Spoilers What Book Are You Reading?

[scubachap]

After finishing the WWW series, I began reading The Neanderthal Parallax series by Robert J. Sawyer. While reading the final words of the WWW series, it struck me that the world we inhabit exists only as long as we continue to live in it; that is, once we die, everything is over for us. All our yearnings, achievements, wealth, and so on would come to an end with that. Our childhood is the best thing there is, as during that time, we are not truly conscious of our eventual death.
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Oh wow, I read that book years ago (Hominids) - really enjoyed it... Same cover and everything ... His imagining of their family structures was great fun...

I (very occasionally) pick up the odd bit of worked flint and as you handle it have wondered what the individual who dropped it would have thought had they knew that another type of human would pick it up 100,000 (ish?) years into the future and wonder about them ... perhaps it is an afterlife of sorts?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

This Is Europe - Ben Judah

 

[KaliYoni]

Oliver Bullough - Butler To The World

I recently finished this book written by the Director of the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto:

Home | ChasingShadows

In this real-life spy thriller, cyber security expert Ronald Deibert uncovers the unseemly marketplace for high-tech surveillance, professional disinformation, and computerized malfeasance.

chasingshadowsbook.ca

There is a chapter about how mercenary spyware has been used in the UK that refers to Bullough:

The United Kingdom has gained a well-deserved reputation as the "butler to the world," as author Oliver Bullough described it. The establishment has profited by serving the interests of dictators, kleptocrats, and oligarchs who take advantage of the country's favorable tax laws, exorbitant real estate market, and entourage of costly lawyers and PR consultants to launder their assets and enhance their public image. The [former PM and his spouse] are part of this unprincipled venality—raking in millions of pounds, jetting around the world, and glad-handing some of the world's biggest offenders of human rights and liberal democracy."

Beyond seeing how being the butler-to-the-world extends to the acceptance of authoritarian government hacking by powerful people in Britain, this book has made me decide to use burner devices whenever I travel outside of the US. Even EU and EU-aligned countries have made extensive use of phone hacking tools made by companies such as NSO Group, with vast numbers of uninvolved people swept into electronic surveillance and data collection. When combined with current conditions in the US, it's clear to me that it is risky for both citizens and non-citizens to attempt to enter the US with phones, tablets, and laptops that are used routinely.

 

[chmania]

Already at 35%, interesting idea. Will be reading the other two books in the series, Axis and Vortex.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I recently finished this book written by the Director of the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto:

Home | ChasingShadows

In this real-life spy thriller, cyber security expert Ronald Deibert uncovers the unseemly marketplace for high-tech surveillance, professional disinformation, and computerized malfeasance.

chasingshadowsbook.ca

There is a chapter about how mercenary spyware has been used in the UK that refers to Bullough:

The United Kingdom has gained a well-deserved reputation as the "butler to the world," as author Oliver Bullough described it. The establishment has profited by serving the interests of dictators, kleptocrats, and oligarchs who take advantage of the country's favorable tax laws, exorbitant real estate market, and entourage of costly lawyers and PR consultants to launder their assets and enhance their public image. The [former PM and his spouse] are part of this unprincipled venality—raking in millions of pounds, jetting around the world, and glad-handing some of the world's biggest offenders of human rights and liberal democracy."

Beyond seeing how being the butler-to-the-world extends to the acceptance of authoritarian government hacking by powerful people in Britain, this book has made me decide to use burner devices whenever I travel outside of the US. Even EU and EU-aligned countries have made extensive use of phone hacking tools made by companies such as NSO Group, with vast numbers of uninvolved people swept into electronic surveillance and data collection.

Agreed.

When combined with current conditions in the US, it's clear to me that it is risky for both citizens and non-citizens to attempt to enter the US with phones, tablets, and laptops that are used routinely.

This used to be - and is exactly how - how one thought - as well as how one was advised (of course, it was also pre internet, tablet and computer days, granted, a somewhat different time) whenever one planned, or proposed, to visit that country that was then known as the Soviet Union, especially in the pre glasnost & perestroika days.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

How Democracies Die - What History Reveals About Our Future - by Stephen Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.

A deeply disturbing and unsettling book, and one that I strongly recommend.

 

[pachyderm]

How Democracies Die - What History Reveals About Our Future - by Stephen Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.

A deeply disturbing and unsettling book, and one that I strongly recommend.

Or you can just keep an eye on us... 🙄

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Or you can just keep an eye on us... 🙄

Indeed.

However, I (strongly) recommend Levitsky & Ziblatt's book: It is a thoughtful, intelligent, well researched, well argued and well written work.

Scandinavian colleagues had (robustly) recommended it to me, several weeks ago.

 

[wonderings]

Just finished The Canterbury Tales and going on to The Great Gatsby.

Canterbury tales was surprising in the content of the stories, especially in regards to gender and marriage.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just finished The Canterbury Tales and going on to The Great Gatsby.

Canterbury tales was surprising in the content of the stories, especially in regards to gender and marriage.

Agree.

Actually, I must say that I loved The Tale of The Wife of Bath....

 

[KaliYoni]

Looks like The Butler's manor house is accumulating vacant guest rooms now...

As the pace of wealthy individuals leaving London quickens, the numbers are starting to stack up: Labour’s flagship “tax the rich” policy risks becoming a net drain on the UK economy.

Barely a day passes by without a big investor or entrepreneur exiting after the government abolished a two-century-old tax break for non-domiciled residents — well-heeled residents hailing from overseas. Billionaire Checkout.com founder Guillaume Pousaz and Nassef Sawiris, Egypt’s richest man, are among those fleeing to European and Middle Eastern financial centers with promises of a lighter tax load, as what began as a trickle of exits quickly turns into an exodus.
[...]
Recent departures offer a glimpse into a gilded side of the UK capital that few see up close, highlighting its success as a wealth magnet. Since late May, an heir to one of India’s biggest fortunes has surfaced as now being resident in the United Arab Emirates and two members of the Lazari family — the rich dynasty behind one of London’s biggest property owners — have disclosed they’re now usually living in Cyprus.
[...]
The UK’s loss has been the gain of European hubs such as Switzerland, Monaco, Italy and Cyprus — some of which have introduced their own regimes to attract the wealthy.

Britain Counts the Mounting Cost of Taxing Wealthy ‘Non-Doms’

The UK government says ending special tax privileges for the rich will bring in billions — but a growing exodus is putting those claims to the test.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[KaliYoni]

Recently finished
(I wish I had read this before visiting Tamil Nadu and before playing Assassin's Creed Mirage)
The Golden Road/Dalrymple

The Golden Road

The internationally bestselling author of The Anarchy returns with a sparkling, soaring history of ideas, tracing South Asia's under-recognized role in producin…

www.bloomsbury.com

(Believe it or not, synchronized swimming has serious origins that include Benjamin Franklin)
Swimming Pretty/Valosik

Swimming Pretty

Shortlisted for the Vikki Orvice Award for Women’s Sports Writing (Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards)<br /><br /> A groundbreaking history of how women found synchronicity—and power—in water., Swimming Pretty, The Untold Story of Women in Water, Vicki Valosik, 9781324093046

wwnorton.com

Up next
(Keeping with the ancient Asia/Middle East/Europe theme)
Alexander at the End of the World/Kousser

Alexander at the End of the World - Rachel Kousser

“A heart-pounding, mind-bending adventure.” —Ilyon WooA riveting biography of Alexander the Great’s final years, when the leader’s insatiable desir...

www.harperacademic.com

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Currently reading "In The Beginning Was The Command Line" by Neal Stephenson.

 

[M4th]

Local library had this. Have seen some negative comments about it, but it'll be interesting to read what they may have taken issue with.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

Currently rereading some of my all time favs, CommonSense & Age of Reason by Thomas Paine.

 

[Richard8655]

"The Private Life of Kim Philby: The Moscow Years", by Rufina Philby.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Currently rereading some of my all time favs, CommonSense & Age of Reason by Thomas paine.

Tom Paine is always well worth a read.

I remember being fascinated by him after reading a captivating sort of portrait sketch (in writing) done by Bertrand Russell - I went through a serious Bertrand Russell phase in my last year of school and first year of university.

"The Private Life of Kim Philby: The Moscow Years", by Rufina Philby.

Ooooh.

Now, that is a book I haven't read; do, please, let me know what you think of it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Today, I visited the library, where a veritable tower of books awaited me.

I am now reading one of them, which had been enthusiastically, and warmly, (sometimes, almost with a note of surprise) recommended by commentators (some of them very serious and respected commentators) from across the political divide:

Beyond A Fringe - Tales From A Reformed Establishment Lackey - Andrew Mitchell.

I'm around 100 pages in, and it is excellent.

 

[KaliYoni]

Beyond A Fringe - Tales From A Reformed Establishment Lackey - Andrew Mitchell.

I'm around 100 pages in, and it is excellent.

Just had a look at some descriptions of the book...sounds like a real-life version of Francis Urquhart (RIP Ian Richardson)!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just had a look at some descriptions of the book...sounds like a real-life version of Francis Urquhart (RIP Ian Richardson)!

Actually, (and somewhat to my almost embarrassed surprise), it is excellent, well-written, self-aware, witty, but also informed and impressively insightful.

Reading the book (I'm now at p.230), - apart from the stories, the wit, the self-deprecation, one of the (many) things that are attractive in the book - and that I am very struck by - is the clear regard, affection and respect he has for his wife (who is a doctor), and who is cited, quoted, and mentioned approvingly often in the course of the book, even when they disagreed - he describes how his wife and both of his daughters took to the streets in outraged disgust protesting against a war (the Iraq War) that he had supported in the House of Commons; this is very unusual in a male writer of an autobiography (in my experience, frequent positive references to spouses, or partners, are far more frequently found in autobiographies - including political autobiographies - written by women).