I bought the Illustrated version of Lotr and the Hobbit. Way too expensive, but totally worth it.

If that relative were to start pressuring them and making appeal to that persons supposed moral degeneracy or emotional arguments in general it would be bad. But exchanging rational arguments and books I can’t see being bad, because it is an attempt at good faith argumentation most times - if not it is that at least in the very act of doing it.

The thought of the gift here is a relative wanting to help the person rethink their position rationally. Jeez you guys are all really sensitive.

And its also really funny and naive how you think people arrive at their positions in this way lol.

Is being rational insulting now?

The ending of The Brothers Karamazov really hit hard in making me feel really sad and really happy at the same time.

Is that not a good thought?

Probably The Wheel of Time, because we could talk about that series for hours. If not that, Nicomachean Ethics, it would probably mean we have a similar ethical system which is always nice to know before.

Since you mentioned Stephenson, Ala from Anathem. How could she have a Liaison with his best friend immediately after getting evoked 😥

I don’t like preaching religion but probably Plato’s Critique of Impure Reason. Its not really a religious book per se, but it made me think about the inevitablility of there existing an infinitely Good God. Since its an exploration of Plato’s Republic and his metaphysics it in a big way changed how I thought about everything else in philosophy and life.

Yes!! I don’t see this book mentioned much, but that was such a beautiful book. Love it.