I just started this recently released book. I know Chomsky has his issues, but it’s been great so far.
No matter what some people may say, don’t write off EVERYTHING that Chomsky has to say, his Manufacturing Consent is a pretty good read and some of his interviews expose some nuanced takes that go beyond him just being “a lib”
That’s on my list. I think it’s important to remember that you can agree with people on certain things and disagree on other things.
Doesn’t Parenti has a similar “Inventing Reality”? Heard Parenti’s is better but haven’t actually checked either.
Socialist reconstruction, PSL
I definitely want to read this ASAP.
“Dialectic materialism” by Morris Cornfort. It’s kind of basic, as far as theory goes, but I think it’s important to start from the beginning.
Frankly, even his basic description of idealism vs mechanist materialism vs dialectic materialism already explains a frightening amount of bs that goes in people’s heads.
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Well I was recommended this book by a local Marxist org as an introduction to diamat, before heading into more complicated theory. So yes, I’d say it wouldn’t hurt
I’ll have to add this to my list.
It takes me a while to read theory so I’m still slogging through Superimperialism. It’s particularly interesting now as that era is in the process of coming to an end. There’s so many important concepts and fun little tidbits in there.
I just recently finished CIA: Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner. I actually gave up after 800 pages because I did NOT like the author.
Seems to be good practice to alternate between heavy books and ‘lighter’ ones.
I have so many on my list so no idea what I’ll choose next. Most likely something a little lighter and easier to read. I sometimes feel like I need a few university level economics courses to understand the concepts and terms Hudson uses.
On a CIA related note both Devil’s Chessboard and American Exception are on my list and I’m quite excited about both.
I really like his blog as well, and the various interviews he does with Marxist journalists. Although the concepts he refers to and expands on in his articles often require a reading of the referenced book for a deeper understanding.
I almost started American Exception actually, but it’s about 500 pages and I didn’t want to read another long book. I’ll probably read that by the end of the year though.
I plan on reading Killing Hope soon as well. I can’t quite articulate why I hated Tim Weiner’s book so much, he just seems like a dope.
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Same here. I’m lucky to read a book a month. I’ll get better eventually.
I badly need an audiobook of the caliban and the witch, but afaik no one has recorded one yet.
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How do audiobooks deal with footnotes/endnotes? Because I remember Caliban and the Witch has lots of great and very useful endnotes.
Usually they say, footnote… end of footnote.
Conquest of the Middle East by Robert Fisk - 1200 pages on modern Middle Eastern history. Has one or two lib moments but Fisk was super anti-Israel and anti-US so he’s actually a really great read, was an eyewitness for most of the huge Middle Eastern conflicts in the past 30-40 years.
Between Republic And Empire - Interpretations of Augustus’ Principate - academic work I’m reading through for a Classics exam. One of the better works on Augustus career I’ve read
on the side I’m also reading Kafka and De Beauvoir but that’s mostly just when I’m bored or lying in bed
Materialism and empiriocriticism by Lenin is my main lecture right now.
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I actually downloaded Neo-Colonialism from Z Library the day before I got shut down.
Z lib is still up on the deep web using Tor.
Is this… dangerous?
Not at all. Tor just allows you to visit websites that are not indexed on the clearweb. Obviously there are places like drug markets and such but you don’t need to visit those if you don’t want. Also, I am speaking from a USA pov, laws might be different in other places in the world.
Ah, thanks. So accessing the deep web is safe enough if you type in the web address?
The danger is in (accidentally) accessing sites that are clearly (or maybe opaquely) ‘criminal’? Or, rather, if the site is safe enough on the clear web, accessing it on the deep web poses no additional dangers?
Yes, that’s the kind of danger I meant, from getting viruses or hacked, etc.
Edit: typo and added another question.
Yeah, there’s no danger as long as you take the same precautions you would using any other browser and visiting any other website. Don’t download weird stuff, don’t input your personal info, etc. Even visiting those “criminal” websites isn’t really a danger if you’re just curiously looking around.
Useful to know, thanks.
I’ve really liked The Withdrawal so far. I’ve highlighted way too much though 😂
Currently reading Wordslut by Amanda Montell.
How is it? Looked at the brief description and it looks interesting.
Just finished it and I highly recommend! Really makes you think about language and the words you use. I’m now reading “The Rinzai Zen Way” by Meido Moore.
Will add it to my “to read” list.
Im not reading anything because i havent been able to fucus, going through a bunch of podcasts
Listening to It’s Not Just In Your Head and Faith and Capital, both really exceptional.
Podcasts or audio books are great ways to learn as well. In fact, it’s my preferred method.
Not ML related but I’m reading “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms” by Luo Guanzhong. It’s supposed to be a fundamental text of Chinese culture. Like the Iliad or the Odyssey to us who have European influence.
I want to read that at some point. I’m slowly making my way through ‘People’s History of Ideas’ podcast. Definitely want to learn more about Chinese history and culture.
How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney
Currently reading Neo-Colonialism, The Last Stage of Imperialism by Kwame Nkrumah.
Currently reading Wretched of the Earth. Just finished The Hundred Years’ War On Palestine which I found very interesting.
prolly not what you were hoping for but “so I’m a spider, so what? volume 10” its about as badly written as something can be while not distracting from the story but its still really good and i cant stop now that im 10 books deep.
