On My Shelf: What I Read and Why
Holy Madness: covers the French Revolution from ~1770s through ~1870. Adam Zamoyski pulls no punches and not only details fresh ground about the conflagration, but also brings in adventurers inspired by the French and American affairs. He displays many characters, most of them flawed in the normal ways, who fought for independence in various places around the globe. You will find few heroes in this work, but a more complete view of recent history.
Guns, Germs and Steel: I recommend this work to anyone, interested in history or not. Why do we eat what we eat? Why do some cultures have an advantage over others? Simply stated, Jared Diamond writes an overall history using his anthropologist, anthrobotanist background. He explains that vegetation spreads best east to west, versus south to north, affecting where people simply sustain life or thrive. He also shows how large domesticated animals gave Europeans and the Chinese great advantage over others. Overall, he puts much of history in more clear perspective and gives us ways to help us better assist various cultures. Put this on the top of your list.
Ecological Imperialism: this work covers some of the same ground as Guns, Germs & Steel, but in more detail. Mr. Crosby details the ecological invasion that accompanied the European invasion of various regions. Pigs, omnivorous survival specialists, not only spread their own kind, but also brought European seeds of all types to an ecosystem with no defense against them. Not only did Native Americans have to fight off disease brought by the invaders, but they suddenly lived in land infiltrated by plants and animals not natural to them.
Cosmos & Psyche: I consider this a companion to the Measuring History: The Series. Mr. Tarnas, who also wrote Beauty of the Western Mind, covers the same topic as Measuring History, but from a more generalist viewpoint. Cosmos & Psyche explains how Measuring History, but is not a work of history. Nonetheless, we both reach the same conclusions. Neptune-Pluto, Uranus-Pluto, Uranus-Neptune pairings help define historical turning points. The method works because people born under planet combinations of these and the other outer planets carry their signature throughout their lifetime. To my joy he includes a treasure trove of examples. Highly recommended, but with the warning that it’s a difficult read.
Mundane Astrology: this out of print title needs a replacement. Measuring History applies only one the many techniques laid out in the work. Mundane Astrology is general work that surveys various techniques used to interpret charts of nations, worldly events and other topics covered under the astrology of history and politics. If you find this book, buy it; If you have it, keep it! It needs some updating but serves as a good base to stir imagination.
