06 December 2006

List of Must-Read Books

Mr Tout asked me to compile a list of significant, must-read books. This was in response to his being blown away by a book of his that I had read and he hadn't, despite my many urgings over the years.

This book was

1. The Face of Battle - John Keegan

Nearly as good:

2. The History of Warfare - John Keegan

The usual suspects:

3. Dune
4. The Godfather


But now for the less famous:

5. Blood Money

6. Steel My Soldiers' Hearts - Col. David Hackworth

Very readable. Not quite as insightful into the nature of the world, but very readable. Gripping. Could have used a few more maps, especially at the climactic battle.

7. Guerilla Warfare - Che Guevara

8. Coup d'Etat - Edward Luttwak

This blew my socks off.

9. The Territorial Imperative

Heavy going - the guy is a writer, not a scientist, and he loves to show off his beautiful, crystalline, flintlike but difficult prose. But interesting.

10. Guns, Germs and Steel

Everything you ever wanted to know about how and why the white man - and the myth of the intrinsic superiority of the white man - conquered the earth.

11. The Consolations of Philosophy - Alain de Botton

Cheeky yet readable prose. Love his outlook. Basically he takes us through the history of philosophy - real philosophy, i.e. the significance of pleasure and pain - through looking at 6 key philosophers. Sets it forth so simply even your brother-in-law could understand it. Ends with Nietzsche and a great take on his message.

05 December 2006

Feminists for Polygamy

If feminists had any sense, they would campaign for polygamy.

Women would be the major beneficiaries of a polygynous society.

It would mean that instead of competing for males, with less attractive women having to make do with less attractive men, they could share more attractive men. It would in no way decrease their chances of having as many children as they wanted.

The other big winner would be the species as a whole, with a greater proportion of children having a more attractive father.

If we were to do away with our current socialistic monogamous system, the biggest losers would be unattractive men.

So I am amazed that feminists are not campaigning for the introduction of polygyny.