First, the books:
An awesome follow-up to Suarez’s first novel, “Daemon,” a high-tech thriller that turned the heads of national security experts, technologists and futurists alike. The sequel focuses on the role of resilient communities in building a different future for those who detest the decreasing self-sufficiency (therefore freedom) of the common citizen and community.
Both “Daemon” and “Freedom” plus Robb’s “Brave New War” and Pollan’s “Omnivore’s Dilemma” provide a great blue print for those wanting to see the near-future of conflict for power and resources and operational space. (h/t @TimothyThompson)
2) “The Collapse of Complex Societies” by Joseph Tainter
Two chapters into the book that ZenPundit says is the “academic to mainstream crossover book of 2010.” More to come…
3) “The Irony of American History” by Reinhold Niebuhr
I’ve heard Andrew Bacevich sing the praises of Niebuhr for long enough now that I had to consume some of his writing for myself. Thus far I have been blown away by his C.S. Lewis-like style and depth.
Writing during the postwar years, Niebuhr, the scholar, theologian and prophet honed in on “…the persistent sin of American Exceptionalism; the indecipherability of history; the false allure of simple solutions; and, finally, the imperative of appreciating the limits of power.”
4) “Cloud Atlas” by David Mitchell
Have heard about this book for a while, shortlisted for the 2004 Booker Prize and other awards, excited to read a contemporary novelist who has been compared to David Foster Wallace.
5) “For the Win” by Cory Doctrow
Lots of hype from TwitterNation, will crack open once I finish the above.
And posts and articles…
1) “The Sun in the Sky: The Relationship Between Pakistan’s ISI and Afghan Insurgents” by Matt Waldman
2) “Who is Ayn Rand?” by Charles Murray (h/t Isegoria)
3) “West Point Faculty Member Worries it is Failing to Prepare Tomorrow’s Officers” by Maj. Fernando Lujan, U.S. Army
4) The Cheap Vegetable Gardener (h/t Shloky)
5) “The Scientific Scandal of Antismoking” by J.R. Johnstone, PhD and P.D. Finch, Emeritus Professor of Mathematical Studies (h/t Isegoria)
6) David MacKay’s Without The Hot Air (h/t Carl Rigney)
Oh yeah…and about those $1 trillion of minerals underneath the mine-laden dirt of Afghanistan, I’ll put money on China getting way more contracts than the U.S. Why? They care more about business than changing governments. The only question they’ll have for Karzai regarding his corrupt brother in the South is, “yuan or dollars?”
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