The PWI Required Reading List

My War Gone By, I Miss It So by Anthony Lloyd.

A remarkably frank and balanced look at the Bosnian war, by a man who saw it from all three sides.

You can read it as a series of vignettes about that war in particular, but more profitable to read it as a parable for ethnic and religious conflict in general (spoiler: there are no “good guys”), and as a prescient look at what could very well occur in our own country.

Anyone ever read Rubicon by Tom Holland?

Thinking of picking it up after I’m done what I’m reading now.

[quote]therajraj wrote:
Anyone ever read Rubicon by Tom Holland?

Thinking of picking it up after I’m done what I’m reading now.[/quote]

It is remarkably good. It astounds me that a real historian can relate the details of life as well as the arc of history.

Peter Bernstein’s Against the Gods

THe history of mathematics of probability, leading to the concept of risk and the monetization of risk.

Pertinent today as we watch the failure of central planning and healthcare insurance policy.

[quote]DrSkeptix wrote:

[quote]therajraj wrote:
Anyone ever read Rubicon by Tom Holland?

Thinking of picking it up after I’m done what I’m reading now.[/quote]

It is remarkably good. It astounds me that a real historian can relate the details of life as well as the arc of history.[/quote]

Thanks.

I’ve added it to my reading list.

[quote]DrSkeptix wrote:
Peter Bernstein’s Against the Gods

THe history of mathematics of probability, leading to the concept of risk and the monetization of risk.

Pertinent today as we watch the failure of central planning and healthcare insurance policy.[/quote]

That sounds good. Adding that as well as Rubicon

Recently picked up The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker.

Was planning on read this book after Rubicon, but found it deeply discounted.

He argues that violence in the world has declined both in the long run and in the short, and suggests explanations why this has happened.

[quote]therajraj wrote:
Recently picked up The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker.

Was planning on read this book after Rubicon, but found it deeply discounted.

He argues that violence in the world has declined both in the long run and in the short, and suggests explanations why this has happened.

[/quote]

In the long run I am inclined to perhaps hear him out, at least on a percentage basis. WW1 and 2, all those notwithstanding, the average day to day exposure to deadly violence is much less than throughout any time in the history of civilization. Constant warfare for close to 3500 years, and before that the struggle to survive that entailed lots of killing animals and perhaps next door tribes…yeah I can see that. Obviously with a million times more people in the world now the absolute numbers involved in violence are much higher but then that’s not really the point.

However, a question comes to mind; perhaps not something to derail the thread with here, but is this diluted exposure to daily violence a good thing? I might argue it is not. Obviously nobody wants constant warfare–myself included–however there seems to be a triviality to people’s perspectives that one only gains (or yields to, perhaps) when one is sheltered from the necessities of life and death for most if not all of life on this earth. I roughly put crazies like PETA and such in this basket, but it applies to the population here as a whole I believe, and most likely much of western europe as well.

Perhaps it is not our better natures at all but an actual loss of perspective. Note that I am only applying this to “regular” deadly violence, not warfare, which I am likely to believe we are much better off in this century.

The Tragedy of Great Power Politics by John J. Mearsheimer. It’s a treatise on the theory of offensive realism. A must read for those interested in international relations.

Plagues and Peoples, McNeill. Disease has had as much of an effect on our history as anything else, and, (unfortunately), will probably continue to do so. Of the things that could end human life once and for all, only nuclear apocalypse seems to be as likely as pandemic disease.

One of my favorite books. Plague is one of the most morbidly entertaining things one can read about.

I wouldn’t say it’s required, but I’m reading Revolutionary Summer by Joseph Ellis. It’s pretty interesting especially if you aren’t well versed in the political and military history leading up to the revolution.

[quote]pushharder wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
I wouldn’t say it’s required, but I’m reading Revolutionary Summer by Joseph Ellis. It’s pretty interesting especially if you aren’t well versed in the political and military history leading up to the revolution. [/quote]

Just ordered it.[/quote]

I hope you enjoy it.

I’m not nearly as educated on early American history as I’d like to be. Hopefully the book offers value to someone, like yourself, much more versed in the topic.

I’m about mid way through, so far the focus has been mostly on Adam’s revolutionary vision, Washington’s attempt to defend NY and organize the Continental Army, and Jefferson’s writing of the Declaration.

I tend to not post in this forum and just leark because I don’t feel like I have enough knowledge on most things to comment but its extremely fascinating to read the posts of several regulars on here.
Reading these books have helped a considerable amount and greatly enjoying them.

BUMP 2017.

I started to make a new thread about books. Let’s revive this one.

We can talk about books we’re currently reading, documentaries, etc. I’m thinking politics, religion, history, economics, philosophy…

@dchris - You recommended an article to me here, I can’t recall the thread but it was from an author who looks at math and behavior. He talked about how a small minority of people, vegans or organic food eaters for example, end up controlling what’s in the store for everybody else. Does that ring bells? I can’t find it, and I remember he had a couple of books I wanted to look at.

The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy both by Ryan Holiday. Not exactly PWI per se, but both are exceptional.

Currently, I’m enjoying American Character by Colin Woodard (we spoke about this briefly before @anon71262119). It’s actually really good I just haven’t had much time for it.

Worthy Fight Leon Panetta’s biography is exceptional. It is probably my favorite biography of all time

41 By GWB about GHWB was also very good.

If you want to learn more about the creation of ISIS I can’t recommend Black Flags By Joby Warrick enough.

Others I’ve enjoyed off the top of my head that I think are important to read:
Days of Fire - Peter Baker
Decision Points - GWB
Revolutionary Summer - Joseph J. Ellis (Ellis is fantastic)
Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates - Brian Kilmeade

Couple of other military books that people should read:
One Bullet Away - Nathaniel C. Fick
No Easy Day - Mark Owen

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Nasim Nicholas Taleb - on the Minority rule. He also has three great books: Black Swan, Fooled by Randomness and Antifragile.

A favorite of mine is Riches Among Ruins. A true story of a sovereign debt trader in the 70, 80 and 90s.

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You are too well read I am not going to argue with you any longer. You are making my goal of reading one book each month look silly.

Excuses: work takes up so much time. Then there are my one hour torture sessions in the gym…um I have to post on T Nation and then there is eating and time with my wife.

Okay…I will try to do better.

Seriously, great list thanks for posting!

I was especially curious about GWB about GHWB.

@anon50325502 - Thanks for the list. So many good ideas! I see that Black Flags won a Pulitzer. I think that will top my start on the Middle East. Maybe I’ll follow that with something more centered on Israel. And I saw that Ellis also wrote American Spinx which also looks really good. Have you read it too?

@dchris - Yes! Way to come through. I liked the article you shared, and looked him up but then couldn’t find him again.

SO…

I like @Aragorn’s idea with this, and I’m going to read through this thread a little before I get started.

Let’s be flexible about the rules. We can talk documentaries, films, essays, biographies. Anything that falls generally under the PWI category. We don’t have to read books together like a book group, but we can talk about books we’re in the process of reading and maybe sometimes other people will jump in if they’re interested.

I’d like to take the long list of things I’m ignorant about, and make that just a little bit shorter.

Currently listening to:
Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin.
An interesting story of a chess prodigy.

Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian
Pretty dry, but some useful thoughts

Currently reading:
Tools of Titans by Tim Ferris
More of a reference style book

Bell Curve by some old Harvard professors
A politically incorrect look at IQ, but it was written prior to political correctness

I usually listen to an audio book while driving on the freeway and switch to podcasts while driving in the city. Music doesn’t do anything for me, I hardly listen to it.