top philosophy books, must reads?

What areas of philosophy are you interested in? If you're not sure, then you might want to start with some general introductions. Bertrand Russell's The Problems of Philosophy is short and gives an introduction to the major philosophers by way of addressing the major problems that philosophers have dealt with over the past 2000 years or so. Will Durant's The Story of Philosophy is dated (it was written in 1926), and some of the judgments have not stood the test of time, but it is a well-written and accessible overview of the "highlights" of philosophy.

I've read those books so I can vouch for them. There are many other introductory texts for philosophy. Check out a few of them here. If you are looking for something on a more specific topic (e.g. ethics, epistemology, esthetics, etc.) I'd be glad to point you in the right direction.

You shouldn't limit yourself to western philosophy. Include eastern philosophy, and everything becomes more interesting.

Though there are many different directions of eastern philosophy, I recommend reading "Siddharta" by Herman Hesse. It's a fictional story, less than 150 pages in pocket format, but it gives a good introduction to some key ideas of the orient. Herman Hesse was german, so it's written in a way that is easily comprehensible to the western mind.

Russell's The Problems of Philosophy is the best book. Ever.

thanks for the replies.

funny you said something about eastern philosophy, i didnt see anything quite "eye-catching" at the library but i ended up getting a wicca book, and i was tempted to get some on buddhism and all that confucious stuff, but, i figured i would go with something familiar first. sorta interesting. after reading it i realise how much science art and religion are just different ways of explaining the same things.

they had a book by a famous guy, ( he is talked about on here alot) weildhert? or someshit, but it was the most dry boring thing ive ever read in my life.

Hopefully i find some more , err, inspirational material.

Read Plato. Start with the Apology and the Crito. Much of Western philosophy comes through him and those are good, easy dialogs to read.

Screw reading, just learn the song:

Bruces' Philosophers Song
a.k.a.
The Philosophers' Drinking Song
Click here to hear it!

Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable.

Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.

David Hume could out-consume
Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, [some versions have 'Schopenhauer and Hegel']

And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel.

There's nothing Nietzsche couldn't teach ya
'Bout the raising of the wrist.
Socrates, himself, was permanently pissed.

John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill.

Plato, they say, could stick it away--
Half a crate of whisky every day.

Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle.
Hobbes was fond of his dram,

And René Descartes was a drunken fart.
'I drink, therefore I am.'

Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed,
A lovely little thinker,
But a bugger when he's pissed.

IVE READ MOST OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL ACTUALLY...