- Military scifi - Discusses the logistics of running an interstellar war (especially the time dilation) - Time is a I loved this book. Salient points:
- Military scifi - Discusses the logistics of running an interstellar war (especially the time dilation) - Time is a huge factor: things move really slowly in space. So a dogfight between cruisers is measured in weeks and months, not in seconds and hours. Our protagonist goes on three campaigns, but every time you go on a year-long campaign, centuries go by in Earth time. Same principles as Interstellar. - The evolution of human society throughout the interstellar war; the protagonist is one of the few soldiers who has fought from the very beginning until the end (because of the aforementioned time dilation), and there's a richly detailed human society undergirding his experiences of combat - Not as much alien world-building as I'd hoped (except for one instance early on) but you could make the argument that this is a book that centers the human experience - Extremely easy to read. The whole book is narrated with Mandella's (the protagonist) voice, so there are some words that are military slang. IMO they enhance the atmosphere.
Medium-length, but it's easy enough to read in a day. ...more
Bourdain has a poetic writing style, and it's at its best in this book. Wonderful account of his beginnings as a chef, and all of the colorful charactBourdain has a poetic writing style, and it's at its best in this book. Wonderful account of his beginnings as a chef, and all of the colorful characters he's met on his journey. I really enjoyed the layout of the book too: a broad narrative arc punctuated with occasional encyclopedia-like dissertations on various topics (what's a mise-en-place, who are the different characters in a restaurant, etc.). Thoroughly recommend it. ...more
I never thought I'd be a smoker; I used to pluck out the cigarette from my grandfather's mouth and stub it to stop him from smoking.
I've been using nI never thought I'd be a smoker; I used to pluck out the cigarette from my grandfather's mouth and stub it to stop him from smoking.
I've been using nicotine regularly since October 2021 -- I started smoking Black-n-Milds as a way to cope with work-related stress. It gradually metamorphized into a full-blown vape addiction: I'd wake up wanting to take a hit, wake up in the middle of the night to take a drag, etc. Eventually, I started sneaking off in the middle of social events to take some drags. Even at this juncture, I still believed I could quit at any time, which proved to be false: I've relapsed many times after promising myself that my current vape would be my last one.
This is a fantastic book for people like me, who want to quit, but lack a structured approach to do so. Mr. Carr presents a simple approach that focuses on framing the addiction as what it is, and hammering in the point that our lives would be far richer without a nicotine dependency. I enjoyed reading it, and would recommend it to anyone looking to stop smoking.
This was a fantastic book about John Boyd, and it documents his evolution from an Erie lifeguard to highly-skilled fighter pilot to one of the best flThis was a fantastic book about John Boyd, and it documents his evolution from an Erie lifeguard to highly-skilled fighter pilot to one of the best flight instructors at Ellis to a warrior-engineer, and finally to a man fighting tooth-and-nail to push much needed reforms through a bloated and highly inefficient Pentagon. Particularly interesting was the highly emotional bonds he crafted with 6 other men (nicknamed Acolytes by the author) in his pursuit of a totalizing theory of warfare. His manoeuvring with Pierre Sprey and Richard Leopold (together known as the Fighter Mafia) as they take on the Pentagon snake pit is highly illuminating: it reveals that much of the Pentagon's energy is devoted to milking as much money out of the taxpayers as possible to fund increasingly expensive technological (but completely unsuited for practical warfare) 'marvels' as possible. The F-15 and B-1 are excoriated as especially impractical combat aircraft.
I must also give Mr. Coram full credit for his impeccable documentation and narrative abilities: he provides context on the Korean, Vietnam, Grenadan, and Gulf wars, the political climate during those times, the subtleties of Air Force promotion processes, and the decoding of military jargon; this helps situate the reader at all times, and builds up to satisfying climaxes. Lots of funny anecdotes too. During the chapters on Boyd's premier innovation, Energy-Manoeuvrability Theory, which changed the course of aerial warfare tactics (as well as combat aircraft design), Croram ensures that the reader understands the relevance of this theory in a physics context: he practically walks us through the epiphanies that John Boyd had as a student at Georgia Tech.
Long read, took me a week to chug through -- some parts get a bit dry (especially the constant back-and-forth between the Fighter Mafia and the Pentagon bureaucrats). Completely worth it though.
My favorite quote: "Tiger, one day you will come to a fork in the road and you’re going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. He raised his hand and pointed. “If you go that way you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and you will get good assignments.” Then Boyd raised his other hand and pointed in another direction. “Or you can go that way and you can do something- something for your country and for your Air Force and for yourself. If you decide you want to do something, you may not get promoted and you may not get the good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won’t have to compromise yourself. You will be true to your friends and to yourself. And your work might make a difference. To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That’s when you will have to make a decision. To be or to do? Which way will you go?"...more
"For the Russian people the Yeltsin era was the biggest disaster (economically, socially, and demographically) since the Nazi invasion of 1941."
Not ma"For the Russian people the Yeltsin era was the biggest disaster (economically, socially, and demographically) since the Nazi invasion of 1941."
Not many people understand when I say that the fall of the Soviet Union is one of the greatest modern contemporary tragedies. The human misery that blighted the countries of the former USSR in the 90s after its dissolution is painful to read: skyrocketing alcoholism and drug use rates, hyperinflation wiping out people's savings overnight , an elderly population that was left to die without their pensions, a huge spike in prostitution (and abortions), and a subsequent population decline in the country. This is not a book about this toll. I'd recommend reading Blackshirts and Reds by Parenti for a more illuminating analysis of formerly socialist countries transitioning to market capitalism, and their citizens' experiences during those times. It's not a book about that subject matter either, but it showcases it well iirc.
This is a book that explores the lives of the kleptocrats that made it big during the deregulation of the erstwhile Soviet economy; while the bulk of Russians found themselves reduced to a sharply lowered standard of living, these men siphoned off billions of state-owned enterprises for peanuts. Through this, these oligarchs have become some of the wealthiest people in the world, and commanded the Russian state in the 1990s/2000s. They are still very influential today, especially with their stranglehold on these nationally vital industrial sectors. Klebnikov masterfully weaves a complex net of relationships, conversations, and companies into an intriguing narrative. While reading this book, I frequently had to pause and just appreciate how thousands of hours of investigative journalism were so succinctly distilled into a readable, coherent narrative. If you want to understand how brutal and predatory capitalism is at the hands of a newly christened gangster elite, the shadowy ever-present nexus between big capital and government, and the technical details of how this large-scale fraud occurred, read this book. Klebnikov painstakingly charts out the relationships between the different state-enterprises, shell companies, fraudulent banks, Yeltsin's presidential campaign funds, etc. to show you whose hands are in the cookie jar. The lessons you learn from this can be applied in the analysis of contemporary events, especially the naked collusion between finance capital and the Trump presidency + associated federal apparatuses.
I should also add that Klebnikov himself was assassinated in Moscow in 2004: likely a result of his superb investigative reporting. RIP.
Long book, not particularly easy to read, but a gripping book. Finished in two days. ...more
A biography laced with plenty of supporting details by Tharoor that shed more light on Nehru's decisions. Very good introduction to Nehru's life and pA biography laced with plenty of supporting details by Tharoor that shed more light on Nehru's decisions. Very good introduction to Nehru's life and political activities.
I finally got around to reading this book, which covers the history of Sikhism as a religion, and its contribution to the development of pan-Punjabi nI finally got around to reading this book, which covers the history of Sikhism as a religion, and its contribution to the development of pan-Punjabi nationalism, as well as the evolution of the nascent Sikh state (later empire). As someone who's played too much Europa Universalis 3 for his own good, it was great to finally sit down and read the political history of the Sikhs. I've long been familiar with their faith's tenets, but I've never comprehensively explored the geographical, social, and political dimensions of the context in which it arose.
For my non-Indian friends: almost all Sikhs are Punjabis, but very few non-Punjabis (relative to the Sikh population at large) are Sikhs.
The fact that Khushwant Singh (author of the *Train to Pakistan*) wrote this history was the cherry on top: his writing style is clear and uncomplicated, amply furnished with relevant citations and footnotes, and his skill at distilling a narrative out of a multitude of sources is evident in how easy and approachable this book is. There are parts where his prose is unabashedly fawning in its depictions of the Sikh gurus, but otherwise neutral.
Excellently written and very easy to follow. Butler also has a very earthy, humorous prose which is entertaining. I'd honestly recommend this as a firExcellently written and very easy to follow. Butler also has a very earthy, humorous prose which is entertaining. I'd honestly recommend this as a first book to anyone who wants to explore a veteran's perspective on anti-war sentiment.
Straddles the line between short and medium. I finished it in a day. ...more
I really enjoyed this. It's been a while since I read a book that did where-are-they-now portraits on a group of people. I was particularly struck by I really enjoyed this. It's been a while since I read a book that did where-are-they-now portraits on a group of people. I was particularly struck by how much being in the CP meant being in another parallel social world. There's nothing close to that in contemporary times. Medium-shortish read, finished in two days. ...more
Parenti exposes the machinations of Western imperialism and how Yugoslavia was systematically dismembered. From supporting Croat neo-fascists (UstasheParenti exposes the machinations of Western imperialism and how Yugoslavia was systematically dismembered. From supporting Croat neo-fascists (Ustashe) to bellicose and undiscerning bombing of **civilian** population centers, the NATO warmongers have successfully balkanized (aptly) the former Yugoslavian countries and Third Worldized them. This book is eye-opening in various ways:
1) NATO invaded a sovereign nation (even though that nation didn't attack them), making it the first time an institution with no defined borders or constituency has declared war on a country. 2) weapons of devastating magnitude (chemical bombs that destroy biospheres, depleted uranium rounds that cause birth defects generations later, etc.) that wouldn't just destroy physical targets, but the **productive capital of a nation**. 3) The Rambouillet Treaty was a sham (NATO demanded that it's troops be allowed to freely move through Yugoslavia as they wished, be exempt from Yugoslavian laws, and that Kosovo be granted independence). No country in their right mind would accept this, and when the Yugoslavians did just that, NATO used this as the flimsiest pretext for war. 4) Once the countries (who all had successful state socialist enterprises for the most part) were dealt with, huge swathes of their economy were privatized, leading to the destitution of their people and the erosion of their social fabric. Nonetheless, very fat profits were enjoyed by the Western investors and corporations who swooped in to purchase these enterprises (mines, power plants, auto factories, etc.) at bargain prices. These countries now constitute a cheap, economically depressed, and politically subservient labor pool for the imperial core.
It is telling that Clinton, Blair, and the rest of the gang haven't been rounded up and charged with war crimes. ...more
If you want a primer on the poverty of rural India, this is the best book that I've read on the matter. Sainath descriptively illustrates the districtIf you want a primer on the poverty of rural India, this is the best book that I've read on the matter. Sainath descriptively illustrates the districts, villages, and forest communities he visits using a variety of indicators: geography, caste, religion, resources, labor statistics and points out the failures of governmental development projects meant to alleviate poverty. Sainath particularly fixates on the government's want to take action to address the symptoms, but not the root causes (such as land reform, civil liberties, etc.) and its propensity to adopt a one-size-fits-all welfare scheme. Lots of dry wit as well, I enjoyed reading this book greatly, despite the somber subject. ...more
A superbly researched book. Kinzer knits an engrossing narrative of the American-led coup and its context within the wider world of anti-colonialism, A superbly researched book. Kinzer knits an engrossing narrative of the American-led coup and its context within the wider world of anti-colonialism, anti-imperialism, nationalization, and democratic political consciousness taking shape in Iran in the first half of the 20th century. He also lays out a history of the Persian Shahs and their lineages that led up to the late 1800s. The main focus of this book is on the obstinate, neocolonial attitudes of the British with regards to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company being nationalized by the Iranian government under Mossadegh. Although they could have dealt with the situation by acting in good faith, their approach was colored by a racist, entitled attitude towards Iran's sovereign natural wealth. This eventually coalesced into an American-approved coup during the Eisenhower administration (Truman supported nationlization and was loathe to participate in any foreign coup attempts) with the Dulles brothers largely shaping and executing on it. The success of this coup likely led to a streak of foreign interventionism that influenced the US's policies towards countries in the second half of the 20th century (starting with the 1954 coup in Guatemala).
I should note that Kinzer remains objective throughout the book, and uses first-hand sources to add weight to his observations.
To get an idea of the man Mossadegh was and the emotion that he inspired in the Iranian people, here's an excerpt from the book that details his last years while under house arrest (a fate that he was sentenced to following three years in a military prison, and under which he remained until he died) in Ahmad Abad:
(apologies for the poor formatting, copied it straight from the PDF)
"Although many accounts describe Mossadegh as having suffered from various ailments, especially in his later years, and although his three years in solitary confinement cannot have been healthy for a man his age, Mr. Takrousta remembered him as strong and vigorous. Once Mr. Takrousta began talking, stories flowed out. Mossadegh had opened a pharmacy where medicine was distributed free to villagers, loaned money to those in need, built an insulated shed to keep ice in summertime, and distributed free bags of grain to each of his laborers at Ramadan and on New Year’s Day. “Mossadegh was not like a normal landlord,” Mr. Takrousta told me. “He ran his estate like a charity. Most of what he grew, he gave back to the workers. Everyone here loved him. Any kind of a problem that you had, you would go to him and he would take care of it. From the highest official to the poorest worker, he treated everyone the same.” One day, my new friend told me, a peasant came to Mossadegh to complain that he had been detained by some of the local Savak agents, taken to their headquarters, and beaten while they shouted questions about Mossadegh’s habits and conversations. “It was the only time I ever saw him get angry. He called the police chief and shouted at him to come to the house immediately. When he got to the house, Mossadegh pushed him against a wall, held his cane against the guy’s throat and shouted: ‘You are here to watch me, and you have no right to abuse anyone else. If you have a problem, you come to me and only me! Don’t ever, ever lay a finger on one of my people again!’ This was a Savak officer and not a nice man at all, but when this happened he started apologizing and begging forgiveness. After that, the police never went near us. The jailer was afraid of the prisoner!
I asked if Mr. Takrousta and his neighbors felt different from people in other villages, and he assured me that they did. “We not only feel different, we are different,” he told me. “We’re different because of the effect Mossadegh had on us. Visitors come here from far away. They don’t come to any other village. People here are proud that we had the privilege of having such a great man here. We try to behave according to the example he gave us. We have a sense of charity, cooperation, unity, solidarity. We take the hands of people in need. People from other villages know we’re like this, and when they have problems, they come to us and we help them. You can’t think of Ahmad Abad without thinking of Mossadegh. He’s the father of our nation but also the father of this village. It’s really a shame that they destroyed his government.” I asked who “they” were. Mr. Takrousta paused, unsure of himself. He stared up at the sky for a long moment and then spoke slowly. “I’m a simple, uneducated villager,” he said. “I don’t know who ‘they’ are. But whoever they are, they don’t want our people to be free and raise ourselves up.”
Medium-long book, finished over a month of intermittent reading. Can probably do it in 4 or 5 days of committed reading though. ...more
I read this around 3-4 years back and loved it. Excellent prose, and a detailed analysis of resource extraction (read: pillage) in LatAm by the GlobalI read this around 3-4 years back and loved it. Excellent prose, and a detailed analysis of resource extraction (read: pillage) in LatAm by the Global North. I really enjoyed Galeano's contextualization around each national economy he explores. For instance, he dives into Brazilian history to understand that country's colonization, and how its abundant natural resources and cheap enslaved labor set the stage for its economic and racial stratification in the 19th and 20th century. Perhaps the most visible example of this stratification is the existence of latifundias.
Medium-long read iirc, but Galeano's prose is so wonderful that it just zips by....more
Excellently researched. A thorough evisceration of the crimes perpetrated by the Belgian colonial administration (largely for the benefit of King LeopExcellently researched. A thorough evisceration of the crimes perpetrated by the Belgian colonial administration (largely for the benefit of King Leopold) against the peoples of the Congo. The most searing indictment of the legacy of colonialism is the extent of depopulation: only 10 million of the region's estimated 20 million survived the establishment of the colony and the acceleration of the rubber boom (between the late 1870s and early 1910s). Hands were chopped off, entire villages burned to the ground, and people enslaved as labor.
I think this is a great introductory text that situates readers in the contemporary landscape of modern, scientific education in Muslim countries.
Dr.I think this is a great introductory text that situates readers in the contemporary landscape of modern, scientific education in Muslim countries.
Dr. Hoodbhoy outlines the development of scientific thought in pre-medieval Islam, the Islamic Golden Age, and the subsequent degeneration of the scientific spirit in the late medieval period (while Europe was undergoing the Renaissance) as a result of the political strengthening of orthodox religious factions. He also dispels crude Orientalist (a la Weber) attempts to explain away the relative scientific weakness of Islamic countries as a consequence of the inferiority of Islamic values, and instead suggests that capitalist formations were more prevalent in Europe because of a more tyrannical (not using that word in a bad way, just more 'absolute') religious order could impose legal frameworks more uniformly across the continent. Comparitively, Islam doesn't have a highly centralized political center (like Rome) nor a highly developed priestly class that could exercise political authority; instead, Islam fragmented into many schools of thought (which still exist today), which did not provide the necessary legal substrate (with abstractions such as contracts, land ownership rights, etc.) on which a stable bourgeoise class could develop.
Admittedly, I'm biased: I regard Dr. Hoodhboy highly, for his contributions to nuclear physics and engineering, his steadfast commitment to educating Pakistani youth in science (and just as importantly, in scientific temperament), as well as his humanist ideals.