Reading Lamps and Smoking Jackets

[HillDweller]

The story, chapter after chapter, is as engrossing as any action thriller.

I've been reading this sporadically over the summer. It does seem as fast paced as a thriller, despite the time span it covers. I'm nearing the end. Despite the blood-thirstiness of these Sultans some seemed to be very good administrators.

 

[deluxestogie]

A curious parallel that I found between the Ottoman Empire and the history related in Romance of the Three Kingdom (history separated by ~1500 years and more than 4000 miles) is the common practice, after a new heir has been raised to the throne, of killing his siblings, in order to minimize intrigue and disruption. Also, that government and leadership decadence occurs in cycles.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Emperor Claudius of Rome:
"As he had a limp and slight deafness due to sickness at a young age, he was ostracized by his family and was excluded from public office until his consulship (which was shared with his nephew, Caligula, in 37). Claudius's infirmity probably saved him from the fate of many other nobles during the purges throughout the reigns of Tiberius and Caligula, as potential enemies did not see him as a serious threat. His survival led to his being declared emperor by the Praetorian Guard after Caligula's assassination, at which point he was the last adult male of his family."

Claudius - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Kind of a common thread.

Bob

EDIT: I watched the 13 TV episodes of I, Claudius on PBS, back in 1977. Superb acting and storytelling.

 

[jclif43]

Whew! Four-and-a-half months after beginning the first volume, I finished reading the second volume of Romance of the Three Kingdoms last night. I can see why it has remained popular reading in China. The messages it delivered to me are that:

• people's behavior has not changed over the millennia
• there are always good leaders and bad leaders
• there are brilliant advisors who are occasionally wrong
• there are stupid advisors who are occasionally right
• power corrupts
• corruption leads to defeat
• there are always those who remain loyal
• there are always those who betray
• most ordinary soldiers have no choice
• most folks readily engage in magical thinking
• all governments, dynasties, kingdoms, nations—all eventually fail

I guess what I'm saying is that Romance of the Three Kingdoms reads like today's news.

Bob

https://www.amazon.com/Romance-Three-Kingdoms-Tuttle-Classics/dp/0804834679/

https://www.amazon.com/Romance-Three-Kingdoms-Tuttle-Classics/dp/0804834687/

Sadly history does tend to repeat itself. Perhaps we haven’t advanced as much as we would like to think we have!

 

[deluxestogie]

Italian burglar caught after sitting down with book

The would-be thief became distracted after picking up a book about Greek mythology on a bedside table.

www.bbc.com

 

[deluxestogie]

by Daniel James Brown

This is an engrossing, true saga of the first third of the 20th century. While delving into the profound hardships of growing up in poverty during the post-pioneer days of the US northwest, its scope shifts repeatedly to the events occurring in the wider world. Bank failures, comfortable families becoming instantly homeless, the shock of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl collapse of Midwest agriculture—these are all explored within the context of impoverished boys overcoming daunting odds, in order to get an education. And in Europe, the rise of the Nazi party in Germany includes Hitler's grandiose plans for hosting the Olympics.

I found this book therapeutic in that it helped me to laugh at the many niggling aggravations that were consuming my time, attention and motivation. I have it easy.

Two Coincidences:

1. The story of the University of Washington's evolving rowing competition with the University of California-Berkeley (CAL) mentioned CAL's practice venue in the Oakland estuary. I lived in Berkeley for a time, only a few miles away from the estuary. As I was reading that portion of the book, the news carried a story of a wildfire burning homes in the Oakland hills. That was just down the street from my 1903 brown shingle (easily combustible) house at the base of the adjacent Berkeley hills.
2. One of the main characters (a real person) taught himself to play multiple stringed instruments, and would often sing old folk songs while he played for anyone who would listen. Some enjoyed it; some laughed at him. As a teenager, I would carry my guitar in a hand-sewn cover, when I would travel on the commuter trains outside Philadelphia. Occasionally someone in the 69th Street train station would ask me to play something. I would then proudly pull the cloth cover off of my $25 guitar, and sing folk songs to anyone who would listen. Some enjoyed it; some laughed at me.

You don't need to be interested in rowing (I'm not.), or even in sports, for this book to be a wonderful read.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

These two books, by the same co-authors, are not light reading. Robinson and Acemoglu (together), were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for 2024. But the books are not "economics". They are both detailed excursions into the historical narratives of tribes, civilizations and nations that you have likely never heard of, as well as those you certainly know already.

The authors' basic thrust is an attempt to answer the question of why some nations thrive economically, while most do not. The first book, Why Nations Fail, constructs their theories regarding the impact of exclusionary political systems together with extractive economic systems [ruled by the elite, and enriching only the elite]—systems that discourage innovation and progress for fear of change [creative destruction]. This is contrasted with inclusive political systems together with open economic systems.

They recount numerous instances where top leaders of nations, upon being presented with a brilliant, new technical or industrial innovation, simply execute the inventor. As western Europe began to create extensive railroad systems, eastern European nations forbid the building of them.

In their second book, The Narrow Corridor, they utilize Hobbes' "Leviathan" in a choice of:

• a no Leviathan government (absent)
• a shackled Leviathan government
• an unshackled Leviathan government (despotic),

and also the analogy of The Red Queen, from Alice in Wonderland—together, they run and run, but get nowhere.

These are both wonderfully written, and will surprise even history buffs.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

These two books, by the same co-authors, are not light reading. Robinson and Acemoglu (together), were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for 2024. But the books are not "economics". They are both detailed excursions into the historical narratives of tribes, civilizations and nations that you have likely never heard of, as well as those you certainly know already.

The authors' basic thrust is an attempt to answer the question of why some nations thrive economically, while most do not. The first book, Why Nations Fail, constructs their theories regarding the impact of exclusionary political systems together with extractive economic systems [ruled by the elite, and enriching only the elite]—systems that discourage innovation and progress for fear of change [creative destruction]. This is contrasted with inclusive political systems together with open economic systems.

They recount numerous instances where top leaders of nations, upon being presented with a brilliant, new technical or industrial innovation, simply execute the inventor. As western Europe began to create extensive railroad systems, eastern European nations forbid the building of them.

In their second book, The Narrow Corridor, they utilize Hobbes' "Leviathan" in a choice of:

• a no Leviathan government (absent)
• a shackled Leviathan government
• an unshackled Leviathan government (despotic),

and also the analogy of The Red Queen, from Alice in Wonderland—together, they run and run, but get nowhere.

These are both wonderfully written, and will surprise even history buffs.

Bob

I actually looked at the title earlier today on Amazon while scanning for political science books. I will have to give those a try. Kinda spooky those popped up again a few hours after I was considering them.

edit: I added Why Nations Fail to my wishlist. I'm currently reading both the The Hope and The Glory by Herman Wouke for about the third time. I just finished The Winds of War, War and Rememberance (for at least the third time) and A Hole in Texas (for the second time). All great books. Highly recommend.

 

[deluxestogie]

Wow! Today's declaration of Marshal Law by South Korea's unpopular, right-wing president, is right out of the discussion of Latin American dictatorships, in the second book, The Narrow Corridor, by Robinson and Acemoglu.

Bob