Sign in with Facebook
78,233 books
—
291,799 voters
Alec Swartz
https://www.goodreads.com/aswartz
“Beware the irrational, however seductive. Shun the 'transcendent' and all who invite you to subordinate or annihilate yourself. Distrust compassion; prefer dignity for yourself and others. Don't be afraid to be thought arrogant or selfish. Picture all experts as if they were mammals. Never be a spectator of unfairness or stupidity. Seek out argument and disputation for their own sake; the grave will supply plenty of time for silence. Suspect your own motives, and all excuses. Do not live for others any more than you would expect others to live for you.”
― Letters to a Young Contrarian
― Letters to a Young Contrarian
“There's more to life than books, you know. But not much more.”
―
―
“Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.”
―
―
“Follow your inner moonlight; don't hide the madness.”
―
―
“The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.
[These words are also inscribed upon his grave]”
― Eleven Theses on Feuerbach
[These words are also inscribed upon his grave]”
― Eleven Theses on Feuerbach
The History Book Club
— 26169 members
— last activity 4 hours, 19 min ago
"Interested in history - then you have found the right group". The History Book Club is the largest history and nonfiction group on Goodread ...more
Reading the Classics
— 4042 members
— last activity May 10, 2025 07:28AM
This is a group for people who want to read the classics and discuss them as a group. Each month we will choose as a group a book to read. Everyone is ...more
Political Philosophy and Ethics
— 6438 members
— last activity 15 hours, 34 min ago
Study and discussion of the important questions of ethical and political philosophy from Confucius and Socrates to the present. Rules (see also the ...more
Classical (Laissez-Faire) Liberalism
— 819 members
— last activity May 16, 2026 09:51PM
Including within it neo-liberalism, libertarianism, objectivism, anarcho-capitalism, minarchism, and American conservatism, this classical or "market" ...more
Dostoyevsky's Lair: Russian Literature
— 435 members
— last activity Apr 01, 2023 02:23PM
This group explores Russian literature with an emphasis on 19th/20th century authors.
Alec’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Alec’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
648 books
|
104 friends
736 books
|
98 friends
87 books
|
172 friends
326 books
|
79 friends
2,658 books
|
188 friends
443 books
|
92 friends
568 books
|
45 friends
673 books
|
286 friends
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Alec
Lists liked by Alec
