RECOMMENDED READINGS
 

"Homage to Catalonia" by George Orwell

Orwell fought in the Spanish Civil War and this book is a personal account of his experience. In it he shows his disdain for the unwillingness of the various anarchist and socialist factions that made up the Republican/Government forces to work together against the 'fascists'. Bitterness will be the result of his description of this internal warfare. He provides vivid description from the point of view of an ordinary soldier involved in one of the most significant political events of the century. This book is an homage to the short-lived anarchist revolution in Catalonia -- the only time a significant area has been controlled by an anarchist organization. Reading this book will help you understand his motivation for "Nineteen-Eighty Four" and "Animal Farm." Do not get lost in the details as the Spanish Revolution is a confusing topic in itself (the acronyms that he uses alone will give you a headache to try to remember). Just enjoy Orwell's highly entertaining writing style and his dry humor in his storytelling.

"The Israel Lobby & U.S. Foreign Policy" by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt

This book elicited hysterical reaction in the form of fanatical lies and denunciations from the usual supporters of state violence due to its approach in practically analyzing United States foreign policy. The fact that it's coming from well-established tenured academics made it harder to dismiss. This is an extraordinary challenge to the traditions of self-adulation that paraded around as intellectual discourse since the Palestinians were expelled from their lands (a fact that even the most fanatical Israeli policies supporter do not argue against). That being said, scholars like Chomsky do not find their thesis to be convincing in light of historical and documentary facts. In particular, as it relates to: the failure of U.S. Middle East policy which is far from a failure according to many analysts. This success is far removed from the initiative of the Lobby (which includes most of the political-intellectual class) in many ways and the authors have a tendency to conflate and not address other, far more greater, influences (such as energy corporations). The policies that the US sought are very similar to the ones that they subjected other countries to such as those in Latin America. This book is far from anything that is new but the reaction it received should tell us all something about the intellectual environment in the United States. In that sense, this is a revolutionary book in its own right considering the reputation of the authors.

"A New Generation Draws the Line: Kosovo, East Timor and the Standards of the West" by Noam Chomsky

This book contains 3 valuable essays from Noam Chomsky. In those essays he is effective (as always) in the task of comparing U.S. foreign policy standards in both the East Timor and Kosovo. Chomsky attacks the idea of safeguarding human rights through military intervention and dismisses it as a sham. With examples of U.S. support for General Suharto in the East Timor massacres and the U.S.'s role in escalating violence in Kosovo, he effectively argues that the fate of civilians was incidental. Chomsky has written about this topic in his other books and various essays.

"Born In Blood And Fire: A Concise History of Latin America" by John Charles Chasteen 

This book looks at critical events -- from the first encounter between indigenous people and Europeans to the days of modern dictators like Pinochet -- and analyses their importance to Latin American history and its people. The author also focuses on major economic, political, and social topics that concern Latin America while looking at the role Europe and the United States play in them. The fact that Chasteen covers six centuries and twenty countries is a magnificent achievement for such a short book. This is a valuable introduction to Latin American history.

"Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Skeptical Muslim" by Ziauddin Sardar

I read this a couple of months after my conversion to Islam. Despite the fact that I disagree with some of his theological conclusions, I went through a lot of the things that Sardar went through in his own life. Although, in his case, he was not a convert but someone who was seeking knowledge about a religion he was born into. From the people he interacted with, the political/social/cultural issues he faced and the confusion that overtook him when dealing with theological issues and how to merge them effectively with his everyday life ... I really related to this book and what I went through being a convert. Personally, this book helped ease my transition into Islam despite the fact that I come to different conclusions regarding the same issues we faced.

"Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media" by Edward S. Herman & Noam Chomsky

There is no question that the "corporate media" dominates every facet of public life. In this book Herman and Chomsky combine their efforts to present the thesis of a "propaganda model." They use this model to explain Western bias (mostly U.S.) on domestic and international affairs. The model revolves around the idea that despite the U.S. not being ruled by a dictator, the corporate media imposes self-censorship. It is more interested in keeping advertisers and corporate sponsors happy rather than delivering accurate news. This book is heavily researched with plenty of examples to back-up the authors' claims. The two authors did extensive work comparing contemporary U.S. media reports with official sources (ie. White House memos, government documents, State Department releases, and the foreign media) to further prove their point that what is reported here is remarkably different from what is reported internationally. This book is a forceful indictment of the role of the news media in covering deceptions in American foreign policy. This was the first book I've read on the subject and it really enlightened me. After reading "Manufacturing Consent", I began to seek out other sources for news like the independent media. Although I still watch television for the news, I have a tendency to double-check what I watch by seeing what media watchdogs like Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting have to say.

"Stolen Continents: Conquest and Resistance in the Americas" by Ronald Wright

This book is one of the first works that challenged the Eurocentric interpretation of the conquest of the Americas. Its first release in 1992 coincided with the 500th anniversary of 1492 -- known as the Columbus Quincentennial -- and this was no accident. Wright, although he did not mention it in the beginning of the book, sought to challenge the Eurocentric interpretations of the celebration by tracing the neglected view of the history of conquest -- that of the Indigenous people of the Americas. He acknowledged that it is impossible to tell the viewpoints of other cultures due to the vastness of the topic, thus he chose to focus on "the Aztecs of Mexico, the Maya of Guatemala and Yucatan, the Incas of Peru, the Cherokees of the Southern United States, and the Iroquois of the Great Lakes." His goal was to let them speak of their own experience, one that is filled with tremendous suffering. As well, experiences which speak of the undying spirit of resistance and courage that ensured the survival of many Indigenous cultures in the face of oppression. Wright immediately pointed out that he makes "no pretense of giving equal time to the invaders: we have had the floor enough; our case rests." In this statement, he accepts responsibility for what his ancestors had done -- the first step to mending the sufferings of the indigenous people. This admittance gives Wright the moral leverage to attract the attention of the reader. This is a book written with great skill and compassion, it will fill the reader with both sadness and anger.

"Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life" by Jon Lee Anderson

The most complete biography of Che Guevara as Jon Lee Anderson received unprecedented access to the personal life of this legendary figure -- from the files originally kept confidential by Fidel Castro, to the families he left behind and so forth. An honest and critical look that does not flinch in calling out the flaws in his character. From his days as a vagabond traveling through Latin America, his transformation into Castro's top guerrilla fighter to this eventual execution by the CIA, this is an objective and the definite biography on Che. The author's use of various words with the same meaning can be quite frustrating. This is one of the first book I read since I got into politics, school and reading in general and it was quite frustrating. Also, it was the days of "modem connections" so it was difficult to look through the dictionary via book.

"A People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn

By the time I was finished this book I understood his way of thinking a little more. This book is very clear and well known for its scholarly research. It is revolutionary because it tells American history from the point of view of "the people." It is told from the perspective and in the words of American women, African Americans, Native Americans, working poor, immigrant laborers, factory workers and so forth. The chapter called "Slavery Without Submission, Emancipation Without Freedom" -- which was about the widespread occurrence of slave rebellions -- is by far my favourite chapter in the book. I also enjoyed it because it realistically portrays Lincoln as a skillful politician and not as some romantic/heroic figure in American history who fought for black people. Zinn explains that Lincoln blended the interests of the very rich with those of black people at a time in history when they met. Zinn concludes that Lincoln "opposed slavery, but could not see blacks as equals." He wanted to free them so they could be sent back to Africa. How and what he spoke about depended on the views of his audience -- basically, he was the perfect politician. Aside from that, this book is a must-read for anyone who has an interest in history.

"The Chomsky Reader" ed. James Peck

This book presents the breadth of Chomsky's knowledge more than any other book that I have read from him. The interview in the beginning is terrific in looking into what made him into who he is today (his personal life in general, his upbringing, his first involvement in the anti-war movement during the Vietnam War, etc.). From his essays on Latin America, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Palestine and the responsibility of intellectuals, this books shows why he is one of the most influential intellectual of our time. A true revolutionary that has personally made me turn around my own life by teaching me how to think and sparking that aura of concern for humanity and the importance of challenging hypocrisy. Not just in the government policies that govern us but in our everyday life as well. His essay on the Spanish Revolution is extremely dense though for someone who is not well read on the topic I thought. Also, his essay on linguistics totally went over my head but it was still good. Amazing book. I've read this three times and I'll read it again and again.

"The Black Panthers Speak" ed. Phillip S. Foner

This book is a collection of the most representative documents written by the Black Panthers. Foner allows the group to speak for themselves through their own writings from well-known Panthers like Fred Hampton, Huey P. Newton, Bobby Seale, David Hillard, and female Panthers such as Afeni Shakur (Tupac Shakur's mother). The group is generally portrayed as armed racists bent on overthrowing the U.S. government but this book shatters those inaccuracies. The Black Panthers were in fact dedicated in building international solidarity with people of all colors. They were a grassroots movement that was dedicated in finding out what black communities needed for survival. They initiated many programs that looked to alleviate the problems in the ghettos (ie. free breakfast programs, health clinics, etc.). Lastly, the Panthers were armed for reasons of self-defense in order to protect their communities from racist police forces. All of these positive actions do not fit in the general image of the public, thus they are ignored by the elites that control the flow of information. The words of the Black Panthers show the passion and depth of their commitment to creating a more just world. Of course, the New Black Panthers of today bare little resemblance to the ones of the past. Today, it is just a party that seeks to hijack a name and reputation that many African Americans hold dear. But, that's another topic.

"Ingenuity Gap" by Thomas Homer Dixon

Thought provoking book. I don't like it when he speaks about personal stuff though. I thought it was kinda unnecessary. I enjoyed it more when he academically analyzed issues. He introduced a lot of issues to me that I have not looked into previously and he does a great job simplifying them for the layman. That's my personal take.

Other Recommended Books

"Turning the Tide: U.S. Intervention in Central America and the Struggle for Peace" by Noam Chomsky

"Rogue States: The Rule of Force in World Affairs" by Noam Chomsky

"American Power and the New Mandarins" by Noam Chomsky

"9-11" by Noam Chomsky

"The Prosperous Few and the Restless Many" by Noam Chomsky

"What Uncle Sam Really Wants" by Noam Chomsky

"Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell

"Malcolm X Speaks" edited by George Breitman

"Che Guevara Speaks" edited by George Lavan

"20 Years of Censored News" by Carl Jensen & Project Censored

"Zapata of Mexico" by Peter E. Newell

"Live From Death Row" by Mumia Abu-Jamal

"Rebellion In Chiapas" by John Womack Jr.

"Lasting Echoes" by Joseph Bruchac

"Lies Of Silence" by Brian Moore

"The Wars" by Timothy Findley

"Free Trade: Neither Free Nor About Trade" by Christopher D. Merrett

"The Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

"Cry, The Beloved Country" by Allan Paton

"The Wretched of the Earth" by Frantz Fanon

"The Communist Manifesto" by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

"The Indian Slave Trade: The Rise of the English Empire in the American South" by Alan Gallay

"Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance" by Noam Chomsky

"Middle East Illusions" by Noam Chomsky

"The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity" by Seyyed Hossein Nasr

"Oh Really? Factor: Unspinning Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly" by Peter Hart and Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting

"Treatise On Tolerance" by Voltaire

"America, Russia, and the Cold War, 1945-2002" by Walter LaFeber

"Tensions and Transitions in the Muslim World" by Louay Safi

"Social Justice in Islam" by Deina Abdelkader

"Islam and Politics" by John L. Esposito

"Muhammad: His life based on the earliest sources" by Martin Lings