The Three Best Books on Politics or History You've Read?

sd2 · May 1, 2007

I'll name my number one right of the bat: Decline of the West, by Hall of Fame Cubs third baseman Ozzie Spengler.

All invited to submit their list. Maybe a short description too. I'm journeying to the ME area soon (biz and friends) and may take the most interesting of those described with me for reading material.

And base, no, you can't name any Classics Comics you read as a kid.

(Well, on second thought, what the hell, go ahead if they impressed you enough that you still recall them. Maybe I can buy one on ebay.)

xpanda · May 1, 2007

The Sovereign Individual

Anatomy of Fascism

Capitalism and Freedom

sd2 · May 1, 2007

xpanda said:
The Sovereign Individual

Anatomy of Fascism

Capitalism and Freedom

OK x, thanx. I may pick up the "Sovereign Individual". But hope it's not a textbook of some kind for the so-called Sovereignty Movement - I had a fool a few years back bend my ears on that until he was blue in the face and I was red in the head with hurt.

Something about how if you reserve your rights under the Constitution on every transaction (this dude even stamped his paper money with words to that effect) than you can be a free and sovereign individual.

No laws need be obeyed, no taxes paid, the whole nine yards. It has a devoted hard-core of dreamers in the USA.

xpanda · May 1, 2007

Description:

From Publishers Weekly
The computer revolution, in the authors' dire scenario, will subvert and destroy the nation-state as globalized cybercommerce, lubricated by cybercurrency, drastically limits governments' powers to tax. They further predict that the next millennium will see an enormous decline in the influence of politicians, lobbyists, labor unions and regulated professions as new information technologies democratize talent and innovation and decentralize the workplace. In their forecast, citizenship will become obsolete; new forms of sovereignty reminiscent of medieval merchant republics will spring up; electronic plebiscites will decide legislative proposals; mafias, renegade covert agencies and criminal gangs will exercise much more behind-the-scenes power.

sd2 · May 1, 2007

Ok, a little different from the scenario I picture, but I'm always open to new ideas. (My feeling is that technics is one of the great innovations of the Western Culture,and with the decline of that entity technics will regress. IE, I don't believe in "progress.")

eek. · May 1, 2007

1.The ragged trousered philantropists
2.1984
3.um er urm...uh...hmmm

Masxmenos · May 1, 2007

The bible... Kill, Rape, Pillage, Repent, Have sex, Gamble. Wonderful stories.

sd2 · May 1, 2007

eek. said:
1.The ragged trousered philantropists
2.1984
3.um er urm...uh...hmmm

Have vaguely heard of Ragged Trousers (what's it about) but Orwell's classic - absolutely. Read it twice, tho not for a long time. Lot of folks think it was about the Soviet Union. Actually Orwell extrapolated existing trends in England and America to come up with his grim scenario

A great writer. His novels from the 30s (Down and Out in Paris and London and Keep the Aspidistra Flying) are always worth reading. The latter a great satire on the English bourgeousie

sd2 · May 1, 2007

bdizzle said:
The bible... Kill, Rape, Pillage, Repent, Have sex, Gamble. Wonderful stories.

IN BIBLE DAYS WHEN A WENCH GREW HOT
SHE SLIPPED LIKE RUTH INTO SOME MAN'S COT -
IF SHE YEARNED, LIKE BATHSHEEBA
TO BE A KING'S SPOUSE
SHE LOLLED AROUND NUDE ON THE ROOF OF HER HOUSE.

ABRAM PALMED OFF HIS WIFE AS HIS SISTER,
HOW PRUDENT OF MELECH (AND WISE) TO RESIST HER
ON ANTICS LIKE THIS NO BIBLE FROWNED
HARLOTS AND WHORESONS WERE OFTEN CROWNED

REBECCA, FOR ONE, AND SWEET ABIGAIL
AND THOSE TWIN HEADHUNTERS, JUDITH AND JAEL

MORAL: BEWARE OF PREACHERS WHO PEDDLE "GOD'S WORD"
TO BE SWALLOWED WHOLE BY THE FAITHFUL HERD,
NO MATTER HOW FALSE, OBSCENE OR ABSURD

FOR IF THAT'S RELIGION
(AND IT SEEMS TO BE)
HURRAH FOR PAGANS
AND HERESY!

-Anon, circa 1950

eek. · May 1, 2007

sd2 said:
Have vaguely heard of Ragged Trousers (what's it about)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ragged_Trousered_Philanthropists

sd2 · May 1, 2007

Right. I remember an anarchist lady I knew years ago talking about it. If I can pick up a paperback I'll read it in Spain

sd2 · May 1, 2007

Best novel I ever read was Dostoyefskly's Crime and Punishment.

But for a political/ social commentary I'd place second Wilmot Robertson's 1992 paperback, The Ethnostate.

Basically lays out how a culturally and ethnically homegeneous population has a better chance of social order and high accheivement than one with a million voices, a growing dissonance that trashes everything, in time.

While I don't concur with all his statements or conclusions, the ideas presented are challenging. And another virtue the book has is that it's short!

JoeContrarian · May 2, 2007

Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism

How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)

Godless: The Church of Liberalism

It doesn't get any better than Ann Coulter. :thumbsup:

GreenDoberman · May 2, 2007

"When Broken Glass Floats" -about Pol Pot's regime in Cambodia

"A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich"

"Freedom without Fear" - Aung San Suu Kyi

docmercer · May 2, 2007

A Bright Shining Lie (the frustrations of dealing with the South Viet gov't along with our own politicians during the conflict)

Ideas & Opinions (Non physics ideas from Einstein)

Armageddon Averted (The internal collapse of the Soviet Union)

bblight · May 2, 2007

xpanda said:
Description:

From Publishers Weekly
The computer revolution, in the authors' dire scenario, will subvert and destroy the nation-state as globalized cybercommerce, lubricated by cybercurrency, drastically limits governments' powers to tax. They further predict that the next millennium will see an enormous decline in the influence of politicians, lobbyists, labor unions and regulated professions as new information technologies democratize talent and innovation and decentralize the workplace. In their forecast, citizenship will become obsolete; new forms of sovereignty reminiscent of medieval merchant republics will spring up; electronic plebiscites will decide legislative proposals; mafias, renegade covert agencies and criminal gangs will exercise much more behind-the-scenes power.

What a pretty picture.

IMO, The have's will use the technology to cement their positions and subjugate the have nots.

Mein Kampf
The Communist Manifesto
Animal Farm and 1984

Such books let us know that evil can come from good thoughts.

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