I have serious doubts on Niall Ferguson factory. For example.his books on first world war deluge of factoids from research team but unconvincing theorised. Topic of great significance if course.. but I would not look there for non partisan guidence... there is definitive work on historical origins of neoliberalism on Mont Pelerin society detailed and reliable....(.authors name escapes me for moment get back to you on that.).
Adam Tooze on the other hand, generally (with no teams of doctoral students doing his leg work ) has proven almost 100% reliable as far as I am concerned..
I try not to have my reading agenda dominated too much by current preoccupations! Finding some distance always valuable.. !
So current reading is: volume 2 'Nelson: the sword of Albion' Huge microdetailed account of intersection of the personal, geopolitical and naval history and biography of the most famous British military leader. Impossible to guess personal and geopolitical links in contemporary world although people try...!Quite astonishing at times with many shocking vivid details i. For Nelson book (vol 2) perhaps you need prior interest in things naval to keep going for 1000 odd pages! But other amazing thing , such is domination of big budget films by USA, to this day there are no proper films of Nelson-despite vividness and drama of the narrative and computer graphics etc none planned either. (Any number of watchable big budget russian films been made on their military heroes! While brits no money left now! Perhaps just as well no Hollywood version outcome on Nelson garanteed ghastly anyway...! Topic for reading only!
Superseded 'world views'are worth exploring for their own sake precisely because thought to be so superseded!
Philip Mirowski "the road from Mont Pelerin' is fascinating definitive account of origins of neoliberalism..for the historically minded.. I have yet to go though Tooze :'Deluge' but confident it would be accurate on more recent events.
Thanks for the tip on Mirowski. I might check this out. I have watched the rise and transformation and possible fall of the 'Washington Consensus' up close over my 30+ year governemnt career, and might do a pod/article about my personal/historical reflections on that later this year
Thanks. Yes - I have reservations about Ferguson too. But he is accessible and prolific. The Nelson book sounds fascinating. The question on economic history books is an interesting one that I might give some more thought to.
A suggestion!! If you listen to other podcasts - mostly aiming at younger audiences admittedly- they all talk very fast..indeed Uk infamous podcaster (bookie wookie person) actually doubles speed of tape he puts out...ridiculous! But if divgerence from speed norms too great it is very problematic. Also more consise formulations required and less repetition would help. We all imagine ourselves pressed for time even when not.
Thanks for reference to Russia Anxiety prof Smith book.. have requested it from library. John Keane piece very good too I was surprised! As he works for the ' American' university of Sydney perhaps he got' tenure'!!
You can usually adjust the speed yourself. I listen to some at 1,25 or .75, if the speaker is too slow or irritatingly fast. You just look in settings. The same applies to YouTube.
Serhii Plokhy is I think the leading American-Ukrainian historian of Ukraine, and he has written a book Gates of Europe that is the overall history. He is very pro-Ukraine as the heartland of Slavic world, and oppressed by Russia. I tend to take a different view. Ukraine history is highly polarised at the moment.... maybe I should write something or do a video on it?
Ok , I’ll have the honour of being your first Substack correspondent 🙂 I recently finished A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey. He also has a podcast called Anti-Capitalist Chronicles. I recommend both. I also read A Little History of Economics by Niall Kishtainy. Can you recommend any good history books that focus on economics?
Thanks and welcome to the chat!. Great suggestions. Niall Ferguson, The Cash Nexus: money and power in the modern world, 1700-2000 is terrific. And also Adam Tooze The Deluge: The Great War, America and the Remaking of the Global Order, 1916-1931 is very good on the foundations of American power in finance. Tooze also wrote a book about the response to the pandemic but I have not read it.
Thanks and welcome to the chat!. Great suggestions. Niall Ferguson, The Cash Nexus: money and power in the modern world, 1700-2000 is terrific. And also Adam Tooze The Deluge: The Great War, America and the Remaking of the Global Order, 1916-1931 is very good on the foundations of American power in finance. Tooze also wrote a book about the response to the pandemic but I have not read it.
I have serious doubts on Niall Ferguson factory. For example.his books on first world war deluge of factoids from research team but unconvincing theorised. Topic of great significance if course.. but I would not look there for non partisan guidence... there is definitive work on historical origins of neoliberalism on Mont Pelerin society detailed and reliable....(.authors name escapes me for moment get back to you on that.).
Adam Tooze on the other hand, generally (with no teams of doctoral students doing his leg work ) has proven almost 100% reliable as far as I am concerned..
I try not to have my reading agenda dominated too much by current preoccupations! Finding some distance always valuable.. !
So current reading is: volume 2 'Nelson: the sword of Albion' Huge microdetailed account of intersection of the personal, geopolitical and naval history and biography of the most famous British military leader. Impossible to guess personal and geopolitical links in contemporary world although people try...!Quite astonishing at times with many shocking vivid details i. For Nelson book (vol 2) perhaps you need prior interest in things naval to keep going for 1000 odd pages! But other amazing thing , such is domination of big budget films by USA, to this day there are no proper films of Nelson-despite vividness and drama of the narrative and computer graphics etc none planned either. (Any number of watchable big budget russian films been made on their military heroes! While brits no money left now! Perhaps just as well no Hollywood version outcome on Nelson garanteed ghastly anyway...! Topic for reading only!
Superseded 'world views'are worth exploring for their own sake precisely because thought to be so superseded!
Philip Mirowski "the road from Mont Pelerin' is fascinating definitive account of origins of neoliberalism..for the historically minded.. I have yet to go though Tooze :'Deluge' but confident it would be accurate on more recent events.
Thanks for the tip on Mirowski. I might check this out. I have watched the rise and transformation and possible fall of the 'Washington Consensus' up close over my 30+ year governemnt career, and might do a pod/article about my personal/historical reflections on that later this year
Thanks. Yes - I have reservations about Ferguson too. But he is accessible and prolific. The Nelson book sounds fascinating. The question on economic history books is an interesting one that I might give some more thought to.
A suggestion!! If you listen to other podcasts - mostly aiming at younger audiences admittedly- they all talk very fast..indeed Uk infamous podcaster (bookie wookie person) actually doubles speed of tape he puts out...ridiculous! But if divgerence from speed norms too great it is very problematic. Also more consise formulations required and less repetition would help. We all imagine ourselves pressed for time even when not.
Thanks for reference to Russia Anxiety prof Smith book.. have requested it from library. John Keane piece very good too I was surprised! As he works for the ' American' university of Sydney perhaps he got' tenure'!!
Thanks. That's valuable feedback. I will try some experiments with form of the pod/video.
You can usually adjust the speed yourself. I listen to some at 1,25 or .75, if the speaker is too slow or irritatingly fast. You just look in settings. The same applies to YouTube.
I recently read 'Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine'. among other books on Russia and Ukraine. Can you recommend any history books on Ukraine?
Serhii Plokhy is I think the leading American-Ukrainian historian of Ukraine, and he has written a book Gates of Europe that is the overall history. He is very pro-Ukraine as the heartland of Slavic world, and oppressed by Russia. I tend to take a different view. Ukraine history is highly polarised at the moment.... maybe I should write something or do a video on it?
Ok , I’ll have the honour of being your first Substack correspondent 🙂 I recently finished A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey. He also has a podcast called Anti-Capitalist Chronicles. I recommend both. I also read A Little History of Economics by Niall Kishtainy. Can you recommend any good history books that focus on economics?
Thanks and welcome to the chat!. Great suggestions. Niall Ferguson, The Cash Nexus: money and power in the modern world, 1700-2000 is terrific. And also Adam Tooze The Deluge: The Great War, America and the Remaking of the Global Order, 1916-1931 is very good on the foundations of American power in finance. Tooze also wrote a book about the response to the pandemic but I have not read it.
Thanks and welcome to the chat!. Great suggestions. Niall Ferguson, The Cash Nexus: money and power in the modern world, 1700-2000 is terrific. And also Adam Tooze The Deluge: The Great War, America and the Remaking of the Global Order, 1916-1931 is very good on the foundations of American power in finance. Tooze also wrote a book about the response to the pandemic but I have not read it.