Category Archives: Books

A Look at “Recoding America: Why Government is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better”

Posted on July 29, 2023 by billmanzi

Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better by Jennifer Pahlka My rating: 5 of 5 stars I have been intrigued by recent writing (and podcasting) by Ezra Klein on the lack … Continue reading →

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A Look at “The Ghost at the Feast” by Robert Kagan

Posted on June 17, 2023 by billmanzi

The Ghost at the Feast: America and the Collapse of World Order, 1900-1941 by Robert Kagan My rating: 5 of 5 stars Author Robert Kagan has given us an extraordinary book that looks at U.S. foreign policy from 1898 to … Continue reading →

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A Look at “The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers” by Paul Kennedy

Posted on June 3, 2023 by billmanzi

The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000 by Paul Kennedy My rating: 5 of 5 stars Paul Kennedy’s “The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers” is a monumental work … Continue reading →

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A Look at “Grant” by Ron Chernow

Posted on April 8, 2023 by billmanzi

Grant by Ron Chernow My rating: 5 of 5 stars “Grant” by Ron Chernow is a thoroughly researched and insightful biography of Ulysses S. Grant, one of the true giants of American history. The book does not shy away from … Continue reading →

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A Look at G-Man J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century

Posted on March 26, 2023 by billmanzi

G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century by Beverly Gage My rating: 5 of 5 stars J Edgar Hoover A new biography of J. Edgar Hoover has arrived, and in light of my rather sparse understanding … Continue reading →

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A look at “Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology” by Chris Miller

Posted on January 21, 2023 by billmanzi

Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology by Chris Miller My rating: 5 of 5 stars One of the most important books of 2022, and most certainly one of the best. Author Chris Miller has produced a … Continue reading →

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A Look at “The Avoidable War” by Kevin Rudd

Posted on January 2, 2023 by billmanzi

The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping’s China by Kevin Rudd My rating: 4 of 5 stars Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has written a book on the relationship between the … Continue reading →

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A Look at Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942 by Ian Toll

Posted on December 25, 2022 by billmanzi

Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941–1942 by Ian W. Toll My rating: 5 of 5 stars I had this book on my list for a bit, and a Kindle deal got me to finally sit down with … Continue reading →

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A Look at “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle” by Jon Meacham

Posted on December 11, 2022 by billmanzi

And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another book on Lincoln? There has been so much written on the life of Abraham Lincoln that I was a bit … Continue reading →

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A Look at Blood and Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871-1918 by Katja Hoyer

Posted on November 12, 2022 by billmanzi

Blood and Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871–1918 by Katja Hoyer My rating: 5 of 5 stars The history of Europe, and the obviously outsized role that the nation of Germany has played in that history, … Continue reading →

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