For one reason and another, I haven't posted anything much in the way of personal musings or opinion lately, with the exception of a short comment on the rather sudden appearance of the Philistines in the book of Judges. But there has been quite a bit of material posted to Knight's Castle.
For one thing, Lloyd Smith and I have posted quite a number of book reviews. More of these have been about the Middle East and the war in Iraq, than any other single topic, but there have been reviews of several works of fiction and one book on neurology and music. Lloyd has most recently posted a review of Fiasco by Thomas Ricks. This is a very good review of an excellent book. (I commented on Fiasco in one of my reading lists from the summer of 2007.) We would appreciate comments on these reviews from those who have also read these books, as well as from those who may have read other books on the same subjects, or have other reasons for commenting.
I have posted several lists now from the Foreign Affairs bestseller lists. I find these an excellent resource for finding good books in international relations and foreign policy. Several of the books I have reviewed lately appeared on the Foreign Affairs lists, and I am planning to continue seeking out books from those lists to read and review.
The Economist magazine publishes an annual list of best books of the preceding year, and I have been posting sections of that list here. So far, I have posted five lists: Politics and current affairs; Economics and business; History; Biography; Science and technology. I will publish the remaining two shortly.
Since I started this blog, I have published twenty-two posts on my monthly reading lists. These begin with January 2007 and run through October 2008. I will be publishing my lists for November and December of 2008 shortly. Because I have been publishing reviews of books I've been reading, I think the reading lists may take a somewhat different form beginning with January 2009.
In all, aside from whatever value it might have as a forum for the discussion of political, economic, philosophical and other questions, I hope that you find Knight's Castle a valuable resource for informing you of interesting and useful books. As always, your comments and suggestions for improving this blog are welcomed.
Glenn A Knight
In my study
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Economist's "Pick of the Pile" - 5
Here is the fifth section of The Economist’s best of 2008.
Science and technology
The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters. By Rose George. Metropolitan Books; 304 pages; $26. Portobello Books; ₤12.99.
The Princeton Companion to Mathematics. Edited by Timothy Gowers, June Barrow-Green and Imre Leader. Princeton University Press; 1,008 pages; $99 and ₤60.
Bad Science. By Ben Goldacre. Fourth Estate; 352 pages; ₤12.
The Sun and the Moon: The Remarkable True Account of Hoaxers, Showmen, Duelling Journalists, and Lunar Man-Bats in Nineteenth-Century New York. By Matthew Goodman. Basic Books; 384 pages; $26 and ₤15.99.
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. By Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. Yale University Press; 304 pages; $26 and ₤18.
Fatal Misconception: The Struggle to Control World Population. By Matthew Connelly. Harvard University Press/Belknap; 544 pages; $35 and ₤22.95.
Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets. By Sudhir Venkatesh. Penguin Press; 320 pages; $25.95. Allen Lane; ₤18.99.
Science and technology
The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters. By Rose George. Metropolitan Books; 304 pages; $26. Portobello Books; ₤12.99.
The Princeton Companion to Mathematics. Edited by Timothy Gowers, June Barrow-Green and Imre Leader. Princeton University Press; 1,008 pages; $99 and ₤60.
Bad Science. By Ben Goldacre. Fourth Estate; 352 pages; ₤12.
The Sun and the Moon: The Remarkable True Account of Hoaxers, Showmen, Duelling Journalists, and Lunar Man-Bats in Nineteenth-Century New York. By Matthew Goodman. Basic Books; 384 pages; $26 and ₤15.99.
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. By Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. Yale University Press; 304 pages; $26 and ₤18.
Fatal Misconception: The Struggle to Control World Population. By Matthew Connelly. Harvard University Press/Belknap; 544 pages; $35 and ₤22.95.
Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets. By Sudhir Venkatesh. Penguin Press; 320 pages; $25.95. Allen Lane; ₤18.99.
The Economist's "Pick of the Pile" - 4
Here is the fourth section of The Economist’s best of 2008.
Biography
Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America. By Rick Pearlstein. Scribner; 896 pages; $37.50 and ₤25.
The World Is What It Is: The Authorised Biography of V. S. Naipaul. By Patrick French. Knopf; 576 pages; $30. Picador; ₤20.
Soul of the Age: A Biography of the Mind of William Shakespeare. By Jonathan Bite. Random House; 496 pages; $35. Viking; ₤25.
White Heat: The Friendship of Emily Dickinson & Thomas Wentworth Higginson. By Brenda Wineapple. Knopf; 432 pages; $27.95 and ₤27.95.
Chagall: A Biography. By Jackie Wullschlager. Knopf; 608 pages; $40. Allen Lane; ₤30.
Biography
Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America. By Rick Pearlstein. Scribner; 896 pages; $37.50 and ₤25.
The World Is What It Is: The Authorised Biography of V. S. Naipaul. By Patrick French. Knopf; 576 pages; $30. Picador; ₤20.
Soul of the Age: A Biography of the Mind of William Shakespeare. By Jonathan Bite. Random House; 496 pages; $35. Viking; ₤25.
White Heat: The Friendship of Emily Dickinson & Thomas Wentworth Higginson. By Brenda Wineapple. Knopf; 432 pages; $27.95 and ₤27.95.
Chagall: A Biography. By Jackie Wullschlager. Knopf; 608 pages; $40. Allen Lane; ₤30.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2003 to 2005
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2003 to 2005
by Thomas E. Ricks
Penguin, 2007
Bob Woodward’s The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008, which Glenn reviewed earlier, examines the current “surge era” of the war in Iraq, beginning in 2006. In this book, Thomas Ricks offers a thoroughly sourced analysis of how we went to war in Iraq, how the war was conducted prior to the surge, and the consequences that the early phase of the war had for the US. As a bonus, it is also a gripping, fast-paced narrative.
In a nutshell, Ricks demonstrates that US decision-makers justified the war with Iraq by believing worst-case assumptions; indeed, in many cases they actively solicited those assumptions, and in some cases, they probably manufactured them. The chief villains he sees in this process are Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, and Dick Cheney. Wolfowitz, one of the many Department of Defense high-level officials who had no military experience at all, is the subject of Ricks' particular scorn.
After the decision to go to war was made, the mind set of our decision-makers changed; rather than believing worst-case scenarios, they believed best-case assumptions about how our forces would be received by the Iraqis and how the war would likely proceed. This led to what Ricks sees as the major blunder in US planning, the commitment of insufficient troops to the war. The chief villains are Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Tommy Franks, but the political generals in the Joint Chiefs of Staff are also culpable.
The lack of sufficient forces was exacerbated by a complete failure of vision on the part of the Army's leaders, namely their near amnesia about the lessons the US learned at great cost in Vietnam about fighting insurgencies.
Ricks does not see sinister conspiracies or imperialistic ambitions at the root of our Iraqi involvement; rather, he sees it literally as a fiasco. The book's subtitle is "The American Military Adventure in Iraq." He's using "adventure" in the sense of an ill-considered fling, and that sums up his view of how the war was prosecuted.
The only heroes in the book are the ground troops, most of whom have acted with great courage and honor to carry out the wishes of our political and military leaders—no matter how ill-considered or unrealistic—while they tried to stay alive in the steadily deteriorating conditions prior to the surge.
The book is based on hundreds of interviews Ricks conducted with current and former political, foreign policy, and military officials. The unique thing he does is to rely most heavily on the military "middle management"—the majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels—for the bulk of his interviews. These are the people who have the best vantage point for what happened at the intersection of policy and military operations early in the war.
This is an important, well-written book that will more than justify the time taken to read it.
by Thomas E. Ricks
Penguin, 2007
Bob Woodward’s The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008, which Glenn reviewed earlier, examines the current “surge era” of the war in Iraq, beginning in 2006. In this book, Thomas Ricks offers a thoroughly sourced analysis of how we went to war in Iraq, how the war was conducted prior to the surge, and the consequences that the early phase of the war had for the US. As a bonus, it is also a gripping, fast-paced narrative.
In a nutshell, Ricks demonstrates that US decision-makers justified the war with Iraq by believing worst-case assumptions; indeed, in many cases they actively solicited those assumptions, and in some cases, they probably manufactured them. The chief villains he sees in this process are Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, and Dick Cheney. Wolfowitz, one of the many Department of Defense high-level officials who had no military experience at all, is the subject of Ricks' particular scorn.
After the decision to go to war was made, the mind set of our decision-makers changed; rather than believing worst-case scenarios, they believed best-case assumptions about how our forces would be received by the Iraqis and how the war would likely proceed. This led to what Ricks sees as the major blunder in US planning, the commitment of insufficient troops to the war. The chief villains are Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Tommy Franks, but the political generals in the Joint Chiefs of Staff are also culpable.
The lack of sufficient forces was exacerbated by a complete failure of vision on the part of the Army's leaders, namely their near amnesia about the lessons the US learned at great cost in Vietnam about fighting insurgencies.
Ricks does not see sinister conspiracies or imperialistic ambitions at the root of our Iraqi involvement; rather, he sees it literally as a fiasco. The book's subtitle is "The American Military Adventure in Iraq." He's using "adventure" in the sense of an ill-considered fling, and that sums up his view of how the war was prosecuted.
The only heroes in the book are the ground troops, most of whom have acted with great courage and honor to carry out the wishes of our political and military leaders—no matter how ill-considered or unrealistic—while they tried to stay alive in the steadily deteriorating conditions prior to the surge.
The book is based on hundreds of interviews Ricks conducted with current and former political, foreign policy, and military officials. The unique thing he does is to rely most heavily on the military "middle management"—the majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels—for the bulk of his interviews. These are the people who have the best vantage point for what happened at the intersection of policy and military operations early in the war.
This is an important, well-written book that will more than justify the time taken to read it.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Economist's "Pick of the Pile" - 3
Here is the Third section of the Economist’s best of 2008.
History
The Return of History and the End of Dreams. By Robert Kagan. Knopf; 128 pages; $19.95. Atlantic Books; ₤12.99.
A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World. By William J. Bernstein. Atlantic Monthly Press; 467 pages; $30. Atlantic Books; ₤22.
Freedom for the Thought that We Hate: A Biography of the First Amendment. By Anthony Lewis. Basic Books; 240 pages; $25 and ₤14.99.
The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science. By Richard Holmes. Harper Press; 380 pages; ₤20.
Masters and Commanders: How Roosevelt, Churchill, Marshall and Alanbrooke Won the War in the West. By Andrew Roberts. Allen Lane; 720 pages; ₤25.
Out of Mao’s Shadow: the Struggle for the Soul of a New China. By Philip P. Pan. Simon & Schuster; 368 pages; $38. Picador; ₤14.99.
Modern China: The Fall and Rise of a Great Power, 1850 to the Present. By Jonathan Fenby. Ecco Books; 816 pages; $34.95.
The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919. By Mark Thompson. Faber & Faber; 464 pages; ₤25.
The Blackest Streets: The Life and Death of a Victorian Slum. By Sarah Wise. The Bodley Head; 240 pages; ₤20.
Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Centre of the World. By Roger Crowley. Random House; 368 pages; $30. Faber & Faber; ₤20.
American Rifle: A Biography. By Alexander Rose. Delacorte Press; 512 pages; $30.
History
The Return of History and the End of Dreams. By Robert Kagan. Knopf; 128 pages; $19.95. Atlantic Books; ₤12.99.
A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World. By William J. Bernstein. Atlantic Monthly Press; 467 pages; $30. Atlantic Books; ₤22.
Freedom for the Thought that We Hate: A Biography of the First Amendment. By Anthony Lewis. Basic Books; 240 pages; $25 and ₤14.99.
The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science. By Richard Holmes. Harper Press; 380 pages; ₤20.
Masters and Commanders: How Roosevelt, Churchill, Marshall and Alanbrooke Won the War in the West. By Andrew Roberts. Allen Lane; 720 pages; ₤25.
Out of Mao’s Shadow: the Struggle for the Soul of a New China. By Philip P. Pan. Simon & Schuster; 368 pages; $38. Picador; ₤14.99.
Modern China: The Fall and Rise of a Great Power, 1850 to the Present. By Jonathan Fenby. Ecco Books; 816 pages; $34.95.
The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919. By Mark Thompson. Faber & Faber; 464 pages; ₤25.
The Blackest Streets: The Life and Death of a Victorian Slum. By Sarah Wise. The Bodley Head; 240 pages; ₤20.
Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Centre of the World. By Roger Crowley. Random House; 368 pages; $30. Faber & Faber; ₤20.
American Rifle: A Biography. By Alexander Rose. Delacorte Press; 512 pages; $30.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Economist's "Pick of the Pile" - 2
Here is the second section of the Economist’s best of 2008.
Economics and Business
The Trillion Dollar Meltdown: Easy Money, High Rollers, and the Great Credit Crash. By Charles R. Morris. PublicAffairs; 224 pages; $22.95 and ₤13.99.
Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics: Entrepreneurship and the State. By Yasheng Huang. Cambridge University Press; 366 pages; $30 and ₤15.99.
When Markets Collide: Investment Strategies for the Age of Global Economic Change. By Mohamed El-Erian. McGraw-Hill; 304 pages; $27.95 and ₤15.99.
The Venturesome Economy: How Innovation Sustains Prosperity in a More Connected World. By Amar Bhide. Princeton University Press; 520 pages; $35 and ₤19.95.
The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World. By Tim Harford. Random House; 272 pages; $25. Little, Brown; ₤18.95.
Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World. By Don Tapscott. McGraw-Hill; 384 pages; $27.95 and ₤15.99.
Globality: Competing with Everyone from Everywhere for Everything. By Hal Sirkin, Jim Hemerling and Arindam Bhattacharya. Business Plus; 304 pages; $26.99 and ₤18.99.
The Partnership: The Making of Goldman Sachs. By Charles D. Ellis. Penguin Press; 752 pages; $37.95. Allen Lane; ₤25.
Economics and Business
The Trillion Dollar Meltdown: Easy Money, High Rollers, and the Great Credit Crash. By Charles R. Morris. PublicAffairs; 224 pages; $22.95 and ₤13.99.
Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics: Entrepreneurship and the State. By Yasheng Huang. Cambridge University Press; 366 pages; $30 and ₤15.99.
When Markets Collide: Investment Strategies for the Age of Global Economic Change. By Mohamed El-Erian. McGraw-Hill; 304 pages; $27.95 and ₤15.99.
The Venturesome Economy: How Innovation Sustains Prosperity in a More Connected World. By Amar Bhide. Princeton University Press; 520 pages; $35 and ₤19.95.
The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World. By Tim Harford. Random House; 272 pages; $25. Little, Brown; ₤18.95.
Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World. By Don Tapscott. McGraw-Hill; 384 pages; $27.95 and ₤15.99.
Globality: Competing with Everyone from Everywhere for Everything. By Hal Sirkin, Jim Hemerling and Arindam Bhattacharya. Business Plus; 304 pages; $26.99 and ₤18.99.
The Partnership: The Making of Goldman Sachs. By Charles D. Ellis. Penguin Press; 752 pages; $37.95. Allen Lane; ₤25.
The Economist's "Pick of the Pile" - 1
Every December the Economist magazine publishes a list of the best books of the preceding year. I decided that it would be worthwhile to publish this list, to assist my readers in planning their reading for the next while. I have omitted the short reviews which appeared with the list in the December 6, 2008, issue. Many of these books, if not all, had longer reviews in the Economist in the course of 2008. Here is the first section of the Economist’s best of 2008.
Politics and Current Affairs
The Rise and Fall of the Islamic State. By Noah Feldman. Princeton University Press; 200 pages; $22.95 and ₤13.50.
A Choice of Enemies: America Confronts the Middle East. By Lawrence Freedman. PublicAffairs; 624 pages; $29.95. Weidenfeld & Nicolson; ₤20.
Britain Since 1918: The Strange Career of British Democracy. By David Marquand. Weidenfeld & Nicolson; 496 pages; ₤25.
The Three Trillion Dollar War: The True Cost of the Iraq Conflict. By Joseph E. Stiglitz and Linda J. Bilmes. Norton; 311 pages; $22.95. Allen Lane; ₤20.
The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals. By Jane Mayer. Doubleday; 400 pages; $27.50 and ₤22.85.
Law and the Long War: The Future of Justice in the Age of Terror. By Benjamin Wittes. Penguin Press; 305 pages; $25.95.
India: The Emerging Giant. By Arvind Panagariya. Oxford University Press; 544 pages; $39.95 and ₤19.99.
Dinner with Mugabe: The Untold Story of a Freedom Fighter Who Became a Tyrant. By Heidi Holland. Penguin; 280 pages; $30 and ₤17.99.
Politics and Current Affairs
The Rise and Fall of the Islamic State. By Noah Feldman. Princeton University Press; 200 pages; $22.95 and ₤13.50.
A Choice of Enemies: America Confronts the Middle East. By Lawrence Freedman. PublicAffairs; 624 pages; $29.95. Weidenfeld & Nicolson; ₤20.
Britain Since 1918: The Strange Career of British Democracy. By David Marquand. Weidenfeld & Nicolson; 496 pages; ₤25.
The Three Trillion Dollar War: The True Cost of the Iraq Conflict. By Joseph E. Stiglitz and Linda J. Bilmes. Norton; 311 pages; $22.95. Allen Lane; ₤20.
The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals. By Jane Mayer. Doubleday; 400 pages; $27.50 and ₤22.85.
Law and the Long War: The Future of Justice in the Age of Terror. By Benjamin Wittes. Penguin Press; 305 pages; $25.95.
India: The Emerging Giant. By Arvind Panagariya. Oxford University Press; 544 pages; $39.95 and ₤19.99.
Dinner with Mugabe: The Untold Story of a Freedom Fighter Who Became a Tyrant. By Heidi Holland. Penguin; 280 pages; $30 and ₤17.99.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)