Chris Blattman

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What I’ve been reading (or short reviews for busy people)

  1. The March, by E.L. Doctorow. Reread one of my favorite novels and enjoyed as much or more the second time. Follows Sherman’s march through Georgia through various characters.
  2. 1776, by David McCullough. A history of the year of American Revolution. Brisk and interesting and informative but characters like George Washington and Nathanael Greene are dead on the page. Still, excellent history. I hope more of his John Adams, which I have also purchased.
  3. Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski. Began as one of the best written new novels I’d read this year. A young mute’s life growing up as a dog breeder. It died halfway. Then it rose again, zombie-like. I stopped reading.
  4. Africa and the West: Intellectual Responses to European Culture, by Philip Curtin, ed. An old edited volume by the famed historian. Traces indigenous reactions to the Western world and culture. An underexplored explanation for post-colonial paths of development. The first chapter on the Fang is very revealing.
  5. Bogleheads’ Guide to Retirement Planning, by various Bogle followers. Was advising a friend on retirement planning and strongly recommended this book. Took another look through and liked (again) what I saw. Better but more narrow was the investing book. Bogle’s original book also good.

4 Responses

  1. You might like “The Windup Girl” – sci fi set in 23rd century Thailand, post-climate change. Author is Paolo Bacigalupi. It won the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

Why We Fight - Book Cover
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