Atlas Shrugged and 9 other books that changed the world

Atlas Shrugged is the book that changed MY world. Ayn Rand, being the brainchild of its mindful and seemingly unreachable philosophy Objectivism, my Charles Darwin. Ayn Rand is the alpha and omega of my philosophy and my moral code. I first read it when i was nine, all in its glorious 1000+ pages, in miniscule serif print and understood the perception of the ideal, the ought-to-be and the definition of human greatness that it presented, at least within the magnitude of a nine year old’s mental capacity. I have not stopped reading it since then; my understanding of her vision and her ideal and underlying morality grew in my every reading of Atlas Shrugged, until i realized that her philosophy has been abominable to some and that the rest of me is all too human to live a life that follows her ideal.

I have read almost all her books, including those that details her philosophy. They are some of my most treasured possessions. And to me, all of her books are an essential read for the intellectuals of this generation.

In lieu of this, it is interesting to know what other books have changed other people and the world as compiled and listed in ListVerse. The Bible is of course most definitely included, as well as yes, Atlas Shrugged (which will soon become a Hollywood movie allegedly starring Hollywood’s most talked about couple, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, more about this on future post) and some other great books that i have come across.

In order of creation, here is the list of the Top 10 books that changed the world.

1. The Bible - Various Authors (circa 30AD - 90AD) [Wikipedia]

There can be no doubt that the Bible has done more to change the face of the world than any other book. A mere two hundred years after it was created, it brought about the conversion of the entire Roman Empire from paganism to Christianity. Since then, Christianity has become the largest single religion in the world (with 2.1 billion adherents). The oldest and largest of the Christian groups is the Roman Catholic Church whose membership (1.05 billion) is equal to the size of all other Christian groups combined.

The Bible comprises two books - the Old Testament (taken from the Greek edition used by Christ and the apostles) and the New Testament (written by some of the Apostles of Jesus after his death - including St Paul who did not meet Christ during His lifetime).

The Gutenberg bible (a copy of the Latin Vulgate) was the first book ever published on the printing press. The Bible is the most purchased book in the world.

2. The Qur’an - Various Authors (650AD to 656AD) [Wikipedia]

The Qur’an is the holy book of the Islamic religion. The founder of Islam, Mohammed told his followers that he was given revelations by the Angel Gabriel. These revelations (spanning 23 years) form the basis of the Qur’an. After Mohammed’s death in 632 the Qur’an was recorded by word of mouth only; it was not for another 20 years that the various memories of his words were collected and combined.

The Qur’an is considered by Muslims to be the last revealed word of God (after the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Christian Bible). In recent years much debate has occurred over the content of the Qur’an - with its opponents claiming that it advocates war and murder of non-believers. Muslims generally claim that this is not the case and state that opponents of Islam are taking the text out of context.

3. The Summa Theologica - St. Thomas Aquinas (1265 - 1274) [Wikipedia]

The Summa Theologica is a multi-volume set of books which outlines in the most precise manner, the doctrines and beliefs of Christianity. It was held in such high regard, that second to the Bible, it was the book most used for reference at the Council of Trent (1545 - 1563). Its influence was felt all across the Christian World as the reforms of the Council of Trent were implemented.

To this day, the Summa Theologica is the primary teaching tool used in Roman Catholic seminaries and its author is regarded as a Doctor of the Church (a title reserved for only 33 great thinkers in the history of Christianity). It is also worth noting that St Isidore (popularly considered Patron Saint of the Internet) is also seen as a Doctor of the Church.

4. The Rights of Man - Thomas Paine (1791) [Wikipedia]

Paine, an English writer, influenced American Democracy and Democracy in general with his writings. According to Paine, the sole purpose of the government is to protect the irrefutable rights inherent to every human being. Thus all institutions which do not benefit a nation are illegitimate, including the monarchy (and the nobility) and the military establishment.

When the French Revolution broke out, Paine went to France where, despite his ignorance of the French language, he was promptly elected to the National Convention. His absence from England at this time was fortuitous because the publication of The Rights of Man caused such a furor in the country that Paine was put on trial in absentia and convicted for seditious libel against the crown.

5. Either/Or - Søren Kierkegaard (1843) [Wikipedia]

Either/Or portays the two lifeviews, one being consciously hedonistic and one based on ethical duty and responsibility, in two volumes. Each lifeview is written and represented by a fictional pseudonymous author and the prose of the work depends on which lifeview is being discussed. For example, the aesthetic lifeview is written in short essay form, with poetic imagery and allusions, discussing aesthetic topics such as music, seduction, drama, and beauty. The ethical lifeview is written as two long letters, with a more argumentative and restraint prose, discussing moral responsibility, critical reflection, and marriage.

This book, by the father of existentialism has been highly influential with other existentialists. Despite its great popularity, it was not published in English until 1944. Existentialism is a philosophical movement that claims that individual human beings have full responsibility for creating the meanings of their own lives. It is a reaction against more traditional philosophies, such as rationalism and empiricism.

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