Recent Books I've Read

I used to really like reading. Then I went to college and had to read for class. Now I am rediscovering my love of the written word.

The books I have read recently with a short blurb of my thoughts:

Descent into Chaos by Ahmed Rashid

This was one of the most difficult books I have ever read. It was extremely well written—but I still literally had to put it down and stop reading it countless times. The book was by the authority on Central Asia and it lays bare the head-up-one’s ass manner in which the invasion and subsequent occupation of Afghanistan was conducted. One particularly hard part was the discussion of other Central Asian nations that got a free pass under Bush so long as they “supported” US policy objectives (even if places like Uzbekistan tortured political opponents/perceived threats to death by boiling them alive—yes, you read that correctly).

The book did, however, make me remember how much I love not having Bush as president and how important things like closing Guantanamo and stopping the use of torture really for US foreign policy. If you can read this and honestly tell me Bush protected us from terror you either only read the dedication or your are just plain dumb.

This book should be required reading along with my two Bibles (The World is Flat and Hot, Flat and Crowded).

Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

I had never read this classic and I felt guilty about it. So I bought it here in Taipei and tore through it. By the end I was talking like the protagonist. That said, I thought the book was overrated. Yes, it was interesting study in alienation from society. But I was tired of the prose and the protagonist was getting on my nerves by the end. Thank God it was short.

House to House by David Bellavia

This book is a non-fictional account by a US Army sergeant of the fighting in Fallujah, Iraq. The prose is decently refined (thank you ghost-writer) and the accounts of the fighting are incredibly gripping stuff. The culmination of the book was hand to hand fighting that resulted when the author entered a house alone to face off against 6 insurgents who had prepared a death trap and were jacked up on epinephrine (pure adrenaline shot directly into the heart).

All in all, it is a pretty raw look at combat and the sacrifices made by those in uniform. Definitely worth it to read.

Even Buffet Isn’t Perfect by Vahan Janjigian

The only book I could find about Warren Buffet that was not puckering up for a big kiss. Yet, after reading the book will admit that I would bow to the “Oracle of Ohama.” The first few chapters presented a good analysis of Buffet’s investment approaches, changes over time to this approach, and what was applicable to the average investor. The book was written by one of the editors of Forbes and the forward was by Steve Forbes himself so it should not be a surprise that at the end the author decided to discuss of Buffet’s positions on taxes.

Honestly, people who read books about Buffet aren’t looking for discussions on his estate tax positions. If you are that desperate to fill up space just put in some more graphs. Other than the last two chapters, the book was pretty good.

Next on the docket is about business managment in China.