Dec 19, 2022·edited Dec 19, 2022Liked by Angela Nagle
"The Geography of Nowhere" looks interesting, will definitely have to check it out. One thing I would note is that, no matter the setting, people find a way to create civic life. Particularly as adolescents, there's an ability to be like "Our town is boring and everything sucks, but at least we can all hate it together." Still, I'd want to read it, and perhaps pair it with "The Great Good Place" by Ray Oldenburg (which Lasch references in his last book).
Can’t wait to read more from you on Cristobal Balenciaga. I’ve actually been hunting for a specific book on him but keep missing out on it! He’s the one most of the great designers look up to.
The internal construction of his clothes was apparently amazing.
Merry Christmas and thank you for your always thought provoking recommendations.
Thank you for this wonderful list. I am inspired by your intellectual curiosity and humility. On this point, you mentioned "...I don’t know if his predictions will prove true but he definitely took me out of an echo chamber, which also forced me to change my habits of reading and finding information." in your comments on Peter Zeihan's book. Will you be writing about this in the future, or could you elaborate more here? By way of empathy, I feel the inertia of my own thinking and reading and would be interested to hear how someone gets jarred into new patterns. Again, thank you for this list and the work you do. Have a Happy Christmas and Wonderful new year.
Happy Christmas to you! I will write something longer about it actually because it is worth discussing. When the Ukraine war started I went around trying to find good information to figure out what was going on and I just felt it was a sea of propoganda on all sides with loads of misleading information. That's why I didn't really write about it and went quiet for a while. I just couldn't have confidence that anything I was seeing was trustworthy. So I first started looking every day at the most different sources possible including the very dry Brussels news and I would seek out serious sources taking opposing positions. I slowly worked out a system for getting a clearer picture but it took a while.
He says in his book that America benefits primarily from the "geography of success" and that most of the wackiness that goes on in daily political news is just noise. If you have every resource you need, fertile land and sea, and can't be invaded, you're good. That simple and obvious fact struck me because it shows how most of what we focus on just isn't the decisive stuff and so all your conclusions will be wrong if you start off wrong.
Thank you for an amazingly fast reply. I look forward to your longer piece as your journey sounds familiar and your 'working out a system' has certainly whetted my appetite to read more. Like you, I have felt awash in a sea of writing, without any floatsam of information or discernment, surrounding the Ukraine war.
And, since you appear to be taking requests, please feel free to indulge in more writing about harp playing and fashion. They are treats perfect for the season.
Absolutely. One of the problems I think of the modern western left is its near religious faith in the fundamental goodness of institutions such as medicine and education. He does an excellent job of dismantling this faith.
I love You Must Change Your Life! I've read that work twice. His defense of the vertical is so important. I'm all for a good base camp, but opposed to the culture of demonizing those who want to adventure outside of its confines in attempts to challenge oneself and redefine what is possible.
Thank you so much for sharing your selection. Each book seems very interesting. Already picked one to look for. Happy Holidays
You too!
I have wanted to read the Henrich book for a while but it's so goddamn long.
"The Geography of Nowhere" looks interesting, will definitely have to check it out. One thing I would note is that, no matter the setting, people find a way to create civic life. Particularly as adolescents, there's an ability to be like "Our town is boring and everything sucks, but at least we can all hate it together." Still, I'd want to read it, and perhaps pair it with "The Great Good Place" by Ray Oldenburg (which Lasch references in his last book).
Can’t wait to read more from you on Cristobal Balenciaga. I’ve actually been hunting for a specific book on him but keep missing out on it! He’s the one most of the great designers look up to.
The internal construction of his clothes was apparently amazing.
Merry Christmas and thank you for your always thought provoking recommendations.
Thank you for this wonderful list. I am inspired by your intellectual curiosity and humility. On this point, you mentioned "...I don’t know if his predictions will prove true but he definitely took me out of an echo chamber, which also forced me to change my habits of reading and finding information." in your comments on Peter Zeihan's book. Will you be writing about this in the future, or could you elaborate more here? By way of empathy, I feel the inertia of my own thinking and reading and would be interested to hear how someone gets jarred into new patterns. Again, thank you for this list and the work you do. Have a Happy Christmas and Wonderful new year.
Happy Christmas to you! I will write something longer about it actually because it is worth discussing. When the Ukraine war started I went around trying to find good information to figure out what was going on and I just felt it was a sea of propoganda on all sides with loads of misleading information. That's why I didn't really write about it and went quiet for a while. I just couldn't have confidence that anything I was seeing was trustworthy. So I first started looking every day at the most different sources possible including the very dry Brussels news and I would seek out serious sources taking opposing positions. I slowly worked out a system for getting a clearer picture but it took a while.
He says in his book that America benefits primarily from the "geography of success" and that most of the wackiness that goes on in daily political news is just noise. If you have every resource you need, fertile land and sea, and can't be invaded, you're good. That simple and obvious fact struck me because it shows how most of what we focus on just isn't the decisive stuff and so all your conclusions will be wrong if you start off wrong.
Thank you for an amazingly fast reply. I look forward to your longer piece as your journey sounds familiar and your 'working out a system' has certainly whetted my appetite to read more. Like you, I have felt awash in a sea of writing, without any floatsam of information or discernment, surrounding the Ukraine war.
And, since you appear to be taking requests, please feel free to indulge in more writing about harp playing and fashion. They are treats perfect for the season.
Hi Angela, wonder if you’ve ever delved into any of Ivan Illich’s work? If so were you a fan?
Sadly not. One of those writers I just haven’t got around to. Recommend?
Absolutely. One of the problems I think of the modern western left is its near religious faith in the fundamental goodness of institutions such as medicine and education. He does an excellent job of dismantling this faith.
Currently battling my way through his controversial text Gender. Fascinating read.
And I can see a lot in common between your ideas and his. He speaks of a ‘Professional Clergy’, much as you do a ‘Secular Clerisy’.
I love You Must Change Your Life! I've read that work twice. His defense of the vertical is so important. I'm all for a good base camp, but opposed to the culture of demonizing those who want to adventure outside of its confines in attempts to challenge oneself and redefine what is possible.