Faust" by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe!
As a masterpiece of this German literature.
The story follows the character of Faust, a disillusioned scholar who makes a deal with the devil in exchange for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures and oh my god.. That's terrific.
I just recently finished reading a book on hiking called “High Peaks of the Northeast” by Bruce Scofield. It was written by a member of a hiking club for the New England and NY State areas.
I learned a new word: Peakbagger. It means a person who has climbed all the mountains in a given region (within a set minimum height)
While the Northeastern US doesn’t have mountains that are particularly high, the White Mountains of New Hampshire have some dangerous peaks because of bad weather that can change on a moment’s notice. People have died climbing Mount Washington and the other mountains in the Presidential range even in the Summer.
In 1934, Mount Washington set a then world record for wind (not caused by a tornado) at 231 miles per hour on the 12th of April.
Interesting book but I can’t see myself hiking Mount Washington or the rest of the Presidential range any time soon.
I'm starting a new one: 'Troy: The Siege of Troy Retold' by Stephen Fry. I've read many great reviews about this book. It retells the classic story of the Siege of Troy from a modern perspective.
I must say, it's really impressive. This book is not just about battles and strategies, but about a deep understanding of war as a phenomenon. Clausewitz analyzes war from various angles, revealing it as a political, social, and psychological phenomenon. Although the book is old, I think some of Clausewitz's ideas are very relevant even now, especially in the context of understanding the complexity and consequences of military conflicts
A Briefer History of Time
The book successfully combines a scientific overview of the Universe with accessible explanations that make complex concepts understandable.
"Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
A pivotal environmental science book that spurred the environmental movement by challenging the practices of agricultural scientists and the government.