chambers
This book had a greater effect on my life than nearly any other book. It changed the way I looked at politics in the United States, specifically the media and the left of the political spectrum.
"1984" by George Orwell
This is the conssumate book on totalitarian states, and the tools that they use to get control and maintain control. Very scary. Also very relevant, particularly regarding the use of language in shaping of opinion and government.
"The Guns of August" by Barbara W. Tuchman
I just read this recently, and I was stunned, as I had never looked at WWI in that light before. The world was a giant machine, and once someone pushed the button to start it, it simply ground inexorably towards one of the most horrific wars ever, and nobody or nothing was going to stop it. Like going over a cliff in slow motion.
"The Gulag Archipelago" by Aleksandr Isaevich Solzhenitsyn
A powerful book. It so clearly illustrates the inherent corruptness of the communist ideology. You see how clearly rotten it is from the very start, and how the entire concept is simply built on lies and the worst parts of human nature.
"The Odyssey" by Homer
A great story by a great storyteller. In some ways we are not so different from those people who inhabit that book, though we are thousands of years apart.
"Master and Commander" by Patrick O'Brian
Simply enjoyable, historically accurate reading!
"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert M. Pirsig
"What is quality?" Three simple words that can make you insane.
Glad to see you took the full consideration of the material. It really justified the SIZE of the post, but I hoped some of the folks here at FR could get something worthwhile to read. Thanks for the input!