Philosophy from every tradition, and the books members write and love, of every kind. Each has its own page: what it is, why read it, where to start, and what members thought. Put books on your shelf, rate what you have read, and add the books you think everyone should know.
The Gateless Gate (Wumenguan) Wumen Huikai
Wumen Huikai · 1228
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Intermediate Buddhist
The Gay Science Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche · 1882; expanded 1887
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Intermediate Modern European
The German Ideology Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels · 1845–1846 (first published in full 1932)
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Intermediate Modern European
The Governance of the Solitary Ibn Bājja (Avempace)
Ibn Bājja (Avempace) · early 12th century (unfinished; before 1138)
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Advanced Islamic
The Great Learning (Daxue) Traditionally attributed to Zengzi
Traditionally attributed to Zengzi · c. 3rd–2nd century BCE (dates debated)
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Beginner Chinese
The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lamrim Chenmo) Tsongkhapa
Tsongkhapa · 1402
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Advanced Buddhist
The Guide for the Perplexed Maimonides
Maimonides · c. 1190
★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.0 · 1 review
Advanced Jewish
The Hatata Inquiries Zera Yacob (with Walda Heywat)
Zera Yacob (with Walda Heywat) · c. 1668; Walda Heywat's text later
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Intermediate African & Africana
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat Hanh · 1998
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Beginner Buddhist
The Heart Sutra Anonymous Mahāyāna sutra
Anonymous Mahāyāna sutra · c. 7th century CE or earlier (dates debated)
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Intermediate Buddhist
The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: The Will to Knowledge Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault · 1976
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
History Intermediate Continental
The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen Kwame Anthony Appiah
Kwame Anthony Appiah · 2010
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
History Beginner Analytic
The Human Condition Hannah Arendt
Hannah Arendt · 1958
★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.5 · 2 reviews
Advanced Continental
The Idea of Justice Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen · 2009
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Intermediate Analytic
The Imperative of Responsibility Hans Jonas
Hans Jonas · 1979
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Advanced Continental
The Incoherence of the Incoherence Ibn Rushd (Averroes)
Ibn Rushd (Averroes) · c. 1180
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Advanced Islamic
The Incoherence of the Philosophers Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī
Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī · c. 1095
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Advanced Islamic
The Inner System Syed Raheel Shahzad
Syed Raheel Shahzad
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Religion & spirituality By the founder
The Invention of Africa V. Y. Mudimbe
V. Y. Mudimbe · 1988
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Advanced African & Africana
The Invention of Women Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí
Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí · 1997
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
History Advanced African & Africana
The Jamaica Letter Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar · 1815
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
History Beginner Latin American
The Journey of the Mind into God Bonaventure
Bonaventure · 1259
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
Intermediate Medieval Christian
The Jungle Protocol Syed Raheel Shahzad
Syed Raheel Shahzad
★★★★★ ★★★★★ No reviews yet
By the founder
The Kuzari Judah Halevi
Judah Halevi · c. 1140
★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.5 · 2 reviews
Intermediate Jewish