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With the presidential election imminent and the world continuing to melt down, I thought it'd be nice to have a fun and educational thread as a nice distraction of the horrorscape we currently live in, so... Let's play book review roulette. This thread has moderator approval! How this thread works: I have pre-selected 10 books and assigned them numbers 1-10. These books are a mixture of serious political science and history, Chuck Tingle Kindle Unlimited political erotica, and books written by right wing cranks. To participate in this thread you will: 1. Reply with a number between 1-10. The first poster with each number gets assigned the equivalent book so read the thread before you reply. 2. You agree to read whatever book you are assigned. Some of these books are long, so be prepared! 3. Purchase/rent/borrow/acquire your assigned book. 4. Read the book and post a book review of at least 500 words by Monday, October 26th (this is a change!) If you fail to post a book review by the 21st you will get a 1 week probation and face the scorn and ridicule of your fellow posters. If you do, you will get a special gang tag.  Participants and their assigned books: 1. Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings by Ben Shapiro - Aramis 2. Empire by Orson Scott Card - Amniotic 3. The Revolt of the Masses by Jose Ortega y Gasset - goathe.cx 4. The Concept of the Political by Carl Schmitt - Discendo Vox 5. The Roots of Obama's Rage by Dinesh D'souza - Relevant Tangent 6. Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By His Fabricated Wiretapping Scandal Made Up To Redirect Focus Away From His Seemingly Endless Unethical Connections To Russia by Chuck Tingle - Antifa Turkeesian 7. Manufacturing Consent by Edward S. Herman and Naom Chomsky - Wicked Them Beats 8. Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery by Andrew Shaffer - Tommunist 9. The American Political Tradition by Richard Hofstadter - Robot Jones 10. Nixonland by Rick Perlstein - Somfin Seven Hundred Bee fucked around with this message at 03:27 on Oct 27, 2020 |
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Oct 12, 2020 00:58
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Lucky number 5, gimme that right wing crankery.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:06
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I'm killing free time until Cyberpunk releases, so give me number 7.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:07
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Relevant Tangent posted:Lucky number 5, gimme that right wing crankery. Congratulations, you will be reading the bestseller The Roots of Obama's Rage by Dinesh D'Souza  quote:Critics of President Obama have attacked him as a socialist, an African-American radical, a big government liberal. But somehow the critics have failed to reveal what's truly driving Barack Obama. Now bestselling author Dinesh D’Souza throws out these misplaced attacks in his new book, The Roots of Obama’s Rage. The reason, explains D'Souza, that Obama appears to be working to destroy America from within is found, as Obama himself admits, in "The Dreams of His Father": a deeply-hostile anti-colonialism. Instilled in him by his father, this worldview has led President Obama to resent America and everything for which we stand. Viewing Obama through this anti-colonialism prism and drawing evidence from President Obama’s own life and writings, D’Souza masterfully shows how Obama is working to weaken and punish America here and abroad.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:07
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Sure, that sounds like a productive use of my time: Count me in for #1
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Oct 12, 2020 01:08
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Wicked Them Beats posted:I'm killing free time until Cyberpunk releases, so give me number 7. Congratulations, you will be reading Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Edward S. Herman and Naom Chomsky (If you have read this book already let me know and I will find a suitable alternative!)  quote:In this pathbreaking work, Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky show that, contrary to the usual image of the news media as cantankerous, obstinate, and ubiquitous in their search for truth and defense of justice, in their actual practice they defend the economic, social, and political agendas of the privileged groups that dominate domestic society, the state, and the global order.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:09
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Give me Number Six!
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Oct 12, 2020 01:11
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Aramis posted:Sure, that sounds like a productive use of my time: Congratulations, you will be reading Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings by Ben Shapiro  quote:They say history repeats itself. We’ve got a lot of work to do to end up on the right side of it after Election Day 2020. This curated selection of columns is quintessential for any Ben Shapiro fan or skeptic. He offers a sharp, insightful reflection on American politics and culture over the last few years. Between elites who just can’t get down from their soapboxes, the left’s “thought fascism,” the rampant media, and more, the nation is in trouble. And if conservatives don’t act fast, they’ll get what they deserve . . . “Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings” is a collection of columns written by Ben Shapiro. Published between 2016 and 2019, these columns highlight Donald Trump’s campaign, election and presidency. The book is divided into 10 chapters that run the gamut from religion to government to the First Amendment and other compelling issues readers on either side of the political aisle will enjoy.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:11
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Antifa Turkeesian posted:Give me Number Six! Congratulations, you will be reading Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By His Fabricated Wiretapping Scandal Made Up To Redirect Focus Away From His Seemingly Endless Unethical Connections To Russia by Chuck Tingle https://www.amazon.com/Fabricated-W...02461571&sr=8-1  quote:Domald Tromp hasn’t been listening to his Timeline Briefings, and now he’s in trouble. To the frustration of his staff, Domald’s incompetence has allowed several unethical timelines to get dangerously close to this one, and facts regarding his administration’s deep connections to the Russian government are leaking left and right.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:13
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Also, anyone can post in this thread, but be careful if you choose to participate! I will say we have some great books left...
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Oct 12, 2020 01:15
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Seven Hundred Bee posted:Congratulations, you will be reading Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Edward S. Herman and Naom Chomsky I haven't. I've actually had this on my list to read for a while so it's nice to have something to finally push me to sit down and do it. Thought for a minute I might actually want one of the right-wing crackpot books but if I was asked to read D'Souza I might just take the probation.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:15
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Wicked Them Beats posted:I haven't. I've actually had this on my list to read for a while so it's nice to have something to finally push me to sit down and do it. Oh the right wing books are real bad, gotta have real stakes - theres only one left though!
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Oct 12, 2020 01:16
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Seven Hundred Bee posted:Congratulations, you will be reading Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By His Fabricated Wiretapping Scandal Made Up To Redirect Focus Away From His Seemingly Endless Unethical Connections To Russia by Chuck Tingle At least I’m happy to give Chuck some money. I was really sweating at the prospect of having to buy something by a living reactionary.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:16
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Seven Hundred Bee posted:Congratulations, you will be reading Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings by Ben Shapiro Huh, I just realized what I've gotten myself into. First challenge: Acquiring a copy of this without putting a dime in the grifter's pocket.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:18
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Gimme that 9, 9, 9 book!
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Oct 12, 2020 01:19
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The real danger is that The Turner Diaries is in one of those open slots. I’ve read the Bell Curve and Milo Yiannopolis’ hilariously marked-up rejected manuscript, but I won’t touch that one.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:21
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Seven Hundred Bee posted:Oh the right wing books are real bad, gotta have real stakes - theres only one left though! Aw jeez. I've taken a couple of swings at poo poo like this in the past and folks generally seem to not overtly dislike what I end up writing about stuff. Hit me with Book 10
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Oct 12, 2020 01:21
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Gimme book 8
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Oct 12, 2020 01:23
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Robot Jones posted:Gimme that 9, 9, 9 book! Congratulations, you will be reading The American Political Tradition: And the Men Who Made It (If you've already read this please let me know and I will select a suitable alternative. Also this book is quite long so I will accept a review based on a partial reading.)  quote:The American Political Tradition is one of the most influential and widely read historical volumes of our time. First published in 1948, its elegance, passion, and iconoclastic erudition laid the groundwork for a totally new understanding of the American past. By writing a "kind of intellectual history of the assumptions behind American politics," Richard Hofstadter changed the way Americans understand the relationship between power and ideas in their national experience. Like only a handful of American historians before him—Frederick Jackson Turner and Charles A. Beard are examples—Hofstadter was able to articulate, in a single work, a historical vision that inspired and shaped an entire generation.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:24
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Somfin posted:Aw jeez. I've taken a couple of swings at poo poo like this in the past and folks generally seem to not overtly dislike what I end up writing about stuff. Congratulations, you will be reading The Hitler Myth: Image and Reality in the Third Reich by Ian Kershaw. (If you've already read this book please let me know and I'll select a suitable alternative.)  quote:Hitler's personality alone can scarcely explain his immense popularity and political effectiveness during the 1930s and `40s. Behind his strong hold over the German people lay the hopes and perceptions of the millions who adored him and consequently imbued him with larger-than-life characteristics. Based on secret popular opinion reports compiled by both the Nazis and their political enemies, this study of the Nazi state charts the creation, growth, and decline of the "Hitler Myth." Kershaw demonstrates how the manufactured Führer-cult formed a crucial integrating force in the Third Reich and acted as a vital catalyst in attaining Nazi political aims. Translated from German, this book affords readers a chilling look at how these masters of propaganda built on the beliefs, phobias, and predjudices of the day to create a popular image of Hitler that was at great odds with reality.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:25
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Tommunist posted:Gimme book 8 Congratulations, you will be reading Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery by Andrew Shaffer  quote:Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama team up in this high-stakes thriller that combines a mystery worthy of Watson and Holmes with the laugh-out-loud bromantic chemistry of Lethal Weapon’s Murtaugh and Riggs.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:27
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Gimme whatever dookie you have at number 2.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:29
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We have 2 slots left and I'll wait to announce the last 3 all at once! It includes my favorite book on the list 
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Oct 12, 2020 01:30
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What the hell. Number 3 (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
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Oct 12, 2020 01:32
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Number 4.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:32
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Amniotic posted:Gimme whatever dookie you have at number 2. Congratulations, you will be reading Empire by Orson Scott Card.  quote:The American Empire has grown too fast, and the fault lines at home are stressed to the breaking point. The war of words between Right and Left has collapsed into a shooting war, though most people just want to be left alone.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:35
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goethe.cx posted:What the hell. Number 3 Congratulations, you will be reading The Revolt of the Masses by Jose Ortega y Gasset.  quote:Social upheaval in early 20th-century Europe is the historical setting for this seminal study by the Spanish philosopher, José Ortega y Gasset. Continuously in print since 1932, Ortega's vision of Western culture as sinking to its lowest common denominator and drifting toward chaos brought its author international fame and has remained one of the influential books of the 20th century.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:38
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Discendo Vox posted:Number 4. Congratulations, you will be reading The Concept of the Political by Carl Schmitt. (Please let me know if you've already read this book).  quote:In this, his most influential work, legal theorist and political philosopher Carl Schmitt argues that liberalism’s basis in individual rights cannot provide a reasonable justification for sacrificing oneself for the state—a critique as cogent today as when it first appeared. George Schwab’s introduction to his translation of the 1932 German edition highlights Schmitt’s intellectual journey through the turbulent period of German history leading to the Hitlerian one-party state. In addition to analysis by Leo Strauss and a foreword by Tracy B. Strong placing Schmitt’s work into contemporary context, this expanded edition also includes a translation of Schmitt’s 1929 lecture “The Age of Neutralizations and Depoliticizations,” which the author himself added to the 1932 edition of the book. An essential update on a modern classic, The Concept of the Political, Expanded Edition belongs on the bookshelf of anyone interested in political theory or philosophy.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:40
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Seven Hundred Bee posted:Congratulations, you will be reading Empire by Orson Scott Card. A silent majority military fantasy by Card? Hahahahaha. e: Oh, and it's a video game book too. This is outstanding.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:40
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Amniotic posted:A silent majority military fantasy by Card? Hahahahaha. As a bonus, Bill O'Reilly is a character!
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Oct 12, 2020 01:42
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...and all 10 books have been assigned! To the participants, please update this thread as you read your books! Let me know if you have any issues getting your books in time as well - most of these should be available online pretty easily. Everyone else is of course welcome to participate in this thread, and depending on how this round goes we might do this again!
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Oct 12, 2020 01:44
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Seven Hundred Bee posted:Congratulations, you will be reading The Concept of the Political by Carl Schmitt. Jesus christ somehow I've gotten the worst person of all the authors in the list
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Oct 12, 2020 01:47
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Discendo Vox posted:Jesus christ somehow I've gotten the worst person of all the authors in the list Carl Schmitt was definitely a real piece of poo poo, but he is also one of the most important conservative political scientists of the last 100 years - The Concept of the Political is a fascinating exploration of a coherent conservative political worldview which also underscores many of the weaknesses of a liberal democratic system.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:51
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Seven Hundred Bee posted:Congratulations, you will be reading Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery by Andrew Shaffer as much as i feel like this is going to be actively painful I'm grateful I've been given what I can only presume is a easy read
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Oct 12, 2020 01:56
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Amniotic posted:A silent majority military fantasy by Card? Hahahahaha. I read this book as a teen and my vaguest recollection of it is that it has similar ideas of political 5D chess that the Ender's Shadow series has with the main character being a similar sort of political ubermensch that Peter and Valentine were. Obviously, reading it now, I'd probably think otherwise, but that was what I thought at the time. Here's a trailer for a remastered version of the game that tied into the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6wGaDmIkQY
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Oct 12, 2020 02:49
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Amniotic posted:A silent majority military fantasy by Card? Hahahahaha. I think the Video game has almost nothing to do with the book. And it's a decent metroidvania.
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Oct 12, 2020 02:50
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Klaus88 posted:I think the Video game has almost nothing to do with the book. Lets see what Amniotic has to look forward to... quote:While reading this book, I don't know what to do. I don't like it and I thought I was dying in a war. Oh. 
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Oct 12, 2020 02:54
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My book is actually a "curated" selection of columns repackaged as a book. Conveniently, the Amazon preview for the book contains the whole table of contents, and confirms that there isn't even a foreword. While I search for a copy of the book I can get without having to pay the horrible little goblin, I can get a head start by just looking up the correct reading order of the columns from the ToC, and getting them at the source. One thing's for sure: this is already cementing itself as some of the laziest gifting I've ever been exposed to.
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Oct 12, 2020 02:57
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Aramis posted:My book is actually a "curated" selection of columns repackaged as a book. Conveniently, the Amazon preview for the book contains the whole table of contents, and confirms that there isn't even a foreword. While I search for a copy of the book I can get without having to pay the horrible little goblin, I can get a head start by just looking up the correct reading order of the columns from the ToC, and getting them at the source. It's totally fine if you just read the columns - I also sent you a PM
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Oct 12, 2020 03:00
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Wicked Them Beats posted:I haven't. I've actually had this on my list to read for a while so it's nice to have something to finally push me to sit down and do it. Eh, it's garbage so far but it's a quick read.
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Oct 12, 2020 03:25
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