War Room book thread

[Cold Front]

Haven't read the book but I am familiar with the story, is it as crazy as I remember ?

I don't know what you remember, but it's certainly crazy.

If it was a fictional book or movie, no one would believe it could possibly happen.

 

[AnGrYcRoW]

I don't know what you remember, but it's certainly crazy.

If it was a fictional book or movie, no one would believe it could possibly happen.

Sounds right , Indian band with oil money and all hell breaks loose

 

[Cold Front]

Sounds right , Indian band with oil money and all hell breaks loose

To put it mildly.

 

[Jack V Savage]

Currently reading

Great read so far

Currently reading "Oblivion" (DFW short story collection) and "Devil in a Blue Dress," neither of which fit the thread. But after I finish one of them, I'm going to start this:

 

[Gregolian]

 

[HunterSdVa29]

the book Nation of Sheep by William Lederer is pretty solid reading regarding US foreign policy and the things the public isn't told, or are too apathetic to care about

 

[AnGrYcRoW]

Currently reading "Oblivion" (DFW short story collection) and "Devil in a Blue Dress," neither of which fit the thread. But after I finish one of them, I'm going to start this:

Devil in a blue dress , is that Walter Mosely ?.... I've read a lot of his books if it's the same one

 

[Byron Carter]

The two most influential books of my life.

 

[Ruprecht]

Currently reading this:

Not really WR related, although there's plenty of political, social and technological speculation to consider. More a scifi Game of Thrones cross The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress mash up.
A good series, although I'm not a fan of the way he portrays Australians (I'm kind of curious what the author drew on to form the characters though. Hopefully not personal experience).

 

[m25105]

Not a political book, but I'm currently enjoying this one.

Once I'm done, I'll probably finish this one.

Spoiler

 

[HatchetHarry]

Anyone who likes the genre of true crime might find these two books enjoyable.



Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson by Jeff Guinn

Born to Lose: Stanley B. Hoss and the Crime Spree that Gripped a Nation by James G. Hollock.

Both stories are fascinating and you'll learn much about how crappy the liberal criminal justice system was in the nineteen-sixties and -seventies.

Everyone has heard of Manson, of course, but Hoss's story is every bit as interesting.

Have you read Helter Skelter or Manson in his own words? I’ve had both sitting on my bookshelf for over a decade but haven’t touched them.

I have a couple books on the siege of Leningrad I’ve been planning to read after I finish Stephen King’s The Eyes of the dragon. One is called Symphony for the City of the Dead and other is The 900 Days. I became interested in the topic after reading City of Thieves last year which is a phenomenal book.

 

[HatchetHarry]

I just finished Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. The book is a highly suspenseful true story built around a series of murders of wealthy Native Americans in the 1920s that I had never heard about.

This book looks awesome. His other book The Lost City of Z was a great adventure tale.

 

[Cold Front]

Have you read Helter Skelter or Manson in his own words? I’ve had both sitting on my bookshelf for over a decade but haven’t touched them.

I have a couple books on the siege of Leningrad I’ve been planning to read after I finish Stephen King’s The Eyes of the dragon. One is called Symphony for the City of the Dead and other is The 900 Days. I became interested in the topic after reading City of Thieves last year which is a phenomenal book.

I read Helter Skelter many years ago. I have not read Manson In His Own Words.

The books on Leningrad look interesting.

 

[InternetHero]

Thanks for bumping this.

I'm about to read Augustine of Hippo's "Confessions." I read the cliff notes and was intrigued.

I also highly recommend "The Party: The Secret World of China's Communist Rulers," if you already have a solid understanding of China and want a good window into the politics of the Sinosphere, I give it four and a half out of five golden dragons.

It would be a solid 5 out of 5 except a few details have changed, for example, the author projects that China might go away from the kind of authoritarian cult of personal that defined Mao and later leaders, when in fact, President Xi is admiringly called "big brother" Xi.

That's not a criticism in so much as the reality. The book is outstanding.

For those who have a similiar knowledge of Japan I would duly recommend "Japan's Culture Code Words," a very, very good 4 out of 5 Rising Suns in my review.

The book has a set of wonderful exquisitely Japanese ideas presented in the explanation of certain words and phrases and what they mean to Japanese psyche and cultural values.

The only Rising Sun missing from this review is due to the fact that the author is absolutely right 50% of the time, kind of understands what he is talking about 25% of the time, and another 25% is a bit too smug and misses what the Japanese mean by the words.

 

[Scott Parker 27]

Maybe you conservanuts can learn something from reading about other cultures. Nah, will probably never happen.

 

[Higus]

Another book I read recently, but cannot recommend is Amanda Ripley's The Smartest Kids in the Room and How They Got that Way.

The book handles its subject matter mainly by dealing with three American high schoolers who travel abroad to three separate countries (South Korea, Finland, and Poland) where the education systems appear to be demonstrably better than in the US.

Unfortunately, Ms Ripley doesn't know her subject matter very well and tends to draw the wrong lessons from what she does learn.

Can you summarize the differences and her conclusions/your interpretations?

 

[punkmother]

Not a political book, but I'm currently enjoying this one.

Once I'm done, I'll probably finish this one.

actually, committing to 'hyperion,' in itself, is really a two book commitment. you have to read 'fall of hyperion' to finish the story arc. and it is well worth the commitment. epic story.

 

[HatchetHarry]

actually, committing to 'hyperion,' in itself, is really a two book commitment. you have to read 'fall of hyperion' to finish the story arc. and it is well worth the commitment. epic story.

I have the Hyperion Omnibus and Endymion Omnibus. They are beautiful editions which are out of print and sell for a decent price on Amazon. I haven’t started the journey into Hyperion yet nor have I read any other Simmons work. What would you compare these books to? I’m going to start King’s Dark Tower soon and maybe I’ll read Hyperion after.

 

[punkmother]

I have the Hyperion Omnibus and Endymion Omnibus. They are beautiful editions which are out of print and sell for a decent price on Amazon. I haven’t started the journey into Hyperion yet nor have I read any other Simmons work. What would you compare these books to? I’m going to start King’s Dark Tower soon and maybe I’ll read Hyperion after.

what would i compare it to? imagine how bad the 50 shades books or the twilight series must suck. that level of suck rivals the level of awesome that is the hyperion cantos and the shrike.

 

[Diamond Jim]

Currently reading Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham. Great read.