If you could make a fundie read a book what would it be?

[AtroposHeart]

Mine would be "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair

If any book could shatter their rose colored glasses of history it would be this one.

[TMS]

NIckeled and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

[holierthanyou]

Harry Potter!

[FuManchu]

"God: A Biography" by Jack Miles. Not riveting reading all the way through, but an interesting look at the different facets to the character of the Hebrew God and speculation as to where they came from historically.

I'd also like them to read Darwin's On The Origin Of Species, because the number of fundies who claim to have read it is staggering and yet none of them seem to have the faintest idea what it actually says. It is actively impossible to genuinely read Origin Of Species and still believe that the word 'Races' in its subtitle refers to human ethnic groups, and yet the idea that the book is full of white supremacist propaganda is bizarrely widespread among fundies who say they've read it.

[crazyforkate]

I'd give them the Complete Works of William Shakespeare, hope they didn't censor it too much, and give those kids a chance at a more stellar foundation in English literature.

[NurseNell]

Mine would be "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair

If any book could shatter their rose colored glasses of history it would be this one.

I reread that book while I was in a small town in the mountains of Michoacan, Mexico. The window of my room overlooked the slaughter room of a meat market. It was a long time before I could eat meat.

[LilMissMetaphor]

The Poisonwood Bible.

[Kitty]

I'd also make them read Harry Potter. Some of their Dominionist ideas are frighteningly similar to the Death Eaters' idea of blood purity in the book. You know, like pushing pureblood propaganda onto everyone else, putting Muggles in their place, INFILTRATING THE BLOODY GOVERNMENT, etc.

[NurseNell]

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser, Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Indiana by George Sands, Silas Marner by George Elliott, Main Street by Sinclair Lewis, and Instrument of They Peace by Aan Paton.

[lizzy]

The Catcher in the Rye and all of the classic dystopian novels (1984, Fahrenheit 451, Handmaid's Tale, etc.)

[Wolfie]

If I had to choose only one, I'd want the women to read The Handmaid's tale. If the men could think enough, they could get something out of it too.

[Shirley MacLaine]

Mine would be "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair

If any book could shatter their rose colored glasses of history it would be this one.

SOCIALIST PROPAGANDA!!!!!!!!

[Angri-la]

I am going with The Bible, as none of them seem to have read the one I read. Yes, I've read the KJV.

Failing that, I would recommend Faithfull by Marianne Faithfull. I would also put her songs on a mix ipod list, or however kids send each other mix tapes these days, on one for a SAHD.

edited: pill defense.

[Mais Pourquoi]

The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I first read it when I was in high school, and then again this past summer, and I was happy to discover that it still spoke to me.

[FlorenceHamilton]

I have to go with actually reading the Old and New Testaments, in order, word for word. They would have to read it alone and without guidance from any spiritual leader. The Mahabharata would be my next choice. Then, the Q'uran, so they can know what it really says.

For lighter reading, The Handmaid's Tale would be a good choice. Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations. And Common Sense by Thomas Paine.

[Conuly]

If I had to choose only one, I'd want the women to read The Handmaid's tale. If the men could think enough, they could get something out of it too.

Are you sure they haven't all already read it? Trouble is, I think they took the entirely wrong message from that book....

[MrsKay]

Tipping the Velvet. I was reading it the other day, and thinking I'd love for a Duggar girl to get her hands on it. Also The Gate to Women's Country.

[marmalade]

Jane Eyre. Just to show that a woman can be Christian and still have a mind of her own.

[finleeport]

David Strauss The Life of Jesus, Critically Examined, translated into English by George Eliot. Its about the historical Jesus without any divinity or miraculous claims, they were all 'mythical'

[friers57]

If they were 18 or younger, I would have them read Armageddon Summer by Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville. If they were older than that, I would probably choose Poisinwood Bible or Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres.

[bekkah]

Weirdly, I think I would have them read The Red Tent. I read the book back when I was midteens and I would say it would give them a bit more understanding about patriarchy.

If I had to choose another book, I think I would have them read some Vonnegat short stories. I would have them read the comic V for Vendetta.

One that I have been meaning to read is Persepolis and I think that might open their eyes too.

The only other book I think I would have them read is Nine Lives. Its about people in India and their spiritual faith.

[Jezebel]

I'm pretty well convinced that everyone--fundie or not--should read The True Believer, by Eric Hoffer. We can all be fanatics, dogmatists, and legalists about the things we believe are important, and Hoffer really nailed the fanatical follower mindset. One the one hand, you'll nod along at what an accurate description of "them" he presents--but if you have any self-awareness at all it can be very uncomfortable, because you'll see yourself as well.

[Witsec7]

Peoples History of the United States by Zinn, add the Hoffer and a Handmaids Tale to round it out. (Although the Jungle is the story of my Russian family coming to America.)

[CelticGoddess]

Everything Thomas Paine ever wrote. "Common Sense", "Rights of Man", and "Age of Reason". I don't many religious people who like Thomas Paine. Or republicans for that matter. :)

[Mama Mia]

People's History of the U.S. - The couple of my kids that were homeschooled in High School used this as one of their texts - it's great reading with a range of perspectives.

The Red-Letter Bible ( or whatever it's called - the one where it is JUST what Jesus is supposed to have said )

ETA - I know that this was written poorly, and that it contains a reference to homeschooling - which makes it worse- but I'm half asleep and have a headache :?