A suggested reading list

suggested reading list

Okay, on a slightly different topic.When I was looking through some old sites, trying to find stories I've lost, I came across this post I did, about a suggested summer reading list. A bit early, but you could call it a spring break list, I guess.Hope you enjoy.

For those who are looking for something beyond the trashy summer beach novel, here are some suggestions, all nonfiction. And yes, I have read them all, and have most of them. Don't have the time to do annotations for all of them, but, you can always look up the details online...and get some cheap book deals as well, if your library doesn't have them.

Starting with one of my favorite authors, Dr. Thomas Sowell (PhD in Economics), the first two books are on economics, but were written for the average person, not for an economist or economics major. No charts, no fancy equations, but full of practical examples of how economic principles work in day to day life. I feel that both should be in the home library, and something that the kids should read as well.

Basic Economics: A Citizens Guide to the Economy, revised ed.- Sowell

Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One-Sowell

Ethnic America - Sowell. Another, in my opinion must for the home library. In this book, he takes a look at the larger 'ethnic' groups that immigrated to the United States and examines what brought them here, how they assimilated, and what they have contributed to our American culture. Groups that he examines include the Germans, Jews, Irish, Japanese, Italians, Chinese, and Black Americans.

Taking off from where Ethnic America started, Sowell's Culture trilogy is an amazing academic effort, and it is accessible to anyone who wants to learn more about the world around them. This set is relatively apolitical.

Race and Culture- Sowell

Migration and Culture: A World View- Sowell

Conquests and Culture: An International History - Sowell

Affirmative Action Around the World - SowellIn this book he shows the difference between what people want to happen, and what does happen when political policies are established without being willing to accept the real life outcomes and consequences of those policies. I would recommend that this book be read only after Basic Economics and Ethnic America have been read, possibly even after the culture trilogy; while it could be read as a stand alone, he assumes a basic knowledge of some of the areas that he has previously discussed.

On a decidedly political note, we have his next trilogy, the Vision series.

The Vision of the Annointed: Self Congratulations as a Basis for Social Policy- Sowell.

A Conflict of Vision: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles - Sowell. My favorite of this set, it seems to sum up the essential message that Sowell is presenting.

The Quest for Cosmic Justice - Sowell

Inside American Education - Sowell

Black Rednecks and White Liberals - Sowell



History/sociology/political science

A History of the American People - Paul Johnson

Modern Times: The World From the Twenties to the Nineties - Paul Johnson.

Amazingly detailed histories, both of Johnson's books are recommended for the home library, or Jr. High or High School or college student. It seems that so many of today's students have no good background of either modern world history, or American history. They know bits and pieces, but seldom seem to know how it all fits together. I find that A History of the American People serves as a nice antidote to the seemingly ever prevelant A Peoples History by Zinn, which is in more and more HS classrooms, and not just colleges.


Darwinizing Culture - Robert Aunger

War Against the Weak: Eugenics and America's Campaign to Create a Master Race - Edwin Black

In a Dark Wood: The Fight Over Forests and the Myth of Nature - Alston Chase

Sick Societies: Challenging the Myth of Primitive Harmony - Robert Edgerton

Culture of Fear: Risk Taking and the Morality of Low Expectations - Frank Furedi

The Culture of Fear - Barry Glassner

I've Always Been a Yankee's Fan - Thomas KwiperNot about baseball, but about Hillary Clinton.

Bias: A CBS insider Exposes How the Media distorts the News - Bernard Goldberg

Arrogance: Rescuing America From the Media Elite - Bernard Goldberg

Uncivil Wars: The Controversy Over Reparations For Slavery - David Horowitz. Another of my favorite authors.

Destructive Generation: Second Thoughts About the '60s - David Horowitz.

Left Illusions: An Intellectual Odyssey - David Horowitz. A collection of his articles over the years.

Life at the Bottom: The Worldview That Makes the Underclass - Theodore Dalrymple. Oftentimes a depressing read, all the more so because his stories are all true (the author is a British physician). The reader is left to wonder what ever happened to common sense, and it appears that it disappeared one small step at a time. An indictment of what happens when people are willing to acdept a socialist nanny state. Even More appropriate these days.

Our Culture, What's Left of it - Theodore Dalrymple

What's so Great About America - Dinesh D'Souza. First, note that this is a statement, not a question. When I was in the Army, I was, at one time, an instructor for Allied officers, most if not all whom were from non NATO countries. Their take on the current events going on in America at that time, what they saw on our tv, in our papers, was quite enlightening (this was during the time of the Rodney King riots....). First, they ALL thought it was hysterically funny that so many of our 'poor' had houses/apartments to live in, With running water, With electricity, WITH tvs and vcrs, and video games, had access to free medical care, and were so fat (as they said, fat and poor didn't go together in their countries. D'Souza's book is written from such a perspective, showing why people from around the world do most anything they can to live here.

Invasion: How America Still Welcomes Terrorists, Criminals, and Other Foreign Menaces to Our Shores - Michelle Malkin

In Defense of Internment - Michelle Malkin

The Ten Things You Can't Say in America - Larry Elder

Deliver Us From Evil -Sean Hannity

Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists, and became the Scourge fo the Liberal Media - John Stossel

Legacy: Paying the Price for the Clinton Years - Rich Lowry

Do Gooders: How Liberals Hurt Those They Claim to Help (and the Rest of Us) - Mona Charen

Intellectual Morons: How Idiology Makes Smart People Fall for Stupid Ideas - Daniel Flynn. A must read, if for no other reason then it explains what critique theory, and the philosophy of deconstruction is all about, concepts which are often implicit in much that is talked about today, especially on college campuses. Highly recommended for the HS or college student.

Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man - Jason Clarke. Goes through Moores work, and shows how incredibly creative editing produces the effects he wants, truth be damned.

The Real Jimmy Carter - Steven Hayward

The Case for a Creator - Strobel

The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History - Woods, Jr.



Education

Would recommend these to any student going on to ANY institution of higher education. Yes, they are all decidedly conservative in viewpoint, but it gives them another viewpoint, and that after all, Is the point. To be aware that there is another viewpoint out there, especially for those students not going into a hard science area.

Inside American Education - Thomas Sowell

Illiberal Education: The Politics of Race and Sex on Campus - Dinesh D'Souza

Welcome to the Ivory Tower of Babel: Confessions of a Conservative College Professor - Mike Adams.

Brainwashed: How Universities Indoctrinate America's Youth - Ben Shapiro

The Professors - David Horowitz. Absolutely jaw dropping. Hard to remember at times that it is nonfiction.

The Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature - Kantor



Science and natural history

Connections - James Burke. The book that launched the award winning PBS series. A must read, and good for students as well.For those nonreaders, Connections was made into a dvd series as well, available from most libraries. Great to watch with the kids, the first series was the best, in my opinion, but the follow up series were good as well.


The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design - Wells


Personal Finance/business


These aren't just for adults, but for kids as well. I think many adults forget just how curious kids are, and how they will browse if something is around in the house. I wish I had had something like these books when I was growing up. A suggestion by one of the authors, to get kids who might not otherwise read something like this, is to pay them for a completed book report. Some might call it bribery, others might call it positive reinforcement.I know I have these out in our house, where the kids have had access to them, and have bought copies for each of my adult kids and their families, and for my college girls, and for my sister's families...

The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy - Stanely and Danko

The Millionaire Mind - Thomas Stanely. Both are highly recommended for the Jr High or older student.

Multiple Streams of Income: How to Generate a Lifetime fo Unlimited Wealth - Robert Allen

Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Kiyosaki. Okay, I don't agree with all he has to say in his series of books, but this one is worth reading, especially for kids, if they just get TWO concepts out of it. One is if they can do the Very simple chart showing the difference between assets, and liabilites, and the other is if they can see the difference between business owners, investors, entrepeneurs,and workers.

Inventing for Dummies: Protect your idea, develop a product, and start your business - Pamela Bird. An actual Plan for taking an idea, getting a patent or copywrite, and making a go of it, all laid out.

What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School - McCormack. An oldy but a goody.

The Martha Rules - Martha Stewart.

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to do About it - Gerber. The E in E myth here is being an entrepeneur, and this offers some Very good advice. And, by his definition, this includes those professionals who have decided to start their own practice or firm.

The next series of books are all by Dan Kennedy, a legendary marketing and sales coach. Yes, there is some overlap between books, yes, some of it is common sense, ONCE it's pointed out, but they are in paperback, are cheap, and well worth the money! And yes, for the kids to read as well.

No B.S. Business Success - Kennedy

No B.S. Sales Success - Kennedy. The chapter called Bonus, which is a reprint of a work he did, about how to 'read' other people, how to ask questions, how to read body language, is worth the price of the book in and of itself.

No B.S. Time Management for Entrepeneurs - Kennedy

No B.S. Direct Marketing - Kennedy

No B.S. Wealth Attraction for Entrepeneurs - Kennedy

No Rules - Dan Kennedy

The Ultimate Marketing Plan - Kennedy. A MUST have for the home library.

The Ultimate Sales Letter - Kennedy. A MUST have for the home library.

Zero Resistance Selling - Maltz, Kennedy, others...

Lessons From the Apprentice - Robin



Islam/Islamic Terrorism

AmericanJihad: the Terrorists Living Among Us - Stephen Emerson. The appendix on the history of Islam is worth the price of the book itself.

What Went Wrong? Western Impact and Middle Eastern Responses - Bernard Lewis

The Crisis of Islam - Bernard Lewis. Lewis is one of , if not THE historian of note on middle eastern and Arab history. I would recommend reading What Went Wrong first.

Unholy Alliances: Radical Islam and the American Left - David Horowitz

Holy War on the Homefront: the Secret Islamic Terror Network in the United States - Harvey Kushner

Countdown to Terror - Curt Weldon

Shadow War - Richard Miniter

Eurabia - Bat Ye'or

The Myth of Islamic Tolerance - Robert Spencer

While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within - Bruce Bawer

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades - Spencer



Environmental Science

Junk Science Judo: Self Defense Against Health Care Scares and Scams - Steven Milloy

The Skeptical Environmentalist - Bjorn Lomborg

Voodoo Science: The Road from Foolishness to Fraud - Robert Park

Free Market Environmentalism - Anderson and Leal

A Poverty of Reason: Sustainable Development and Ecomic Growth - Wilfred Beckerman

Playing God in Yellowstone: The Destruction of America's First National Park - Alston Chase

Global Warming - The Science of Climate Change - Frances Drake

Critical Political Ecology: the Politics of Environmental Science - Tim Forsyth

The Environmental Pendulm - Allan Freeze

Higher Superstition: The Academic Left and it's Quarrels with Science - Gross and Leavitt

Hard Green: Saving the Environment from the Enviromentalists - Peter Huber

The Ecological Indian: Myth and History - Shepard Krech

GreenRage: Radical Environmentalism and the Unmaking of Civilization - Christopher Mannes

Okay, think that should do it for now. Book reports due next week..

.Angie