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in Books, Life| February 18th, 2015 24 Comments

What Books Could Be Used to Rebuild Civilization?: Lists by Brian En... http://www.openculture.com/2015/02/what-books-could-be-used-to-reb...

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One particularly distressing hallmark of late modernity can be characterized as a cultural loss of thefuture. Where we once delighted in imagining the turns civilization would take hundreds and eventhousands of years ahead—projecting radical designs, innovative solutions, great explorations, andpeculiar evolutionary developments—we now find the mode of forecasting has grown apocalyptic, asclimate change and other catastrophic, man-made global phenomena make it difficult to avoid some verydire conclusions about humanity’s impending fate. We can add to this assessment the loss of what we maycall the “long view” in our day-to-day lives.

As the Long Now Foundation co-founder Stewart Brand describes it, “civilization is revving itself into apathologically short attention span,” driven by “the acceleration of technology, the short-horizonperspective of market-driven economics, the next-election perspective of democracies, or the distractionsof personal multi-tasking.” Such is the texture of modern existence, and though we may run our handsover it daily, remarking on how tightly woven the fabric is, we seem to have few-to-no mechanisms forunweaving—or even loosening—the threads. Enter the Long Now Foundation and its proposal of “both amechanism and a myth” as a means encouraging “the long view and the taking of long-termresponsibility.”


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Image courtesy of Because We Can

Inspired by computer scientist Daniel Hill’s idea for a Stonehenge-sized clock that “ticks once a year,bongs once a century, and the cuckoo comes out every millennium,” the foundation proposes a number ofprojects and guidelines for restoring long-term thinking, including “minding mythic depth,” “rewardingpatience,” and “allying with competition.” The clock, initially a thought experiment, is becoming a reality,as you can see in the short video above, with a massive, “monument scale” version under construction inWest Texas and scale prototypes in London and the Long Now Foundation’s San Francisco headquarters.Largely a symbolic gesture, the “10,000 year clock,” as it’s called, has been joined with another,eminently practical undertaking reminiscent of Isaac Asimov’s Encyclopedia Galactica—a “library of thedeep future.”

One wing of this library, the Manual for Civilization, aims to compile a collection of 3,500 books in theFoundation’s physical space—books deemed most likely to “sustain or rebuild civilization.” To begin theproject, various future-minded contributors have been asked to make their own lists of books to add. Thefirst list comes from musician/composer/producer/musical futurist and founding board member BrianEno, who named the foundation. Other notable contributors include Long Now Foundation presidentStewart Brand and board member and co-founder of Wired magazine Kevin Kelly. Below, see the first tentitles from each of these futurist’s lists, and further down, links to the full list of contributors’ selections sofar. As you scan the titles below, and browse through each contributor’s list, consider why and how eachof these books would help humanity rebuild civilization, and suggest books of your own in the comments.

10 Titles from Brian Eno’s Manual for Civilization list

Seeing Like a State by James C ScottThe Mind in the Cave: Consciousness and the Origins of Art by David Lewis-WilliamsCrowds and Power by Elias CanettiThe Wheels of Commerce by Fernand BraudelKeeping Together in Time by William McNeillDancing in the Streets by Barbara EhrenreichRoll Jordan Roll by Eugene GenoveseA Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander et alThe Face of Battle by John KeeganA History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor

10 Titles from Stewart Brand’s Manual for Civilization list

Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations by David R. MontgomeryMeditations by Marcus AureliusThe Odyssey by Homer translated by Robert FaglesThe Iliad by Homer translated by Robert FaglesThe Memory of the World: The Treasures That Record Our History from 1700 BC to the PresentDayby UNESCOThe History of the World in 100 Objectsby Neil MacGregorThe Landmark Herodotus: The Historiesedited by Robert B. StrasslerThe Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian Waredited by Robert B.StrasslerThe Complete Greek Tragedies, Volumes 1-4 edited by David Grene and Richmond LattimoreThe Prince by Machiavelli, translated by George Bull, published by Folio Society

10 Titles from Kevin Kelly’s Manual for Civilization list


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Practical Bamboos: The 50 Best Plants for Screens, Containers and More by Paul WhittakerCaveman Chemistry: 28 Projects, from the Creation of Fire to the Production of Plastics by KevinM. DunnThe Soundscape by R. Murray SchaferThe Backyard Blacksmith by Lorelai SimsA Museum of Early American Tools by Eric SloaneCivilizations: Ten Thousand Years of Ancient History by Jane McIntosh and Clint TwistStorey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits by Bob BennetTending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California’s NaturalResources by M. Kat AndersonMirror Worlds: Or: The Day Software Puts the Universe in a Shoebox… How It Will Happen andWhat It Will Mean by David Gelernter

Once again, these are only excerpts from longer lists by these three futuristic thinkers. For their completeselections, click on their lists below, as well as those from such cultural figures as sci-fi writer NealStephenson and Brain Pickings’ editor Maria Popova. And please let us know: Which books would youinclude in the “Manual for Civilization” library project, and why? You can also add your own suggestionsfor the growing library at the Long Now Foundation’s website.

Brian Eno – A list of books on Long-term thinking – Brian Eno’s listStewart Brand – Books selected from his personal libraries – Stewart’s listNeal Stephenson – A selection of useful history books – Neal’s listViolet Blue – Books on human sexuality – Violet’s listKevin Kelly – A huge list of appropriate technology and other books from his library – Kevin’s listMegan and Rick Prelinger - Selections made during a walk through of the Prelinger Library –Megan and Rick’s listBruce Sterling – Science Fiction- Bruce’s listDavid Brin – Science Fiction- David’s listDaniel Suarez – Science Fiction- Daniel’s listMaria Popova – “33 Books on How to Live” – Maria’s listMark Pauline – Fiction, History, Mechanics reference – Mark’s list

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Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness

by Josh Jones | Permalink | Comments (24) |

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Bob Higgins says:February 18, 2015 at 5:21 am

What books might we read if we’re interested in saving civilization rather than starting from zero?

ReplyRonny says:February 18, 2015 at 6:12 am

This is a very inspiring idea.

ReplyUrbano says:February 18, 2015 at 8:07 am

From, these lists, it looks like rebuilt civilization would continue to ignore the ideas and works ofwomen.

ReplyBarbara says:February 18, 2015 at 9:04 am

I agree with Urbano, no women that I can find. I wonder if there are so few who wrote in this genreway back when. Also, people of color. I know a lot of Native Americans who have writing in thisarea. I want to thank you for the work you have done, it is valuable, but short of all Americans. It isgreat for white americans.

ReplyArmando Gascón says:February 18, 2015 at 12:30 pm

these lists are laughable, particularly the one by Brian Eno: rubbish!The Face of Battle ! by Keegan, the disabled.

How adept are the Anglos at beating their own drum.No books from France, Italy, Germany, Japan or Spain.Don Quixote, Candide, l’Encyclopedie de Diderot, the Systema Naturae, The Origin of Species andthe Voyage of the Beagle, Episodios Nacionales de Galdós; Petrarca, Galileo, Chekhov. MyCentury, by Grass. The Pillow Book.

I don’t see the Bible in the list, either.http://www.armandobronca.com

ReplyChris Nunez says:February 18, 2015 at 12:33 pm

Why do I not see any women’s names among the contributors?

Revisit this question with a broader list of contributors, and more diverse perspectives… it’s the21st century for the love of life!

ReplyDouglas Ledet says:


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February 18, 2015 at 5:57 pm

“Stranger in a strange land”

ReplyJosh Jones says:February 18, 2015 at 8:32 pm

Chris, there are three women contributors on the full list above, and five on the website (twohaven’t submitted their lists yet).

ReplycL says:February 19, 2015 at 2:27 pm

so 10% female representation is ok? just like the population… oh wait…

ReplyJosh Jones says:February 19, 2015 at 9:13 pm

No one said it was okay. I think the criticisms are valid. I simply responded to the statement thatthere are no women’s names among the contributors.

ReplyKevin R says:February 20, 2015 at 7:56 am

Two thoughts.1)Several of the lists seem more focused on preserving the best works of our current civilizationthan on rebuilding a new one.

2) People have expressed an interest in a “broader list of contributors, and more diverseperspectives”. I agree, but it should be about diversity of careers and backgrounds than onsuperficial differences in race and gender. Butchers, bakers, weavers, potters, canners, farmers,hunters and anglers, printers and bookbinders, masons, miners, roofers, carpenters, machinists andmechanics, doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, engineers, geologists, chemists, physicists,mathematicians, and cartographers would all present different ideas about the essential books thatare needed to maintain their own individual contributions to civilization.

What are the essential skills that humanity must maintain to rebuild civilization and what are theessential texts that practitioners of those skills rely on.

ReplyJames says:February 20, 2015 at 11:00 am

This isn’t project isn’t novel, but it’s a step is a good position, it desires the so called “Great Books”(see Alan Bloom et al), of which I am an advocate. However, they seem to be going at it strangely.We should restate the projects question from, “which books are more likely to REBUILDcivilization, to “which books most influenced our current civilization in the first place”.

First, and this won’t be received well, but I’m very surprised the Bible isn’t the first on such a list.Despite whether or not the one’s choosing these books actually agree with the content therein, the


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Bible is still, nevertheless a huge common cradle of western civilization. And that’s exactly the typeof book these folks ought to be looking for, not the kind that they most agree with, but rather thekind that most influenced western reflection. With that said, here’s a nice list,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_books

Moreover, more works from philosophers and theologians are due, philosophy and theology, notscience, are the pillars of western civilization. You wouldn’t HAVE modern science without firsthaving theological and philosophical reflection about nature. Furthermore, science is marked with arich, variegated texture of assumptions that science herself is impotent to prove, assumptions whichfind their justification in both philosophy and ultimately theology. Contact me [email protected] if you would like a discussion.

ReplyJames M says:February 20, 2015 at 9:01 pm

The books should be left as a warning: follow these ideas and your civilization will one day have tobe rebuilt.

ReplyRobert Flesch says:February 20, 2015 at 10:21 pm

This list is insane.If you want books on how to rebuild civilization.Lets see, lets start with a book on Farming – keeping people alive seems like a good place to start.Some fellow in Pennsylvania put together a list of plans on how to build simple farm implements.A book on iron working. Construction techniques, medicine (more the herbal type) and bacteria,hygiene.Are these guys insane, a book on art? I cant think of any art book that are going to make the top 10.Lets include how to build simple steam engines, question really is how far back have we beenpushed, and what do we know?

ReplyKeith says:February 21, 2015 at 12:00 am

The Book of Sand, as imagined by Borges, should be enough.

ReplyPink Panther says:February 21, 2015 at 12:08 am

Evolution theory nonsense striking back at you… If there is no (loving) God, nobody is able torescue us from our obsessive self destruction, and we would NEVER have a second chance, at leastnot on this lovely planet, the only one nice to Human Life, in whole of Universe. We need tobecome humble again, and ask The Lord to redeem us, once more… There is no other way.

ReplyBrian says:February 21, 2015 at 3:45 am


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Please add books about Economics such as acclaimed Austrian Economics by Luwdig von Mises,Friedrich Hayek, Carl Menger, Henry Hazlitt, Peter Schiff and the Chicago School of EconomicsMilton Friedman and Thomas Sowell.

Replyjohn conroy says:February 21, 2015 at 6:04 am

Astonishingly bad choices if the goal were to ‘rebuild civilisation’

ReplyTom Hinrichs says:February 21, 2015 at 6:13 am

I have to agree – these lists seem slanted towards preserving those parts of our culture that we’reproud of, rather than helping to rebuild a civilization. What we’d want are books that areinformationally dense, like the CRC handbook. Now that could save someone a lot of time.

ReplyCarl Youngblood says:February 21, 2015 at 10:15 am

I’m surprised nobody mentioned The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch, byLewis Dartnell.

ReplyMike Morrison says:February 21, 2015 at 2:17 pm

I think you have to include the Bible if only for Genesis and the Sermon on the Mount.I would include East of Eden by Steinbeck.. the deepest exploration of the dichotomies within us.I think there needs to be at least one work of Science fiction to remind ourselves of what humanimagination is capbable of.. anything by Phillip Jose’ Farmer would be my choice.something by Toni Morrison to help us see through the eyes of minoritys.

ReplyGault Falcon says:February 21, 2015 at 2:49 pm

RE: Some of the previous comments on diversity.Diversity when learning how to rebuild the basic mechanical structure that makes sustainable lifepossible is a distraction at best. What matters is life, not diversity. Ironically, it is this focus onmeaningless differences that, at least in part, may be responsible for humankind’s undoing. Evenmore ironic that some would like to rebuild that detriment right back into the fabric of a genesisproject. Apparently, this virus is now genetically set. What a shame and a waste. As a species if weare not capable of identifying and purging cultural viruses like political correctness then perhaps weare not worthy of survival.

ReplyRoman Sivkin says:February 25, 2015 at 6:09 am

Just need one book: Finnegans Wake. As Joseph Campbell remarked, if civilization were to go


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“boom!” tomorrow, we’d be able to find out why it went “boom!” and also rebuild it by readingFinnegans Wake.

ReplyJonathan says:March 26, 2015 at 6:46 pm

Any destroyed civilization that needed to learn farming from a book would probably be beyondsaving. That’s not the kind of knowledge that needs to be passed down from a book. Well, I canthink of a few scenarios, like say, if all the adults in the world disappeared and there was no oneleft. But I don’t think science fiction scenarios are what they had in mind here.

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_ Lists by Brian Eno, Stewart Brand, Kevin Kelly & Other Forward-Thinking Minds _ Open Culture

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