#political biography

[anselmo-notes]

My Top Read of the Year

This year has been quite tough; I read very little, at least non-technical books, as I was taking a course, which occupied much of my free time. It was an atypical year, but productive in that regard. Despite that, I managed to read a few but good books, with Barack Obama’s ‘The Promised Land’ being a standout. I’ve always admired him greatly, and I received this book as a Christmas gift. It’s…

[markagorman]

Johnson at Ten: The Inside Story by Anthony Seldon and Raymond Newell: Book Review

This is a journalistic review of The Johnson years as Prime Minister. The man I should just laugh at and write off as a fool and egotist beyond compare, but whom I actually despise with all my being. In its lengthy account of a short period of power he is spared little in the way of criticism but not lampooned. Yet, the authors who have previous in this space are clearly holding back, although…

[mysharona1987]

Finally read Britney’s book. Maybe I put reading it off a while because of the sense of dread. And as bad as you know her situation was, you never want to recognise it as soon as she explains it.

It’s like something out Victorian gothic horror.

We ask: “Why did Britney put up with this for so long?”

Because of her sons.

Smile. Stay in line. Be polite. And you get to see your beloved sons regularly.

And she justified it to herself.

“I’d give up my life for my kids, so what’s my freedom?”

[treethymes]

Orlando, My Political Biography (2023, dir. Paul B. Preciado)

[werewolfetone]

On the topic of bram stoker can I also say how wild it is that he and oscar wilde and lord edward carson all went to trinity together and were in some of the same clubs and wrote home to their families about each other (extremely derisively in carson and wilde's case. foreshadowing). everyone just fucking knew each other back then

[brother-emperors]

you know that post about how scholars talk shit about each other when they write the phrase 'one might be tempted to assume,' or however it went. the entirety of crassus scholarship is like this.

[framesdump]

Orlando, My Political Biography (Orlando, ma biographie politique, 2023) Dir. Paul B. Preciado

[pacingmusings]

Seen in 2023:

Orlando, My Political Biography (Paul B. Preciado), 2023

[deadpresidents]

Are there any biographies of Sam Houston you'd recommend?

I haven't read a ton of biographies about Sam Houston, but I do have three in particular that I've read and can recommend:

•The Raven: A Biography of Sam Houston (BOOK | KINDLE) by Marquis James is an excellent biography and even won the Pulitzer Prize. That only drawback is that it won the award in 1930, so it's now nearly 100 years old.

•Sam Houston: American Giant by M.K. Wisehart is very detailed and published more recently (1962)

•Sword of San Jacinto: A Life of Sam Houston by Marshall De Bruhl is the newest of the three books (published in 1993).

I'd probably recommend Sword of San Jacinto mainly because De Bruhl had access to a wider variety of (and more developed) sources when he wrote his book, but all three titles are solid, so I don't think you can go wrong on any of them. I'm sure there are a few other biographies about Sam Houston that are also worthy of your time, but these are the only three that I've personally read and can speak to.

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Do not read history. Read biography for it is life without theory.

- Benjamin Disraeli

[nemo-me-impune]

Do you ever wonder if the poor reputation of nuclear power in the UK was influenced by Terry Pratchett being the PR officer for the British Nuclear Board for 20 years in the 70s and 80s

[museeeuuuum]

If you follow me more for history stuff, check out this biography I did for Amor De Cosmos! A problematic weirdo!!

[homoeroticchess]

i cannot overstate how funny cordelia is as a character. absolute failgirl of all time like. her JOB is catering kosher food. her full time profession. she neither knows how to pronounce any of it nor makes it even edible. actually so obsessed with her in both concept and execution. she shows up, loves her wife and her friends and thats literally enough. go girl

[newhistorybooks]

“Before reading A Seat at the Table, I thought I already knew the Shirley Chisholm story. As the first Black woman elected to Congress, she earned a place in history as a trailblazer who has inspired so many professional women and people of color. Drs. Brooks and Starks capture her journey from childhood in Barbados to local politics in New York, to Congress, and a run for president of the United States. This is a must read. With examples, the authors share her personal narrative and convey how she was passionate about equality and education as she navigated racism and sexism in the United States. She is an inspiration to all of us who serve the public good.”

[brother-emperors]

Im curious if you see more parallels between Octavian and Mark Antony, and Brutus and Cassius, as both being brother in laws.

tbh, there's not a lot there for me to dig my teeth into. Octavian and Antony were brother in laws with Octavia as an intermediary, so functionally a marriage with three people to it, while Cassius did not need to use Brutus' sister specifically as a go between them

the Horrible Family Dynamic that compels me with Octavian and Mark Antony is that step father in law kind of situation going on when Octavian was married to Claudia (while Antony was married to Fulvia) and then later Agrippa's marriage to Octavian's daughter. like. instead of the horizontal nature of in laws on a family tree, we're getting the vertical nature of something that makes me go Huh™

[alexanderpearce]

ratio of political books ive read/am reading that have used the phrase "the die is cast": 3/4