Posted: 1/3/2026 4:44:39 PM EDT
[Last Edit: HuntFishGunCar][Edited]
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I really like to read history, economics, and geopolitics. Although my time is split between family, work, etc. I should really be reading a lot more. As a conversation starter, I'd like to recommend some non-military non-fiction books that were break-through for me. These books have shaped the way I view the world, especially as I've gotten older. Half of these were found through my college readings, and the others were found through that developed taste. In no particular order. Why Nations Fail: Acemoglu and Robinson - Historical narratives on how economies developed when blending capitalism and freedoms. The Alchemists: Irwin - History of the Central Bank, from 16th century Sweden to 2008. A very poorly understood concept to everyone including myself. Again, should be required reading for the American HS student/tax payer. Why Liberalism Failed: Deneen - Applies the Tocqueville theory to the unraveling of American or Western society based on a lack of civics agaist an individualist culture. This is referencing 'Liberalism' in the classical sense. Crisis and Leviathan: Higgs - A must read for every American. The "ratcheting" theory on the USG and how it has grown and exceeded its constitutional limits in the 20th century. This will change the way you understand FDR among other things and have a better understanding of economics and state responsibilities. Guns, Germs, and Steel: Diamond - Pretty popular book. An interesting theoretical approach to the materialist destiny of certain areas regarding human development. The Tragedy of Great Power Politics: Mearsheimer - Realist approach to international relations written by an "Isolationist". All of his points are well delivered. Thinking Fast and Slow: Kahneman *OR* The Social Animal: Aronson - Relatable social psychology books, with the Aronson book being more academic. The Origins of Political Order: Fukuyama - Two-part series that walks through all political formations from the beginning of time to modern day. Really deep and incredible stuff and will force you to learn a lot about parts of the world you may not have even known existed. The Second Nuclear Age: Bracken - Explains how different our modern era is than the Cold War. Scary stuff. The 100 Year Marathon: Pillsbury - China's long game strategy and the century of humiliation. Dark Territory: Kaplan - History of the NSA. Books that I want to read next... Paris 1919: Macmillan The Creation of the Media: Starr The Civilizing Process: Elias A History of the Roman World: Scullard Confessions of an Economic Hit Man: Perkins Would welcome any recommendations of the same subjects! Cheers |
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Absolutely. The Quest for Cosmic Justice and Basic Economics are gold. My wife recently read his book about public education and is hooked. As good as his books are, he's actually more impressive when interviewed live. I watched a video of him on NPR in the early 90s and the way he interacts with live callers is uncanny. That guy's wit and intelligence are off the charts. Can't find the full video, but here's a short clip of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbOqxQUB10A |