Recommended books by Jacque Fresco

Introduction to Jacque Fresco’s Recommended Reading

Buckminster Fuller’s “Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth” is another cornerstone of Fresco’s reading list, emphasizing the need to think globally and act with mindful stewardship of the planet. Similarly, Carl Sagan’s “The Demon-Haunted World” champions a scientifically informed worldview, encouraging skepticism and critical thinking—principles central to Fresco’s ideology.

Turning to socio-economic critiques, Thorstein Veblen’s “The Theory of the Leisure Class” and Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” offer pivotal insights into understanding systemic inequities and the historical context of social structures. These readings reflect Fresco’s commitment to recognizing and addressing economic disparities.

Environmental themes are prominently featured with Elisabeth Mann Borgese’s trilogy, including “The Drama of the Oceans,” “The Mines of Neptune,” and “The Oceanic Circle,” which stresses the vital importance of oceanic conservation and environmental sustainability.

Scientific inquiry and futuristic thought are well represented by Charles Darwin’s “On The Origin of Species” and Ray Kurzweil’s “The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology.” These works delve into the evolutionary foundations and the transformative potential of future technologies, respectively, aligning with Fresco’s advocacy for tapping human ingenuity.

Psychological and behavioral studies, crucial for understanding human interactions and societal dynamics, are thoroughly explored in B.F. Skinner’s multiple works, including “Beyond Freedom & Dignity” and “Science and Human Behavior.” These texts offer essential perspectives on the mechanisms underlying human behavior and potential avenues for societal improvement.

Finally, Fresco’s list is enriched with visionary explorations and critiques from literature and science fiction that include Edward Bellamy’s “Looking Backward” and Arthur C. Clarke’s “Profiles of the Future.” These works inspire forward-thinking and imaginative solutions, urging readers to visualize and strive for a better future.

Jacque Fresco’s collection mirrors his belief in interdisciplinary learning and the integration of diverse knowledge streams to address complex global challenges. By immersing yourself in these pivotal works, you embark on a journey through the vast intellectual landscape that shaped Fresco’s revolutionary ideas. Each book presents unique perspectives essential for grasping the multifaceted solutions required to design a sustainable and equitable future for all.

Jacque Fresco’s recommended reading list

1. 
   1. Joel Andreas, Addicted to War
2. 
   2. Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward
3. 
   3. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, The Drama of the Oceans
4. 
   4. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, The Mines of Neptune
5. 
   5. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, The Oceanic Circle
6. 
   6. Jagadis Chandra Bose, Response In The Living and Non-Living
7. 
   7. Ellen Hodgson Brown, Web of Debt
8. 
   8. Kenneth Burke, A Grammar of Motives
9. 
   9. Kenneth Burke, A Rhetoric of Motives
10. 
    10. Walter B. Cannon, Bodily Changes in Pain, Hunger, Fear and Rage
11. 
    11. James Patrick Chaplin, Rumor, Fear, and The Madness Of Crowds
12. 
    12. Stuart Chase, The Proper Study of Mankind
13. 
    13. Stuart Chase, Tyranny of Words
14. 
    14. Arthur C. Clarke, Profiles of The Future: An Inquiry Into the Limits of the Possible
15. 
    15. B. C. Crandall, Nanotechnology: Molecular Speculations on Global Abundance
16. 
    16. Clarence Darrow, Resist Not Evil
17. 
    17. Clarence Darrow, The Story of My Life
18. 
    18. Charles Darwin, On The Origin of Species
19. 
    19. K. Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation
20. 
    20. Ira Flatow, They All Laughed
21. 
    21. Jacque Fresco, Designing the Future
22. 
    22. Kenneth Keyes & Jacque Fresco, Looking Forward
23. 
    23. Jacque Fresco, The Best That Money Can’t Buy
24. 
    24. Buckminster Fuller, Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth
25. 
    25. Martin Gardner, Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science
26. 
    26. James Gilligan, Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic
27. 
    27. James Gilligan, Preventing Violence
28. 
    28. Samuel Ichiyé Hayakawa and Alan R. Hayakawa, Language in Action
29. 
    29. Wendell Johnson, People in Quandaries: The Semantics of Personal Adjustment
30. 
    30. Fritz Kahn, Man in Structure & Function
31. 
    31. Alfred Korzybski, Science And Sanity: An Introduction To Non-Aristotelian Systems And General Semantics
32. 
    32. Alfred Korzybski, Manhood Of Humanity: The Science And Art Of Human Engineering
33. 
    33. Ray Kurzweil, The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology
34. 
    34. Willy Ley, Engineers’ Dreams
35. 
    35. Jacques Loeb, Forced Movements, Tropisms, and Animal Conduct
36. 
    36. Jacques Loeb, The Mechanistic Conception of Life
37. 
    37. Ferdinand Lundberg, The Rich and the Super Rich: A Study in the Power of Money Today
38. 
    38. Elliott Maynard, Transforming the Global Biosphere
39. 
    39. John McMurtry, The Cancer Stage of Capitalism
40. 
    40. Frank Ogden, The Last Book You’ll Ever Read
41. 
    41. Melford Pearson, There is a Way! To Peace and Social Justice
42. 
    42. John Perkins, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
43. 
    43. John Perkins, The Secret History of the American Empire
44. 
    44. Jeremy Rifkin, The End of Work
45. 
    45. James Harvey Robinson, Mind in the Making
46. 
    46. Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World
47. 
    47. Robert M. Sapolsky, The Trouble with Testosterone: And Other Essays on the Biology of The Human Predicament
48. 
    48. Michael Shermer, Why People Believe Weird Things
49. 
    49. Arthur B. Shostak, Viable Utopian Ideas: Shaping a Better World
50. 
    50. B.F. Skinner, The Behavior of Organisms: An Experimental Analysis
51. 
    51. B.F. Skinner, Cumulative Record
52. 
    52. B.F. Skinner, Science and Human Behavior
53. 
    53. B.F. Skinner, Verbal Behaviour
54. 
    54. B.F. Skinner, Beyond Freedom & Dignity
55. 
    55. Homer William Smith, Man and His Gods
56. 
    56. Gerry Spence, From Freedom to Slavery
57. 
    57. Mark Twain, Letters From the Earth
58. 
    58. Mark Twain, The Mysterious Stranger
59. 
    59. Thorstein Veblen, The Theory of the Leisure Class
60. 
    60. Thorstein Veblen, The Engineers and the Price System
61. 
    61. Herbert G. Wells, The Shape of Things to Come: The Ultimate Revolution
62. 
    62. Fredric Wertham, The Show of Violence
63. 
    63. Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States
64. 
    64. Hans Zinsser, Rats, Lice & History
65. 
    65. William D. Hartung, How Much are You Making on the War, Daddy?
66. 
    66. William D. Hartung, Prophets of War
67. 
    67. Michael Braungart, Cradle to Cradle. Remaking the Way We Make Things

Literature that is either mentioned by Jacque Fresco in the lectures or that is additionally recommended by him

68. 
    68. Fortune Magazine Article (1934), Arms and the Men
69. 
    69. Smedley Butler, War is a Racket
70. 
    70. Jack Catran, Is There Intelligent Life on Earth?
71. 
    71. George Crile, A Mechanistic View of War and Peace
72. 
    72. Donald Powell Wilson, My Six Convicts
73. 
    73. Arthur Kallet, F.J. Schlink, 100,000,000 Guinea Pigs: Dangers in Everyday Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics
74. 
    74. Lewis Mumford, The Story of Utopias
75. 
    75. B.F. Skinner, Operant Behavior

Additional literature

76. 
    76. Robert M Sapolsky, Determined: Life Without Free Will
77. 
    77. Karen Pryor, Don’t Shoot The Dog
78. 
    78. Jeremy Rifkin, The Third Industrial Revolution
79. 
    79. Susan & Bruce Kodish, Drive Yourself Sane
80. 
    80. B.F. Skinner, articles
81. 
    81. Dan Ariely, Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things

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