Summer Reading, Part 2 of 4: THE PRESIDENT, THE POPE, AND THE PRIME MINISTER

by Todd Albertson on August 7, 2008

The second book I read while on vacation was THE PRESIDENT, THE POPE, AND THE PRIME MINISTER: THREE WHO CHANGED THE WORLD by John O’Sullivan (Washington DC: Regnery Publishing, 2006).

Personal Memories

I came of age in the 1980s. Ronald Reagan was the first president I met and is still the epitome of what an American President should be. (I later became member of his church.) Pope John Paul II seemed like he always was and always would be the face of Catholicism. Margaret Thatcher epitomized the United Kingdom by her Churchill-like strength under pressure, strong determination, style, and grace.

The Good Guys

These three individuals wore the white hats; they were the good guys in a worldwide drama, with the Soviet Union cast as the villain. In retrospect, the world was far simpler then. As in a good Hollywood movie, you knew where everybody fit in the story and who would win in the end.

O’Sullivan is the former editor of the NATIONAL REVIEW and the TIMES OF LONDON. He has conservative credentials, so I knew he wouldn’t be doing a “hatchet job” on three of my heroes. For over a year, I had very much awaited reading this book. I just never found the time until now.

And I wasn’t disappointed. His book is a wide-ranging and dramatic account of how these three great individuals changed the course of history. His research was impeccable, and he told their story through the eyes and ears of individuals who knew them.

Revisionist History

Popular history may tell us that the Soviet Union collapsed on its own with assistance from the liberal-minded Mikhail Gorbachev, but the author gives credit where it’s due: President Reagan, Pope John Paul II, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

If you’re like me and want a walk down memory lane, if you want to reminisce about how much simpler the Cold War era was and how three great leaders won that war without firing a shot, then this book is for you.

A Must Read

In Part 1 of this series, I mentioned a younger reader who described reading books as “How Twentieth.” This reader and those of a similar mindset probably need to read O’Sullivan’s book more than anybody else. In a time with no heroes, no definition of right and wrong, and with the emphasis on self, reading this book is like having a homemade Thanksgiving feast when one is accustomed only to cheap fast-food.

I recommend it highly! 

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Summer Reading, Part 1 of 4: THE POST-AMERICAN WORLD

by Todd Albertson on August 4, 2008

While on vacation recently, I had a chance to read a few books. As one of my younger readers pointed out: “How Twentieth,” meaning Twentieth Century or “old school.” The implication is that nobody reads anymore.

Perhaps fewer people read now than before, but I, for one, still do. (I think anyway, but more on that subject next week). Although I own a Kindle (the new wireless, electronic reading device from Amazon.com), I prefer the look of ink on dead trees and the feel of the turning a page.

THE POST-AMERICAN WORLD

The first book I read was THE POST-AMERICAN WORLD by Fareed Zakaria (New York: W. W. Norton, 2008). Mr. Zakaria’s book is about what he calls “the rise of the rest,” non-Western countries becoming significant economic and military players.

Zakaria grew up in India and is now the editor of NEWSWEEK INTERNATIONAL. His book provides an overview of the world today and the role he sees the United States playing in the future. The facts he examines are, for the most part, objective and nonpartisan. His worldview is slightly left of center but is also sprinkled with pragmatism and reality.

The book explains to a “non-worldly” reader just how much has changed over the past 25 years, especially in China and India, who each get their own chapter in the book. While he doesn’t explicitly state that the rise of non-Western countries will cause “the decline and fall of the American empire,” the implication is certainly there. One would assume that as other countries modernize their economies and become bigger players in the world, their gain will come at America’s loss.

Weakness

The principal weakness of the book is caused by its brevity. Zakaria paints with broad strokes, a necessity of any high-level overview. This results in many over-generalizations and assessments that may be correct in specific circumstances but are not correct when taken out of context.

Strength

On the other hand, the strength of the book is that it provides a good wake-up call. Many Americans believe our country’s status as the world’s only superpower is a certainty. This book reminds us that our country’s status is the result of hard work, sacrifice, and investment by the generations who came before us. In many ways, this parallels Great Britain prior to World War II. At that time, many Brits believed that “the sun never sets on the British Empire.” A decade later, they had no empire about which to worry.

Overall, THE POST-AMERICAN WORLD is a good read and good wake up call.

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Micro-Entrepreneurship Reading List

by Todd Albertson on August 2, 2008

 
I’ve received a number of emails lately asking about my GodFarm.org reading list.

This list is made up of books that I believe will allow folks to learn Micro-Entrepreneurship, Micro-Finance, and Micro-Lending as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

You can find the list at Amazon Listmania.  Happy reading!

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