If you read this as a history you will be disappointed. It covers some historical events, yes, but I believe this is better read as a commentary or reflection. Gore Vidal paints a very humanizing picture of the founding fathers of the US and highlights some parallels to a modern political (and judicial) reality.
Reviews and Comments
Giving BookWyrm a try! Lately I've been reading a good bit of Economics, History, and Politics, but also enjoy SciFi.
I keep a much simpler reading list, but thought it may be fun to try something more functional and federated. You can also find me @rho@fosstodon.org
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Stoner by John Williams, John Williams (NYRB Classics)
William Stoner is born at the end of the nineteenth century into a dirt-poor Missouri farming family. Sent to the …
rho reviewed Inventing a Nation by Gore Vidal
Fast, entertaining, and thought provoking.
4 stars
rho reviewed To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
At the turn of the twenty-second century, scientists make a breakthrough in human spaceflight. Through …
This book was like a painting; minimal, austere, beautiful.
5 stars
rho reviewed In the Country of Last Things by Paul Auster
Well written; dark, sad, despondent, and near hopless
4 stars
rho rated Virtue Hoarders: 2 stars
Virtue Hoarders by Catherine Liu
A denunciation of the credentialed elite class that serves capitalism while insisting on its own progressive heroism
Author Catherine Liu …
rho rated The drama of the gifted child: 3 stars
rho reviewed Invisible Rulers by Renee DiResta
An “essential and riveting” (Jonathan Haidt) analysis of the radical shift in the dynamics of …
A Breakdown of Social Media, Bespoke Realities, and Modern Propaganda
5 stars
Lottery by Shirley Jackson
The intoxicated --
The daemon lover --
Like Mother used to make --
Trial by combat --
The villager -- …
rho reviewed The Lost Cause by Cory Doctorow
A novel of truth and reconciliation in our polarized future.
Struggled with this one.
3 stars
The main premise is both thought provoking and exciting. However, I had a hard time relating to any of the characters.
rho reviewed Rome's Last Citizen by Rob Goodman
Enjoyable
4 stars
Entertaining and approachable rundown of Cato's life and legacy. Takes some liberties with character motivations and thoughts, but I think does so to help stitch a narrative together.
The book can stand alone, though I think would be most enjoyable with some prior knowledge of the Julius Caesar / Fall of the Republic story.
rho reviewed Rescuing Retirement by Teresa Ghilarducci
Simplified yet well referenced; a quick pitch on what seems like a good idea.
3 stars
rho reviewed We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor (Bobiverse, #1)
Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life …
Fast and entertaining
3 stars
Content warning general details on the main plot device
A novel idea for a plot device that I don't think I've encountered before (digitized human consciousness in the form of a von Neumann probe). It was quick and entertaining, however I feel like it was a missed opportunity to have a bit more depth.
rho reviewed The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse
The Glass Bead Game (German: Das Glasperlenspiel, pronounced [das ˈɡlaːspɛʁlənˌʃpiːl] (listen)) is the last full-length …
A Tome
4 stars
rho reviewed Justice as Fairness by John Rawls
This book originated as lectures for a course on political philosophy that Rawls taught regularly …