Tag Archives: book review

On Tyranny

Posted on April 10, 2022 by Harry Katz

I’ve lived my whole life in democratic countries. I’ve never experienced what it’s like to live under a dictatorship, thankfully. But these days, I’m worried. Democracy here in the US and around the world seems more fragile that it used … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Economic Weapon

Posted on April 3, 2022 by Harry Katz

This book could not be more timely. Published one month before Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, The Economic Weapon: The Rise of Sanctions as a Tool of Modern War is about the origins, evolution and uses of economic sanctions during … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Address Book

Posted on March 27, 2022 by Harry Katz

You probably don’t think about your street address very much. These days, I imagine you use it mainly to fill out forms or to tell online retailers where to deliver your packages. In reality, your address is loaded with meaning … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

When We Cease to Understand the World

Posted on March 20, 2022 by Harry Katz

When We Cease to Understand the World is a book about ideas that defy comprehension told in a way that defies categorization. It’s written by Benjamin Labatut, a Chilean writer born in Rotterdam in 1980. This is his third book, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science and technology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Fabric of Civilization

Posted on March 6, 2022 by Harry Katz

What are you wearing right now right next to your skin? Do you prefer clothing made from natural fabrics like cotton, wool, or silk?  Maybe you don’t mind synthetics like polyester. If you’re about to start a workout, you might … Continue reading →

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Entangled Life

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Harry Katz

When the author of this book about fungi started describing his participation in experiments involving LSD, I wondered if it was going to be a different sort of book than I was expecting. The author is Merlin Sheldrake, a biologist … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Environment | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Eloquence of the Sardine

Posted on February 6, 2022 by Harry Katz

As a young boy, Bill François manages to catch a wayward sardine with his toy net and pail while clambering around the rocky Mediterranean coast of his native France. I say wayward because sardines aren’t solitary creatures and they don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Environment | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The 1619 Project

Posted on January 30, 2022 by Harry Katz

We’ve all been taught the United States was founded on July 4, 1776, when representatives of the 13 colonies, gathered in Philadelphia, issued the Declaration of Independence. That’s the dominant historical narrative. But what if it’s not true? The 1619 … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, Law and justice | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Around the World in 80 Trees

Posted on January 16, 2022 by Harry Katz

Starting from London and zigzagging in an easterly direction, Jonathan Drori takes us on a grand tour visiting 80 of the world’s most interesting and exotic trees. Literally Around the World in 80 Trees. The book is printed on heavy … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Environment | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity

Posted on January 9, 2022 by Harry Katz

Everything you thought you knew about human history is wrong. And that’s a good thing. That’s the key message of The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity, a monumental work of scholarship by David Graeber and David Wengrow. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments