What Book Are You Reading? Volume 9

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Get her to balance it with something half decent like I dunno: Rodrik's Has Globalization Gone Too Far. It ain't Marxist but it does involve critical thought which is an improvement over nothing. And Ghana is probably not the ideal country for her to studying if you wanna make a Marxist out of her.

She's already expressed extreme interest in the two books about globalization by Joseph Stiglitz, which are essentially the same thing as Rodrik.

Would you recommend it?

Absolutely. One of the most important books I've ever read. Every time I put it down, I walk away feeling much smarter than when I started.

And I'm wondering if that should be on my Amazon buying list.

It is long, FYI. But both Fifty and Cribb recommend it.

Cheezy's recommendations:

Political Economy - A. Leontiev;
The Dictatorship of the Proletariat - K. Kautsky
A History of Modern Russia: From Nicholas II to Vladimir Putin, Revised Edition - R. Service;
Age of Revolution - E. Hobsbawm;
History and Class Consciousness: Studies in Marxist Dialectics - G. Lukác;
Everyday Stalinism: Ordinary Life in Extraordinary Times: Soviet Russia in the 1930s - S. Fitzpatrick; and
An Introduction to Marxist Economic Theory - E. Mandel.

Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age (Hellenistic Culture and Society) - P. Green;

Basic Economics 3rd Ed: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy - T. Sowell.

Urgh, that ex-Trot is hardly worth your time, but the decision is yours.

 

[Azale]

Azale's recommendations:

The Third Reich: A New History - Dr. M. Burleigh;
Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty - B. K. Martin; and
Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia - A. Rashid.

Rashid in general, while not the greatest writer, is the most competent I've found on contemporary Central Asia & AfPak history and politics. So grab Descent Into Chaos when you get the chance.

I second Age of Revolution & anything by Sheila Fitzpatrick.

That's about all I feel adequate in prescribing for you...for now

 

[The Imp]

Get her to balance it with something half decent like I dunno: Rodrik's Has Globalization Gone Too Far. It ain't Marxist but it does involve critical thought which is an improvement over nothing. And Ghana is probably not the ideal country for her to studying if you wanna make a Marxist out of her.



Would you recommend it?



And I'm wondering if that should be on my Amazon buying list. Now, I wonder if anyone could recommend me still more books I should have:

Masada's stuff:

A History of Australia: The Beginning of Australian Civilization - C. M. Clark;
A History of Australia: New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land 1822-1838 - C. M. Clark;
Historical Dictionary of Indonesia (Historical Dictionaries of Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East) - R. Cribb;
Decline of Constitutional Democracy in Indonesia - H. Feith;
The Indianized States of Southeast Asia 1st Ed. - G. Coedes;
History, Culture & Region in Southeast Asian Perspectives (Studies on Southeast Asia, Vol 26) - O. W. Wolters; and
Southeast Asia in the Age of Commerce, 1450-1680: Volume One: The Lands below the Winds - A. Reid.

Cheezy's recommendations:

Political Economy - A. Leontiev;
The Dictatorship of the Proletariat - K. Kautsky
A History of Modern Russia: From Nicholas II to Vladimir Putin, Revised Edition - R. Service;
Age of Revolution - E. Hobsbawm;
History and Class Consciousness: Studies in Marxist Dialectics - G. Lukác;
Everyday Stalinism: Ordinary Life in Extraordinary Times: Soviet Russia in the 1930s - S. Fitzpatrick; and
An Introduction to Marxist Economic Theory - E. Mandel.

Azale's recommendations:

The Third Reich: A New History - Dr. M. Burleigh;
Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty - B. K. Martin; and
Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia - A. Rashid.

Dach's recommendations:

The Making of Byzantium, 600-1025 - M. Whitto;
The Thirty Years War: Europe's Tragedy - P. H. Wilson;
Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age (Hellenistic Culture and Society) - P. Green;
The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages, 400-1000 (Penguin History of Europe) - C. Wickham
The First World War - H. Strachaw; and
The Struggle for Mastery in Europe: 1848-1918 (Oxford History of Modern Europe) - Alan J. P. Taylor.

Yui's recommendations:

Basic Economics 3rd Ed: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy - T. Sowell.

As a note this represents the majority of my reading for the next six months. I do live in a colonial outpost of a colonial outpost if that helps to explain my apparent profligacy. I'm willing to add to the list History, Philosophy, Economics, Politics, Literature and whatever else people are willing to assure me is quality. So feel free to recommend.

H. Strachan, not H. Strachaw

And yes, his books on World War I are fantastic.

 

[Masada]

She's already expressed extreme interest in the two books about globalization by Joseph Stiglitz, which are essentially the same thing as Rodrik.

I've never liked Stilgitz much. I guess I should add him to my list as well.

Absolutely. One of the most important books I've ever read. Every time I put it down, I walk away feeling much smarter than when I started.

Added to the list. Anything else of Galbraith's I should be picking up to complement it?

It is long, FYI. But both Fifty and Cribb recommend it.

I don't mind long. I actually prefer it. I'm open to more suggestions. I could just break down the order into two parts: the cheapest books in the first and the second lot when they drop down to a reasonable price (and failing that I'll supplement with the next list I populate).

Urgh, that ex-Trot is hardly worth your time, but the decision is yours.

It was recommended to me. I'll roll with it. Besides, its cheap.

Rashid in general, while not the greatest writer, is the most competent I've found on contemporary Central Asia & AfPak history and politics. So grab Descent Into Chaos when you get the chance.

I don't get the chance. I have to go out of my way to pick up anything in the least bit specialized, which is why I order in bulk.

That's about all I feel adequate in prescribing for you...for now

Thanks!

And yes, his books on World War I are fantastic.

It was a recommendation from Dachs. That's a an assurance all of its own.

 

[Japanrocks12]

Dubois, Washington, Douglass, Jacobs, Hurston, Locke, and Hughes for my Af.Am. Lit class

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

The Affluent Society is supposed to be another of Galbraith's good works. Inno would be the guy to ask about that, I've only ever read this one book by him.

 

[Whomp]

If you're reading Galbraith's The New Industrial State you should read Schumpeter's Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy alongside it. They were colleagues at Harvard, had great senses of humor, outstanding rhetorical skills but their conclusions on capitalism are a bit different. Top down versus bottom's up, stable versus chaotic and entrepreneur as a diminished character instead of one who creates destruction of the old. I think Schumpeter's view that capitalism will cede to socialism because of its success rather than its failure seems prescient.

By the way, I read the article Tom Riggio sent me on his trip to Russia while researching Dreiser's Diary. A very interesting read.

 

[Darth_Pugwash]

Read The Life Of Senna by Tom Rubython. First Senna biography I have read, well researched, it covers his early career, his years in F1 as well as the trial that followed his death. Enjoyed it quite a bit, as a motor racing fan I've read about Senna before but never in this much detail. He was a unique character among racing drivers, expressing the human element of the sport very strongly despite being a ruthless competitor. Writing is a little clunky and the book's genesis as a series of articles is sometimes too apparent, more thorough editing would have helped. Rubython is also much, much too harsh on Senna's great rival Alain Prost - and a little too quick to praise Senna, though that I suppose comes with the territory. Nonetheless, a good book.

 

[Martacus]

Gonna start reading Proust. Wish me luck. I may need a few cappuccinos before I get through.

 

[Masada]

If you're reading Galbraith's The New Industrial State you should read Schumpeter's Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy alongside it. They were colleagues at Harvard, had great senses of humor, outstanding rhetorical skills but their conclusions on capitalism are a bit different. Top down versus bottom's up, stable versus chaotic and entrepreneur as a diminished character instead of one who creates destruction of the old. I think Schumpeter's view that capitalism will cede to socialism because of its success rather than its failure seems prescient.

Anymore economics book you care to recommend Whomp?

 

[Whomp]

Anymore economics book you care to recommend Whomp?

Hmm...I tend to look at things that derive their more modern roots from Marx, Weber, Keynes, Galbraith and Schumpeter. I feel they're the titans that ask the right questions on such things as behavior, sociology and history of economics.

Along those lines, Galbraith and Schumpeter's had interesting views of corporations. Based on that, I would add Henry Manne's"Higher Criticism of the Modern Corporation". Manne brings law into the equation and challenges the vision that corporations are like government. He suggests they are quite different because they are subject to markets and liquidation.

My interests lately have been more on behavior and leadership. Things that have links to economics but may not be what you're looking for.
In these areas I've read:
Of course, Black Swan by Nassim Taleb

Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay Though it was written in 1841 the story has not changed through history.

Choices, Values, and Frames by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky Really hard to read but the text is what's important. It exposes Weber and Schumpeter's thoughts on rationalization.

Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely. Pretty self-explainatory but just google search "how can I get my "girlfriend to" and see what you come up with. Then substitute "boyfriend" in place of "girlfriend" and see what google brings up.

Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital by Robert D. Putnam A more U.S. centric book about how our involvement with community, associations and groups (like bowling) are collapsing.

On leadership...
"Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?" by Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones They ask the right question and explain how you can't model your style by others.
My next book on the subject will be
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein.I think Thaler taught Kahneman about economics and Sunstein is in the Obama White House He's using behavioral economic theories to change public policy so I need to know more...

 

[Birdjaguar]

The Perdido Station by China Mieville

 

[Karalysia]

Socialism Betrayed really is an excellent book and a strong criticism of Gorbachev and the foolishness of glasnost and perestroika. Thanks to whoever recommended it to me, I forget who.

 

[Gilder]

Gonna start reading Proust. Wish me luck. I may need a few cappuccinos before I get through.

Good luck with that and tell us how it goes. I may want to try to read him someday if I'm crazy enough.

Got through Everything That Rises Must Converge, an excellent collection of most depressing stories. While Flannery O'Connor overuses some of the same elements, I really like the way she writes.

Since it took my less than a full week to read, I've decided to read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy next. That should keep me occupied until after exams.

 

[Richard Cribb]

The Perdido Station by China Mieville

Brilliant novel. Highly imaginative, well-written and socially conscious.

Socialism Betrayed really is an excellent book and a strong criticism of Gorbachev and the foolishness of glasnost and perestroika. Thanks to whoever recommended it to me, I forget who.

You're welcome. Cribb is the name
Just re-reading Late Victorian Holocausts by Mike Davis. This is one everybody should be familiar with.

 

[Ansar]

The English Teacher by R. K. Narayan

Curse you, English Literature

 

[Dachs]

Guy Halsall - Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West, 376-568

Peter Heather - Empires and Barbarians: The Fall of Rome and the Birth of Europe

Michael Grant - The Collapse and Recovery of the Roman Empire

Guess who has a paper on the Later Roman Empire to write!

 

[Martacus]

Gonna start reading Proust. Wish me luck. I may need a few cappuccinos before I get through.

Aaaaaand he start off with a long discourse on sleep, of all things. It might not be so bad, except my work shift ends at midnight. I can tell this is going to be a challenge, for a number of reasons.

Maybe someone can summarize it for me in about, say, fifteen seconds?

 

[Japanrocks12]

Gonna start reading Proust. Wish me luck. I may need a few cappuccinos before I get through.

you will need it

 

[Harvin87]

The brothers Karamasov... just fantastic.