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read octavia butler's "kindred" about a black woman who keeps getting pulled back in time to the plantation her great-great-grandfather owned. quick read but really well done, need to check out more of her work
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Aug 30, 2020 04:21
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StashAugustine posted:read octavia butler's "kindred" about a black woman who keeps getting pulled back in time to the plantation her great-great-grandfather owned. quick read but really well done, need to check out more of her work Parable of the Sower is extremely relevant relevant to the present. It was relevant to the 90s too, but in a more allegorical or metaphorical way. Now it’s literally what’s happening to the US.
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Aug 30, 2020 04:25
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i listened to three body problem yesterday and just finished it today and it was pretty sick. gonna start dark forest
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Aug 31, 2020 03:10
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I just finished reading Richard Nixon's Six Crises. From what I've read about the book in parallel, it was written in 1961, after Nixon had lost his first presidential race to JFK, but before he ran for (and lost) Governor of California and before his later electoral success. Supposedly it was something like his own version of JFK's Profiles in Courage, as in a way to keep him in the public eye and raise his national profile. As a book, it's pulling in a couple of different directions at the same time - not only is it trying to convey a historical narrative from Nixon's perspective, but it has a "self-help" like aspect to it where he's giving some vague words of advice to people on how to handle crises and how to behave during crises. The issue is that the latter just makes him sound really neurotic, like he's overthinking things all the time. There's also some stories that really stretch the definition of what could be called a crisis, like how he reacted as VP when Eisenhower had heart troubles - turns out you do most of nothing, and the problem resolves itself, because he didn't die or become incapacitated, so there's no crisis. Finally, Nixon's contempt for the media and the press really comes through in the book, where even as he's writing as calmly and charitably as possible because this was a book meant for public consumption and for his own self-aggrandizement, he still accuses them of being biased bastards at every turn. It was an entertaining read, to be sure, but I can't imagine that Nixon came off as looking better in the process.
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Aug 31, 2020 10:07
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Currently working my way through Thomas Franks' Listen, Liberal. Just finished chapter four, which covers all the ways that Clinton's neoliberal policies had devastating effects in the medium term (e.g: deregulating derivatives and telecoms, repeal of Glass-Steagall). I was an elementary schooler when Clinton was elected the first time, so I wasn't aware of a lot of the details. Reading the book just makes me despise the Clinton/Obama/Biden types even more than I already did. I have Franks' What's The Matter With Kansas? book, but are there any others by Franks or others that are in this vein?
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Aug 31, 2020 16:06
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F_Shit_Fitzgerald posted:Currently working my way through Thomas Franks' Listen, Liberal. Just finished chapter four, which covers all the ways that Clinton's neoliberal policies had devastating effects in the medium term (e.g: deregulating derivatives and telecoms, repeal of Glass-Steagall). I was an elementary schooler when Clinton was elected the first time, so I wasn't aware of a lot of the details. if you want a more academic work that's on the same subject--the democratic party's shift towards neoliberalism--check out Right Turn by Ferguson and Rogers. it's insanely detailed, but worth reading
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Aug 31, 2020 16:11
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F_Shit_Fitzgerald posted:Reading the book just makes me despise the Clinton/Obama/Biden types even more than I already did. I have Franks' What's The Matter With Kansas? book, but are there any others by Franks or others that are in this vein? "Death of the Liberal Class" by Chris Hedges also tackles this issue. I haven't read it myself, but it is on my list having come well-recommended.
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Aug 31, 2020 16:17
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I'm finally reading The Black Jacobins which I kept putting off. I find that a lot of books written recently about the Haitian Revolution are incredibly dry but Black Jacobins which is so often cited is incredibly well written. Glad this thread is still active. I usually just lurk on a bunch of other CSPAM threads to find recommendations.
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Aug 31, 2020 16:33
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Idia posted:I'm finally reading The Black Jacobins which I kept putting off. I find that a lot of books written recently about the Haitian Revolution are incredibly dry but Black Jacobins which is so often cited is incredibly well written. Glad this thread is still active. I usually just lurk on a bunch of other CSPAM threads to find recommendations. CLR James is a magnificent writer. Hes got a page on the Marxist Internet Archive. Highly recommended
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Aug 31, 2020 17:04
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gradenko_2000 posted:"Death of the Liberal Class" by Chris Hedges also tackles this issue. I haven't read it myself, but it is on my list having come well-recommended. Franks mentions that book in passing once or twice. It's definitely one of the next on my list. Finicums Wake posted:if you want a more academic work that's on the same subject--the democratic party's shift towards neoliberalism--check out Right Turn by Ferguson and Rogers. it's insanely detailed, but worth reading Thanks! Added to the list. One of the positive effects of the last four years is intensifying my interest in political history. Can't fight the fascism of today if you don't understand how fascism of the past developed.
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Aug 31, 2020 17:08
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Im looking to learn more about the modern middle east. Anyone know a good book on the rise and fall of pan-Arabism? Or should I go with regional histories? In that case, I'm interested in the Levant. Any good books on Syria, Lebanon, and/or Palestine? Doesnt have to be books, either. Podcasts, videos, whatever it is. I just want to learn.
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Sep 2, 2020 03:02
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F_Shit_Fitzgerald posted:Currently working my way through Thomas Franks' Listen, Liberal. Just finished chapter four, which covers all the ways that Clinton's neoliberal policies had devastating effects in the medium term (e.g: deregulating derivatives and telecoms, repeal of Glass-Steagall). I was an elementary schooler when Clinton was elected the first time, so I wasn't aware of a lot of the details. One Market Under God is his best work, and is almost certainly the best book out there on how neoliberalism understands itself, the basic logic of much of US politics up to 2016 (if not still), and a great way to understand what liberals think they're doing. The Conquest of Cool is also very good, albeit much more academicky since it's his first book and adapted from his PhD dissertation. Like OMUG, it's a great look at what the advertising industry understands itself to be doing as a culture industry, and how this this into broader commitments to capitalism.
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Sep 2, 2020 04:50
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star eater posted:i listened to three body problem yesterday and just finished it today and it was pretty sick. gonna start dark forest Dark Forest is my favorite out of the three.
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Sep 2, 2020 05:51
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are the dune sequels as good as the original? edit: this is a cool article about the stuff herbert drew on for dune: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-secret-history-of-dune/ Finicums Wake has issued a correction as of 21:19 on Sep 3, 2020 |
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Sep 3, 2020 21:12
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Finicums Wake posted:are the dune sequels as good as the original? all are good except the last two which are bad, God Emperor was my favorite but it really hinges on what your tolerance levels are for a giant worm tyrant god expounding on philosophy of power as it relates to bending historical materialism to your will also, it goes without saying that considerable time is dedicated to designing a girlfriend for the protagonist
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Sep 3, 2020 21:38
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cspam, what’s a good fairly-comprehensive but not too long book on the cuban rev and its aftermath, including details on whatever atrocities people say castro oversaw? just watched soderbergh’s che pts 1&2 and want to learn more than the wiki page thanks and godspeed
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Oct 22, 2020 18:20
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Wraith of J.O.I. posted:cspam, what’s a good fairly-comprehensive but not too long book on the cuban rev and its aftermath, including details on whatever atrocities people say castro oversaw? Seconding this question!
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Oct 23, 2020 00:36
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Any recommendations on books about French Revolution?
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Oct 29, 2020 10:35
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Haymarket is having a 90% sale on ebooks
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Nov 4, 2020 18:17
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you love to see it https://twitter.com/alexnpress/status/1333442625232379905?s=21
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Dec 1, 2020 03:15
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anyone got a good rec on a mao bio or history of the chinese rev? looking to read up on that after i finish fidel’s autobio and deutscher’s trotsky vol 1 (maybe i should finish the rest of trot though, great summation of the man and the era/history so far)
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Dec 4, 2020 17:41
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if anyone is interested in the political equivalent of a beach read, i enjoyed "a libertarian walks into a bear" which chronicals a town very near where my wife grew up that was taken over by libertarians of the "free town project." it is an interesting look at what happens when a bunch of cranks decide paying for stuff like roads and fire protection is for suckers
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Dec 7, 2020 22:47
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Remake the CSPAM monthly book club please
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Dec 19, 2020 11:51
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Just finished Jurassic Park re-read, an excellent example of something which had both a great book and great movie, both of which were wildly different err posted:Remake the CSPAM monthly book club please Many have tried, many have failed. Goons simply do not show. Try yourself if you would like, I will attend because I adore reading groups
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Dec 20, 2020 14:44
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Does anyone have any recommendations regarding the cold war culture wars c. 1950-1975? I'm specifically thinking about the CIA/State Dept. co-opting of modern jazz/postmodern art and the Khrushchev Thaw, Neruda, Cuba, the Chilean political music scene etc.
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Dec 21, 2020 03:16
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cool dance moves posted:CLR James is a magnificent writer. Hes got a page on the Marxist Internet Archive. Highly recommended
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Dec 21, 2020 03:19
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Wraith of J.O.I. posted:anyone got a good rec on a mao bio or history of the chinese rev? looking to read up on that after i finish fidel’s autobio and deutscher’s trotsky vol 1 (maybe i should finish the rest of trot though, great summation of the man and the era/history so far) I'd recommend Elliott Liu's "Maoism and the Chinese Revolution: A Critical Introduction"
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Dec 21, 2020 03:32
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It's out there and not nonfiction (I'm not entirely sure it qualifies as fiction either...) but Cyclonopedia is pretty cspam and lies somewhere between anti-War on Terror treatise and petromancy grimoire
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Dec 22, 2020 23:57
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Wraith of J.O.I. posted:anyone got a good rec on a mao bio or history of the chinese rev? looking to read up on that after i finish fidel’s autobio and deutscher’s trotsky vol 1 (maybe i should finish the rest of trot though, great summation of the man and the era/history so far) I can recommend that you absolutely shouldn't read Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang, a book so historically iffy that there was almost a cottage industry of articles challenging it. If for some reason you do read it, and honestly it's not even worth stealing, Was Mao Really a Monster: The Academic Response to Chang and Halliday's "Mao: The Unknown Story" is an essential follow up, a collection of 14 scholarly articles, IIRC 12 of them are calling the book garbage.
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Dec 23, 2020 00:41
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Reading Blackshirts and Reds and the bit about the exaltation of motherhood and household patriarchy under fascism made me curious about WTF happened in Romania. I got the mainstream media version ages ago, but I want to read a leftist history of the events leading to the feel good video of 1990. Anyone know anything good?
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Dec 23, 2020 11:37
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Wraith of J.O.I. posted:anyone got a good rec on a mao bio or history of the chinese rev? looking to read up on that after i finish fidel’s autobio and deutscher’s trotsky vol 1 (maybe i should finish the rest of trot though, great summation of the man and the era/history so far) meisner's "mao's china" is essential imo. i think there's a revision that adds "and after" and expands on it, also
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Dec 23, 2020 12:56
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Reading Secret Affairs: Britain's Collision with Radical Islam. Gives a short history in the introduction of where Britain starts to back Islamists early on when most of South Asia and the Middle East were colonies. I'm liking it so far, a lot of it is eye opening quotes from British colonists/those high up the military ladder.
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Dec 23, 2020 14:03
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Ben Nerevarine posted:It's out there and not nonfiction (I'm not entirely sure it qualifies as fiction either...) but Cyclonopedia is pretty cspam and lies somewhere between anti-War on Terror treatise and petromancy grimoire cyclonopedia loving owns
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Dec 23, 2020 14:41
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I'm looking for a book on Chinese civics. Basically an outline of the different structures that make up the government. For example: The Chinese constitution, The Communist Party, the NPC, the Politburo, the United Front and it's parties, the court system, etc
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Dec 24, 2020 17:22
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Chomskyan posted:I'm looking for a book on Chinese civics. Basically an outline of the different structures that make up the government. For example: The Chinese constitution, The Communist Party, the NPC, the Politburo, the United Front and it's parties, the court system, etc I'm waiting on a short primer called Understanding Chinese Politics: An Introduction to Government in the People’s Republic of China by Neil Collins and Andrew Cottey to arrive by mail. It was published right before Xi took over. I'll follow up here once I get into it
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Dec 24, 2020 17:50
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uhhh what in the gently caress Lin Qi, Yoozoo CEO and Producer on Netflix's 'Three-Body Problem,' Dies at 39 quote:Lin Qi, the chairman and CEO of Yoozoo Group who was hospitalized after having been poisoned on Dec. 16, has died. The Chinese company confirmed that Lin died on Christmas Day. He was 39.
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Dec 26, 2020 17:17
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dang puer tea is so nasty you could hide anything in it
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Dec 26, 2020 18:59
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crossposting from periodicals threadStashAugustine posted:I got Adam Tooze's Crashed for Christmas; does anyone have comments on it or good reviews about it?
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Dec 26, 2020 22:15
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Cédric Durand "In the Crisis Cockpit" and Perry Anderson's "Situationism à l'Envers" in the NLR, and Tooze's abortive responses on his blog.
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Dec 28, 2020 10:27
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Whoever mentioned a book club, I would be interested in that. Maybe it will fare better this time, some people finding themselves with an unexpected surplus of reading time  Currently reading: The Consuming Fire (The Interdependancy #2) by John Scalzi Recent cspam worthy reads which I would recommend: The Dark Forest (Remembrance of Earth's Past #2) by Liu Cixin - y'all know what it is The Collapsing Empire (The Interdependancy #1) by John Scalzi - another good Scalzi sci fi romp Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison - fiery first person, written in the 1950s, a story of a black man growing up in America in an era of segregation quote:I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids—and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in a circus sideshow, it is as though I have been surrounded by mirrors of hard, distorting glass. When they approach me they see only my surroundings, themselves, or figments of their imagination—indeed, everything and anything except me. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis - a window into life in tyool 1348, during a terrible plague The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist - great book, very well written but extremely painful to read if you have even a trace of empathy left in your scabby heart
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Dec 28, 2020 17:27
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