The Bible (public library; free ebook), to learn that it s easier to be to

ld by others what to think and believe than it is to think for yourself

The System of the World (public library; free ebook) by Isaac Newton, to
learn that the universe is a knowable place
On the Origin of Species (public library; free ebook) by Charles Darwin,
to learn of our kinship with all other life on Earth
Gulliver s Travels (public library; free ebook) by Jonathan Swift, to lear
n, among other satirical lessons, that most of the time humans are Yahoos
The Age of Reason (public library; free ebook) by Thomas Paine, to learn
how the power of rational thought is the primary source of freedom in the world
The Wealth of Nations (public library; free ebook) by Adam Smith, to lea
rn that capitalism is an economy of greed, a force of nature unto itself
The Art of War (public library; free ebook) by Sun Tzu, to learn that th
e act of killing fellow humans can be raised to an art
The Prince (public library; free ebook) by Machiavelli, to learn that pe
ople not in power will do all they can to acquire it, and people in power will d
o all they can to keep it