Tommy By Prof Richard Holmes

See No Evil by Robert Baer "The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA`s War on Terrorism"
The true story that inspired the film SYRIANA starring George Cöooney

Freakonomics

Interesting read I'll let the book blurb explain


About "Freakonomics"



Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? Why do drug dealers still live with their moms? How much do parents really matter? What kind of impact did Roe v. Wade have on violent crime?

These may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He is a much-heralded young scholar who studies the riddles of everyday life-from cheating and crime to sports and child-rearing — and whose conclusions regularly turn the conventional wisdom on its head. He usually begins with a mountain of data and a simple, unasked question. Some of these questions concern life-and-death issues; others have an admittedly freakish quality. Thus the new field of study contained in this book: Freakonomics.







Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, Levitt and co-author Stephen J. Dubner show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives - how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. In Freakonomics, they set out to explore the hidden side of — well, everything. The inner workings of a crack gang. The truth about real-estate agents. The myths of campaign finance. The telltale marks of a cheating schoolteacher. The secrets of the Ku Klux Klan.

What unites all these stories is a belief that the modern world, despite a surfeit of obfuscation, complication, and downright deceit, is not impenetrable, is not unknowable, and - if the right questions are asked - is even more intriguing than we think. All it takes is a new way of looking. Steven Levitt, through devilishly clever and clear-eyed thinking, shows how to see through all the clutter.

Freakonomics establishes this unconventional premise: if morality represents how we would like the world to work, then economics represents how it actually does work. It is true that readers of this book will be armed with enough riddles and stories to last a thousand cocktail parties. But Freakonomics can provide more than that. It will literally redefine the way we view the modern world.





Steven D. Levitt is the Alvin H. Baum Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago, where he is also director of The Becker Center on Chicago Price Theory. In 2004, he was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal, which recognizes the most influential economist in America under the age of 40. More recently, he was named one of Time magazine's "100 People Who Shape Our World." Levitt received his B.A. from Harvard University in 1989, his Ph.D. from M.I.T. in 1994, and has taught at Chicago since 1997.

Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning author and journalist who lives in New York City.In addition to Freakonomics, he is the author of Choosing My Religion (previously published as Turbulent Souls), Confessions of a Hero-Worshiper, and a forthcoming children's book, The Boy With Two Belly Buttons. His journalism has appeared primarily in the New York Times and The New Yorker, and has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting, The Best American Crime Writing, and elsewhere. He has taught English at Columbia University (while receiving an M.F.A. there), played in a rock band (which was signed to Arista Records), and, as a writer, was first published at the age of 11, in Highlights for Children.





PROBABLY KICKED THE ARRSE OUT OF THAT CUT AND PASTE.......





http://www.freakonomics.com/

Having finished the bloody Niall Fergusson, I waltishly speed read through 'The Quiet Soldier' (still a good book- albeit depressing) I am redeeming myself by reading Burmese Days.

Originally Posted by singha61

See No Evil by Robert Baer "The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA`s War on Terrorism"
The true story that inspired the film SYRIANA starring George Cöooney

I hope the book then is better than the movie, which was shite.

Right Now, I am reading 'Travels with a Primate' by Terry '5 years in a cupboard' Waite. Its a faintly amusing collection of stories about eh Arch Bishop of Cantebury's travels across the UK and World and who they met, what was done and so forth. Nicely written, I recommend it as a book for your mum on her birthday.

ISBN 0-00-710633-5

Currrently reading the "Call of the Wild" by Guy Grieve. A true story of urined off New Scotsman employee who decides to live in the Interior of Alaska for year. Struggling to build a log cabin in the start of winter and having to deal with bears, wolves and wolverines etc. An excellent read!!

Originally Posted by ugly

Just finished "Quartered safe out here" by george Macdonald Fraser. Very well written and a real private soldiers eye view of battle. I can thoroughly recommend it!

Just started it. (Uncle was in 2 Borders, died up the Irrawaddy 17 March 1944.)

GMF deserves a medal for his writing skills, never mind Burma. I hope you are now moving on to the McAuslans and the Flashmans (Flashmen?).

Even though McAuslan is written for a laugh and QSOH is serious, the latter is still as funny as copulation.

Some Desperate Glory.

Having seen in recommended on another thread I got a copy from the interweb. I don't think that I have reached the classic bits yet, though it is an interesting insight into the life of a young officer during the routine of the First World War. However, I am still not a great fan of reading diaries.

Seven Roads to Hell.

One of series of 4 books by Donald R Burgett. Bought the lot for about £12 on Amazon.

Don Burgett was in A Coy, 1st Bn 506 PIR, 101st Airborne Div during WWII and the books follow him from joining up and training through to the end of the war. He says that he wrote his memoirs straight after the war but didn't have them published for years. The books are as follows:

Currahee! - A Screaming Eagle at Normandy
The Road to Arnhem - A Screaming Eagle in Holland
Seven Roads to Hell - A Screaming Eagle at Bastogne
Beyond the Rhine - A Screaming Eagle in Germany

Most of what he covers is all from his perspective and goes into a lot more detail than the likes of Band of Brothers E Coy, 2nd Bn 506 PIR and can at times be quite graphic. It seems a quite honest account, although at times his writing style can ramble on.

I would still recommend them especially The Road to Arnhem which might explain why the majority of Americans hate Monty.