Sounds like fun.

Jared Diamond is a quack.

@Ghug And i'd like to get lots of opinions and criticism before accepting either the thesis of his book, or that he is a quack.

(not that there's anything wrong with your idea; that just always needs saying)

I'm reading some of the criticism of Diamond now...

diamond is worth reading regardless of the criticism. he's still brilliantly controversial.

Actually i like this conclusion :

"Even if Diamond makes mistakes — and he does — might his taking on big questions for large numbers of readers do more good than harm? Science writer John Horgan blogged on Monday, for instance, that "Diamond challenges the kneejerk sense of superiority of those of us in WEIRD societies." That's no small thing."

An anthropologist who clearly see some value in the wrong messages asserted by Jared Diamond,

*'Hot Flat and Crowded'

I think there will be a lot of controversial ideas in some of the books, and i think i have in the past read uncritically. That is most of the point of wanting to read with others, to hear multiple voices on interesting issues, not all of them agreeing (and we're very good aty not agreeing on the webdip forums, so it seems ideal)

I would like to propose "1491" and "1493" by Charles C Mann. I read 1491 and it is so good.

naw byron. all games need rhymes. you know this mane.

I've always loved the idea of a book club right up until the moment I see the books the other people want to read :p. I wish you luck :)

so far:
orathaic
Lethologica
CommanderByron
Octavious (but only books he picks out :p)

anyone else to add to the list?

orathaic wrote: "Even if Diamond makes mistakes — and he does — might his taking on big questions for large numbers of readers do more good than harm? Science writer John Horgan blogged on Monday, for instance, that "Diamond challenges the kneejerk sense of superiority of those of us in WEIRD societies." That's no small thing."

Diamond himself writes in Guns, Germs and Steel:

“Until we have some convincing, detailed, agreed-upon explanation for the broad pattern of history, most people will continue to suspect that the racist biological explanation is correct after all.That seems to me the strongest argument for writing this book..

+1 Jared Diamond.

"Why the West Rules for Now" by Ian Morris.

Like Guns, Germs and Steel the book is not perfect (and its is not as good as Diamond's book), but it is good book for stimulating debate.

"Why the West Rules for Now" by Ian Morris.
"Hot, Flat and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman.
"1491" and "1493" by Charles C Mann
'Guns, Germs and Steel' by Jared Diamond

(maybe this is the more important list)

Sticking with theme of politics and economics suggested by orathaic:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_in_the_Twenty-First_Century

I haven't yet read this, but I bought it on sale on Audible the other day.
Sound quite interesting.

"Capital in the Twenty-First Century is a 2013 book by French economist Thomas Piketty. It focuses on wealth and income inequality in Europe and the United States since the 18th century."

"The book's central thesis is that when the rate of return on capital (r) is greater than the rate of economic growth (g) over the long term, the result is concentration of wealth, and this unequal distribution of wealth causes social and economic instability. Piketty proposes a global system of progressive wealth taxes to help reduce inequality and avoid the vast majority of wealth coming under the control of a tiny minority."

that would be the hot book of the year, spyman. I recommend it immensely.

"Why the West Rules for Now" by Ian Morris.
"Hot, Flat and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman.
"1491" and "1493" by Charles C Mann
'Guns, Germs and Steel' by Jared Diamond
"Capital in the Twenty-First Century" by French Thomas Piketty
"Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions"k by Dan Ariely

Dune

At the risk of ballooning the to-read list, here are some recommendations:
-The Design Of Everyday Things
-Rising From The Plains
-Poor Economics

"I've always loved the idea of a book club right up until the moment I see the books the other people want to read :p. I wish you luck :)"

Panning other people's favorite books is at least half the fun of a book club.

I'll join, although I only happen to own one of these books. Guess I should dust off that library card.

Morris's book - 768 pages
Friedman's book - 448 pages
1491 - 465 pages
1493 - 720 pages
Diamond's book - 480 pages
Piketty's book - 696 pages
Ariely's book - 384 pages

Just so people know what they're getting themselves into.

I would suggest that a core group of people would choose a book, and then if Someone who isn't in the club has read the book, they could join in on the conversation.

Book club sounds fun but I'm afraid it'll bring obi back so I can't, sorry.

@redeer: I feel like anyone should be able to join the conversstion if they read the book.

@bo sox: did obi have a book club?

I don't know but every post of his was a book on its own.

Immanuel Wallerstein, The Capitalist World System

Ian Moris, 'War, what is it good for?'

Ok, lets vote.

I want to read 'guns, germs and steel' +1