Cloudstrider

Hey Everyone-- I'm finally back from a lengthy hiatus (moving, new job, finishing master's thesis, etc). I have two great book suggestions for you.

1) Right now I'm 75% of the way through Ethical Realism: A Vision for America's Role in the World. It is co-authored by a liberal writer from the New America Foundation and a conservative from the Heritage Foundation. Their purpose is to present an all-out rejection of the Bush Doctrine and advocate for a foreign policy similar to that of Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s and Harry Truman in the 1940s.

It's a short read... only about 175 pages. The writing style is very clear and very through-provoking. They address the importance of Kennan/Morgenthau-style realism coupled with ethical legacy of Reinhold Niebuhr.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bookse ... 4458&itm=1


2) Last month I read the new, controversial Patrick Buchanan State of Emergency. Buchanan moves well beyond the traditional arguments against illegal immigration by closely examining the impact of unguarded borders on the spread of disease, urban crime rates, and a historical look at cultural and group assimilation in America and other nations.

If you think of yourself as anti-Buchanan, I think you will change your mind after reading this book. I changed my earlier held view of him after reading his Where the Right Went Wrong.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bookse ... 0030&itm=1


If any of you have already read these, I would be curious to hear more about your thoughts on them.


NRS

Welcome back! Thanks for the suggestions I'll look into them and maybe we'll consider them for our next book. Also, lol @ your avatar. That is hilarious.

Glad to see you back!

And glad to see that your political journey is continuing! Definitely it could be good to consider that first book for our reading list. I can't afford to read much outside of school these days, but I'd be open to check out a 175-pager. What's everyone else say? I'd happy to be bring my History professoriness to the discussion of the book.

That sounds crazy awesome. I'm up for a read.

Yea, I'd read that one too.

I got Christopher Moore's Lamb for Christmas. Has anyone read it?
I was thinking it might make a good book for discussion here in the Book Club. I know everyone's fairly busy anymore, but this book is relatively short and it looks like it's going to be pretty funny (while maybe raising some deeper points along the way--sort of like the Hitchhikers' Guide). Let me know if you're game! Once we get a few people into it, I'll come up with a start date for us.

I am very down for this read, from what I gather it is a bit in the same line as Good Omens which I count as one of my favorites. I am very excited about this book club because I spend my day conversing with 4 and 5 year olds so this will be a nice escape!

Oh, excellent! (And good to hear from you, too!) Hopefully this site will be at least slightly above the 4-5 year old level.
What do you do, by the way?


Anyone else in?

I am teaching at a private preschool while I decide just what I will be doing for grad school.

I'm in Matt.

Sweet.
And nice avatar.

lol thanks i need to fix the formatting so its not distorted.....but its good enough for now

Let me know when y'all get a copy of the book. I'm up to Part 2 and it's awesome so far! I'm trying not to get too far ahead, but I can't help it!