OK, kidding. I'll say "Huck Finn" and "King of the Delta Blues Singers."

"Mothership Connection" by Parliament

I will say that Ellison's book was an eye-opening experience for me personally, and even though it may appear dated with its references, the themes remain true from generation to generation. As for the P-Funk, well that speaks for itself >;)

Culturally aware book: The Godfather
Culturally aware baseball book: Ball Four
Culturally aware album: TIE: Dark Side of the Moon / The White Album

Album's a lot harder...how about Joshua Tree?? For my generation (class of '87) this was it---kids that work for me, born after this came out seem incomplete to me not knowing this album by heart.

That said, it sort of depends upon how you define culturally aware, no? The book could be "Oedipus Rex" if you want the long view, or "Madame Bovary" if you want the more modern European view, or "Catcher in the Rye" if you want the late 20th century American view. Seems you have to go canonic, though, with a "Moby Dick" or "Scarlet Letter." Which is why these games aren't as fun as they should be.

Speaking of that, I'd like to suggest The Magnetic Fields' "69 Love Songs" as the album as it's so comprehensive, but I'm probably the only one to say that. So, how about Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue"?

As for the album, I'll go with "Are You Experienced," because Hendrix changed rock music more than anybody, although I also love the Robert Johnson choice from above.

But since that's already been claimed, I'll throw out Orwell's "1984". Communism is dead, but Newspeak still lives on.

Music...um, I dunno, not my forte. Pet Sounds would have been my first thought, too. Velvet Underground and Nico is supposedly the most influential rock album, but I don't own it, so what do I know?

I could name a lot of albums, but I'd say that without Louis Jordan, there would have been no rock'n'roll. His 1949 hit, "Saturday Night Fish Fry," is a revelation. If you haven't given 40s music a good, solid listen, then you've missed the rosetta stone of American music. From swing to pop standards to the birth of rock'n'roll to the Birth of the Cool, it has it all.

Anyways, all rants aside, if I had to recommend an album that conveys the human condition, I would have to say "Our Mother the Mountain" by Townes Van Zandt. As for books, 1984 is still hugely relevant, as is Ben-hur but man it's a hard read, Lord of the Flies is great. Both are a very hard call.

People who don't get that are deaf and blind to a larger world.

My book choice would be Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, along the line of chris's point in 7 - the outsider perspective is very illuminating IMO.

For album, Pet Sounds, but 11 's bit on Louis Jordan has me very curious. I know nothing about him, but it sounds like I need to learn.

book: The Communist Manifesto
album: Fear of a Black Planet

Sgt Pepper.

...wait a minute...we've just gone through that the last eight years. If Obama's a commie then Bush must be Trotsky, Lenin and Marx all in one.

Let's don't even get into McCain's support of the 'socialist' Wall Street bail out.

http://www.slate.com/id/2199810/

21 To be honest Chyll, from what I know of Rand, I am so at odds with some of her stuff, I have always consciously avoided it. But if I ever decide to read it, I will take your advice.

As for an album, I'll go for "Innovations" by Derrick May- Detroit techno at its finest.

As far as album... for my musical tastes I gotta go with the Ramones self-titled album.

Bush ran as a liberal and governed as one (and by liberal, I mean "big govt. teat"). He promised "compassionate conservatism" and big government Republicanism, and that's exactly what we got. NCLB. Medicare. Etc.

Neither candidate now is going to shrink the teat. It's just a question of who will expand it more. To me, it's a "first principles" thing that is far more important than the simple balance sheet that Kinsley and others may make it out to be: it is about individualism vs. collectivism and where we set the balance point. And the left wing wants us to have a lot of "services" that start with the word "universal." That is simply a loss of freedom, IMO.

Plus, there has often been talk of how rampant govt spending is like handing a bill to our children and great-grandchildren. Sorry to burst your bubble, left wingers, but that door swings both ways. Promising a federal outlay for time immemorial for some kind of universal entitlement is no better than deficit spending in the present. We're handing a bill to those future generations, too, by asking them to fund our lavish social services.

Exhume Goldwater!

Ugh, I had to read that for my high school AP History class. That was a wasted summer...

Anyway, if I had to choose on book I would to choose Milton Friedman's "Capitalism and Freedom." I know it's an odd book to suggest, considering that's it's written by an economist, but I think it's a very good corollary to understanding political policy. He goes through a lot, explaining what causes recessions and economic downturns. But most importantly, he talks about how certain "do-gooder" laws, such as subsidies and quotas, are an obstacle to freedo, and actually hurt the people they aim to help, instead enabling a "self-interest group" become a monopoly. He even wrote a chapter about how licensing of medicine creates a monopoly for the doctor's union (the American Medical Association), and how such licenses drive up the cost and actually restrict new ideas. And the good thing is, you don't even need to be an Economics major to understand half of it.

If I had to choose an album, I'd choose "We Sold Our Soul For Rock N' Roll" by Black Sabbath. I know it's a greatest hits album, but if anyone wants to understand the popularity and influence Black Sabbath has on metal and other genres (such as grunge), this is a good place to start.

I'll take 1984 or Brave New World for $200, Alex.

Sorry, pal. Your myths are no good here.

Pet Sounds? Ha...:-)

1.) Infinite Jest. Period, period, period. (The Corrections, Gilead, Herzog, In the Name of the Rose, Season on the Brink....thoughts on second)
2.) Sign O The Times. Period, period, period. (Kind of Blue, Kiko, Avalon, So, OKC....thoughts on second.)

A Man in Full- by Tom Wolfe

TFD took my music choice, so I will go with The Bends. This Radiohead classic has influenced many of the bands since then. (see Coldplay, Muse, Travis, etc.) It bridged grunge, electronic, and power pop.

12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus - Spirit