Nine Books I Believe Every Well-Rounded Person Should Read

Introduction

     I am diverting from politics for a little bit to infuse some variety into my writing. I want to be well-rounded myself, not just a political geek. So, here are my nine books that I think everybody should read: (Note: These are in no specific order.)

1. A Short History of the Renaissance and Reformation Europe: Dances over Fire and Water by Jonathan Zophy

     Recounting the story of Medieval Europe in meticulous detail, this well-written book gives what I think to be some of the most thorough descriptions of what the Renaissance and Reformation were like.

2. The Lords of Finance by Liaquat Ahamed

     The Lords of Finance, a critically acclaimed book, walks you through the stories of the four bankers who "broke the world" during the Great Depression. I found while reading this book that I could not tear my eyes away for one moment.

3. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts

     One cannot just look at Napoleon and see another figure in world history; you would be blind to the fact that looking at Napoleon is looking at many people you see today. Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un, and even Steve Jobs could be equated with him. They are all either successful, power-driven, or ambitious. In order to see how they think, studying Napoleon's life is an absolute necessity.

4. Dracula by Bram Stoker

     If anyone considers themselves readers -of fiction or nonfiction- you have to have read Dracula. If not, you are missing out on a cultural and classical experience that you will no doubt want to read again, and perhaps once more after that.

5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

     An inspiring tale that will keep you immersed from cover to cover, The Hobbit has already gotten its share of attention from the movies based off the book. You will find Tolkien's clever humor in various subtle remarks throughout the book. 

6. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

     Whether you consider yourself a Christian or not, Mere Christianity is a recommended read because it contains  philosophical and academic arguments about various Christian topics that even the secularist will find interesting to read. Even if reading this is just to broaden your horizons, it will no doubt be worth your while.

7. EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey

     Dave Ramsey, a highly respected businessman, recounts his story of failure and success in EntreLeadership. He describes the initial closing of his real estate conglomerate and how he worked hard just to eat. Then he reveals how he became the financial mogul he is today and lessons we can learn from his experiences.

8. Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard Schultz

     Everyone drinks Starbucks... at least everyone who is human. Howard Schultz describes his life growing up in the Projects and how he fought to grow his once-small coffee company into the beverage empire it is today.

9. The Art of War by Sun Tzu

     Have you ever seen those movies with the mysterious Chinese guy that is all-wise living in the mountains? This is Sun Tzu, except Sun Tzu is real. The Art of War gives timeless advice on how to deal with relationships or business matters calmly and strategically.

Rex Tillerson: Who Is He and Will He Be Secretary of State?

Rex Tillerson

     Rex Tillerson is Trump's Secretary of State nominee. Scrutinized by many people on both sides of the aisle, he is commonly associated with "big oil", "climate change deniers", and the "top 1%". 

     He was born in Wichita Falls, Texas. When he was young, he became a boy scout, eventually rising to become an Eagle Scout, one of the highest ranks in the Boy Scouts of America. He graduated from the University of Texas with an engineering degree, and after school, became an engineer at Exxon Mobil. 

     After becoming CEO in 2006, Exxon Mobil has become widely criticized for allegedly denying climate change. During his tenure as CEO, he has supposedly conducted business in Sudan, Syria, and Iran. 

As Trump's Nominee

     Chosen by Trump to be the Secretary of State, his politics have quickly come to the spotlight. He is pro-free trade, supporting the TPP, which is a trade agreement with eleven other Pacific nations, including Japan. In an op-ed in the New York Times, he has expressed his support for Common Core standards in our schools. 

     While questioned by many Republicans on his ethics, he has also donated to many Republican candidates, including Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, and George Bush. As a traditional conservative Texan, his "conservative credentials" are undeniable. 

Conclusion

    Clearly a dividing figure, it is up in the air as to whether or not he will be Secretary of State. Liberal Democrats will certainly not want a pro-oil man in one of the most powerful positions in the United States. Conservative Republicans, on the other hand, will be completely in favor of a man who has supported them and their ideals in the past, and will no doubt continue to do so.

Putin's Rise to Power

Vladimir Putin

     Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, the world's most powerful man, is a man everyone should know about. Whether you like him or not, it's vital that we see how he rose to power and how he revived Russia to become a world power once again.

     Early Life:

     Vladimir Putin was born in Leningrad on October 7, 1952, to a factory worker and a conscript in the Soviet Navy. In the Russia Putin grew up in, Eastern Orthodox Christianity was outlawed. Nonetheless, his extremely devout mother baptized him no matter how illegal it was.

     From a young age, he was interested in sports, martial arts, and he wanted to become a secret service officer. In sixth grade, he realized he needed to get good grades in order to become something big; through his persistence, he eventually did so.

     After graduating from a chemistry-centered school, Putin attended Leningrad State University, from which he graduated with a law degree. Fulfilling his childhood dream, he applied for the KGB (Russian secret service) and was one of very few people to successfully get in.

   Not very much is known about Putin's early life. He has always wanted to keep it hidden. Even his family is seen very rarely. When asked why he keeps his early and personal life in the dark, he said that many people have ruined their political careers by flaunting their past and personal selves.

Career in the KGB:

     Fresh out of training, he was assigned to the foreign service branch, which recruits foreigners to join Russian secret service. But, before he did so, he got married in the early 1980s. 

     

     He was assigned to East Germany. He was one of very few servicemen to enjoy the Germans' company and culture. He genuinely enjoyed conversing with them and grew to respect Germany as a country.

    The most striking event during Putin's assignment in East Germany was the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Russia was being led by Mikhail Gorbachev, whom Putin grew to admire and support. During the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, there was much rioting and many demonstrations in the streets. Because of the great threat the disorganization posed, Putin burned KGB documents to prevent them from being captured by rioters.

     Eventually, he was to be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He was then assigned to St. Petersburg University serving as a foreign relations officer. There was an attempted coup d'etat against President Gorbachev and Putin then had to choose a side, the communist rebels or the democratically-elected Russian government. He made his choice; he immediately came to the aid of President Gorbachev which led to his becoming Deputy Prime Minister. 

     Presidency:

     Suddenly, with no warning, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as President of Russia. Putin, being the next in line, immediately took up the presidency in 2000.

Military:

     Mr. Putin's goal was to revive Russia as a world power. He immediately took steps to organize and professionalize Russia's conscript force. Russia now spends more of its GDP on its military than the U.S. does. Russia's military is now one of the largest, most organized, and most powerful in the world. 

Foreign Policy:

     As President, he has made many foreign policy moves that had polar reactions. He has shown good will to Israel by being one of the first Russian politicians to ever visit the Middle Eastern state. He has also shown good will to Bashar al-Assad of Syria and the government of Iran, which has been criticized the world over. When President Obama lashed out against Assad over use of chemical weapons on Syrian rebels, Putin came to Assad's defense, claiming that accusations of use of chemical weapons on his people were unsupported. 

     Putin has improved relations with many Asian countries like China, Iran, and Syria at the price of good relations with the European Union. While political unrest was rampant in Ukraine, Putin sent in roughly 16,000 military personnel to seize land. He has defended the action claiming that they were not invading troops.

     In 2015, Russia shocked the world by beginning strategic airstrikes in Syria. While Russia says these airstrikes are focused against ISIL, there are some who claim that some of these strikes are actually targeted against Syrian rebels.

Domestic Policy:

     To the West's dismay, Putin severely limited the rights of gay couples, completely ridding them of adoption rights and freedom of expression. Putin wants children in Russia to have Russian parents, so he passed a law saying that U.S. parents cannot adopt Russian children.

     He has increased central control over media and big corporations in Russia. He has had many reporters arrested and he was in charge of the demise of many influential Russian business leaders.

     Under his leadership, the Russian parliament passed laws extending the Russian presidency from four to six years. Yet, he retains one of the highest approval ratings by his people in the world. 

Conclusion:

     Vladimir Putin's persistence, resolve, and political brilliance makes him one of the most feared men in the world. He has no intention of backing down from power any time soon, and you can be assured that Putin will be in world news again soon.

Benjamin Netanyahu's Fight Against the World

Netanyahu

     At the forefront of world news right now is Benjamin Netanyahu, a right-wing bulldog, who will stop at nothing to insure the security of Israeli people and beat international terrorism. His latest fight is against the fourteen nations on the U.N. Security Council who voted for U.N. Resolution 2334 against Israel.

1. Netanyahu joined the Israel Defense Force right out of high school.

     In accordance with his nations mandatory service laws, he left the United States, where he was living for high school, and joined the IDF. After intense combat training, he served in an elite counter-terrorism unit, eventually becoming team leader and leading many counter-terrorism and hostage rescue missions. 

     

     When he was done with his required service, he moved back to the U.S. to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While he was studying in the U.S., he received news that his brother, Yoni, died during a counter-terrorism hostage rescue mission. 

2. He is one of Israel's most highly educated men.

     After serving in the military, he returned to the U.S. to study. He was educated at MIT and took a Harvard graduate course, writing a masterpiece of a dissertation. His Harvard professor acclaimed his dissertation and Netanyahu's character. 

     Because he lived in the U.S. for a good part of his life, he speaks perfect English, frequently making speeches to English audiences, including U.S. Congress, media, and meetings with our own President.

3. He currently serves as the Prime Minister of Israel.

     Presently serving his fourth term, he has had a very eventful premiership. 

     After winning his first election, one of his first moves was to criticize the Oslo Accords, which was a sort of peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinian people. Noticeably, he is staunchly opposed to a Palestinian free state bordering Israel. He says that it will threaten Jews' security and allow even more terrorists to attack Israel.

     

      A fervent supporter of the free market, he has loosened Israeli foreign exchange controls, allowing Israelis to bring as much money abroad as they want, put money in foreign banks, and invest in foreign assets.

     

     His security policies bring praise from conservative groups, but scrutiny from liberal groups. He takes a hard-line immigration policy. This includes automatic detention for immigrants who come into Israel illegally. 

     

     Under his premiership, Israel constructed the Iron Dome, a masterpiece missile defense system. When Hamas or other terrorist groups launch missiles at Israel, the Iron Dome immediately launches a missile to intercept that incoming missile before it can reach the ground.

4. The U.N. recently released a resolution calling for Israel to stop settling in Palestinian settlements, declaring that there is no legal validity in it.

    Netanyahu, being the bulldog he is, is completely defying these demands and has already ceased the flow of funding to Senegal, who voted for this resolution. He has recalled diplomats from New Zealand and Senegal. He personally told the New Zealand ambassador that to continue with this was "a declaration of war" against Israel. 

     

     After John Kerry gave a speech as to why the U.S. abstained from voting, Netanyahu immediately responded with a speech of his own. Netanyahu is reconsidering Israel's funding for the U.N. 

   Australia was one of very few nations to support Israel through this. They distanced themselves from remarks made by Obama and Kerry.

   Netanyahu is ready for Trump to assume office, which will undoubtedly turn the tide in favor of Israel. We can be assured that he will take drastic measures to insure Israel comes out of this conflict unscathed.

In conclusion:

     Benjamin Netanyahu is a man whose policies are hailed by conservative groups, yet condescended by liberal groups as inhumane. Clearly a dividing figure, he is waging a war against Barack Obama, the U.N. Security Council and terrorism all at once and shows no intention of backing down in the face of adversity. He will fight tooth and nail to make sure Israel remains free of a bordering Palestinian state and terrorism.

A Short Description of Theresa May

Theresa May

 Who is Theresa May?

     Theresa May is Britain's second woman Prime Minister. One of the main spotlights of her premiership is her dealing with Brexit. She has shown us that she is a strong politician and a worthy successor to David Cameron.

1. Theresa May is Britain's second woman Prime Minister.

     Following the Leave campaign's narrow victory, Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron resigned. This triggered a Conservative party leadership election. After the first round of voting, the election was narrowed down to two women and one man, Andrea Leadsom, Theresa May, and Michael Gove. Sometime after the second round of voting, Leadsom withdrew her candidacy and Gove was eliminated, making Theresa May Britain's Prime Minister.

2. Theresa May does not have kids.

     During the leadership election, Leadsom stated that she is more capable to lead Britain because she has kids and May does not. Later, May released a statement expressing her sorrow that she is unable to have kids. Following these comments, Leadsom withdrew her candidacy. It is unknown whether these comments were the cause of her withdrawal or not.

3. Theresa May supported the Remain campaign.

     She claims to have supported the Remain campaign, but if this was the case, she certainly did not spearhead the Remain campaign, but instead stuck to the background. Interestingly enough, most of her rivals, including Andrea Leadsom, supported Leave. Many speculate, including myself, that her lack of outspoken support of Remain or Leave put herself in an advantageous position to lead Britain and unite both sides.

4. Before becoming Prime Minister, May served as Home Secretary.

     One of her most notable accomplishments was the outlawing of khat, a stimulant that was used by people in Britain at the time. After she allowed the rise of tuition at public colleges, many student riots broke out. She responded with strength by authorizing the use of water cannons, a move which drew much criticism. As Home Secretary, May promised to reduce the influx of immigrants into Britain to less than 100,000.

In conclusion:

     Theresa May, during her short reign as Prime Minister, has shown other that she is a hard-line Conservative politician. She will not be intimidated by riots, the Labour Party, or ISIS. We can expect her to maneuver successfully and tactfully through the jungle of Brexit, and you can expect that Brexit will be one of her key accomplishments. 

A Short Description of Alexander Van der Bellen

Alexander Van der Bellen

     Alexander Van der Bellen is the son of immigrants fleeing the oppressive rule of Josef Stalin and grew up in Austria to become a figure of tolerance, equality, and freedom.

1. He temporarily grew up in a refugee camp.

     The son of a Russian father and Estonian mother, they fled Russia and the Red Army and came to Austria where they found a new life. They arrived at the end of World War 2 when Stalin's communism was growing and becoming a threat to Eastern Europe.

2. He was the Dean of Economics at the University of Vienna.

     Graduating from Innsbruck with a doctorate, he rose to become the Dean of Economics at the University of Vienna, which was oft-mentioned in his presidential campaign. 

    His supporters affectionately refer to him as "Professor" while his opponent, Norbert Hofer criticizes him for his "schoolmasterliness" in debates.

3. He won not one, but two elections to achieve Austian presidency in the same year.

   The first election was extremely close, but he narrowly won. However, his opponent, Norbert Hofer, claimed that there were discrepancies in the counting of absentee ballots. The Austrian supreme court permitted another election, but this election was postponed due to faulty glue for the absentee ballots. 

   Finally, on December 4th, Van der Bellen secured a victory and the title of President-elect of Austria. Norbert Hofer conceded with class, saying that Austrians need to be united, especially during the turbulent times we are in today.

4. Running under the flag of the Green Party, his politics are quite liberal.

     He is a leading proponent of open borders in Austria, mainly because he was the son of immigrant parents himself. The Green Party is known because of their heavily environmental-centered politics, so we can expect vigorous support for green energy proposals. 

     Another one of the issues facing Europe today is whether or not to remain in the European Union or leave it. Indeed, this was at the forefront of the Austrian presidential election. Alexander is a fervent supporter of the Union and says that Austria will remain a part of the EU. He claims that a referendum will not be held.

In conclusion:

     Despite being a figure who is determined to unite Austrians, he has proved a dividing figure in Austrian, and world, politics. As the son of refugees, he overcame the wave of anti-immigrant sentiment that is sweeping over Europe to become the president of Austria.

A Short Description of Justin Trudeau

Justin Trudeau

1. He is the current Prime Minister of Canada.

In 2015, Justin Trudeau, the head of the Liberal Party of Canada, overwhelmingly beat the Conservative party, gaining roughly 180 seats in parliament. He immediately gained popularity with the younger Canadians. He supported legislation to reduce income inequality, promote diversity, and increase infrastructure funding.

2. He knows his quantum computing.

During a visit to Waterloo, he was jokingly asked by a reporter to explain quantum computing. While the reporter obviously meant it as a joke, Prime Minister Trudeau went into great depth explaining a few aspects of quantum computing.

3. His father was also the Prime Minister of Canada.

Also a leader of the Liberal Party, Pierre Trudeau became Prime Minister in 1968. Unfortunately, Justin had to see his father pass away in 2000.