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Which of these would you say are the most influential books in history and why? If you have one to add, go right ahead.

OT, definately.

Originally posted by Janus Marius
OT, definately.

If you see the OT as direct cause of the NT I agree with you....you know what...I just agree with you.

Originally posted by Janus Marius
OT, definately.

Co-signed

haha, maybe I should have made it "Most Influential Books in History...other than The Old Testament"

One of the most influential books is definitively Das Kapital, or Communist Manifesto, as the poll indicates.

The Kama-sutra should be in the poll .

That book is evil. No one can bend like some of those positions.

I agree on the OT.

Origin of Species nto really. Its boring, not very interesting, and frankyl not very historiacally important. However, evolution by natural selection is an important concept...I just don't see the book being there.

The oldest and most popular tends to win out.

slash the most published

Supposively the best seller, though those damn phantom Gideons are the ones buying them all up.

Aside from major religious texts, the only other "books" in history that are truly influential would be those of ancient philosophers: Sun Tzu, Aristotle, etc. Books of facts don't influence cultures for very long, and nor do books of fiction. It's books of religion and philosophy and purpose of life or politics or war that win out in the end.

Although I disagree with the Communist Manifesto being up on the list. The Prince beats the hell out of that book for impact.

You forgot a few:

Uncle Tom's Cabin
When released outsold the bible.

The Torah
You put the testiments in there.

Kabala

Dont put religious books in there without putting them all in there


I'm going to say Uncle Tom's Cabin

How is a book barely written 150 years ago the "Most influential book in history"? I don't think book sales really cut it, either. The book sold 300,000 in its first year.

http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/articles/thriller_instinct.html

^ The Da Vinci Code outsells that in a week, with over 7.35 million copies in print. No way in hell I'd consider the Da Vinci Code the most influential book in history.

Originally posted by Morgoths_Wrath
Which of these would you say are the most influential books in history and why? If you have one to add, go right ahead.

Most of the books in the poll have had their own influence in their respective fields.

Politics/Philosophy: Manisfesto of the Communist Party
Science: Origin of the species
Psychology: Interpretation of dreams
Religion: Q'uran, OT, NT testament.

I personally think that Mein Kampf (despite it's controversial material) is by far the most influential book ever. Kinda of ironic also...the germans burn books except this one. Bizzare how people were behaving during those times.

Originally posted by Janus Marius
How is a book barely written 150 years ago the "Most influential book in history"? I don't think book sales really cut it, either. The book sold 300,000 in its first year.

http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/articles/thriller_instinct.html

^ The Da Vinci Code outsells that in a week, with over 7.35 million copies in print. No way in hell I'd consider the Da Vinci Code the most influential book in history.

Lol...just the thought cracked me up.

Not in history, but Rachel Carson's Silent Spring i would place in the most influential books of the 20th century.

ANd I don't know why poeple thin On the Origins of Species is sooo influential.

Originally posted by Janus Marius
How is a book barely written 150 years ago the "Most influential book in history"? I don't think book sales really cut it, either. The book sold 300,000 in its first year.

http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/articles/thriller_instinct.html

^ The Da Vinci Code outsells that in a week, with over 7.35 million copies in print. No way in hell I'd consider the Da Vinci Code the most influential book in history. Its not the fact that i'm saying it outsold the bible, but it did influence the history of the american nation....

How?

And since when is influencing America for 100 years qualify as most influential book in history?

Janus is saying that...its not.

Originally posted by Janus Marius
How?

And since when is influencing America for 100 years qualify as most influential book in history? How, you say? Well, to start. The book opened the slaves eyes to how they were actually being treated. Which started an uprising. It is blamed by some for the start of the Civil War, because this is when all of the people that didn't know how the slaves were being traded, beaten, abused. Which started uprising. And if you tell me that the Civil War didn't at all change this nation, you need to go back to history class.

and i'm saying that its ONE of the most influential books in history.

and if i didn't say it in my first post, than i would like to put it in, but i cant because i cant edit. its ONE of the most influential.

That holds true only if America is the centre of the Planet Earth and all its histories - which it isn't.

One thing that the majority of books in the poll (and those mentioned in the thread) have in comon is that they were all read/practiced and implemented in the parts of the world OTHER than where they have written, and thus have influenced history in general - not American history alone, or some other country.

The book on history of one of the youngest nations in the world, can hardly be said is influential in the global history.

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
That holds true only if America is the centre of the Planet Earth and all its histories - which it isn't.

One thing that the majority of books in the poll (and those mentioned in the thread) have in comon is that they were all read/practiced and implemented in the parts of the world OTHER than where they have written, and thus have influenced history in general - not American history alone, or some other country.

The book on history of one of the youngest nations in the world, can hardly be said is influential in the global history.

Definately. Love the avatar and title, btw.

zOMG!

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
That holds true only if America is the centre of the Planet Earth and all its histories - which it isn't.

One thing that the majority of books in the poll (and those mentioned in the thread) have in comon is that they were all read/practiced and implemented in the parts of the world OTHER than where they have written, and thus have influenced history in general - not American history alone, or some other country.

The book on history of one of the youngest nations in the world, can hardly be said is influential in the global history. And, i didn't say that

I'M JUST SAYING!

it is an influential book. I'm not saying its the ONE BOOK!

Yeah, but the title of the thread is pretty obvious. I could go off on how Catcher in the Rye is an influential book, but it doesn't fit the thread's purpose at all.

No need to get defensive...

Meh, The Origin of Species is pretty influential. But then again, the OT probably takes it.

Well, there can't really be a MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOK, because its somewhat of a opinionated concern

Originally posted by Dwight Shrute
Well, there can't really be a MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOK, because its somewhat of a opinionated concern

2.1 billion people estimated in the Christian religion. That beats out even Islam at 1.3 billion. So obviously, unless they all found Christianity in a Cracker Jack box and don't read the Bible or adhere to its works at all (Which is unlikely as it gets), then obviously the OT is more influential than any other religious book.

OT by a mile.