Winter break is underway! Here, IWP faculty members share their reading recommendations for these chilly winter days. They include a novel about the early days of the CIA, as well as books about inflation-related myths, the future of liberalism, the relationship between the Pentagon and Silicon Valley, sea power, and more.
Dr. Anne Bradley’s Recommendations
Dr. Bradley is the George and Sally Mayer Fellow for Economic Education and Academic Director at the Fund for American Studies and a former Economic Analyst for the CIA’s Office of Terrorism Analysis.
The Socialist Calculation Debate
by Peter Boettke, Rosolino A. Candela and Tegan Lindstrom Truitt
“This book is FREE online for the month of December and is a reminder of why socialism has never and will never be operational and leads to social, economic and political devastation.”
The War on Prices
by Ryan Bourne
“This short book brings together economists to address inflation-related myths, the efficacy of rent control, how to reform healthcare, and more. It’s an accessible read and relevant for some of the top policy issues of the day.”
Defending Globalization
edited by Scott Lincicome and Clark Packard
“The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, U.S.-China tensions, and rising populism have sparked renewed debate over globalization. Free trade ensures that the status quo will constantly change and bring disruption while ensuring people grow richer and experience higher living standards. The essays in this volume provide diverse perspectives on globalization, its impacts, and alternatives and make a strong case for greater global integration in the future.”
Dr. Marek Jan Chodakiewicz’s Recommendation
Dr. Chodakiewicz holds the Kosciuszko Chair in Polish Studies at IWP, where he also serves as the Director of the Center for Intermarium Studies.
Suicide of the West: An Essay on the Meaning and Destiny of Liberalism
by James Burnham
Prof. Dustin Droullard’s Recommendation
Cyber Persistence Theory: Redefining National Security in Cyberspace
by Michael P. Fischerkeller, Emily O. Goldman, and Richard J. Harknett
“This book takes a new look at the nature of cyber operations and challenges the common paradigms of cyber war and deterrence.”
Dr. David Glancy’s Recommendation
Dr. Glancy is a former State Department and Defense Department official who now holds IWP’s Walter and Leonore Annenberg Chair of International Communication.
Unit X – How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War
by Raj Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff
“The book looks at how the Defense Innovation Unit worked to transform the research, development and procurement processes at the Pentagon to bring them into the 21st century. It highlights the bureaucratic challenges and other obstacles faced in getting Silicon Valley to work more closely with the Pentagon.
“The book is especially timely as the new Administration will be dealing with many of the issues included in the book as it upgrades our military capabilities to face current and future threats.”
Prof. John Sano’s Recommendation
Prof. Sano is the former Deputy Director of the CIA’s National Clandestine Service.
The Company: A Novel of the CIA
by Robert Littell
“A lengthy (almost 900 pages) novel that describes the early days of the CIA. A mixture of both fiction and non-fiction, it is an excellent narrative about the beginning of the Cold War and the role that the CIA played in combating the Soviet Union.
“There is also a TNT mini-series of the same name with some superb performances.”
Prof. Paul Schilling’s Recommendation
Prof. Schilling formerly served with the CIA’s Office of General Counsel.
Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History
by Roy A. Adkins and Lesley Adkins
“It’s the story of the siege and accompanying blockade of the British possession of Gibraltar from 1779 to 1783 by the forces of Spain and France. It became the longest siege in British history. An argument can be made that the British obsession with saving Gibraltar — and the resulting diversion of British land and naval forces to lift the siege — contributed to the loss by Britain of its American colonies in our American War of Independence.”
Dr. Douglas Streusand’s Recommendation
Dr. Streusand is a Professor of International Relations at the U.S. Marine Corps Command & Staff College and Adjunct Professor at IWP.
The Neptune Factor: Alfred Thayer Mahan and the Concept of $ea Power
by Nicholas A. Lambert
“Lambert shows that most treatments of Mahan, including the well-known chapters in the first two editions of Makers of Modern Strategy, focus too much on his first major work, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783, and ignore his later work, which clarifies his views on how maritime power contributes to victory.”