Liberal Reading Room. What are you reading, recommending, or wanting to read?

[NightWatcher]

I just got Naomi Klein's "Shock Doctrine" and WOW. Note, it does not help you fall asleep at night to read her damnation of the economic policy that has ruined our country far beyond a simple school of thought. To discover that theft and "disaster capitalism" is the modus operandi for those in control is nothing more than verification of what most of us have feared.

I should have it completely finished in a few days.....if I dont start shaking with rage and become unable to hold it still.



So, what are you reading, and why should the rest of us read it?

Also, what should we stay away from?

[bryant69]

1. I don't know how recent this is but I would advise Farhad Manjoos "True Enough."

Although I imagine a lot of people will be down on it because he does not believe that the 2004 election was stolen. But I think it's still a good examination of the value of truth in our society. http://www.amazon.com/True-Enough-Learning-Post-Fact-Society/dp/0470050101/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218029290&sr=8-1

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[patrice]

2. I just started Shock Doctrine.

I posted a couple of passages here. I'll continue that effort.

Klein's website for the book has a blog on it to discuss its relevance.

[tekisui]

3. Two quick reads:

The End of America by Naomi Wolf

and

The True Patriot by Liu and Hanauer

[malaise]

4. Finished my first reading of Shock Docrtine

Will reread when hubby's finished. He's been giving me a number of supplemental articles from Econ journals about the Chicago school.

The Shock Doctrine is helping me to connect several dots re the mess in Jamaica in the late 70s and 80s.

Next on my list is Slavery by Another name by Douglas Blackmon.

[hellbound-liberal]

5. Just finished "Three Cups of Tea" the story of one man's mission to promote world peace

by building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It was a very inspiring story. It showed me how rich I am just by being born in this country with access to an excellent and free education. The main ideas that I took away from the book are how much we have in common with people who seem to be very different from us and how one person can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

[MJW]

6. Anti-Intellectualism In Amerrican Life

by Richard Hofstadter, It was written in 1962 , but it has held up really well . I recently read the Susan Jacoby book (can't recall the title right now) and she highly recommends this book.

In a nutshell it is "fatheads" V "eggheads"

Next is Armegeddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut --just because I love Kurt Vonnegut

[Turner Ashby]

7. Marching Toward Hell by Michael Scheuer

Excellent book. Absolute indictment of the neocons.

[MJW]

8. Naomi Klein is

one of the smartest , coolest , best writers and thinkers in America today ,and Shock Doctrine is a must read for every thinking person ( just my opinion)

[cliffordu]

9. Read 'Clusterfuck Nation'. A weekly column by Mr. Kunstler.

http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/

And "The Oil Drum"

http://www.theoildrum.com/

And a website called "http://democraticunderground.com"

But you have to watch yourself, because that place can drive you crazy.

[Adelante]

10. Brainwash: The Secret History of Mind Control by Dominic Streatfield

I can recommend it.

Post-WWII interrogation methods researched, tested and employed by intelligence agencies and scientists in several countries, particularly the US and Britain, in the effort to control their own agents as well as enhance results in interrogating prisoners, and possibly programming assassins.

An older book, from the 1970s, which has stood the test of time, is The Search for the Manchurian Candidate by John Marks.

Both books cover the same material except the Streatfield book has some newer information.

Both are worth reading.

[Redbear]

11. The Dark Side by Jane Mayer

So very troubling. A great look into the evilest part of the most evil admin in US history.

[Rambis]

12. Conscience of a Liberal - Krugman

I just finished it - it's a quick read; nice summary of movement conservatism, as well as a good discussion of economic equality (how it's changed over the years and how it's important now). I recommend it.

-- cyberswede {I accidentally posted under Rambis's name - oops)

[YvonneCa]

18. This is a good read. n/t

[Tracer]

13. "Trainwreck", by Bill Press

An entertaining and informative look at how the GOP has self-imploded.

[Bonobo]

14. My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki.

[IDemo]

15. "Does American Democracy Still Work?" by Alan Wolfe

The past few decades have brought a shift in the nature of American democracy—an alarming shift that threatens such liberal democratic values as respect for pluralism, acceptance of the separation of powers, and recognition of the rights of opposition parties. In this insightful book, political scientist Alan Wolfe identifies the current political conditions that endanger the quality of our democracy. He describes how politics has changed, and he calls for a democracy protection movement designed to preserve our political traditions not unlike the environmental protection movement’s efforts to safeguard the natural world.

Voters who know little about issues, leaders who bend rules with little fear of reprisal, and political parties that are losing the ability to mobilize citizens have all contributed to a worrisome new politics of democracy, Wolfe argues. He offers a brilliant analysis of how religion and morality have replaced political and economic self-interest as guiding principles, and how a dangerous populism promotes a radical form of elitism. Without laying blame on one party or ideology and without claiming that matters will improve with one party or the other in office, Wolfe instead suggests that Americans need to understand the danger their own indifference poses and take political matters more seriously.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. Janet and Mark: Outdoors and In

Surprise twist ending!

[YvonneCa]

17. Reading "Moyers on Democracy"...

...and want to read Suskind's new book. I recommend Al Gore's "Assault on Reason" and Gary Hart's "The Fourth Power."

My stay away froms = anything by Coulter, O'Reilly, Limbaugh or Hannity. :)

[gatorboy]

19. I'm ordering Thomas Franks's The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule

http://www.amazon.com/Wrecking-Crew-How-Conservatives-Rule/dp/0805079882/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218037154&sr=8-1