A friend of mine asked a question today and I found it really interesting so I want to share it with my fellow Dollars. So here goes:
Someone decided to burn all the books in the world, and you get to save just one (and yes, it can be a series). Which is it?
This is not the same as asking what's your favorite - remember, your choice determines what the only remaining book in the whole world is- so the question is: What do you think the most important book in the world is and, of course, why?

Karamazov Brothers
I think it's the best book on human existentialism

Probably whatever the most complete encyclopedia is, just so humanity has some sort of knowledge background going into the future (assuming this is an apocalyptic scenario... meaning no computers, etc)

>>3 oh yeah, didn't think of that, if there are computers, there will be e-books...ok, then, there are still computers, but all e-books got erased somehow. Everything else is as it is.

The Encyclopedia and the Bible for knowledge and spiritual fulfillment respectively.

>>5 The bible? That fucking book only works for brainwash stupid people and make them belive in things that no exists..

World History books. If the world lost all it's books, all that knowledge, we'd need at least something to cling onto. To me history is so important to know so we don't repeat it or make the same mistakes.

>>7 We manage to make the same mistakes even with all the history books available, but that's beside the point. The thing is, most of our information about history could easily be reconstructed- there are enough historians, so that knowledge wouldn't be completely lost. Works of art, on the other hand...I don't think they could ever be replicated.

>>6 Even if it is full of crap (by the way i am christian) it is telling you not to be i jerk in a nutshell it says don't steal, lie or murder so also it can give solace to those who need it and anyone that would go and kill in the name of God needs to read the book again. so it does seem pretty important.

>>9 Unfortunately, too many people, generations, and cultures have chosen to not translate it that way. We've had genocides, religious wars, and Crusades supposedly in the name of the Lord which that book introduced, and being a Christian, you've undoubtedly seen some of the other very hateful people in your churches who certainly do not love their neighbors. Its readers have not enforced the morals it vouches for.

And even if it teaches basic morals, such morals were already a part of society prior to its creation and will continue to be a part of it even when it no longer exists.

The only reason the Bible would be good after a literary apocalypse would be to reign in people under one cult community, but any other well written story turned religion could do that.

>>10 Well said good sir, you forget the many contradictions that have that book, making their stories in plot holes, plus many other books teach about moral values ​​and ways a thousand times better

>>8 He said books, not drawings, so I don't think art applies here tbh

>>11 I'm not even talking about the contents lol just the reactions to it.

Hm... I think I'd prolly choose Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwelle.

Taking this realistically, I'm disregarding OP's idea that there would still be computers; there's no realistic reason that we would have lost all written knowledge without some kind of apocalypse. And if there was an apocalypse and we're building from the ground up, I think this book would be appropriate.

I have only read a maybe four hundred books or so of any substance, though; there are probably far more appropriate books floating around.

>>13 Literature is a form of art, so, while maybe misguiding,the term can apply
>>15 Of course there's no realistic reason why that would have happened, it's just a highly hypothetical scenario designed to better explain the question. And I insisted on there being no apocalypse precisely because I didn't want people to read it as 'which book would be the most useful for the survival or rebuilding of society'

>>16 But if you think about it, aren't books about those topics the most important things? The average novel isn't important unless it has a large impact; a great impact will change perspectives, and a changed perspective on life is a changed life in itself. A change in the lives of many is a change in society. A change in society is part of the building of society.

Nineteen Eighty Four is in fact a novel, but if introduced at the right time, I believe it would have that affect. It simply wasn't taken seriously in the slew of other books after it was released; now, it seems we're slowly spiraling towards that. But if it were the only book, it could stop people from being as stupid as us in the long run of another age where technology has yet to develop.

I believe that books which change how society is built or how it survives in changing conditions are in fact the most important, and why you don't want them included is beyond me.

>>10 Well said my good man. While I will still hold to what I said before I am always willing to listen to other opinions and I respect the persuasive way you replied without completely insulting my belief system and I appreciate that.

Plus good point in the second paragraph however certain cultures had variations on the system for example the Assyrians would often go to war and kill many even there own. But I think we need to learn as a society to take things with a grain of salt so that is all i will say on the matter again thank you for not being a jerk.

>>17 I do want them included, I just don't want them to be the only ones included. Having the kind of value you described is an excellent reason for one book to remain while others perish, but it's not necessarily the only one. Adding the idea of apocalypse to the scenario is like deciding beforehand what kind of books are the most important, and since that was the original question, I think it kind of defeats the purpose.

As for 1984 itself,it's as good a candidate as any. People tend to perceive it as nothing more than a huge literary warning sign, but there is so much more we can learn from it (not to mention its other, less educative, qualities).