He’s in my que … I’ve read a few articles from his blog that are great
Appreciate the kind words. I actually try to read a book a month myself but have fallen short the last couple of years.
I’ve started keeping track of all of the books I’ve read and also a list of books recommended by others:
It was a very enjoyable read. You can tell GWB has an incredible amount of respect and love for his father. Politics aside, it just affirmed the respect I have for both men even more so than before. I definitely recommend it.
Hey @anon71262119, no problem! Black Flags was very well written. I read it over a beach vacation last year and I couldn’t put it down. I have not read American Spinx, but it’s on my list now! The next Ellis book I am planning on reading is The Quartet
Everyone seems to be recommending this one these days. On the list…
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I’ve read his other stuff and enjoyed them, haven’t picked this one up yet.
Over the Christmas holidays enjoyed Atlas Shrugged with @anon71262119’s recommendation.
I really enjoyed Freakonomics for the author’s approach to confronting some odd issues and basing conclusions from data.
My books are usual more casual but after reading this thread have added a few to the list.
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This thread’s making my reading queue blow up man … The Quartet might be my next read/audio book
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I’ve recommended this several times over the past year or so, but it absolutely belongs here. Loved it.
Classic. I read this one at the end of 2016, and it reads almost like scripture to me. It’s a pretty accessible read. So much that is wise and good in it. Loved it.
About John Stuart Mill.
Right now -
I’m finishing Free to Choose by Milton Friedman, @Alrightmiami19c, and my husband’s recommendations. Great book. Really enjoying it, but I got a little lost in the chapter about the Fed, and exchange rates, and inflation, and tariffs. I think I need to back up to some basic Econ 101 kinds of things because I read it and I’m saying to myself “Yes, got it. Ok.” But then I’m finished and I couldn’t explain it to you, so I know I don’t really grasp that section very well. The rest has been far easier to follow.
Also reading, Common Sense, by Thomas Paine now. It’s short, written in 1776, not as good as On Liberty , but worth the read.
I’m always reading The Book of Mormon, again. I think I’ll read _The New Testamant again this year.
Then an embarrassing number of romance novels that are my equivalent of watching TV, or playing video games. I can’t think about serious topics all the time, because I gotta keep my cortisol levels down.
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I read popcorn fantasy novels for the exact same reason, so I get exactly what you mean.
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I could use a new popcorn fantasy novel series/author as that is my particular indulgance. Any recommendations?
The Dresden files, by Jim Butcher.
Monster Hunter International, by Larry Correia.
Grimnoir Chronicles, by Larry Correia.
Werewolf Cop, by Andrew Klavan.
The Malazan book of the Fallen (More substantive by far), by Steven Erikson.
The Prince of Nothing series (Depressing and grim as a fire at a wake), by R. Scott Bakker,
The Blade Itself, by Joe Abercrombie.
That is all I can think of off the top of my head. I’ll update with edits if I think of any more.
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Thanks, already went throught his series. Thought it was a bit slow at times and actually enjoyed his later books that were set in the same world (with the same characters) but went a different direction.
Haven’t heard of the others as I’ve been on a Brand Sanderson binge lately. I appreciate it!
A good (and long, 11 books I think) series that I enjoyed was The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind. I enjoyed it when I was younger so might be a bit young-adult fiction and his other books haven’t been good, but I enjoyed that series.
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I finished the trilogy and was quite happy with it. Though the chapters not focused on Logan and Glokta are very slow.
I’ll probably get flamed for this, but my guilty pleasure is the Hollows Series by Kim Harrison. I’ve read 13/14 books. I’m pretty sure they’re written for tweens (and probably girls at that…), but I enjoy them.
I also crushed the Inheritance series in about a month (4 books) by Christopher Paolini.
I’m also a big fan of anythign Dan Brown writes and the Jack Reacher novels (Lee Child)
*I also use to read Iris Johansen novels a lot.
Yup. Although I read them as they came out.
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If you like those check out Vince Flynn, similar type of one-guy-hero-kiling-machine but not quite as cheesy.
If you liked it definitely check out his 3 book follow up, Best Served Cold, The Heroes, and Red Country. I liked them better.
Nice, I’ll check those out.
Have you read any of Brad Thor’s novels?
Yes. Him and Vince Flynn are very similar. I like both authors, but I’m biased because I enjoy fiction related to Seal-Team-Six, special ops, CIA etc. My Dad also reads them and I usually will take a free book that is recommended, so it was easy for me to get into it.
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I’ll have to read it to rip on you, so that is next month’s project. 
Dan Brown is total garbage, but God is it hard to put down. Never read any Jack Reacher, but by God do I love me some Clancy.
Fiction 
We can no longer be friends… 
I said he was impossible to put down. So we’ll call him a guilty pleasure and make amends 
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We’re bringing back a really old thread so we can break the rules if we want!! I love to rebel against something. Ha! I haven’t seen much of @Aragorn since the holidays, and somehow I don’t think he’ll care.
@polo77j I started The Undoing Project, by Michael Lewis and it’s so far a really entertaining read. You said it might make sense to read the Thinking Fast and Slow book first, but I already had this one on my Kindle so I’m starting here. Very fun book so far.
I’ve said this in another thread, but this year my intellectual goals are going to be centered around these three areas.
1)Macro Economics with a side of other stuff like Behavioral Econ for fun.
2) Middle East
3)Thinkers of the Enlightenment and/or the US Founders.
Not a book, but I know someone here at PWI recommended The Economist, weekly mag as a way to get a better handle on both econ and world events. I just started reading it last week and am just really enjoying it. I like that it isn’t specifically American, so there’s less or a party specific feel to it. This is good! I’ve been reading the WSJ for years, so I’m branching out.
Also, an economist friend of mine recommended following Paul Krugman’s blog as a counterpoint to my Libertarian leanings, since he’s more of a Keynsian guy, but apparently Krugman really gets into some nasty polemics so that will probably wear on me. The other suggestion as a bit of a balance to Milton Friedman, and just for current events econ was the Marginal Revolution blog. Are you guys familiar with either of those?
Back to books -
Next on my list are Guns, Germs, and Steel, by Jared Diamond. It doesn’t specifically hit my BIG 3 list, but I already have it. Then @anon50325502 ecommendation of Black Flags to try to hit my Middle East goal a little bit. It’s specifically about ISIS, so I may jump over to Israel next. I’ll have to see where that leads me.
Do any of you have any good recommendations on modern Israel/ Palestine? History of Middle East? @loppar, @Jewbacca
Gibbon’s “Decline and Fall” is a masterpiece.
The God that failed is similarly fantastic.
The Black Mass is an interesting polemic, if slanted well to the peacenik left.
Eric Hoffer’s “True Believer” is one I picked up from an old poster, SexMachine? But it is great stuff.
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