Readings/activism

A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn

A book I was supposed to read in high school, but the length was daunting. As the name suggests, this book is a history of the US from the point of view of the marginalized (Native Americans, slaves, unions, etc). It’s a great introduction into the darker side of US politics and capitalism

The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins

A look into the US and CIA’s attempts to crush communism/political left in SE Asia and how our funding and influence caused a genocide. This “method” then served as the template which we implemented in many more countries, most notably the entirety of South America

Survival in the Killing Fields by Haing Ngor

A personal account of the brutal Pol Pot led Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia. The author, as to be expected, has a very aggressive view against communism, having lived through multiple tortures and surrounded by death. However, the “survival-of-the-fittest” mentality that he adopts, and his hatred of communism (exact desire of the US) only briefly mention the US backing of the Khmer Rouge as a means to stop the Vietnamese. The US voted for them to retain their seat in the UN until 1993 (despite being mostly deposed by the Vietnamese invasion in 1979).

Dark Money by Jane Mayer

A dive into the ultra-wealthy conservatives and the Koch family spending into far right think tanks, to influence the courts, congress, and even the presidency for personal benefit. An explanation as to how American oligarchy has taken over, and how the stage was set by Citizens United.

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo

This anti-war fiction, written in 1938, is told from the perspective of a wounded WWI soldier that has lost all his limbs, sight, hearing, and speaking, leaving only his mind fully functioning. As he lays, unable to do anything, he reflects on death, the horrors of war, and the preying of the military on unsuspecting youths in the name of nationalism. Stuck in this state for the rest of his life, the novel illustrates that there is no ethical war, and that there is always a cost

King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild

While not directly about the US, this book outlines the atrocities committed in Congo by the Belgian monarchy. Heart of Darkness was based upon this, which was subsequently an influence for the movie Apocalypse Now, replacing Congo with 1960’s Vietnam.

Blowback hosted by Noah Kulwin and Brendan James

Thoroughly researched deep dives into US involvement in the Iraq War, Cuban Revolution, Korean War, Afghanistan wars, rise of the Khmer Rouge and the Cuban-Angolan war against apartheid, and their newest mini-series into the US-Israeli relationship. Great research, great storytelling, great production, great music… This has been some of the clearest and deepest US history I have consumed as of late.

TrueAnon hosted by Brace Belden, Liz Franczak, and Yung Chomsky

The infamous “Epstein didn’t kill himself” podcast, with deep dives on much more current topics. Interviews with people on the ground doing good work in their communities and exposing corrupt parties and institutions.