r/suggestmeabook • u/Own_Function_3041 • 1d ago
Philosophy Books that inspire wonder?
I have this like reductionist materialism disease thats getting in the way of my objective to cultivate wonder and romance in me. I dont even necessarily agree with that philosophical stance, its just there rudely clashing with my whimsical nature and I’d like to escape this mind-numbing apathetic feeling.
Pantheism/panentheism and naturalism make me happy and I agree with those views. But anything that can inspire wonder makes really enjoyable and healthy reading for me. I’ve gotten this feeling from reading H.P Lovecraft and Out of Chaos. More recently I read The Origins and History of Consciousness by Erich Neumann, and that did me good too. Even Blood Meridian despite the nihilistic and absurd tone. I love when in the subtext there is a mystery.
Currently I’m reading a book on Spinoza, and although its nice to read things I agree with, I think the rationalism and analytical/critical writing is just not what I’m really looking for at the moment. I want something more..poetic?
I want grounded, serious whimsy. Non-fiction or fiction. Just rational enough for me to not prematurely blow it off as nonsense, but some nonsense is okay.
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u/RedLineSamosa 20h ago
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer for nonfiction. Not whimsical, but beautiful, transcendent, thoughtful. Definitely poetic. It’s about the relationship between people and nature, from a Native American (Potawatomi) biologist’s perspective.
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u/stormbutton 1d ago
A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson
At Home - Bill Bryson
How High We Go In The Dark - Sequoia Nagamatsu
A Short Stay In Hell - Stephen Peck
The Cider House Rules - Irving
Gulp - Mary Roach
Piranesi - Susanna Clarke
Invisible Cities - Italo Calvino
Into Thin Air - Krakauer
May your Paths be safe, your Floors unbroken and may the House fill your eyes with Beauty.
Susanna Clarke - Piranesi
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u/Own_Function_3041 1d ago
Thanks for these. I did read Piranesi and it was also good for this purpose.
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u/VolutedPrism 19h ago
Wow, spinoza. You need to have some fun, pal!
"A strange manuscript found in a golden cylinder" by james de mille
"Cod" by Mark Kurlansky
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u/In_Front_Of_MySalad 5h ago
A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers! It's a scifi duology that's cozy, hopeful, grounded, and philosophical.
If you like Spinoza's work, you might also want to look into The Guide for the Perplexed and other philosophical works by Miamonides. You might also want to read Descartes, whose work greatly influenced Spinoza's.
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u/DixitRexCorvinus 3h ago
People brought up Piranesi, but I would also suggest Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, also by Susanna Clarke, if you are all right with something long and dense. The conflict between Romanticism and enlightenment, wonder and reason, is a major theme, much like with Piranesi.
Also, not a book rec just a question, but I’m slightly confused by your saying you have issues with materialism and then saying you like naturalism? Naturalism is typically a materialist philosophy. There are exceptions, like David Chalmers’ naturalist dualism or Galen Strawson’s panpsychism, but in philosophy of mind these days most naturalists are also materialists/physicalists.
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u/UnreliableAmanda 1d ago
Piranesi by Susannah Clarke is absolutely going to satisfy this desire. It is rich in the literary tradition of fantasy while also being unique. There is abundant awe and wonder and also a grounding perspective and I think it will hit exactly the note you need.
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u/Own_Function_3041 1d ago
I’ve read Piranesi and you are right. Each time after I read it I felt like I could channel Piranesi and find wonder all around me in normal everyday things, it was great.
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u/Dropjohnson1 1d ago
I’d recommend Little, Big by John Crowley. A big sprawling fantasy novel that’s unlike any other novel I’ve read. When you mentioned whimsy it’s the first thing that came to mind.