Pit Recommended Reading List

[deepblue]

Originally Posted by kbs

Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem by Simon Singh - one of the most entertaining books on number theory ever.

that's not an entertaining book on number theory. Its a small, journalistically styled history of the people involved with fermat's last theorm. Its a history book (and yes, its entertaining) not a math book.

[deepblue]

Biohazard by Ken Alibek : Supposedly written by the head scientist of Russia's biological weapons program during the 80s. I don't believe him though; I'm a scientist.

From the Shandows by Robert M Gates : Dr. Gates is the president of Texas A&M University and the former DCI (head of the CIA). He was the first DCI to have worked his way up through the CIA from an entry level position and has served every president from Ford to Clinton. He's good buddies with 41 (his presidential library is at A&M). the book is basicallly an insiders take on the day to day policy of the CIA throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s. If you want to read about what really happens behind the scenes with respect to foreign policy, read this. It also has alot of detail about spy activity abroad.

The Buffalo Creek Disaster - by I can't remember - Its written by a Harvard law trained trial lawyer who represented 600 clients that suffered from inumerable losses when a coal company's dam broke and flooded 16 communities with a 32 foot tidal wave. Its their story and is absolutely rivetting. Its true btw.

The Brethren by bob Woodward - This is an insiders view of the Supreme Court. It shows how the justices debate the issues, how politics get involved, how clerks play such an important role in writing the law and how all of the players interact. It really is a remarkable book. All supreme court clerks (who eventually become law professors, senators, supreme justices and the like) should read it as well as anyone interested in what the supremes have to say.

[Spoonie]

America Alone: The Neo-conservatives and the Global Order
Stefan Halper and Jonathan Clarke

Absolutely brilliant book on the Bush administration, neo-conservatism, globalisation, anti-americanism, anti-war movement, Iraq, UN, WMD -- everything that's been hitting the headlines around the world. Written by a very respected scholar from University of Cambridge.

[walkingcarpet]

Uh, add Origin of Species by Charles Darwin.

It should be required reading by schools, in my opinion. The man was a genius.

[homer1300]

The Prize; Daniel Yergin; the history of oil, and it's affect on world history

[CrazyCanuck]

The start of my List:

The Hope and The Glory by Herman Wouk; historical fiction set in the first 40 years of Israel

Calculating God by Robert J. Sawyer; aliens come to Earth and prove God exists

What If?: 1 and 2; two books of alternate history essays

[debaser]

The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence, History of the Arab insurgency against the Turks in the First World War, a good primer on current Middle Eastern conflict.

The Face of Battle, John Keegan, Excellent look at the evolution of warfare seen through the lens of three major battles. All of Keegans books are top notch.

More to come (in about a year...)

[ieyeasu]

Dungeon Fire and Sword: The Knights Templar in the Crusades
John Jay Robinson

[welcomerain]

the soldier and the state; samuel p. huntington; military/civil polity a la clausewitz's On War.

very enlightening.

[BBnet3000]

We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History - John Lewis Gaddis

[Accident Prone]

Steve Martin - Pure Drivel
(having a sense of humor is priceless)

[Inf]

Berlin:The Downfall,1945 - Anthony Beevor

[Lozinger]

this is a great thread...Printed this off for my next trip to the bookshop.

Here are some I liked recently....

A Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Life in the gulag)
Stalingrad - Antony Beevor (story of siege of Stalingrad - war is hell)
The Trail - Franz Kafka (Faceless, communist, alienation, repression vibe)
Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (the darkness of the soul)
At Swim Two Birds - Flann O'Brien (diet james joyce - stream of consc fun)
Borstal Boy - Brendan Behan (Young IRA man in British prison during war - surprisingly touching)
Any/every Len Deighton (slow burning spy intrigue and pithy, weary character portraits)
Three Men in A Boat - Jerome K Jerome (Three 19th century slackers take a boat trip up Thames - funny)

[SnakeIRye]

Originally Posted by Lozinger

this is a great thread...Printed this off for my next trip to the bookshop.

Here are some I liked recently....

A Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Life in the gulag)
Stalingrad - Antony Beevor (story of siege of Stalingrad - war is hell)
The Trail - Franz Kafka (Faceless, communist, alienation, repression vibe)
Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (the darkness of the soul)
At Swim Two Birds - Flann O'Brien (diet james joyce - stream of consc fun)
Borstal Boy - Brendan Behan (Young IRA man in British prison during war - surprisingly touching)
Any/every Len Deighton (slow burning spy intrigue and pithy, weary character portraits)
Three Men in A Boat - Jerome K Jerome (Three 19th century slackers take a boat trip up Thames - funny)

Although an excellent novel, The Trial by Franz Kafka has nothing to do with the outcome of communism.

[Lozinger]

"Although an excellent novel, The Trial by Franz Kafka has nothing to do with the outcome of communism."

Agreed. Pre-Communism but you might agree that his faceless struggle in the larger machine resonates throughout, and is somewhat symbolic of this era.