Suggestions Wanted: Feb. & Mar. 2009 Non-Fiction Book Discussion

Please use this thread for suggesting good books for our February and March 2009 Non-Fiction book discussion. Include a link to where the book can be researched and purchased on Amazon.com, and it would really be appreciated if you left comments on the book suggestions other members make.

How about Collapse by Jared Diamond? I see that a couple of his books have been read by the book club in the last few years. I have never read any of his books but have heard very good things about him. It would be great to read his work with a book group and discuss it.

I think that book has already been previously selected/read.

Collapse is an excellent suggestion, but as Mr. President says, we have already read and discussed this book. Check out our BOOKS page at http://www.booktalk.org/books.php to see a detailed listing of what we've read over the years.

Oh well. I looked at the list and had missed that Collapse was on it.

I'd like to read another history book, even biographical if the character is interesting enough.

I'd like to read about the East India company, or successful Captains like Cook, or maybe something concerning a major War.

I wouldn't mind discussing something written by Malthus, Mill, Locke, or Adam Smith either.

In fact, I'm going to tackle Malthus and Smith here in the short future after I finish Tamerlane. I'll probably start Malthus in a couple days.

Rivals by Bill Emmott.
An excellent book ...I just finished reading it.

In the category of memoir, Barrack Obama's Dreams from My Father is worth reading and discussing. I'm getting into this now. Our president-elect is an excellent writer, and his memoir of race and identity does not hold back but truly confronts these still-important issues. And he doesn't try to soft-peddle his past. He makes it clear that unlike Bill Clinton, he did inhale, and then some.

I'm still kind of giddy at the prospect of having someone this literate and reflective as our president. I just hope he is tough enough to survive.

he will be ...after he has a nice big bowl of weedies

Suckers,

I really want to tackle Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Does anyone else feel like tackling that with me? If not, then I would like to formally suggest The Federalist papers. I think that both of these compilations are mandatory reading for everyone - not just Americans or those concerned with economics. They will also produce awesome conversation and increase the arguments between Dwill and myself.

Gracias

:king: