History – Page 8 – Ryan's Book Blog

Sapiens

March 15, 2020 by Ryan

Background

Published in 2014, “Sapiens” is written by historian Yuval Noah Harari that offers a sweeping overview of the history of humankind. Harari traces the evolution of our species from the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa to the present day, exploring how we became the dominant species on the planet, how our ability to create myths and shared beliefs allowed us to build complex societies and cooperate on a massive scale, and how our technological advancements have fundamentally altered the course of human history. The book challenges readers to think deeply about what it means to be human and offers insights into the ways in which our species has both succeeded and failed in the pursuit of happiness, meaning, and progress.

My Thoughts

What I enjoyed most about the book was that the author would present different sides of each point. For example, he started talking about the utopian concept of the prehistoric hunter gather life being better and fuller than life today. When he started down that path I remember thinking, “here we go”. However, he then balanced the comments with the perspectives of utilitarianism, stoicism, and the concepts of suffering as the Buddhists understand it.

I found some of it to be over generalized but I felt it was a good overview of the main topic.

Recommendation

This work would be a good primer for sociology or psychology classes.

Vietnam A History

March 9, 2020 by Ryan

Background

Published in 1983, Vietnam A History is a comprehensive history of Vietnam of the events leading up and through the war through the eyes of a WWII vet turned correspondent for several news outlets:

Paris correspondent for Time magazine.
Asian correspondent for Time-Life from 1959 to 1962,
The London Observer from 1961 to 1965,
The Saturday Evening Post from 1963 to 1965
The Washington Post from 1965 to 1971.
Diplomatic correspondent for The Washington Post in 1971 and 1972
Special correspondent for NBC and an associate editor of The New Republic from 1973 to 1975.
Columnist for King Features from 1975 to 1988
French newsweekly Le Point from 1976 to 1983 and for Newsweek International from 1977 to 1981.

My Thoughts

This book was a slog to get through. I found the writing to be plain and dry and the subject matter to be depressing and demoralizing. It seems like a good way to sum up the war in Vietnam.

I don’t know that I would have continued were it not good for my professional life to have more depth and understanding of the war.

I learned a great deal but feel I have to take a grain of salt with the content. I have respect for the author but it some of his comments made me feel like he was looking through a particular ideology. I intend to pick up another history to compare and contrast.

The Reader

January 30, 2020 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in 1995, “The Reader” captured enough attention to be made into a movie in 2008. It is the story of an ex-Nasi prison guard the life she tried to live after the war and the young man who fell for her.

My Thoughts

My thoughts are all over the place on this one. It was suggested to me by a helpdesk lady when I was asking about books to read. When I started the book, I was so racy I thought, “Was she coming on to me?” (Easy now Mrs. Robinson!) However, then I got further into the book… Fortunately there was no come on.

This was a pretty dark book which explores the inner psyche of someone who was forced to do something terrible, didn’t know what to do and was forced to live with it. We studied several studies in college which seem to show that most of us are capable of some pretty terrible stuff if we are put in certain circumstances.

Recommendation

I’m mixed on this. This was one of those books that we should probably read because it forces us to think. However, it will be very disturbing to some.

Inside the Five Sided Box

October 4, 2019 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Ash Carter has been around government since he wrote a review of Ronald Regan’s “Star Wars” program. He rose to be the Secretary of Defense for Barak Obama and has been an influential figure throughout his long career. This book was a review of his thoughts and experiences as he went through all the major events impacting our government.

My Thoughts

This was a well written biography but it was a little daunting to get through. At just under 500 pages, it took me a bit more than my usual read. However, I have found myself quoting it at work more than a few times. I didn’t fact check the claims made but they do seem to ring true.

Recommendation

If you have interest in contemporary American history, I would recommend this book.

Thank You for Being Late

September 7, 2019 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Written in 2016, this book as about modern life and the breakneck speed that everything seems to be changing. Three time Pulitzer Prize winning Journalist Thomas Friedman shares his perspective on how quickly things have changed and his quasi-biographical observations of how to deal with it and what else might be coming down the line.

My thoughts

I started reading this because my boss’s boss’s boss made an off handed comment about it. Now that I’ve read it, the comment didn’t make any sense. But that’s motivation for you…

The book was very interesting as it seemed to catalog the technological growth throughout my career. There were a number of antidotes that I felt could have easily been my experience. I don’t know that I agree with all of the observations but I do agree that we haven’t seen anything yet in terms of technology and general disruptions to our lives in general.

Recommendation

It is worth the read.

Norse Mythology

July 11, 2019 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Released in 2017, Norse Mythology is a collection of exactly what you might think it would be. This is the mythology of Thor, Odin, Loki and all the others. Gaiman pens several of the legends and myths which have largely been forgotten in our day to day society.

My Thoughts

I was pleasantly surprised at this book. I really enjoyed it largely because I hadn’t heard these stories before. I did a little bit of searching and found his book has been well received by the mythology community so I feel like it is fairly authentic.

My introduction to the topic was back in grade school where we heard where we found the names of the days of the week. I remember that lesson really grabbed my attention. (Thanks Mrs. Sanders!) Still, it took 36 years to actually hear a real myth… Sad really. Like many American’s, I am familiar with Marvel’s version of the Norse Gods but it turns out, they are a little different.

Thor is not the brightest and Loki seems to be in the center of everything. Loki’s children bring about Ragnarok. Loki is the reason Mjolnir was made and why the handle is so short. Loki seems to be the reason just about everything happened.

Recommendation

A great read! Everyone should read it.

The First Conspiracy

July 9, 2019 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

This is the story of the first organized clandestine attempt against George Washington. It centers in the mid 1770’s New York as Washington is just establishing himself and his army. Many want him to fail but only a few have the money and resources to do much about it.

My Thoughts

This book was a very interesting read. I really didn’t know that much about the revolutionary army. I knew they weren’t largely professional and were out manned and out gunned. We have been geographically blessed in that there is a whole ocean between us and Europe. I can only imagine what the English thought of us at that time.

The book had the feel of being well researched and well thought out. The author did a great job about letting the reader know where and when we have evidence and what is speculation. It seems the author used multiple sources and spent a great deal of time researching what went on and paid attention to who was talking and why they would have written what they wrote. All of these are markers of a quality work.

The book is written firmly from the perspective of the patriots. There were some instances where a behavior was pointed out as “shocking” or something similar where it seemed totally reasonable if you look from the perspective of the other side. If someone is loyal to England, of course they would work against, what they would consider, the radical upstarts who are taking over and running amok. Of course, the English appointed governor would try just about anything he could to undermine the new organization which just kicked him out. These things aren’t shocking.

Recommendation

Definately worth the read.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

July 5, 2019 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

This book is a version of a true love story in the worst place. 2 people met and stayed alive throughout their time at the Auschwitz concentration camp. This story wasn’t told until recently and was originally made into a screenplay. The book, was released in 2018.

My Thoughts

The concentration camps of the 2nd world war were something that is barely even imaginable today. Even with so many descriptions of the horrors there, I keep coming back to wondering how people can be that horrible to other people. Yet, just a look around at any social media will show hints of how people are willing to treat others. We seem to forget the lessons of the past so easily. Study after study seem to confirm we are all capable of these deeds with much less incentive than what we might think. The key seems to be the ability to categorize others as something other than ourselves. If they are “other”, they are different and worthy of different treatment. Yet, it never seems to cross our mind that we may be “other” to them and worthy of the same.

Recommendation

I’m not sure whether to recommend this or not. I’m glad of the reminder in a way but it wasn’t pleasant. I won’t be seeing the movie.

The Library Book

June 18, 2019 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Susan Orlean’s “The Library Book” released in Oct of 2018 details the goings on of the Los Angeles Central Library and centers a great deal on the fire of 1986. She also expands on what a library was, is and may become in the not to distant future.

My Thoughts

The Library Book was a somewhat dry informative read with a lot of possibility. Perfect for the topic! There is a more than a hint of the flavor of Southern California in the pages and a lot of reminders of when I used to work for a software company who catered to libraries and librarians.

Recommendation

A good read if you have interest in the subject matter.

Becoming

May 25, 2019 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Former first lady Michelle Obama’s book about herself from birth through the White House. She details her childhood growing up in the South Side of Chicago, her time in college (Princeton and later Harvard) her work at a law firm (where she met her husband), their dating and early marriage, being a working mom, and then becoming the first lady.

My Thoughts

I enjoy a look into people’s lives. Particularly if those people are not much like me. Mrs. Obama is not much like me. We both grew up poor but I didn’t go to Princeton or Harvard. I don’t feel my race has that much to do with who I am but I guess that’s the point…

Whatever the political feelings toward this book, Michelle Obama is a competent capable person who accomplished a lot in her life. As impressed as I am with her accomplishments, I’m most impressed with her mother and her ability to be the rock of the family and still stay out of the way of the limelight.

Recommendation

This book was very long and it felt like I had to plod through it. It was good to hear a few things I hadn’t before and was reminded of events I had all but forgotten. I’m mixed on the recommendation.