What are you currently reading?

[Hanzo]

"The Triumph of Conservatism" by gabriel kolko, who is a socialist. His thesis (which I believe he proves) is that at the turn of the 20th century, business was headed in the direction of decentralization and competition, not big business and monopoly, as many textbooks claim or assume. Instead, the leaders of big business, most notably J.P Morgan and company, worked with the federal government for regulation to stop competition. Federal regulation was much more agreeable to them than state or local laws, because they were spread out across the country, and did not need to conform to region specific rules.

In short, the progressive era was actually an era of conservatism, conserving the already existing social order in both business and politics.

A great read for anyone interested in the real history of the progressive era. Gives free marketeers some historical insight when an economically foolish liberal claims we would all be working 16 hours days for $3 an hour for big business without regulations.

[Hanzo]

Did I mention that Kolko is a socialist? The left can't claim he is a "banker apologist" or something like that.

[assasin7]

define socialist

[Coltan L.]

I'm reading the latest (latest in the starwars timeline, not the most recently written) star wars books which is fascinating from an anarchist perspective. 

And the Eragon Series.

And as I'm typing I realized I'm not reading any economic books.  Weird. 

And I am eagerly awaiting the future books of the Wheel of Time series by Branden Sanderson and the Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss. 

Kingkiller is fantastic.  I do not like Fantasy books typically, but I loved these books. The thing I hate about media: movies, music, books, games are that they're written for the larger audience.  95% of the story can be good, but its the little jabs at how evil moneyis or the big charity, altruism jackoffs that drive me nuts.

Kingkiller is the opposite, there are some nice bits about sound money, shitty governments, idiot political class types.  While mostly being not political/economical etc.

Great books.

[Kinglord of Castle Manufactoria]

I'm about halfway through the Blackhearts series, pretty enjoyable, nothing overtly complex.
Swords, heresy, killing, etc.
Just started the Souldrinkers series, down to 2 books left in the Ciaphas Cain series, etc etc.
dem warhams.


Next up is Kingkiller 1&2, then I'm gonna crack at human action & boundaries of order, again.

[assasin7]

The farmers had fought, been crushed by the law, their struggle diverted into voting, and the system stabilized by enlarging the class of small landowners, leaving the basic structure of rich and poor intact. It was a common sequence in American history.
- A People's History of the United States

yeah he's a tool of the state all right, because the state loves people protesting in ways it can't control.

[Script]

Check out Cory Doctorrow for free, post-scarcity anarchist or pseudo-anarchist writings.  Specifically: "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom", "Big Brother", and "Eastern Standard Tribe". 

[MAM]

For fun I'm reading Phantom Warriors by Gary Linderer and I am awaiting the arrival of Dragon Venom by Lawrence Watt Evans. I'm taking a look at a few Homesteading books.

[assasin7]

Check out Cory Doctorrow for free, post-scarcity anarchist or pseudo-anarchist writings.  Specifically: "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom", "Little Brother", and "Eastern Standard Tribe". 
fixed

[dpalme]

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

[BobRobertson]

The Syndic

[Script]

Check out Cory Doctorrow for free, post-scarcity anarchist or pseudo-anarchist writings.  Specifically: "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom", "Little Brother", and "Eastern Standard Tribe". 

fixed

Thanks.

[Coltan L.]

The Syndic

I've been looking for this on audio book for so long.  I try to keep my fiction on audiobook, and my nonfiction in written word.  I have too much trouble understanding nonfiction while doing other stuff.

If anyone finds it let me know, google turned up a lot of false positives.

[Josh D]

Surface Detail by Iain M. Banks

If you haven't read "Player of Games" by the same author, then we need to reevaluate our relationship.  He writes a novel about a multi-system empire where the dominant species has three genders (very well executed) and the leader of the empire is the winner of a tournament. (They play a chess like turn based strategy game.  It's real, as in board game / card game hybrid, and you can bet on it up to and including your genitals.  Loser will have theirs cut off.)  The libertarian/anarchist galactic culture, known as "The Culture" sends its own representative to enter the tournament, with the goal of becoming Emperor and dismantling the empire.

It's intense.

Did I mention that you should read it.

[Amagi]

I recommend reading Lord of the Rings.  Tolkien was an anarchist and tried to portray the hobbits as anarchists in LOTR.