I've been gifted a gift certificate for a book at Border's and want to get

[CleanGreenFuture]

in there before my local one is closed. (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-18/borders-landlords-and-creditors-kobo-object-to-bankruptcy-liquidation.html).

I want a book that is a good summation of where we are currently as a nation - our socio-political state. What would be your suggestion for a big-picture book?

[Smilo]

1. Where's Waldo?

Or, The Potty Train.

[napoleon_in_rags]

2. I just bought my buddy a book there for his birthday.

Told him the receipt was in back if he didn't like it. Hope he likes it!

Its a shame to me. These bookstores played the role of libraries a little bit, places you could come and sit and read, connect with knowledge and be around other people doing the same. The MAJOR thrust of web tech needs to be toward reconnecting communities at this point, facilitating organic connection: Its all been cool, but its been incredibly dividing, its given us the matrix-like experience of being physically isolated in our little pods only connecting with our friends through the digital medium. We need to get back to meat space a bit and connect with our pals.

[handmade34]

3. big picture book??

Richard Scary's



but really, although not exactly what you're looking for... I am currently reading Jeff Madrick's "The Age of Greed" and it is a very good read


http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/jeff-madrick-on-how-wall-street-won-and-america-lost-20110624
"In his latest book, Age of Greed, former New York Times economic columnist Jeff Madrick tells how Wall Street triumphed and America paid the price. It's the story of how, starting in the 1970s, right-wing economics – a mystical cult centered on small government, low taxes and financial deregulation – and human greed teamed up to produce not shared prosperity but obscene economic inequality and financial instability, through the ideas and doings of a bipartisan roster of politicians, financiers, and economists, some obscure, others prominent (hello, Robert Rubin, Larry Summers!). We recently got him on the phone to talk about the triumph of finance and the decline of America in our age of greed."

[CleanGreenFuture]

4. Is there some reason I'm not aware why people seem to not be taking this post seriously?

What am I missing here?

[handmade34]

6. must be we are all parents... "big picture book"

it was my first impression but I do get it... good fun and no one means harm... also, maybe it is just people that haven't read any books lately and making fun of the post covers for their inadequacies.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. Good question.

I'm not sure why they aren't.

It could be that since there's been so much bad news lately that they feel the need to be really silly.

Please don't take it personally...

I have no really good suggestions as to which book you might like.

:hi:

[CleanGreenFuture]

12. Yea, we're definitely living in interesting time and it's all good. It's good to cut loose

and be goofy and try to have a little fun.

None taken personally, just wanted to be sure I hadn't stepped on an unseen land mine. :)

I've seen your posts since I joined CaliforniaPeggy and you are such a sweet lady! Thanks for the greeting :) :hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. Thank you!

:hi:

[BanzaiBonnie]

8. Some people read "big, picture book"

I understood you were looking for a "big picture" book. Sometimes people need to get a little goofy.

[BanzaiBonnie]

5. Spontaneous Evolution ~ Bruce Lipton & Steve Bhaerman

They cover the history of just about everything and how we got to the place we're at in the US and the world. Lipton is a biologist and he's very thorough in looking at history and putting it together with what may be in our future.

Just to let you know, the book is very dense and contains plenty of gems explaining how we got here.

[CleanGreenFuture]

19. Thanks for the suggestions, to you to Hardrada. I'll check out those titles. =)

[Hardrada]

9. People's History of America by Howard Zinn gets us up

pretty close to the present. Or get some recent titles by Noam Chomsky.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. Naomi Klein's Disaster Capitalism would be my first choice

I also like Ravi Batra's The New Golden Age: The Coming Revolution against Political Corruption and Economic Chaos

[CleanGreenFuture]

14. Thanks to you and white_wolf for the Naomi Klein rec but I actually have that

one already. And we're seeing much of what that book describes coming along now, especially in education.

The Ravi Batra title looks interesting. I'll check it out. Thanks!

[white_wolf]

15. Also two books By Thom Hartmann.

Screwed the Undeclared War on the Middle Class and Unequal Protection the Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights.

[CleanGreenFuture]

18. Oh, yes! I am familiar with his The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight

although I have only read passages of it.

Man, my list is starting to take shape nicely. Going to be hard to chose.

[Ruby the Liberal]

16. I am showing off my wonky side, but actually took Dr Batra's book on vacation

last year. Couldn't put it down. He makes some really eye opening observations.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

22. I checked out Ravi Batra on The Thom Hartmann show

Recommend! :kick:

"Progressive radio talk show host Thom Hartmann skypes with Dr. Ravi Batra; Economist, Professor of Economics at Southern Methodist University (SMU) / International bestselling author of "The New Golden Age: The Coming Revolution against Political Corruption and Economic Chaos" and "Greenspan's Fraud: How Two Decades of His Policies Have Undermined the Global Economy". They evaluate U.S. economics and debt recovery."

Thom Hartmann & Dr. Ravi Batra: When will the recession be over? PART 1;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsQwWPOUzTM&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

[Ruby the Liberal]

23. Thanks for the link!

Big fan of Dr Batra

[white_wolf]

11. Shock Doctrine the Rise of Diaster Capitalism?

[Electric Monk]

17. I've found Jon Stewart's "Earth (The Book)" makes a nice coffee table book.

Funny as hell, too. Somewhat lighter than the Zinn and Chomsky titles suggested upthread.

http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Show-Stewart-Presents-Earth/dp/044657922X

[CleanGreenFuture]

20. Actually, I really do need to get some new coffee table books. The ones

I have now have been there a while and probably need dusting anyway.

Thank you for the suggestion, Electric Monk.

[tuckessee]

21. You'll need dozens of books to get what you're asking for. n/t

[WCGreen]

24. The Long Emergency.... Moral Clarity.....