My Top Ten Books

1. The Unique and its Property-Max Stirner

The philosophical Magnum Opus of 19th century German philosopher Max Stirner. One of the most subversive pieces of philosophy for the average moral, cultural, and social philistines. Inspiring various branches of Anarchist, Individualist, and Libertarian thought. One of my biggest influences on how I see the world.

2. The Stranger-Albert Camus

   The father of Absurdist thought, Albert Camus' best work and a literary classic. Such a great story that speaks to me and many people. A huge inspiration on my own writing, and a great song by The Cure.

3. A Hunger Artist-Franz Kafka

   My all-time favorite author, greatest philosophical and literary inspiration. This is a short story that is often underlooked by most, but I think has the most powerful message out of anything I've read by him.

   
   

4. The Metamorphosis-Franz Kafka

   Kafka's most popular story that every high school english student reads at some point. Can't mention Kafka without this story and its symbolism. Biggest reason why Kafkaesque is my favorite word.

   
   

5. Into the Wild-Jon Krakauer

   The biography and written journey of Chris McCandless, a man who escaped the conveniences of the modern world to seek something more that we don't typically embark to find. His ending is tragic, though inspirational.

   
   

6. The Dunwich Horror-H.P Lovecraft

   Though The Call of Cthulhu is a great story and is the most popular of Mr. Lovecraft's works, I personally enjoyed reading The Dunwich Horror a shit ton more. I like Lovecraft's concepts and all but his writing tends to be pretty dry and not that well written (and very racist but that's a whole other conversation.) But the Dunwich Horror is one of his better written stories in my eyes. Aside from Kafka and Camus, Lovecraft and the concepts of Cosmic Horror and Nihilism that is present in every story is one of my biggest inspirations, in fact, some of my first ever stories and writings were based on cosmic horror, The Dunwich Horror in particular being the biggest.

7. Walden-Henry David Thoreau

   Similar to Into the Wild, though over a century older, and not nearly as tragic. Detailing Thoreau's stay at Walden pond in his handmade cabin living a simple self-reliant lifestyle. I think at least to those who indulge in the same stuff I do romanticize a handmade cabin lifestyle every once in a while. I would fantasize doing the same as Thoreau and McCandless all the time in my high school writing classes. God, I hope I visit Boston once again someday so I can visit Walden pond.

8. No Longer Human-Osamu Dazai

   A very bleak autobiography of Osamu Dazai with a fictional persona of himself, though it is a great story I definitely recommend being in a good headspace before reading.

   
   

9. Thus Spoke Zarathustra-Friedrich Nietzsche

   The bulk of Nietzsche's most notable concepts and ideas from Nietzsche come from this book. It's one of his most poetic works, and also one of his misunderstood, debated, and complex works. I'd argue to say his magnum opus.

10. Blessed is the Flame-Serafinski

    The best piece of Anarchist and Nihilist literature in my eyes, as it draws from real world events, notably the Holocaust. It's bleak, yet joyful. A celebration of the fires that every individual can spread, a book that truly helps the individual realize that we can do anything. This is our world, we live on it how we see fit.