Must Read Books

I always love curling up in my bed with some hot cocoa and a good book. Below are a list of books I've read or plan to read. I always recommend trying to read a book a month (at least!) Books are a fantastic way to improve your spec knowledge and learn more about the world around you.

Sam's Favorite Books:

The Death of Truth: Notes on Falsehood in the Age of Trump by Michiko Kakutani. This book explores how truth has become under threat in post-Trump America. This book serves to answer the question about how did truth enter such a precarious situation? It is also an extremely provocative analysis of current American politics.

The World American Made by Robert Kagan. Kagan challenged that if the United States continued to leave global problems unaddressed, it could lead to national suicide. We are at that point. This is a sharp criticism of Trump's hostility toward American diplomacy in the post-WWII world.

The Third Revolution: Xi Jingping and the New Chinese State by Elizabeth Economy. In this 350 book, Elizabeth Economy outlines Xi Jingping's rise to power and effort to orient himself as a hegemonic leader in the east. She posits that "the ultimate objective of Xi's revolution is his Chinese dream--the rejuvenation of the great Chinese nation." While informative, Economy's work also urges the U.S. to remain active in the region and champion a policy that prioritize Chinese diplomatic, economic, and military resources. A great read about an important actor any debater should be familiar with!

The Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return by Mihi Desai. Finance was never a subject I was well versed in; however, this book humanizes the intimidating subject. Through the use of film, literature, and history, Desai explores and explains finance in a far more accessible way to those who are interested in the subject.

Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones. This book explores the crippling drugs that have increased America's death rate in the past few years. Quinones explores the history of the epidemic and what politicians can do to stop it.

The World's Most Dangerous Place: Inside the Outlaw State of Somalia by James Fergusson. In his work, Fergusson explores how the failed state increasingly suffers lawlessness, terrorism, and endless suffering.

The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman. This incredibly influential book outlines the events that lead to WWI. I would read this book just because it is an incredible classic that remains as powerful today as it was decades ago.

1776 by David McCullough. My personal favorite historian, McCullough traces the incredibly humane story of our nation's independence through personal anecdotes and tales of those who followed Washington.

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. Another classic. This book retells traditionally accepted aspects of U.S. history. Worth a read to challenge your conceptions of the past and present and notably how you were taught both.

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi. In this work, Kendi explores the history of anti-Black racist thoughts and their pervasiveness in American culture.

Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit. A hilarious and scathing essay that challenges men who think they know everything and they believe that women don't. Ladies, I'm sure we've all been "mansplaned" to before. Read Solnit's work to come up with some clever responses and understand why and how this phenomenon occurs in American society.

A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. Another classic. Perhaps her most power feminist essay, Woolf advocates for the space women need to think and possess independence.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. In his work, Harari describes the beginnings of modern human development. What makes us so unique? When did we learn to walk? What breakthroughs did humankind have that allowed us to later dominate the Earth? All these questions and many more will be answered in Harari's work.


Oh yeah....Ciera also reads :) Her selection is listed below:

Ciera's Favorite Books:

A smart person once told me that a true scholar reads a book a week. I'm not quite to that level yet, but I love reading whenever I have the opportunity. Personally, I love my kindle and suggest that if you travel a lot you should invest in one.

Social:

Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. We read this book in class, but I think it is a must read for any new debater. Freire explores the relationship between the teacher and the student. He propose a new framework  for learning and teaching. Overall, this books is a must read because it explores privilege, power and control in a way that is easily understood.

Race:

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander.  Alexander's book started the conversation on the racial undertones of the prison system. This book outlines the shift from segregation to a new and more insidious version of racism. This was by far the best book I read this semester.

Racial Profiling and the NYPD: The Who, What, When, and Why of Stop and Frisk by Jay L. Newberry. Newberry explores the role of Racial Profiling by NYPD.

Gender:

Ain’t I a Woman by Bell Hooks. After reading Bell Hook's in class I decided that I need to read more of her works. This book examines the effect of racism and sexism on black women and critiques the feminist movements for their failure to include black voices.

We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity by Bell Hooks. A collection of 10 essays on the ways that white culture marginalizes black males. She attempts to provide solutions to the problems she identifies.

Sex Workers Unite! A History of the Movement from Stonewall to Slutwalk by Melinda Chateauvert. Chateavert shows how sex workers have been the vanguard for social justice movements .

The Power by Naomi Alderman. I almost did not include this book. This book is a novel, but it is a must read, especially for men that want to understand rape culture and privilege. Alderman's book is about a world where women have the power over men.

Queer Theory:

No future by Lee Edelman. Edelman rejects "reproductive futurism," arguing that queer bodies are excluded from futuristic thought. I did not enjoy this book at all. It is hard to understand. However, Edelman's work forms the basis of modern queer theory, so it's worth a read.

Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity by José Esteban Muñoz. Fantastic first book for anyone that wants to explore queer theory. Munoz is easy to understand, and the books collection of poetry makes the book a fun read.

International Issues: 

What everyone needs to know about Iran by Michael Axworthy. Released in 2016, the book covers all the basics you should know about Iran.

Africa:

The New Kings of Crude by Luke Patey. The New Kings of Crude takes the reader from the dusty streets of an African capital to Asia's glistening corporate towers to provide a first look at how the world's rising economies established new international oil empires in Sudan, amid one of Africa's longest-running and deadliest civil wars.

The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa by Deborah Brautigam. Brautigam presents a optimistic case for China's involvement in Africa. This book is a great read. It shows a side of the issue that is rarely explored.

Elections in Dangerous Places by David Gilles. A collection of essays cover a series of case studies. They propose solutions to problems and argue that democracy is not/should not be the foundation of US foreign policy.

South China Sea:

Asia's Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific by Robert D. Kaplan. Kaplan covers the rising tensions in the South China Sea. This book is a great primer, but it is not up to date.

Books that I am planing on reading: 

A Hillbilly Eulogy by JD Vance. This book explains the rise of Trump. A biographical work about the Appalachian values of his Kentucky family and their relation to the social problems of his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, where his mother's parents moved when they were young

The Gun Debate: What Everyone Needs to Know by Kristin A. Goss and Philip J. Cook. The book delves into the issues that Americans debate when they talk about guns, and it explores the origins of the American gun culture and the makeup of both the gun rights and gun control movements.