The European Union: Politics and Policies by Jonathan Olsen and John McCormick 2017/378pgs
How does the European Union work? How is the Bureaucracy crafted? What is the power of the Parliament? What power does the European Court of Justice truly have?
This is a text book that breaks down how the EU works. Also, a little of the history of the EU and how it was shaped to what it is today.
This was a required reading for my Graduate degree.
I would recommend if someone is very interested in how the EU works.
The book that started Kings reign over our fears. Although, it’s not scary today as it would have been, it’s still enjoyable to read. Not fear like “It”, more of makes your ass move in your chair when you think of treatment of others.
This is the infamous story of Carrie White and the two incidents that cause her to use her unknown but ungodly power to get revenge on those who laughed at her.
The method that Stephen King tells the story is through a narration and also reading reports, interviews, and even books excerpts from after the incident is already complete and still studied.
World War One: A Short History by Norman Stone 2008/190pg (reading)
This is the simplest abbreviated telling of World War One. Quick and to the point. It doesn’t go into great detail. Broken into each year of the war, one gets a good idea of how the war played out. Also, the book shows very well that although many people envision the war as a constant battle for months and months with no breaks, this wasn’t true. There were times of boredom and maneuvers to get Armies from one location to another.
It really showed very well the importance of the railway and also briefly delves in the development of the tank and it’s use on the lines. If someone wanted details, like the airplane and the evolution of the air war, this is not the book to read. This is a simple snapshot of the war. Each major battle and who participated.
It is a good book for someone to get the overall scope of the war and how each part played out. Also, to understand why after the war many nations changed and empires were lost forever.
At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor by Gordon W. Prange with Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon 1981/753pg (reading)
Like many readers, I have a stack of books with bookmarks in various places reminding me that I started reading and then neglected finishing for various reason. As some readers will attest…some of these books will never get finished. However, a few, haunt your dreams. When you finish another book, the ghost of those started in the past cry for you to pick them up and allow them to continue on the adventure that you stopped many years ago.
18 years it has taken me to finish this novel. If you have followed this blog, you undoubtedly know I love WWII. I was fascinated with Pearl Harbor and the events in 1941 well before the 50th Anniversary of the attack. Picking up this novel, I have started it…put it down (mostly due to classes for my undergrad and now grad work) picked up and again..put down. Well, it is done and it is amazing!
This is, undoubtedly the bible of the Pearl Harbor story. It starts with the planning from the Japanese side. What was happening in Washington and Pearl Harbor. It goes deep into the meticulous planning and the spying from the Japanese consulate and what was gathered and how.
It takes the events leading up to the attack into details that is eye opening. It even goes into the attack and just how fast and damaging it truly was. Then, it breaks down all the investigations and aftermath of attack. Finally, explains where the blame for attack truly falls.
Professor Gordon W. Prange researched and interviewed survivors from both sides for 37 years to truthfully tell this detailed narrative. Sadly, he died just shortly before it was completed. However, two of his students completed one the most well researched first hands account of the attack that has ever been published.
This is definitely in my top 10 history books list and I would highly recommend this to anyone that has an interest in history and the Pearl Harbor attack.
Citizens’ Media Against Armed Conflict: Disrupting Violence In Columbia by Clemencia Rodriquez 2011/265pg (reading)
What a wonderful easy and sometimes inspiring read! Although not a fast paced book, this a breakdown of how media has greatly assisted Citizen populations in Columbia during the many years of Gorilla/Military/Paramilitary violence.
One chapter that truly made the hair on the back of my neck stand was Chapter 2 and the Communications Collective and how they inspired youth and adults to create programs for the radio of their own design. The lessons that many youth learned that is still talk about 10 years later is inspiring.
Another great story is how a teacher changed the boys from drawing penises in the girls bathrooms to writing love poems and forever altered how boys and girls interact and also communicate.
This is not a fast read, but very inspiring and shows how imagination, inspiration, and finally determination can change not only the spirit but the moral of society from the power of Media even in times for great conflict.
Although it was required read for my Graduates class, I would still recommend it because some of the stories are very inspiring.
The Pink Tide: Media Access and Political Power in Latin America edited by Lee Artz 2017/229pgs
This novel/text book is about the Pink Tide, or the Socialist Movement that was rolling over Latin America in the last 20 years and how Media access has assisted in the tides movement and how it still is attempting to keep the tide from going low and away.
Pink Tide, for reference is the Socialist Revolution that happened in Latin American from roughly 1990’s-2010’s. The main reason is Pink instead of Red is to show that they are not going to the Communists rule, however, most Socialist economics/Democratic political system.
If you are a Capitalist, this is not the book to read at all!
As with others in my Reading list, this is a required reading for my Graduate degree. Taking the socialist view with the grain of salt, it does have some wonderful examples on how Media and equal distribution can affect and should be focused for the betterment of society.
The Country Under My Skin: A Memoir of Love and War by Gioconda Belli 2002/369pgs
An inspiring biography about the revolution in Nicaragua. From the rebellion against the dictatorship that reigned over the nation from 40 years to the final fall and take over of the government to the creation of the social programs within Nicaragua.
The story is told from the eyes of Goiconda who at the time was a young revolutionary who, like a modern day superhero, was during the day a loving wife and mother and at night a freedom fighter who kept the secret from her family until she couldn’t anymore. It moves from lover to lover as she goes through the challenges of her first husband who is a recluse and quiet man to the the lover that for her family was everything she wanted.
Also, it shows the revolution from another view that American’s who only got the story from the news that according to President Reagan was illegal and part of the evil communist world. However, the novel shows this from another angle that keeps the saying, there is always two sides to every story, true.
Another novel for my Graduate degree, it was a slow paced reading, not boring by any means, but not something that would grab a hold and keep you until it’s complete.
The Aleutian Islands Campaign: The History of Japan’s Invasion of Alaska during World War II by Charles River Editors 2016/42pgs
This is not a long history book. To be precise, it’s more of a lengthy synopsis on the Aleutian Islands Campaign that doesn’t go into great detail like other historical novels. It’s a simple narrative of the events of the invasion and occupation of the Aleutian Islands by the Japanese in 1942. Then the explosion of the occupiers by the US in 1943. This is a forgotten war. Many of our history books about WWII just give this campaign a footnote. Sadly, the results from this campaign are not known except by those that research the war.
If one wants a fast simple read about the Aleutians War, I would recommend this book. There are more details then what Wikipedia presents, however, not too much more. I wouldn’t recommend the $10 on Amazon. This is a great Kindle Prime book.
It will be the start of a new year soon. I look back on 2018 and this blog, that has turned into mostly book reviews, I do feel a sense of satisfaction that I completed the one task that I wrote, the 15 book challenge.
Now, I add my new challenge, 20 books for 2019! Also, yes, a book review for each one. Will it be completed? We’ll see…it will be fun trying.
Also, I’ve been thinking about adding more to the reviews. My review of 1984 was my first idea of where I want the reviews to go. I hope you all enjoy them as I enjoy the books and also writing the reviews.
2019 is going to be interesting because while reading these books I will also be continuing my Graduate work in International Relations. My goal is to have most of it done by the end of the year.
nyghteulen 