What book are you reading?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

God and Gold Britain, America, and the making of the modern world, by walter russel mead.

Looks at the last few hundred years of history from the perspective of the maritime liberal capitalist societies of the UK and the US which he relates very closely. Then looks at the wider foreign policy issues and what light is shed on them. Interesting book, puts a different perspective on history.

Also, I found this bit very amusing:

"Seats in the House of Commons were openly bought and sold, as were the votes of the electors. In 1734 Anthony Henley, a British MP from Southampton, wrote a letter in answer to constituents' complaints about his support of the excise tax:

Gentlemen:
I received yours and I am surprised at your insolence in troubling me about the excise. You know what I very well know, that I bought you. And I know well what perhaps you think I don't know, that you are now selling yourselves to somebody else. And I know something you don't know, that I am buying another borough. May God's curse light on you all. May your houses be as open and as common to all excise officers as your wives and daughters were to me when I stood for your scoundrel corporation.

"

[Martok]

Concurrent with The Name of the Wind (which I'm now about 80% of the way through), I've also begun reading What If? 2. It's a collection of essays written by by various historians & professors examining how the world might be different had certain historical events gone a different way.

The reading is a bit dry at times, but still interesting. I've now finished the first essay, which contemplates how Western philosophy might have changed had Socrates died in his mid-forties at the Battle of Delium (in which he fought), which was before he became truly well-known. Have just begun the next essay, which looks at a world in which Antony & Cleopatra won the Battle of Actium (and how they might have been victorious in that battle). Good stuff so far.

[edyzmedieval]

Night Train to Lisbon, by Pascal Mercier.

[Ja'chyra]

Dune, on the Kindle naturally.

Never actually sat through the whole film and wanted to see if it's as good as people say, not too bad so far but only read 15% of it.

[Fisherking]

I am almost finished with Why the West Rules~ for Now, by Ian Morris.

I can’t say enough good about it. Anyone who likes history shouldn’t miss this book.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I am almost finished with Why the West Rules~ for Now, by Ian Morris.

I can’t say enough good about it. Anyone who likes history shouldn’t miss this book.

hmm, I googled it and found this review and response. I have to say I came away with a very poor opinion of Morris.

[Fisherking]

hmm, I googled it and found this review and response. I have to say I came away with a very poor opinion of Morris.

The book is not your typical History. It is a multi disciplinary study of human social development. It looks for patterns of history, rather than the traditional names, dates, and places and dose not go in-depth into what we all know or can find elsewhere.

It is a first attempt at using history as a prediction tool.

As social development is the focus it dose tend to cut short personalities focusing on the ups and downs of development in the eastern and western core areas.

Frankly I find the review to be little more than sniping missing the point completely, however, if you have not read the book that would be most difficult to tell.

I wish I had more time to do justice to both the review and response but my time at the moment is short.

There are plenty of positive review of this work. Buying this particular review is a mistake, to me.

Read it and write your own.