History
A People's History of the United States
May 16, 2008 10:08 PM
A People's History of the United States
1492 - Present
by Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn has an interesting perspective on the history—he puts himself in the shoes of the underdog (the people) and tells the story of the last 500 years. In this age of the "free agent" it certainly offers a good insight for the readers and for the next generation of leadership. This is not revisionist history, rather, it is describing the "dark side of the moon" that has not been seen before.
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No Ordinary Time
May 15, 2008 10:00 PM
No Ordinary Time
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt / The Home Front in World War II
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
This book is an absolute pleasure to read. When I started reading it, I could not put it down until I finished. Goodwin clearly has done her homework. It gives a very good insight into FDR the person. It is also interesting to get a glimpse of the relationship that FDR has with Eleanor, with his daughter, with his cabinet and with Churchill.
The Prize
May 14, 2008 10:54 PM
The Prize
The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power
by Daniel Yergin
This is a must read for anyone interested in the energy industry, and the influence that energy and energy policies can have in the world. This book covers the history of oil from the first oil seepages in the mid-nineteenth century until the late twentieth century. Some fascinating takeaways for me were:
- The history of Standard Oil and Rockefeller, including the anti-trust laws and the eventual break up of Standard Oil.
- How oil shaped world politics in the twentieth century through its impact in the world wars, particularly WWII
- How policy making in the western world was influenced oil and how the oil producing countries adapted/reacted to that. Also how policies of the oil producing countries caused oil companies to adapt.