{"id":1631,"date":"2019-12-12T13:52:20","date_gmt":"2019-12-12T11:52:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/?p=1631"},"modified":"2023-12-25T10:43:18","modified_gmt":"2023-12-25T08:43:18","slug":"our-books-of-the-year-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/?p=1631","title":{"rendered":"The Best books of 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Liberal Globe presents the books that read in 2019 and suggest you read\nthem as well. These proposed books belong to different categories in order to\ncorrespond to the different tastes of readers. These book categories are Politics-Government\nand Current Affairs, History, Biography and memoir, Economics, Culture and\nIdeas, Non-Fiction, Fiction, Science & Technology, Novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politics-Government and Current Affairs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eight Days at Yalta: How Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin Shaped the Post-War World<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Diana Preston, Publisher: Picador<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In this book is described the homonymous conference in Crimea of the then\nSoviet Union, which was held in February 1945. This conference was codenamed\n“Argonauta”. There the leaders of England, the USA and the USSR\nattempted to give a definitive solution to the issues of the post-war order.\nFrom the description it turns out that Stalin was a tough negotiator and he\ncomes out winning while there is disagreement among the Polish post-war regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pursuit of Power: Europe 1815-1914<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Richard J. Evans, Publisher Viking<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The great historian of Cambridge University Richard J. Evans writes about the Europe of the\nperiod 1815 to 1914 in an exciting way. States, governments, armed forces,\npolitical parties, rebels, farmers and landowners, economic, aristocratic and\npolitical elites respectively have pursued in every way the power to implement\ntheir ideas. This fight has divided the 19th century European society. It is a\nbook suitable for both amateurs and specialists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red Famine: Stalin\u2019s War on Ukraine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Anne Applebaum, Publisher: Doubleday<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Red<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The story the author tells us about is the most dangerous catastrophe in\npeacetime, the extermination of millions of Ukrainian citizens during the\nperiod (1932-1933). This catastrophe was imposed by Stalin on those who refused\nto serve his plans, by making the Soviet authorities to implement food\nseizures, resulting the death of the 1\/5 of the Ukrainian population. In this\ntragedy is based the timeless and unhidden perpetual trauma that affects the\nrelations between Ukraine and Russia. The author was largely based on the\nUkrainian National Archive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heidegger’s Children: Hannah Arendt, Karl L\u00f6with, Hans Jonas, and Herbert Marcuse<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Richard Wolin, Publisher: Princeton University Press<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This book illuminates the old Riddle, for the allure of totalitarianism in\nthe great spirits (Carl Smit & Martin Heidegger). In addition, it\nilluminates an early fighting against modernity, which today becomes timely.\nThis war was metabolized in the works of Heidegger\u2019s disciples, who remained\nunder his influence, even when he was renounced, as Wolin shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biography and memoir<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Daniel Mendelsohn, Publisher Alfred A. Knopf<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In the author’s world, the Laistytes and the Cyclops represent the\ncomplicated relationship between father and son, while the bed of Penelope is\npresented as the wooden bunk of the author’s childhood years. The revelation of\nUlysses’ identity becomes a personal excess of the assumption of sexuality in\nat least one awkward environment. In the end the reader can understand what\n“Ithaca” really means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a human future at the\nnew frontier of power<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Shoshana Zuboff, Publisher: PublicAffairs<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This book presents in an impressively documented way, while also causing a\nstrong dose of exciting reading, the threats it causes and will cause in the\nfuture the digital revolution in human nature and in particular the behemoths\nof the digital economy that usurpet the most sensitive personal secrets and\ndata of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Narrative Economics: How Stories Go Viral and Drive Major Economic Events\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Robert Shiller, Publisher: Princeton University Press<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Narrative<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Nobel Laureate author presents how the well-known public perceptions\ncan create the economic trends, without the use of the mathematical model of\neconomics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good Economics for Hard Times: Better Answers to Our Biggest Problems\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Abhijit Banerjee and Easter Duflo, Publisher: PublicAffairs <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Good<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Nobel prize winning duo of economists present a different method in\norder to undertake and solve tough problems using empirical evidence. With the\nuse of their method both economists highlight thorny global issues ranging from\ncorruption to inequality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Culture and Ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Motherhood: A Novel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Sheila Heti, Publisher Holt & Company<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Motherhood:<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This book literally deconstructs perhaps the most sacred totem of\npatriarchal society, motherhood. It links the relevant decision on whether a\nwoman will become a mother on dice and connects procreation with writing and\nsex. In the end, however, she returns the decision to procreation and to become\na mother with the family traumas (of the Holocaust) proving that in the end it\nis conscious and not accidental the decision of motherhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Death: The Final Stage of Growth<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Elizabeth Kubler Rossi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This book is the classic masterpiece of the American psychiatrist Elizabeth\nKubler Rossi who introduced the five stages of mourning. Since every passing\nday we are approaching death, this handbook provides us with the necessary\ntools to be useful to ourselves and others, and if this is imposed by\nsituations. At the same time his reading contributes to a more complete, dense\nand conscious life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Jacob Burckhardt, Publisher: Schweighauser\u2019sche Verlagsbuchandlung<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This book is a fundamental work of art history and essential for\nunderstanding the phenomenon of Renaissance. The book gives answers to\nquestions of the type:  What do I owe as a man and an artist in Renaissance? Why does Renaissance\nexercise such attraction? Reading is a challenge for ongoing searches and\nsurveys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non-Fiction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We\u2019re Wrong About the World-and Why Things are\nBetter Than You Think<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Hans Rosling, Publisher Flatiron Books<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It’s a book that shows us with evidence that the planet’s population is in\nbetter shape than we think. It deals with all the issues of modern life and\nprosperity, i.e. from infant mortality, living standards, education, learning,\nculture, freedom and the political situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chernobyl Prayer: A Chronicle of the Future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Svetlana Alexievich, Publisher: Ostozh\u2019e<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In this book the author presents the testimonies of survivors from the\ninfected land of Chernobyl. It includes harsh and\npainful images, causing outrage at the lack of awareness of the then\nauthorities of the Soviet Union, while misinformation is constantly soaring by\ndisliking the population of the region and beyond. The destruction of secrecy\nof the Soviet regime caused more victims than the accident itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Overstory: A Novel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Richard Powers, Publisher: Vintage Digital<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The many (thousands) trees presented in this story become the cause that\nthe lives of decaying people will randomly cross, giving them the opportunity\nto understand that beyond the reality there is a world with us infinitely wiser\nthan we will Imagined. A world older bigger than all of us. The Tree world.\nThis book gave the author the Pulitzer Award for 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Augustus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By John Williams, Publisher: Viking Press<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This book is the novel autobiography of the first Roman emperor. August. An\nexciting narrative that keeps the reader constantly pinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science and Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dog Days, Raven Nights<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By John M.-Colleen Marzluff, Publisher: Yale University Press<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In this story a couple of young scientists decides to load in a car all his\nbelongings and along with his two dogs follows their mentor in the forests of the Northern USA to study the\nwinter conditions of Corvus Corax. There and for the next three years the couple will discover themselves as\npart of the local ecosystem. The narrative resembles the era of great\nexplorations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Novacene: The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By James Lovelock & Bryan Appleyard, Publisher: MIT Press<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The author forecasts that the artificial intelligence will lead to the\ncreation of cyborgs which will be involved to supplant carbon-based humankind.\nBut as the author suggests there is a great possibility the cyborgs might\ndecide to keep people around in farmhouses as pets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Novel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dry: A Novel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Jane Harper, Publisher: MacMillan<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The novel\/mystery unfolds in a charming and wild province of Australia and\nspecifically in a small town that has been hit by a prolonged drought. A\nvicious crime causes extremes. The detective who arrives in the city to\ninvestigate the crime begins to bring to the surface and during the detection\nof various well-hidden secrets of the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Red-Haired Woman<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Orhan Pamuk, Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The story unfolds in a Turkey that is in transition period. The heroes of\nthe story father and son fall in love with the same woman in search of their\nplace in Turkish society. Essentially, the author uses two of the most\nimportant works of Western and Eastern civilization the “Oedipus” of\nSophocles and the “Rustem and Suhrab” of Firdausi trying to highlight\nthe cultural ties between East and West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Less<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Andrew Sean Greer, Publisher: Abacus<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This book gave the Pulitzer Award for literature for 2018 to its author.\nWhile in the beginning the reader believes that he is reading a light story\nabout the adventures of Mr. Less, a gay novelist, who on the eve of his 50th\nbirthday tries to forget his last painful breakup by inventing a version of his\nround the world, in the end the reader discovers an unexpected depth in this\nstory that is not shown at the beginning of the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little Man, What Now?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Hans Fallada, Publisher: Academy Chicago Publishers<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The story takes place in Berlin during the period 1930-1932. The first roar\nof the National Socialism is evident. The Johannes, the Stoic\n“Manari” of Emma and their small child. Very difficult to survive in\nterrible lodgings, with high unemployment and great hunger to plague the\npopulation. No future because tomorrow looks like yesterday. But “we have\neach other.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Middle England<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Jonathan Coe, Publisher: Viking Press<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Middle<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This book is a vivid portrait of divided England in the last decade of\nBrexit. There is an anatomy of the\nsituation in the British society that concerns us all. This author achieves it\nthrough the parallel lives of the compromised or angry, disproved, persistent,\nmoderate, insurgent heroes where he manages to highlight the mistakes that led\nto the lasting political-social crisis and the division of the UK’s exit from\nthe EU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Testaments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Margaret Atwood, Publisher: Nan A. Talese \/ Doubleday<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It is a novel that everyone should read regardless of age and since the\ncharacters appearing in history are very easy to meet them in their real daily\nlife but also the readers can identify them to themselves. Very interesting in\nreading given that it does not allow the reader to leave it to do anything\nelse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hangover Square<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Patrick Hamilton, Publisher: Europa Editions<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The story unfolds in London in the late 1930 in the voracious city and the\natmosphere of its pubs. The author’s focus is on the outcasts of life and the\nabsolute average, the unfulfilled love, the instincts and the needs, the\ntotalitarianism whose shadow falls on most of Europe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Liberal Globe presents the books that read in 2019 and suggest you read them as well. These proposed books belong to different categories…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1157],"tags":[2125,2143,5032,5036],"class_list":["post-1631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-culture","tag-books","tag-books-of-2019","tag-books-of-the-year","tag-the-best-books"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1631"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16741,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1631\/revisions\/16741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}