Episode · The Ezra Klein Show · 2023-12-26
Books mentioned on Best Of: The Most Amazing — and Dangerous — Technology in the World
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The World for Sale, Complete
The World for Sale is an eye-opening exploration into the secretive world of global commodity traders and their hidden influence over essential resources.
Recommended“well I'd start with the world for sale which is an extraordinary account of commodity traders who play a unseen role in the middle of the networks that deliver oil and minerals and metals that we require it's sort of a eye-opening view as to to how all the world's raw materials get shipped around the world”
Where to get it
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Nexus
Nexus is an in-depth historical study examining telegraph cables and global government communication networks during the early twentieth century.
Recommended“a second book I'd recommend which picks up on a lot of the discussions we've had about networks is a book called Nexus by Jonathan Winkler which is a a study of telegraph cables during the early 20th century and what's striking about it is the extent to which all of the world's governments saw telegraph cables as not only”
Where to get it
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Coercion
Coercion is a deep exploration of high political decision-making and strategic governance.
Recommended“and then a third book which was published last year which I strongly recommend is a book on decision-making in China called Prestige manipulation and coercion which is an extraordinary account of high politics in in China over the last half century that illustrates with just a really exceptional archival documentation how how Chinese politics has has shifted and the”
Where to get it
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Prestige, Manipulation, and Coercion
Prestige, Manipulation, and Coercion is a detailed historical and political examination focusing on high-level decision-making and governance in China.
Recommended“and then a third book which was published last year which I strongly recommend is a book on decision-making in China called Prestige manipulation and coercion which is an extraordinary account of high politics in in China over the last half century that illustrates with just a really exceptional archival documentation how how Chinese politics has has shifted and the”
Where to get it
