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Favorite political books


bathory
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I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in SOCN and I'm probably making a mistake putting it here because this part of the site doesn't get much activity.

 

however, I thought a thread about political books, fiction or non-fiction, would be interesting.

 

I enjoy what I've read by thomas paine, noam chomsky (agree with it or not, it's interesting), thoreau, john stuart mill, bertrand russell, and others...

 

as for fiction, a lot of science fiction is political and very interesting - obviously orwell and huxley, but isaac asimov, ursula k. le guin, and robert heinlein also deal with politics. I don't necessarily agree with robert heinlein on certain issues but I like his books a lot. starship troopers comes to mind as a book I don't agree with philosophically but it's a damn good book and certainly makes you think

 

ayn rand will inevitably be mentioned here...I liked the fountainhead, but I didn't like a single character in the book

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I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in SOCN and I'm probably making a mistake putting it here because this part of the site doesn't get much activity.

 

however, I thought a thread about political books, fiction or non-fiction, would be interesting...

 

We'll see how this thread goes. If people start posting about their own political beliefs and not the books, we'll have to move this to SOCN.

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http://www.bookbackups.com/hohimages/hohcompleted/006557a.jpg

A Question of Character, a book dedicated to deconstructing the myth that is JFK.

 

Very interesting read.

Edited by goose
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I can only say I've read two political books in my life... Been meaning to get to more.

 

Well, here they are.

 

Read in 2011, and it was mediocre (so it doesn't actually belong here):

 

http://newcommoner.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/nowtopia_cover_4x6web.jpg?w=420

 

 

Read in 2012, and it was good:

 

http://i.imgur.com/wBD7jaV.gif

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I can only say I've read two political books in my life... Been meaning to get to more.

 

Well, here they are.

 

Read in 2011, and it was mediocre (so it doesn't actually belong here):

 

http://newcommoner.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/nowtopia_cover_4x6web.jpg?w=420

 

 

Read in 2012, and it was good:

 

http://i.imgur.com/wBD7jaV.gif

 

are ALL of noam chomsky's books about the same shit???

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I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in SOCN and I'm probably making a mistake putting it here because this part of the site doesn't get much activity.

 

however, I thought a thread about political books, fiction or non-fiction, would be interesting...

 

We'll see how this thread goes. If people start posting about their own political beliefs and not the books, we'll have to move this to SOCN.

 

well I think people might have to share their political opinions in this thread...for example, "I liked one of ayn rand's books, but I don't agree with her viewpoints" that sorta thing. I think as long as people don't start name-calling or arguing politics, then the thread can work

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When I want to read a book, politics is NOT what I go after. :no:

 

but you read a lot of science fiction, and sci-fi is full of politics

 

even fantasy has politics

 

Exactly. Goob, if I remember correctly you listed Dune as one of your favourite books. That book was an exploration of politics just as much (if not more) as it was an exploration of the effects of drugs.

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The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx is fantastic.

 

Been getting into Communism and it's history lately.

 

You may like the following:

 

The Revolution Betrayed -Leon Trotsky

Trotsky -Robert Service

 

Beware of ice picks!

Edited by substancewithoutstyle
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When I want to read a book, politics is NOT what I go after. :no:

 

but you read a lot of science fiction, and sci-fi is full of politics

 

even fantasy has politics

 

Exactly. Goob, if I remember correctly you listed Dune as one of your favourite books. That book was an exploration of politics just as much (if not more) as it was an exploration of the effects of drugs.

 

the sequels are similar, but a bit boring

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The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx is fantastic.

 

Been getting into Communism and it's history lately.

 

Nate, remember when you started a thread asking for Sense O Clock News access?

 

Well, you're old enough for SOCN now no doubt. PM an admin and join, I'd be interested in what you have to say :)

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Two of my favorites are Restoration, by George Will, and The Tempting of America, by Robert Bork. The former is very thought provoking on the argument for term limits, the latter for the proper role for the Supreme Court. Regardless of your own ideology, if you're looking for intelligent writing, you can't go wrong with either.

 

For a less theoretical, and more "behind the scenes" read, The Bretheren by Bob Woodward, about the Supreme Court in the 1960s and 1970s is amazing.

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When I want to read a book, politics is NOT what I go after. :no:

 

but you read a lot of science fiction, and sci-fi is full of politics

 

even fantasy has politics

 

Exactly. Goob, if I remember correctly you listed Dune as one of your favourite books. That book was an exploration of politics just as much (if not more) as it was an exploration of the effects of drugs.

 

the sequels are similar, but a bit boring

 

I got about half way through the second book. It just doesn't seem to WANT to go anywhere. It just feels like the plot stands still. It reminded me of when I tried reading 2061: Odyssey three by Arthur C Clarke or So Long and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams. All the points were made and the book feels like a deliberate cash in on popularity.

Edited by USB Connector
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When I want to read a book, politics is NOT what I go after. :no:

 

but you read a lot of science fiction, and sci-fi is full of politics

 

even fantasy has politics

 

Exactly. Goob, if I remember correctly you listed Dune as one of your favourite books. That book was an exploration of politics just as much (if not more) as it was an exploration of the effects of drugs.

 

the sequels are similar, but a bit boring

 

I got about half way through the second book. It just doesn't seem to WANT to go anywhere. It just feels like the plot stands still. It reminded me of when I tried reading 2061: Odyssey three by Arthur C Clarke or So Long and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams. All the points were made and the book feels like a deliberate cash in on popularity.

 

I got about half way through the 4th Dune book - each one goes downhill a bit from the first one.

 

And as for politics in sci-fi, sure it's there as a concept, but it's still sci-fi, not real world intensity with very real consequences. It's quite removed IMHO, even if there are corollaries with modern society.

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Big Lies: The Right-Wing Propaganda Machine and How It Distorts the Truth” by Joe Conason (2003). It makes the case for taking the Liberal position on every significant political issue, and further argues that (according to polling data) an actual “supermajority” of Americans already DO take the Liberal position on most issues, but they don’t always vote that way. A bit out-of-date, though, so a few years later I also read…

 

Why We’re Liberals: A Political Handbook for Post-Bush America” by Eric Alterman (2008). This is a more up-to-date case for taking the Liberal position on every significant political issue.

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