I recently just finished reading Collapse! by Jared Diamond which was a fascinating glimpse into some of the overarching themes that many failed societies shared, and why some succeeded in difficult conditions while others faltered in easy-going places.

His previous work, Guns, Germs and Steel was again an incredibly well (read:easy to read) written short history of the world, and why certain cultures excelled while others remained static (namely, the explosion of Europeans across the world contrasted with the Aborigines of Australia). I really, really recommend both of them.

On the entertainment side, I read a fantasy novel called Deadhouse Gates - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/Fileeadhouse_Gates.jpg" class="image"><img alt="Deadhouse Gates.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/11/Deadhouse_Gates.jpg/200px-Deadhouse_Gates.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@en/thumb/1/11/Deadhouse_Gates.jpg/200px-Deadhouse_Gates.jpg, part of a fantasy series that is both immense and completely epic. If you like fantasy, you will probably sustain a massive erection through the entirety of the book.

On, what I suppose is, the road of self-enlightenment, I have a few to list. The 33 Strategies of War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:33StratagiesWar.jpg" class="image"><img alt="33StratagiesWar.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b1/33StratagiesWar.jpg/125px-33StratagiesWar.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@en/thumb/b/b1/33StratagiesWar.jpg/125px-33StratagiesWar.jpg was a pretty interesting read, in terms of shifting your perspective on how to deal with a problem, or a problematic person/group of people. It was like Art of War, except without the cryptic, vague messages (which was arguably worse, because it is easier to see a solution or answer you want in something that is vaguely worded, like a Rorschach inkblot), and I found it also useful in identifying trends and types of political stances and choices that politicians make, especially when combined with his first book: The 48 Laws of Power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:GreeneRobert-48LawsOfPower.jpg" class="image" title="Robert Greene"><img alt="Robert Greene" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/GreeneRobert-48LawsOfPower.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@en/9/9d/GreeneRobert-48LawsOfPower.jpg. I mean, both of these had their fair share of bullshit throughout them, but they were both interesting reads and got me much more interested in politics, government or otherwise.