Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy, Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman: A detailed analysis of how the United States has used its economic power to influence global politics and maintain its dominance.
April 2026
Exit, Voice, and Loyalty, Albert O. Hirschman: A classic work in political economy that explores how individuals respond to decline in firms, organizations, and states through exit (leaving), voice (protesting), or loyalty (staying).
Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Berlin Johnson: A study of the factors that seem to encourage innovation and novelty, whether at the physical, biological, or societal levels.
The Tyranny of Metrics, Jerry Z Muller: A critical analysis of the overreliance on metrics and quantifiable goals in various fields, and how it can lead to unintended consequences and inefficiencies.
A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science, Barbara Oakley: A guide to learning effectively in math and science.
The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, Nicholas Carr: An exploration of how the internet and digital technologies are affecting our cognition, attention, and memory.
The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli: The classic treatise on political power and statecraft.
In Praise of Shadows, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki: An essay on Japanese aesthetics and the beauty of darkness and shadow.
Why Don't We Learn From History?, B. H. Liddell Hart: An examination of why nations and leaders repeatedly fail to learn from past mistakes.
The Book of Tea, Kakuzō Okakura: A meditation on the Japanese tea ceremony and its connection to art and philosophy.