Society & Politics
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Extreme Prejudice / Susan Lindauer BOOK
OF MONTH Lindauer is an ex-CIA/DIA agent who blew the whistle on the false-flag 9-11 attacks. Because she was willing to testify that Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11 and that it was a Mossad operation, she was locked up with no trial for one year under the Patriot Act to keep her quiet. This is her account of the shameful actions of a US government complicit in the murder of its own citizens and that then started two wars on the back of those murders that were solely in Israel's interest. Extreme Prejudice is a warning of what happens when "security" is allowed to take precedence over democracy. |
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Rogue State / William Blum If you thought that America was and is the bastion of democratic ideals and freedom in the world then this book will make you think again. Written by a former employee of the State Department, Rogue State systematically destroys any notion that America somehow acts in a more enlightened and civilised manner than other brutal and suppressive regimes around the world. This is a warning for both those who live in the "Land of the Free" and those countries that unthinkingly support its international terrorist activity. |
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Hegemony or Survival / Noam Chomsky America's domination of the world has become so dangerous that Chomsky, one of the world's most intellectual activists, argues in this fantastic book that this hegemony threatens the survival of the human race — hence its title: Hegemony or Survival. The only thing that can counterbalances this rogue superpower is, Chomsky argues, world public opinion. He also shows us that in this climate of world domination and oppression, the only nations that seem to be able to stand up against this "playground bully" are those with nuclear weapons, a fact that strongly encourages global nuclear proliferation. |
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Imperial Ambitions / Noam Chomsky This books consists of a series of interviews with David Barsamian that Chomsky gave, post 9/11, regarding the US Empire and its relation to the rest of the world. In it, Chomsky, in very clear and unambiguous language, shows the reader the mechanisms of modern day empire building and how domestic propaganda is central to maintaining public support for terrible atrocities and war crimes committed by the US and its allies in the name of democracy and liberation. Chomsky also argues that change requires dedication, and just because the Iraq anti-war demonstrations did not achieve their immediate objective does not mean that activists should just give up and go home. |
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Year 501 / Noam Chomsky This is one of Chomsky's best and most scholarly political works, which outlines the history of Western governments' rise to world-domination over the past 500 years. Chomsky paints a bleak picture of how these countries (Europe and later America), under the guise of "free-market" and "freer-people", have actually used intimidation, subsidies, protectionism, violence, civil-war and occupation to subjugate Third World countries and steal their wealth. This book can be heavy reading but it is well worth the effort. |
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Free to be Human / David Edwards The subtitle of this book is "Intellectual Self-Defence in an Age of Illusions" and that is exactly what it is. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in looking below the surface dross of modern living to the core issues that are spiralling us towards social, economic and ecological collapse. Edwards writes with passion, clarity and insight, and it is a mystery why the book doesn't have a higher profile. In case you have trouble finding it, the publishers are www.greenbooks.co.uk ( tel +44 1803 863260) and the ISBN is 1 870098 88 9. |
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Making Terrorism History / S. Elworthy & G. Rifkind Want to end terrorism for good? This little book should be required reading for all politicians in their "battle" against terrorism, and for the rest of humanity if we want to finally realize lasting world peace. Elworthy and Rifkind put forward solutions that heal the very heart of terrorism — abuse and trauma — rather than outdated methods of diplomacy which only serve to proliferate terrorism, as we are witnessing in the Middle East today. The stakes for the West have never been higher as terrorism is no longer something that happens in far-off places, and we we ignore the methods outlined in this book at our peril. |
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The Exception To The Rulers / Amy
Goodman Amy Goodman is an award-winning journalist with one of the most popular shows on American public radio — one of the few independent media outlets in a country saturated by right-wing media corporations. Goodman shows us what true investigative journalism should be like as she exposes the lies, corruption and crimes of the American power elite. For them, 9/11 was the windfall that allowed the Bush administration to force through its Orwellian control of the men, women and children of America, taking political spin and rhetoric to new depths. This book is an education in the abuse of democracy. |
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Love All The People / Bill Hicks Bill Hicks is an American Comedian, now tragically deceased, who you either love or hate. But most would agree that the man was a genius at expressing alternative perspectives of modern American society. Hicks never went to college and is no academic; instead, he picked up the insights he expresses whilst on the road doing stand-up comedy, something he did professionally since he was thirteen years old before dying of cancer at the age of 32. This book is likely to get you laughing out loud in public places, and its only drawback is the slight repetition of jokes because it is basically a transcript of some of this live comedy routines. |
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How to be Idle / Tom Hodgkinson I originally got this book for some humorous light reading… a welcome respite from some of more weighty political books. What a surprise to find that this book not only carries a profound message to those of us caught up in the fast pace and production-fixation of the capitalist machine, but it is brilliantly written in a compelling and humorous way that belies the profoundity of its message! Hodgkinson makes a very convincing case for sitting back in our dreams and watching the world go by. This book is a antidote to the self-help and "how to" books that pollute our bookshops, and try to turn us into "productive" citizens. |
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Arguments Against G8 / Gill
Hubbard & David Miller If you have always wondered why G8 summits are plagued by demonstrators when G8 rhetoric involves such noble things as helping Africa and reducing green house gases then you must read this book. Hubbard and Miller have done an excellent job in creating a one-stop guide to everything about G8 — what it is, what it does, and why it is actually the cause of most of the world's problems rather than their solution. This book also includes chapters by leading writers and activists such as Noam Chomsky, George Monbiot, Caroline Lucas, Mark Curtis and Susan George. By the end of this book you will understand that G8 spells war, poverty and environmental ruin to much of the world. An informative read! |
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Culture of Complaint / Robert Hughes As an Australian who has lived in America for a couple of decades, Hughes set out to show the "hollowness at the cultural core" of the country, criticizing in this book, which was based on a series of lectures, trends from across the political spectrum including political correctness, Afro-centrism and the Reaganite demagogy. |
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BlowBack / Chalmers Johnson As professor emeritus at the University of California and president of the Japan Policy Research Institute, Johnson talks with authority and understanding in his devastating expose of the consequences of US policies around the world. "Blowback" is a CIA term that refers to the negative consequences of political meddling in other countries, something we will no doubt are witnessing not only in 9-11 but also in the consequences of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. This book should be required reading for every American. |
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The Shock Doctrine / Naomi Klein In the early 1950s, the CIA did experiments to show that human beings will reduce to a child-like state when shocked either by some real or imagined threat, and will unhesitantly follow the dictates of authority. As a result, Milton Freedman, the economist, advised that the time to pass laws that are not in the interest of the people is straight after a disaster. This doctrine has been used to devastating effect after the shocks of 9-11 and the Iraq invasion. As a result, modern democracies have been eroded by politicians who have deliberately induced fear and shock in society so that the people blindly accept the erosion of their liberty and become willing slaves to dictatorial agendas. |
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Rule By Secrecy / Jim Marrs This well researched shows that you don't have to be a paranoid to accept the existence of secret societies that have ruled and shaped our civilisation since the dawn of time. Today, those societies and cabals are as stronger than ever, and most of us would be shocked to learn how powerful they have become both politically and economically. The leading nations (US / EU) and hence the whole world are today ruled by a tiny elite minority, and this is essential to understanding modern Western "democracies" and the current breakdown of society. |
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Hidden Agendas / John Pilger This book is not easy reading material for a Westerner because it exposes how our "civilized" countries have raped the resources of the Third World in a ruthless effort to protect their interests. In the process, nothing has been allowed to get in the way of the West's hidden agendas, resulting in millions of innocent people being murdered and oppressed. Pilger is a first class journalist who meticulously backs up his message with facts and observations — many of them first hand. One cannot fail to read this book and see Western politics in the same way again. |
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The New Rulers of the World / John Pilger Pilger does not pull any punches in this book that challenges the manner in which the West is trying to deal with terrorism in the Middle East. He cogently argues that bombing Iraq will be the very worst decision the West could make if it really wanted world peace. For example, the US bombing of Afghanistan has only reinforced the very conditions that breed violent extremism. Pilger shows us the hidden agendas that the West has in perpetrating this campaign of "stamping out terrorism". This is a very well written, heartfelt, eye opening and timely book. |
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Uncommon Sense / Gregory Sams As a pioneer in chaos theory and founder of Strange Attractions, the world's only shop that was dedicated to chaos theory, Sams argues that the world has so many problems precisely because there is so much control, and that loosening up the constraints in society many make it a little more chaotic, but paradoxically will also make it find a more living and harmonious order (order out of chaos). This unique book is available free on the web at www.chaos-works.com and is highly recommended for its originality and readability. |
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American Dream Global Nightmare / Sardar & Davies This book investigates the American Dream, how it developed, what it means to America, and the consequences of this dream around the world. The Dream begins with the assumption that because America is different, is exceptional, it is somehow held by most Americans to be exempt from from being judged by the same standards as other societies around the world. The result is a country, whether it is led by democrats or republicans, that feels justified in illegally invading other soverign states, murdering many thousands of their people, stealing their resources, and destroying their culture… all in the of "freedom", "progress" and "democracy". |
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The Unconscious Civilization / John
Ralston Saul Saul is a philosopher and in this book he shows us how the economic machine coupled with disproportionate political representation resulting from escalating self-interest has steadily eroded democracy and taken us back to 1930s corporatism. Saul is a deep and passionate writer who strongly puts forward the need for society to get back to a more participatory democracy, freed from the shackles of the corporate machine. |
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Blackwater / Jeremy Scahill This book documents the rise of the world's most powerful mercenary army, Blackwater USA, a 23,300-strong private army that was established by in 1996 by ex-Navy Seal Erik Prince, a billionaire Christian conservative and Republican Party supporter. Not only is Blackwater focused on overseas missions, playing for example a bloody role in Fallujah, but it is also used domestically — for example it was used to patrol some of the streets after the New Orleans disaster. The problem with Blackwater is that as it operates as a private contractor it is largely above the rule of law. |
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Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace
/ Gore Vidal This anti-what-America-has-become book is so good that it actually sold 100,000 copies in America itself! Gore Vidal is one of the most witty, erudite and insightful political and social commentators you are ever likely to read. The subtitle of this book neatly sums up what is in its covers: "How We [America] Got To Be So Hated — Causes Of Conflict In The Last Empire". Pushing past simplistic and media-promoted aphorisms such as Bush's "They are evil, we are good," Vidal follows the terrorist scent to the door of American government itself. This is a fantastic book. |
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