Every Friday, I present a topic or question for our merry band of thinkers, leaders, and pirates to discuss in an open thread. Here is this week’s conversation starter:
Question: What are you reading right now? What book would you recommend?
Currently finishing up Jonah's "Liberal Fascism". He discusses some parallels I saw in my studies of fascism and has some interesting notions (although sometimes it comes across as Jonah gunning to get the Dems). As for a book I would recommend, after the day in and out of US political and pandemic news, if you want good historical fiction, try Matthew Pearl's The Dante Club. I am rarely completely spoofed but when I got to the end of this book, I was stunned & amazed I completely missed the clues. He had woven them in so matter of factly and his writing was so enthralling that I flew past them. I tell you, he puts Dan Brown to shame.
Love Larson. Currently reading V2 by Robert Harris. Not as good as his Cicero trilogy, but still engrossing. I always recommend The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro. It explores whether it is better to forget, thereby losing part of yourself but allowing you to move on, or to remember and thereby know yourself better, but risk clinging to grievance and anger.
"The Future is Faster than You Think: How Converging Technologies are Transforming Businesses, Industries and Our Lives" by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler. It's very interesting and thought provoking so far!
FUTURE CRIMES by Marc Goodman and the INVISIBLE WOMAN by Erika Robuck (the story of Virginia Hall ) are my current reads along with some pages of the new issue of My French Country House magazine....
THE PREMONITION by Michael Lewis (he’s also written LIAR’S POKER, MONEYBALL, THE BLIND SIDE, BOMMERAMG, THE FIFTH RISK, etc).) I would recommend reading anything by Michael Lewis.
The boom examines the US pandemic response. It does not lay the whole mess at Trump’s feet. As one person in the book says, “Trump was a comorbidity.”
Spendid and Vile is very good. Along the same lines, I enjoyed even more The Command of History by Reynolds - about Churchill's writing his WWII series. Most recently I have read a series with the theme of empire and empire demise. Started with Turchin War and Peace and War, then Escape from Rome by Scheidel, then Seapower States by Lambert. Scheidel a bit a slog. Interesting when taken together, perhaps with a little Sallust mixed in.
The Holy Bible. In the Bible, both New and Old Testament, is every Word on everything. It IS as pertinent now as ever. If someone thinks it isn't, they haven't read it. The Bible IS the mind of God and it has the power to heal and make one wise. What other book can do that! John 7:38
The Enemy Within, by David Horowitz. Horowitz is an astute observer (as a former participant) of misguided efforts to radically change America from its founding principles.
Currently finishing up Jonah's "Liberal Fascism". He discusses some parallels I saw in my studies of fascism and has some interesting notions (although sometimes it comes across as Jonah gunning to get the Dems). As for a book I would recommend, after the day in and out of US political and pandemic news, if you want good historical fiction, try Matthew Pearl's The Dante Club. I am rarely completely spoofed but when I got to the end of this book, I was stunned & amazed I completely missed the clues. He had woven them in so matter of factly and his writing was so enthralling that I flew past them. I tell you, he puts Dan Brown to shame.
Love Larson. Currently reading V2 by Robert Harris. Not as good as his Cicero trilogy, but still engrossing. I always recommend The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro. It explores whether it is better to forget, thereby losing part of yourself but allowing you to move on, or to remember and thereby know yourself better, but risk clinging to grievance and anger.
"The Future is Faster than You Think: How Converging Technologies are Transforming Businesses, Industries and Our Lives" by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler. It's very interesting and thought provoking so far!
FUTURE CRIMES by Marc Goodman and the INVISIBLE WOMAN by Erika Robuck (the story of Virginia Hall ) are my current reads along with some pages of the new issue of My French Country House magazine....
THE PREMONITION by Michael Lewis (he’s also written LIAR’S POKER, MONEYBALL, THE BLIND SIDE, BOMMERAMG, THE FIFTH RISK, etc).) I would recommend reading anything by Michael Lewis.
The boom examines the US pandemic response. It does not lay the whole mess at Trump’s feet. As one person in the book says, “Trump was a comorbidity.”
Spendid and Vile is very good. Along the same lines, I enjoyed even more The Command of History by Reynolds - about Churchill's writing his WWII series. Most recently I have read a series with the theme of empire and empire demise. Started with Turchin War and Peace and War, then Escape from Rome by Scheidel, then Seapower States by Lambert. Scheidel a bit a slog. Interesting when taken together, perhaps with a little Sallust mixed in.
Nice choice! Actually reading Larson's Thunderstruck right now. And for more Churchill, Walking with Destiny was great
Free to Choose, Miton Friedman. A very good book.
The Holy Bible. In the Bible, both New and Old Testament, is every Word on everything. It IS as pertinent now as ever. If someone thinks it isn't, they haven't read it. The Bible IS the mind of God and it has the power to heal and make one wise. What other book can do that! John 7:38
G. Friedman’s Next 100 years, C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, D. Epstein’s Range.
Finishing Faucian Bargain by Steve Deace and Todd Erzen. Timely read about COVID-19.
The Enemy Within, by David Horowitz. Horowitz is an astute observer (as a former participant) of misguided efforts to radically change America from its founding principles.
This Scorched Earth by William Gear. A great civil war novel.