THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE

Dear L.A.W. Readers...

A PERSONAL REFLECTION

One thing that I always admired in Bill - Executive Director of L.A.W.  - was his ability to look at many sides of an issue. I was always amazed and surprised when I saw him reading magazines, books, newspapers and newletters/quarterly publications that reflected BOTH sides of an issue.  His diverse reading collection covered the spectrum of ideals - Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green, liberal, moderate, conservative, atheist, agnostic, religious and so on.

I was very one sided when I met Bill due to my lack of involvement, interest and development in important topics of the day. If someone told me something, or I saw something on t.v., or read it in a paper,  I took it at face value and rarely did additional research on an issue. Partly because I was too lazy to do so, but mostly because I really didn't care enough to do more. Sad to say.

What I learned from Bill is that a person can only develop an informed opinion when they have really looked at ALL sides of an issue.   Reading, researching and analyzing each side to an issue is half the battle to understanding and creating a position on that issue. We are all entitled to our opinions, but let's make the effort to get there through plenty of homework and reflection.  Sometimes, it's not the final perfect answer that matters so much as the over-all pursuit of knowledge. True tolerance in differences (sex, age, religion, politics, etc.) seems to come from greater knowledge and understanding.

If you are not a big reader, find a book and start. As time goes on and people give you ideas and suggestions, your diverse group of books will expand. Start on one side of an issue and move on from there. Move back and forth between sides and topics - it's all the more enjoyable.

BOOKS FOR CONSIDERATION

I have read a number of very interesting books over this past year.

I recommend the following books for further understanding on the crisis ocurring both in the U.S. and also around the world on major issues such as radical islam, population declines, culture wars and the loss of faith.  I am a bit of a speed reader so, I might be able to get through more books then some people. But...be it one book or two...pick one up. Quality counts, not necessarily volume.

I selected these to read as they were promoted heavily in the media and via book sites and I wanted to see what they had to share. I found all to have very interesting and important things to say...especially the top four.  I didn't agree with everything each author said but, many things were very enlightening and motivational.

Ideas for a home library:

1.)  America Alone - Mark Steyn * highly suggested*

2.)  The West's Last Chance  - Tony Blankley * highly suggested*

3.)   Because They Hate - Brigitte Gabriel  * highly suggested*

4.)   Redicovering God In America - Newt Gingrich * highly suggested*

5.)   110 People Who Are Screwing Up America - Bernie Goldberg

6.)  The Real America -Glenn Beck

7.)  Shut Up & Sing - Laura Ingraham

8.)  Unhinged - Michelle Malkin

9.)  Culture Warrior -Bill O'Reilly

10.)  Godless & How To Talk To A Liberal - Ann Coulter

11.) Between War & Peace, Ripples of Battle - Victor David Hanson

12.)  Darwin's Black Box - Michael Behe

13.)  God's Choice - George Weigel

14.)   A Case for Faith, A Case for Christ & A Case for God (3 different books) - Lee Stroebel

15.)  A Rose Remembered & The Eleventh Hour - Michael Phillips

16.)  A Gift of Valor - Michael Phillips

17.)  Bankrupt - David Limbaugh

18.)   An Idiot Girl's Christmas - Laurie Notaro (serious sacrasm and laughs for us girls)

...and my next project - to finish reading the 3 volume set of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's three volume masterpiece "The Gulag Archipelago" (Bill finished this years ago...I'm just catching up. This book shows what a real Gulag is all about).

All these books can easily be bought as new or used via Barnes & Noble, Amazaon, Walden, and so on. If you have read any of the above books and have some brief thoughts, feel free to give us a reply.  If you feel there are some solid books that I have not gotten to yet and you feel our readers could benefit from reading, feel free to post a note.  As time goes on...we can consider posting a "best of the best" depending on the number of suggestions we get.

Happy reading!

Comments

[Brandon]

Ann Coulter? Michelle Malkin? Bill O'Reilly? Bernie Goldberg? Glenn Beck? Laura Ingraham? Newt Gingrich?

Are you suggesting with any degree of seriousness that those people embody the traits you speak of (pursuit of knowledge, tolerance in differences)?

I'm not trying to be rude, honestly. But I think it takes chutzpah to suggest a list of right-wing nutbag authors like that and pass it off as balanced reading. I enjoy the L.A.W. and will continue to do so, because I find a lot of intelligent commentary from several sides, but this is a bit over the top.

Brandon

[Chas McG]

I have to agree with Brandon... I can't imagine a world outside of Fox News where this list would be considered "Fair and Balanced."

And as for serious intellectual fodder, well... these are not the deep thinkers of our time .

C

[The Executive Director]

Hi, Brandon.

Yes, there is good reading available from across the political spectrum. Bridget knows this from experience. Not so long ago, she identified herself as a Democrat. However, she was willing to consider what others from the conservative perspective had to say.

She discovered that there is plenty of substance there and has been busy "catching up" on what the right has to say. Hence Bridget's recommendations from recent readings tend to point in the conservative rather than liberal direction. Pieces of the truth lie in many places, and to Bridget's credit she has been willing to look wherever they are.

Regards, Bill

[The Executive Director]

Hi, Charles.

Welcome to L.A.W.

You're not going to get much of an argument from me on the likes of O'Reilly and Beck. (Bridget knows well I don't think very highly of those two jaw-jackers.) However, I wouldn't be so dismissive of Steyn, Hanson, and Gabriel.

In fact, Gabriel's book about Muslim oppression of her and her family will give the reader the same dose of reality as Solzhenitsyn's "Gulag Archipelago". Those who haven't the time to digest Solzhenitsyn's three thick volumes will profit from reading Gabriel's short book about the latest enemies of liberal democracy.

Regards,
Bill Tingley
Executive Director

[ryan]

First, I like the new look to the site.

Second, Bridget; I find it commendable that you're looking to challenge yourself and some previous beliefs.

Can't see what the harm would be.

And, wow, that's a lot of reading.

Best,
Ryan

[Brandon]

Bill/Bridget,

I certainly agree that good reading knows no political boundaries, and regardless of where someone might lean, it’s always a good idea to immerse oneself in the material of the “other side,” if for no other reason than to hone your own arguments a little more sharply (even better when you do it to simply understand where people are coming from).

I can’t comment on some of the authors listed, because I haven’t read all of them. Unless or until I do, I have nothing to say - good, bad or indifferent. But the names I mentioned are people whose material I have forced myself to endure, and I dare say it’s a stretch to suggest that they typify “substance” in conservative political literature. They are, rather, hatchet men (and women) who are manifestly more interested in calling people names and spewing vitriol than engaging in honest, civil dialogue. I’ll grant you they have a following, and they’re good at what they do, but they certainly aren’t arbiters of taste or substance.

PS.... I also like the new look.

Brandon

[Kathy Shaidle]

Bridget: When you're in the mood, try "Plagues of the Mind", "In Defense of Elitism" plus anything by Thomas Sowell. Also: Lee Harris' Civilization and its Enemies.

They're a lot less "poppy" than some of the other books on your list. Junk food is great fun but some books have more 'nutritional value' than others. And The essays of William F. Buckley are always worthwhile, even if the subject is just sailing :-)

[The Editor - Bridget]

Hello Kathy…

Thanks for the book suggestions.

Thomas Sowell has tons of books out. He covers everything from education, race, economics and more. Bill has his book “The Quest For Cosmic Justice” so, I’ll start with that. Do you have any suggestions after that one?

Harris’ book “Civilizations and It’s Enemies” seemed to get pretty solid reviews from publishers, reviewers and readers alike. I will be ordering this with my next batch of books.

Henry’s book ‘In Defense of Elitism’ is out of print and B & N can’t get it new but, it appears I can secure a used copy. I will do so. It was printed in 94’ so, it appears old copies are left. Definitely one to consider.

Thornton’s “Plagues of The Mind” is available and I will consider that. Appears this author gets divided by political lines. Libs dislike him, the other side gives him consideration. The story of our times...I will consider his book too.

I agree some books are more nutrional than others. But…sometimes a good twinkie or cupcake works just fine too!

Your suggestions all appear worthy and I will definitely consider them. Thanks very much for the solid recommendations!

On a side note, I am interested heavily right now in books about radical Islam, The Koran/Mohammed, terrorist organizations and their history. Obviously, it’s very relevant to our current day and age and I want to educate myself more on this issue than what I get on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, PBS, Fox News and newspapers.

I’ve seen recommendations on the following books – has anyone read these? Any thoughts….

While Europe Slept - Bruce Bowell
Unholy Alliance - David Horowitz
Why I Left Jihad - Walid Shoebat
Now They Call My Infidel - Nomie Darwish
Fighting Terrorism - Benjamin Netanyahu
Truth About Mohammed – Robert Spencer
Truth w/Islam Today - author?
Others?????

Regards,

Bridget – The Editor

[The Editor - Bridget]

Hello Ryan…

Glad you like the fresh look to the web site. We will keep working on it this year to keep it colorful and with photos to spice things up.

Yes…I do read a lot. I’m a bit of a speed reader – much like I’m a very fast typist too! I would say I read about 50-100 books a year when I am in a book mode (such as last year and probably this year too).

Mind you…it might take a little longer for new thoughts and ideas to take root but, everything starts with baby steps.

Thanks for the support in exploring new thoughts and ideas. For anyone out there that strays from what they were born learning and thinking and truly challenging themselves to evolve to something more complex...it’s no easy task. It’s much easier staying stuck in who you have always been and subscribe to what you have always thought then explore anew.

Fortunately, I leave most of our writing and analysis to Bill. He has a fine way of expressing himself and the issues at hand. He engages people in the right way. Something I hope to get better with as time goes by!

Here’s to reading and learning!

Regards,

Bridget, The Editor

[The Editor - Bridget]

Hello Brandon and Chas,

I appreciate your feedback to my list of recently read books. Clearly, neither of you appear to be fans of anything I've read. Oh well, can't please everyone all the time! ;)

As noted, I was simply sharing a list of books that covered timely topics of the day - war, radical Islam, terrorism, divisions in America (politics, religion, life/death issues, education/schools and more), population increases/declines, the future of Europe/America and things we could learn from previous wars.

I didn't put the list up there to be fair and balanced.

I didn't think I needed to tell you of my status as liberal or conservative, Democrat or Liberal, religious or atheist or agnostic in order to post book ideas.

I'm thinking you must be friends with Ms. Cleo at the Psychic Hotline and looking into your crystal ball to determine my list of current reading must be an indication of who I am and what I am all about. Right? Wrong. :-)

I never said these choices were just for Democrats or just for Republicans and so on. I never said these books are the best ever written. I never said these authors were Pulitzer Prize winning (many far from it). I simply said consider them for additional reading. They covered a wide range of topics and wide range of different writing styles I thought might be appealing to some. If you go to Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Walden and private web sites, you would have seen many of these as suggested reading the past 12 months. Seeing that many on this list hit top books sales (the best selling 1,000 titles) at each site - someone is ordering and reading these books - not just me.

Most importantly, I noted the first four books on my list were highly suggested as they did not side with any one political party so, much as to state serious issues occurring around the world and the U.S. that are serious and require our attention. Especially the issue of radical Islam, the current state of Muslims in the U.S./world and the direct result to us on terrorism. Mark Steyn, Tony Blankley and Brigitte Gabriel all wove interesting books of the research, the facts and the final effect we can expect with terrorism at our heals. Especially if we don't act now. Newt's book I recommended as I enjoy visiting D.C. and hearing about the heart of our nation's history. The architecture is wonderful but, the stories of how our great ideas, important documents, complex institutions and amazing monuments came to be is enlightening. Especially as a walk through D.C. reminds Americans that God had a major not minor role in this nation's history - including the past, present and future.

Some of the books and authors I might not purchase again as I simply didn’t think they had a very good writing style and their content was disappointing (O’Reilly and Beck). Others, such as Laura Ingra ham, Michelle Malkin, Mark Styen & Blankley were surprising winners. Their detail, documentation and style was interesting and inspiring. Some were funny and sarcastic – Goldberg & Coulter – serious zingers in there!

Above all…I rarely read a book and don’t find at least one idea or thought that makes me think a little more. The entire book does not need to change my life or the world to be of some value. It sometimes is enough to give me pause.

I'm a little disappointed the two of you noted the books or authors I shared with readers were "nutbags" or "not the great thinkers of our time" or that I had to have "chutzpah" to even create such a list. If you dismiss my list out of hand because of pre-conceived notions of who these people are on t.v. and you don't like their style and image, maybe you're the ones limiting yourself to new thoughts, ideas or research. I’m skeptical of your 'openness' if you haven't read any of these books but, take me to task for my attempts to read them.

If you have some solid suggestions elsewhere, I am open to it. Share with me and share with others so, we have some fresh titles to consider (I just hope I don't hear crickets chirping in response to my request...) :-)

Regards,

Bridget – The Editor

[Brandon]

Hi Bridget,

With all respect, it strikes me as a little disingenuous when you state that yours is merely a list of books that covers “timely topics of the day”. With perhaps one or two exceptions, there isn’t a single author on your list who doesn’t come from some point on the spectrum between conservative and reactionary (and in the case of Coulter and O’Reilly, I proudly stand by “nutbag”).

There’s nothing wrong with that per se, but in failing to acknowledge that almost all of those authors are of a definite ideological bent, you sort of imply by omission that they’re merely neutral scholars or writers in their respective fields who have interesting and intelligent things to say (which some of them undoubtedly do). If I suggested a comparable list that included the likes of Janeane Garofalo, Arianna Huffington, Al Franken, Noam Chomsky and Gore Vidal, you may or may not find their work interesting or informative, but you certainly wouldn’t be left with any doubt about the fact that I’m pushing an agenda.

So no, you never said your choices were just for Democrats or just for Republicans, but with a list like that, do you really have to?

But alas, I suppose we’re encroaching into “agree to disagree” territory, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. As for further reading, here are a few:

I wholeheartedly agree with Kathy’s suggestion of William F. Buckley’s essays. In addition:

1. Christopher Hitchens - The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice

2. Chris Hedges – American Fascists

3. The Science of God – Gerald Schroeder (fascinating)

4. William Greider – The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy

Cheers,

Brandon

[Kathy Shaidle]

Brandon, will you be reading Hitchens on the Iraq war as well?

[Kathy Shaidle]

Oh and Sowell indeed has many books out, some way too scholarly for me alas :-) I too enjoy the occasional cupcake.

His latest Black Rednecks and White Liberals is more 'popular' and breezy, but not dumbed down. His regular columns at TownHall.com are the ones I click on first.

One magazine/website that has lots of the latest conservative thought is City Journal. By conservative I don't necessarily mean Republican or partisan. This is where Rudy Giulliani's 'broken windows' theory of urban renewal got its start, for example. It is more about theories (about crime, poverty, race, culture) than "who should get elected" and so forth.

[Brandon]

Kathy,

I've read a great deal of Hitchens's Iraq war pieces, and I find most of them very thought provoking. I can't say he's ever convinced me that the invasion was the correct thing to do (and he himself appears to be just as critical of Bush's manifest incompetence vis-a-vis the war's aftermath), but he has certainly given me pause and forced me to think about aspects of it in different ways, no doubt about it.

Brandon

[The Editor - Bridget]

Thank you Kathy and Brandon for the additional reading suggestions.

I am researching them now and seeing which titles I want to put in my next batch of book orders. Appreciate the feedback.

Regards,
Bridget - The Editor

[The Editor - Bridget]

Dear Brandon...

To be honest there wasn't that many books that you might feel "go the other way" that hit top spots over the last year plus. Beinart's book, Woodward's book, Carter's book, Obama's book and Hillary's re-release are the big ones I can think of off hand. Conservative authors seemed to be in a plethora last year as I searched top sites. Maybe "the other" side had less to say for a bit. Who knows?

Over-all, some of the books I read were very good as you might agree had you actually read them (the top four - Steyn, Blankley, Gabriel and Gingrich). These books we could consider more nutrional as Kathy wisely said earlier. Coulter, Goldberg, Beck, O'Reilly and others might be "conservative and reactionary" as you say but, I still had a heck of a good time in some parts laughing out loud at things they had to say. I guess those books were my "twinkies" and "cupcakes" and the short term calories were worth it. A few hours of escape are great as long as you never loose your head over what they have to say, especially when they get controversial.

I plan on reading at least 1-2 of your book suggestions. Reasons I'll read your suggestions, Kathy's suggestions and others...1)Because I like reading first and foremost, 2)because I am open to ideas and suggestions from wherever they come from as long as someone has read the book in question and feels it's worth reading and 3)because I don't box myself in.

I'm hopeful you might consider the same.

Happy reading everyone!

Regards,

Bridget - The Editor

P.S.
I would have trouble reading books by Franken and Garofalo as they were such bad actors before they began their stints into radio and publishing (perhaps that's why they had to choose other careers come to think of it...).

Frankens creation of "Stewart Smiley" was a wee bit on the creepy side don't you think? I have trouble looking at him thinking of that sweater loving, insecure, feminine like character staring me back in the mirror...

Garofalo seems the angry feminist. She's young, healthy and on top of the world - what has she got to be so mad about? Could be some left over issues from her being cast as the "dog lead" by the director of the movie "About Cats and Dogs". I need her to calm down before I can seriously concentrate on a future book she might do (none are listed to date).

(I'm trying to set a "laughing agenda" versus a "conservative book agenda" now...is that better?) ;)

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Because these books ask us to be thoughtful about the world:

Bauman, Richard. 2004. A World of Others’ Words. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Cruikshank, Julie. 2005. Do Glaciers Listen? Local Knowledge, Colonial Encounters, and Social Imagination. Vancouver: British Columbia UP.

Deloria, Philip. 2004. Indians in Unexpected Places. Lawrence: Kansas UP.

Farr, Marcia. 2006. Rancheros in Chicagoacán: Language and Identity in a Transnational Community. Austin: Texas UP.

Hargus, Sharon and Rice, Keren. 2005. Athabaskan Prosody. Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Co.

Jackson, Jason.2005. Yuchi Ceremonial Life: Performance, Meaning, and Tradition in a Contemporary American Indian Community. Lincoln: Nebraska UP.

Jourdan, Christine and Tuite, Kevin. (eds.) 2006. Language, Culture, and Society. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.

Kan, Sergei and Strong, Pauline Turner (eds). 2006. New Perspectives on Native North America. Lincoln: Nebraska UP.

O’Neil, Catharine; Scoggin, Mary; and Tuite, Kevin. (eds). 2006. Language, Culture, and the Individual. Muenchen, Germany: Lincom.Europa.

Riddington, Robin. 2006. When You Sing It Now, Just Like New: First Nations Poetics, Voices, and Representations. Lincoln: Nebraska UP.

Samuels, David. 2004. Putting a Song on Top of It. Tucson: Arizona UP.

Soloman, Frank. 2004. The Cord Keepers: Khipus and Cultural Life in a Peruvian Village. Durham: Duke UP.

Swann, Brian. (ed). 2005. Algonquian Spirit. Lincoln: Nebraska UP.

Tohe, Laura. 2005. Tséyi’: Deep in the Rock. Tucson: Arizona UP.

Watt, Eva Tulene and Basso, Keith. 2004. Don’t Let the Sun Step Over You. Tucson: Arizona UP.

[The Executive Director]

Hi, Kathy.

Welcome to L.A.W. I've been a long-time fan of your website. Thanks for the "main course" book recommendations. In addition to yours, my recommendations for Bridget from my library are Isaiah Berlin, Hannah Arendt, and F.A. Hayek.

Regards,
Bill Tingley
Executive Director

[The Executive Director]

Hi, Brandon.

I like Hitchens as an essayist. Even though I disagree with his economics, he's intellectually honest. However, the man is unhinged when it comes to Catholicism, and Mother Teresa in particular.

Chomsky has done fascinating work on linguistics, though his books are a slog to get through. As for his political tomes -- well, I've got better things to do. ;) Similarly with Vidal. I enjoyed his historical fiction he wrote many moons ago, but not much else.

As for your criticism of Bridget, you are viewing her reading list through a political prism that she is not using. She did not set out to read a pile of "right-wing" books. She wanted books on particular topics. She watched the news, listened to commentators, mined the internet, and certain authors captured her interest. So, Bridget bought their books and enjoyed reading them.

That is what she is sharing with us. Bridget did what we should all do when considering an author. She assessed what the author had to say before picking up his book, rather than going by a convenient political label for him. As it happens, the authors that got her attention are generally conservative in politics, even though Bridget hadn't categorized herself as such.

Regards, Bill

[The Executive Director]

Hi, Tyrone.

Thanks for your list. Looks like you have some familiarity with the culture and history of American Indians. Do you know of any worthwhile work regarding the Indians of the Great Lakes region, Michigan in particular?

Regards, Bill

[Joe]

Richard Dawkins - "The God Delusion"

[Tyrone Slothrop]

I'd begin with: Kinietz, Vernon. 1994. The Indians of the Western Great Lakes: 1615-1760. Ann Arbor: Michigan UP. It was originally published in 1940, but it is a good general introduction to the Potawatomi, the Huron, the Miami, and the Ojibwe. Good books on Ojibwe language and culture include:

McNally, Michael. 2000. Ojibwe Singers: Hymns, Grief, and Native Culture in Motion. Oxford: Oxford UP.

Spielmann, Roger.1998. “You’re So Fat!”: Exploring Ojibwe Discourse. Toronto: Toronto UP.

Valentine, Lisa. 1995. Making it Their Own: Severn Ojibwe Communicative Practices. Toronto: University of Toronto.

[The Executive Director]

Thanks, Tyrone. I'll start with Kinietz book, as you recommend.

Regards, Bill

[The Executive Director]

Anonymous Joe,

Thanks for your recommendation of Dawkins's most recent book. It may interest you to know that as a devout Catholic who attends mass every week, I too am an atheist when it comes to the God that Dawkins says is delusional to believe in. Like so many other writers who have ventured forth to refute the existence of God, they knock down a god that no Christian believes in.

Regards, Bill

[Brandon]

Bill,

Amen to that (as it were). I don't question Dawkins's preeminence in the field of evolutionary biology, but I've long found it curious why people of such elevated intelligence feel the need to go after religious belief with the kind of zeal that is itself, curiously, almost a form of religious fanaticism.

I suppose that's a discussion that could go on and on, and that's not my intent. Rather, in addition to (or perhaps instead of) 'The God Delusion', I would suggest Sam Harris's 'The End of Faith.' There's plenty to take issue with (as with any good book), but Harris's arguments are, I think, a little more interesting. As a slightly interesting side note, he's an atheist who has raised the ire of some of his fellow nonbelievers by embracing Buddhist meditation.