Reading Still Matters

My first read of 2026 was James Romm's recent work: Plato and the Tyrant: The fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a Philosophic Masterpiece . And what a way to start the reading year. Hopefully all the books I read in 2026 will be as unique and interesting as this one was.  Buy it on Amazon:  https://amzn.to/4vDjvka Plato and the Tyrant is basically three strands rolled into a single cohesive narrative. It's a history of the city state of Syracuse and its interactions with rival powers, a biography of many of the men and women of the era, including Plato, Dionysius (the Elder and Younger), and Dion, as well as an interesting analysis of the Republic and how Plato developed it in light of his experiences visiting Syracuse.   Basically, the story of Plato and the Tyrant is the story of Plato's attempt to shape a couple of Syracusan tyrants into enlightened philosopher kings who could reshape governance in the Hellenic world and end the general declin...

Antony Beevor's Russia: Revolution and Civil War, 1917-1921 is a dramatic survey of one of the most shocking and brutal events of the 20th century - the collapse of the Tsarist autocracy and its replacement by violent zealots determined to reshape the world.     Buy it on Amazon:  https://amzn.to/4vDjvka Who is Antony Beevor? Antony Beevor is an internationally renowned and sometimes controversial British military historian who has written a number of books, including Stalingrad, The Fall of Berlin, and The Battle for Spain, among a number of others.   Interestingly, Beevor had been a tank commander in the British army before deciding to leave and write full-time. In some countries where his work has been published, his books have generated considerable controversy and even bans. For example, both Russians and Ukrainians took exception to his portrayal of their respective military's actions during the battle of Stalingrad. There was much discussion of the bru...

Interest in Russia briefly waned after the fall of the Soviet Union, but newly aggressive Russia under Vladimir Put has revived interest in Russia.   If you are looking for some solid history recommendations to give you a better sense to the history of modern Russia, check out the selections below. A History of Twentieth-Century Russia by Robert Service      In A History of Twentieth-Century Russia, Service provides a comprehensive, single-volume narrative history that covers the tumultuous period from the final years of Tsar Nicholas II through the collapse of the Soviet Union.      It is widely regarded as a useful reference and an accessible introduction for general readers, incorporating material from previously closed Soviet archives. This book remains a great place to start for understanding Russia's twentieth century and a better understanding of the system that produced the likes of Vladimir Putin.      Service constructs...