The bulk of my collection has been assembled over the past three years in the course of my undergraduate study of Political Science and Philosophy at Michigan State University; and through working in a local bookstore, Gibson's in East Lansing. The books serve as a supplement to the studies I am undertaking in college and to feed my hunger to understand the evolution of human thought. The books in my collection are numerous and diverse, but they all join together to expound a body of philosophical thought that represents the ages. Through time, many different cultures and peoples desired to know man's place in the universe and the nature of the world around us, proposing theories and scripting their ideas to unravel the mysteries of life. For my personal quest, I have assembled these texts in order for me to ponder their ideas as I form my own. These authors accepted a challenge to gain knowledge and understanding of the world we live in. In essence they accepted the challenge to practice philosophy.

At 38a of Plato's Apology, Socrates states that "the unexamined life is not worth living." As a firm believer in Socrates' tenet I resolved to examine life with the eagerness and zeal Socrates had 2500 years ago. To further my goal I held onto all the texts I use in my classes, I picked up interesting books from the bookstore I work at, and basically added to my bookshelves anything that could add to my knowledge of human thought. I foresee that my collection will grow far larger for I have not even cracked the surface of the rich contributions that men have made to philosophy throughout the ages.

My books represent a portion of the rich contributions I spoke of above. They introduced me to some answers to the questions that intrigue us all such as; what is the purpose of life?, how should man live among one another?, and what is our place in the universe? I cannot yet rest for I have much more to read and learn and when I think that I have sufficiently trained myself I may compose a work to join my teachers in the quest to understand the complexities of life. I feel that it will be a great task to do and will work diligently, following the same path I am now on, to collect works that attempt to address philosophical issues and to reflect back upon the ones I already own. One day I can offer mywork as a tribute to those who have shaped my thought and add understanding to the mysteries of life.

Smith, M.L. Latin Lessons. Massachusetts: Norwood Press, 1913.
A great aid to my study of the Latin language. This edition features lessons, practice questions and sightreadings from Cicero's work. In addition there are a number of beautiful illustrations of ancient Rome.

Kelsey, Francis W. Caesar's Gallic War. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1897.
The second oldest book in my collection contains Cicero's account of the Gallic war. The book is written in Latin with interpretations and commentary in English. I should be able to read this fully after LTN 102.

Plato. Complete Works. Ed. John Cooper. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997.
This book contains all of the great philosophers works. I acquired this book for PHL 410, taught by Nick Smith, who translated or introduced several of these dialogues.

Aristotle. Basic Works of Aristotle. Ed. Richard McKeon. New York: Random House, 1941.
Edited by an illustrious Aristotle scholar, this book contains this philosophers most influential works.

Aristotle. Aristotle's Politics and Poetics. Trans. Benjamin Jowett. New York: The Viking Press, 1952.
This book details Aristotle's views on government and poetry. Another notable scholar, Jowett claims to faithfully translate as close to the original as possible.

Aristotle. Aristotle On Education. Ed. John Burnett. London: Cambridge University Press, 1973.
This title outlines Aristotle's notion of educating the young. I may have to gloss over this book again when I prepare to educate my child one day.

Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. Martin Ostwald. New York: Macmillan, 1962.
Used for an IAH class taught by Nick Smith, this book was written for his son to teach him what is meant by `virtue. '

Aligheri, Dante. The Divine Comedy. New York: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1947.
This classic piece of literature tells of a journey to hell and back. Socrates makes an appearance at one point.

Armitage, Angus. The World of Copernicus. New American Library, 1947.
The foremost Copernican scholar explains why Copernicus' heliocentric model of the solar system is the true account.

Aristophanes. Complete Plays of Aristophanes. New York: Bantam Publishing, 1962.
His works entertained the men and women of ancient Athens as it does modern readers as well. The Clouds, contained within, is a satire written about the father of philosophy, Socrates.

Asimov Isaac. Asimov on Physics. New York: Avon Books, 1965.
---. Of Time. Space, and Other Thins. New York: Avon Books, 1965.
---. The Universe. New York: Avon Books, 1966.
---. The Neutrino. New York: Dell Publishing, 1966.
These books by Asimov tells us of the nature of the universe and the matter composing it. One of the most exciting scientific authors, Asimov writes to any audience and whomever may read his books would surely learn from them.

Barron, John D. Theories of Everything. New York: Ballentine Books, 1991.
This book attempts to tie together many theories in the fields of physics, astronomy and mathematics to sketch same general principles of the universe.

Boslough, John. Stephan Hawking's Universe. New York: Avon Books, 1985.
Boslough provides great explanation to the teachings of one of the best minds around today.

Brown, Bernard E. Great American Political Thinkers. New York: Avon Books, 1983.
This collection of writings from the men who shaped this nation should be on the reading list of the prospective presidential candidates.

Butterfield, Herbert. The Statecraft of Machiavelli. New York: Collier Books, 1967.
This book expounds the foundations of Machiavelli's political doctrine. He points out that although considered harsh by many, Machiavelli had considerable influence on rulers after his time.

Chappell, Vic. The Philosophy of Mind. New York: Dover Publishing, 1981.
This book exploring consciousness is one I still have to read.

Christian, James. Philosophy 6th ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishing, 1994.
This is a textbook for a philosophy course but not one I took at MSU, although it serves as a great supplement other courses.

Cicero. On the Good Life. Trans. Michael Grant. New York, Penguin Group, 1971.
Inspiring thousands of Romans and many more to date, Cicero tells us how to live well.

Cullop, Floyd G. The Constitution of the United States. New York: Penguin Group, 1969, 1984.
When I enter the legal profession this shall be my primary textbook to ponder and refer back to. As the document that grants to us our liberties and freedoms, a text like this should be read by all in order for them to become familiar with the rights they are owed.

De Tocqueville, Alexis. Democracy in America. Trans. George Lawrence. New York: Harper & Row, 1969.
Written over 150 years ago, I believe that many of De Tocqueville's criticisms and explanations of American culture still hold true. I did an independent study (PLS 495) of this textbook and wrote several interpretive essays for Professor Meltzer at MSU.

Drennen, D.A. Karl mar1972. New York: Barron's Educational Series,As apart of Baryon's series, this text provides a structured interpretation of Marx's monumental work.

Euslin, Bernard. Gods. Demigods and Demons. New York: Scholastic Book Services, 1975.
This was one of my first books and containing the myths of the ancient Greek gods became my favorite source of bedtime stories.

Flew, Anthony. Body. Mind. and Death. New York: Macmillan, 1964.
Another I have yet to read, this book contains a collection of articles on consciousness and the
afterlife.

Frost Jr., S.E. Basic Teachings of the Great Philosophers. New York: Doubleday Publishing, 1962.
This is a great compilation to aid someone in familiarizing oneself with philosophy.

Galilei, Galileo. Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems. Trans. Stillman Drake. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1967.
This book supported Copernicus' heliocentric model of the solar system and introduced the moons of Jupiter. It also condemned Galileo to death by the church, a terrible loss due to man's ignorance.

Grant, Michael. The World of Rome. New York: Mentor Books, 1960.
This book is a delightful `tour' of ancient Rome, discussing how they lived, entertained themselves and provides the history of the most powerful nation of antiquity.

Greene, David, and Richard Lattimore, eds. Greek Tragedies vol. I. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991.
This book written by notable scholars of ancient Greece gives us a glimpse at the entertainment of that time.

Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison and John Jay. The Federalist Papers. Ed. Clinton Rossiter. New York, Penguin Group, 1961.
This lays the foundation for our government. Written in a series of newspaper articles, those patriots explained to the nation why a national government would work better than a federation and explained their intentions to make the United States a successful nation. The American political classic.

Hobbes, Thomas. Hobbes Selections. Ed. Woodbridge, F.J.E. New York: Charles Scribners' Sons, 1958.
Hobbes is a very influential philosopher and first to introduce the notion of the state of nature.

Homer. The Iliad. Trans. Richard Lattimore. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1951.
---. The Odyssey. Trans. T.E. Shaw. London: Oxford University Press, 1956.
These books served to provide the Greeks with a notion as to the nature of their gods, their heroes and their history. Two of the most read books of all time.

Hume, David. Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1947.
Hume explains several theories of the nature and origin of the universe in this dialogue. This text drew stern criticism from his fellows for the strength of the arguments contrary to the accepted faith of the day.

Irving, Washington. Tales of a Traveler. New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1895.
The oldest book in my collection has beautiful artwork boarding every page. This wonderful story is certainly one of the cornerstones of my collection..

Korner, Stephen. Philosophy of Mathematics. New York: Dover Publishing, 1968.
This book was used in my PHL 487 (philosophy of mathematics) class taught by Philosophy Chairman Asquith at MSU. Korner does a fine job illustrating a foundation for this abstract science.

Lattimore, Richard. Greek Lyrics. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1960.
Used for IAH 221 C (great ages, ancient worlds) along with Nicomachean Ethics, Prof. Nick Smith had us read the poetry from which scholars can learn of Greek practices and other information about their culture andthought.

Lavine, T.Z. From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest. New York, Bantam, 1984.
This book was purchased and read during spring break 1999 on tour with MSU's Rugby Football Club.

Locke, John. Second Treatise of Government. Ed. Thomas P. Peardon. New York: Macmillan, 1952.
This text was used by me for PLS 100 (introduction to American National Government) and was looked to by this nation's founders for a basis of government.

Lucretius. Of the Nature of Things. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1950.
Lucretius provides us with one of the first attempts to explain the world around us.

Machiavelli, Nicolo. The Prince. Trans. Robert Caponigri. Chicago: Henry Rigney Co., 1963.
Mentioned above, this book was dedicated to a king to assist with ideas of how to rule effectively.

Nietzsche, Friedrich. Beyond Good and Evil. Trans. Walter Kaufmann. New York: Random House, 1966.
This edition is translated by the most notable of Nietzsche scholars and is a staple of modern philosophy.

Oskarkris Teller, Paul. Renaissance Thought. New York: Harper and Row, 1961.
It was a flourishing period of philosophy faithfully explicated in this text.

Plato. The Republic. Trans. Allan Bloom. New York: Harper Collies, 1968.
---. The Republic. Trans. A.D. Lindsay. New York: Dutton & Co., 1957.
---. The Works of Plato. Ed. Irwin Gilman. New York: Random House, 1928.
---. On the Trial and Death of Socrates. Trans. Lane Cooper. Cornell University Press, 1941.
Alfred Whitehead North said that all of Western philosophy is just a series of footnotes to Plato. The most widely known of all the philosophers, Plato's teachings have greatly shaped many minds expounding the philosophy of his teacher, Socrates. The Bloom translation of The Republic was used in my PLS 371 (introduction to political philosophy) at MSU. I believe that my teacher, Arthur Meltzer, was instructed by Bloom at Harvard. The PHL 410 (Plato) class at MSU was a course I had to take to learn more about this remarkable thinker.

Rand, Ayn. The Virtue of Selfishness. New York: Penguin Group, 1964.
---. Philosophy: Who needs it. New York: Penguin Group, 1982.
---. The Anthem. New York: Penguin Group, 1963.
---. Atlas Shrugged. New American Library, Inc., 1957.
Another of my favorite philosophers and in my opinion one of the best fiction writers. Rand introduces her philosophy, Objectivism, through a brilliant fiction story in Atlas Shrugged. The Fountainhead, another classic by Rand, is one I have not read yet still must add to my collection. The Anthem, at only a bit over 100 pages is a favorite I can read in a day and serves to motivate and lend assurance to my volition.

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. The Essential Rousseau. Trans. Lowell Bair. New York, Penguin Group, 1975.
Bair does a fine job explaining the philosophy of this social contract theorist. This text collects a few Rousseau's political essays.

Russell, Bertrand. Logic and Knowledge. Ed. Robert Marsh. London: Routledge, 1956.
I used this text to supplement my study in PHL 487 (philosophy of mathematics) and wrote a final term paper on his `theory of types.'

Sartre, Jean-Paul. The Philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre. Ed. Robert Gumming. New York: Random House, 1965.
This another on my must-read list but friends have told me that this book has some critical analysis of his work.

Spielberg, H. The Socratic Enigma. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1964.
This is a great book containing excerpts from different notable authors writing on Socrates. There has been a lot attributed to and revered about that man and this book serves to give Socrates that praise.

Swartz, Robert J. Perceiving, Sensing, and Knowing. New York: Anchor Books, 1965.
I have not read this one but the table of contents states that it is about the principles of our empirical knowledge and sensory perceptions. Very interesting to me.

Taylor, A.E. Socrates. New York: Doubleday, 1953.
Taylor, a well-cited Socrates scholar, provides a history of his life based on the writings of Plato. Along with Spielberg, these texts told me much about the life of the father of philosophy.

Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War. Trans. Richard Livingston. London: Oxford University Press, 1968.
A telling tale of Greek history and warfare. Socrates is mentioned as serving in the Athenian force.

Vesey, Godfrey. Personal Identity. New York: Cornell University Press, 1974.
A challenging explication of the theories surrounding consciousness and personal identity.

Webster's Encyclopedia of Dictionaries. Ottenheimer Publishing, 1958.
The ultimate supplement to my studies. This book contains a dictionary, thesaurus, synonyms, famous quotes, definitions of scientific and legal terms and much more. It can help me through any paper.

Wheelock, Frederic, M. Wheelock's Latin. New York: Harper Collins, 1995.
This was the text I used for my introductory study of Latin in LTN 101 and 102 and will help me to read Cicero in his native language.

Wilbur, J.B. and H.J. Allen. The Worlds of Plato and Aristotle. New York: Prometheus Books, 1979.
Another book to illustrate to me the conditions in Athens when these great minds flourished.