What I'm reading.
I'll be posting a bunch of books. With the election going on I haven't had a chance to post many. I'm juggling about a dozen of them right now...
The Chris Matthews Show: Obama's Problems Will Come From The Angry Left, Not Republicans
George Will: Romney Campaigning with 'Bloviating Ignoramus' Donald Trump
Rick Santorum Says He 'Doesn't Feel Any Obligation' to Refute Every Birther Out There
Nick Gillespie Compares Melissa Harris-Perry to Castro
Colbert Makes a Mockery of Santorum Refusing to Refute Elderly Birther at Campaign Stop |
Sunday Talkers Repeat Romney's Line About Obama Not Understanding How the Economy Works |
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Texas Honor Student Gets Jail Time for Truancy |
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Colbert Makes a Mockery of Santorum Refusing to Refute Elderly Birther at Campaign Stop |
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Bill Maher Takes a Shot at the Birthers With Parody on Romney's 'Wiferism' Scandal |
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Gillespie Defends Romney Only Doing Fox News: He Spoke 'to Schoolchildren Last Week' |
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Stockman: Romney Can't Say He Learned How to Create Jobs in the Leveraged Buyout Business |
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Bill Maher Takes a Shot at the Birthers With Parody on Romney's 'Wiferism' Scandal |
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Arizona Congressional Candidate 'Pulls a Coffman' |
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Steve Rattner Says Romney Was Not A Job Creator |
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Steve King Reminds Latino Voters That Republicans Love to Compare Them to Dogs, Cattle, Beans and Corn |
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Al Sharpton Knocks Down Rep. Tom Graves 'Tea Party' Talking Points |
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Stephen Colbert Starts New Hashtag for Sen. Chuck Grassley After He Calls the President Stupid on Twitter |
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Erin Burnnett: TeaNN's Newest Dismissive Host |
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Ron Paul's Book as Christmas Gift Makes Republican Girl Cry |
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Stockman: Romney Can't Say He Learned How to Create Jobs in the Leveraged Buyout Business |
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The Forever War by Dexter Filkins.
Is that book good? I keep hearing about it but not from anyone reading it.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
if you're talking about the forever war, I'm about halfway through it and it is remarkable, both in content and style.
It's excellent. The only problem with it is that you feel compelled to read everything in the bibliography after reading excerpts and references in the main text. Should be required reading for citizen education.
Also check out her "The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot." Stunning and scary.
And also, be sure to read the other Naomi, Klein that is; her "The Shock Doctrine" has helped me understand more about the past 25 years than anything else.
I just read the review in the Nation, that one sounds most explicit in describing how we ripped apart the fabric of everyday life in Iraq. Some accounts from the review, such as band saws being used to cut peoples heads off, or the father who tells his daughters abductors to keep her after hearing she was raped, are pretty horrific, but so is Iraq. They also gave a positive review of Richard Engel's account "War Journal: Five Years in Iraq" but Filkins work sounded superior. I will take your advice.
Radix Omnium Malorum Avaritia
Is there a chapter on boycotting of the pro sports, sitcoms, cellphones, beer, stupid movies, wal mart, mcdonalds??
I'm reading "Body of Lies" by David Ignatius. It's great!
I had to take a timeout from political books for a while. Before this book, I read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini. This is the same man who wrote "The Kite Runner". "A Thousand Splendid Suns, affected me like no other book ever has. It was a wonderful book, but it haunted me for a long time.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
how can I be sure she is the real thing? naomi watts, wolf, klein, better send them to my place for drinks and a movie, just to be sure.
It's time to stand together. We will need each other when it hits the fan. We must stop the left-wing right-wing fight and unite under a common cause.
We must all stand up in defense of our Constitution and our freedoms. They are slipping away.
Join the Campaign for Liberty!
If we could all just concretize Jesus Christ then we'd all just be able to be able.
palin is a muslim. a double muslim. with 6 merit points. but if she is not an extremist, so what.
Seriously, what are you talking about?
come on, lighten up.
Not to be TOO picky (I'm guilty myself), but you might consider linking to a seller who gives more to liberal causes. Barnes & Noble give a much higher percentage to Dems than does Amazon.
But it might change, after November 4th.
Check out Powell's. I'm not certain, but I would bet that they support liberal/progressive causes.
I've recently read Wolf's previous book, "The End of America," in which she outlines the 10 steps that would be dictators and fascists invariably take in order to subvert and destroy previously healthy democracies. I heard an interview with her on NPR a while ago saying that one should probably (but not necessarily) read "End of America" to understand the threat and "Give me Liberty" to find a solution, or at least find a way to get involved. Bear in mind I am simplifying for brevity's sake.
I also recommend Thomas Frank's "The Wrecking Crew" and Hedges' "American Fascists." Together these (and others) do a good job both warning about and documenting the assault on the democratic state. And if you have not yet read Frank's "Whats the Matter With Kansas?" do yourself a favor and order it now. You won't be disappointed.
I'll second that motion for Chris Hedges, American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America.
I'd also like to nominate Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism.
And last but not least is Robert Altemeyer's free e-book, The Authoritarians, an examination of the characteristics and consequences of authoritarian personality (both leaders and followers), and social dominance orientation, from the point of view of social psychology. A clear understanding of this view is a must for anyone who seriously hopes to combat the forces of right-wing authoritarianism in modern culture.
John Dean tackled this subject in his "Conservatives Without Conscience," and it helped me towards understanding some of the conservatives I know. It didn't make me agree with them, or think them less foolish in their thinking, but I began to understand how deeply ingrained and alluring (for them) their worldview is, and began to give me some insight into how it could be countered. I look forward to reading Altemeyer's book. Thanks.
I'm reading "American Fascists" right now and it's excellent and eye-opening. I really liked his "War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning" and try to read all of his columns and articles. He's one of the best reporters out there, and one of the clearest thinkers.
"The unconscious civilization" by John Ralston Saul, a Canadian philosopher and social analyst and husband of the former Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson. The book is a transcript of his 1995 CBC-sponsored Massey Lectures. Readable and brilliant.
"Secular humanism -- a fearless, realistic world view replete with doubt and scepticism that attempts to attain an unachievable state of equilibrium between and among the human qualities of reason, intuition, imagination, memory, ethics and common sense.
I am reading When Technology Fails: A Manual for Self-Reliance and Planetary Survival by Matthew Stein. Excellent but I already knew allot of what is in the book. When John wrote that he is juggling about a dozen right now it reminded me that when listening to Thom Hartmann this morning he was saying that what Rove did was make the evil of al-Qaeda much greater and bigger than needed so that Bush could seem larger and greater as a contrast. Like Superman would be rather boring without Lex Luther and Batman would be dull without the Juggler :).
Give me liberty, or give me a Klondike Bar!!!
)O(
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I'd be interested in what the 11 other books are...but I guess we shall soon find out. I had just arrived home from a day of book shopping when I saw his post. I ended up with three more Philip K. Dick novels and one called "Deer Hunting with Jesus," by Joe Bageant. I hadn't read any reviews of it and picked it up while browsing. I hope its good...
Anyway, I always love threads dealing with what people are reading. I always find some new titles this way.
I love Philip K. Dick, and always like to hear from people who read him. Some of my favorites are the Valis trilogy, "Ubik," "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch," "Martian Time-Slip," and "The Man in the High Castle."
Let us know what you think of the Bageant book. I just watched one of the Ironweed documentaries, "Red State Road Trip," and I think that the Bageant book could be a good follow-up.
I read Ubik and VALIS a few days ago and I am currently enjoying "The Man in the High Castle." I had previously only read a few short stories of his, and had always meant to read more. I finally got the chance while on leave this year to catch up on reading for pleasure. I have to say I am really enjoying his work. He is one of those authors that really makes one think about the way humans interact with their world, and with themselves. The edge of madness is a scary place to inhabit and I suspect Dick spent some time there. I would like to read a biography about him as well.
I am going to start Bageant's book tomorrow and I will happily post some thoughts on it in the next few days.
I'm currently reading The Shock Doctrine and so far so great but the first book on everyone interested in our great country and the policies that drive us should start with Howard Zinn's "A Peoples History of The United States" we can't move in a better direction without knowing how we got where we are today, or if its easier on your brain start with his documentary "you can't be neutral on a moving train" afterwords you'll want to read the book tricky huh!!!
Should be required reading for every high school student, and every adult who missed reading it in high school.
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
He's got some indispensable advice for what to do after the election:
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/10/22-12
Thanks so much for posting this link... he's a very wise man, that Mr. Zinn. I agree it's time for civil disobedience and loved what he said about people in the 1930s not letting the authorities remove peoples' belongings or them from their homes.
I've been reading Where the Wild Things Are and The Cat in the Hat - over and over and over..... My grandson is 26 months old and extremely single minded.
God I miss grown-up books.
I think I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so.....
You made me laugh. I distinctly remember those years with my kids. One of their favorites was "Go, Dog, Go!" and I was actually a little relieved when we left it behind after a family visit. My sister-in-law immediately mailed it to us, but those four or five days without it were a much needed respite.
From My America Project:
Naomi Wolf - The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
count my vote
[oops. that was supposed to go after the next entry. oh, well - it works here too!]
for posting that link... it's just the kick in the ass I need to watch the full movie, read the books Naomi's recently written, and do something about this in my own small sphere.
If I may be so bold to suggest a tab for books, just as you have a tab for music?
That is a great idea!
Great, Suggestion! John A., whaddayathink? :)
count my vote for a books tab
I've had to design Video Cafe, Blue America and the LNMC. It' not an easy task. When I have the chance I'd consider a book website, but not in the near future. I'll post more about books though.
I have found The Fourth Turning by William Strauss & Neil Howe interesting. It lays out cycles throughout history of social change. Written in 1997.
This a book that points out that the Democrats are part of the problem and not the solution and that voting for the lesser of the two evils is never a justification for allowing someone to govern the country who is not quite as bad as his opponent. I am about a third of the way through this powerhouse of a book and it confirms the assertions of the reviewer that the differences between the Democrats are cosmetic at best with both parties paying allegiance to the corporate and military-industrial complex of this country.
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/10/critica...
i'll wait for the movie.
Communists use a few words over and over. "Revolutionary" is one of them. That title of the book instantly jumped at me and made me think that this is some pseudo-communist crap. And it has a red cover too! Ug.
But it is a book that will get tagged when purchased for sure...
"They" are sure goin to be interested in just who buys this book...
just the handbook I've been waiting for. Naomi Wolf is a wonderful writer and I'm looking forward to reading this as soon as I can. To hell with being tagged... who gives a flyin' eff!? If that list was so long you couldn't count all the folks who bought the book, that'd make my day!
Still...pay for it in cash...
thanks for adding that. Sad we have to watch ourselves this way, isn't it? I'm not great at being surreptitious, but I'll get there.
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