Picking up where I left off in our story

[whereweleftoff]

This is yet another attempt to chronicle my life and times.

ETA: I might warn, though - this will be friends-locked. Feel free to add me, especially if we have any common interests.

Comments

[media_girl18]

Hey, just wanted to say I would love to be your buddy for that book community on facebook. I don't have very much knowledge of politics yet, but I am trying so hard to keep up and learn more. I consider it very important...so many Americans are ignorant about so much. It gives us a bad rep. (I really saw that when I went to visit Europe this summer.)

Anyway, do you have a reccomendation for a good entry book into the world of politics or the current world situation?

Something not too confusing that would give me a broad beginning base.:) Thanks!

[whereweleftoff]

Yeah, I know what you mean. Given today's issues I feel that it's important to know what's going on. It's sad to me that political apathy reigns.

Hmm. Well, I can't really suggest a good "entry" book per se - you just have to jump in. I'm getting ready to read Marjorie Williams' The Woman at the Washington Zoo (collected articles and writings on one woman's perspective of American politics) and Ken Pollack's The Persian Puzzle. Pollack's book on American-Iranian relations is apparently a great work and from what I can tell, it eases you into the material (to be honest I have not amassed a great deal of knowledge about American-Iranian relations so I find it to be a helpful "intro" book). And I'm completely lost on American politics* so lately I've been grabbing random books and memoirs.

* I'm a political science major, but my concentration is on comparative politics.

Are there any particular books that you've found that you would be interested in?

[media_girl18]

Oh heh, sorry I didn't see this message before posting to your blog. Political apathy does reign in America, and it's tragic, really. People just don't seem to care...or they form these hasty opinions without any knowledge to really back them up.

Anyway, I'd love to read the Persian Puzzle-that's exactly the subject matter I am most interested in...what is going on in Iraq and Iran (because I just feel I'm learning nothing from the media on tv whatsoever.)

The histories and situations of those Middle-Eastern countries are all so complicated, and I want to gain a better picture. Plus, I think learning about other cultures is just so interesting-it gives me more perspective as to how Americans are seen and why.

[whereweleftoff]

Hear, hear. I love living in America; I could certainly live abroad for some number of years but this is where I grew up, what I've always known. Anything else, despite how much I have tried or wished, is foreign. (Ironically I wasn't even born in America.)

But at the same time, a dose of perspective to balance what kind of information (or lack thereof) the government doles out is healthy. I will never stop criticizing our government, within reason. No system is perfect (ours being far from).

Well, if you manage to get your hands on a copy of The Persian Puzzle, let me know! We can do a readalong together, since I know I won't read it this academic year otherwise (with all the academic stuff I read, I tend to err on the lighter side for reading material during the school year).

[thegwenabe]

hey jess, i just saw you changed over so i added you. xo