2022 Reading List Update

Here's a list of the books I've read since Biden was elected:

Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth
The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton
Dopesick by Beth Macy
The View From Flyover Country by Sarah Kendzior
Hiding In Plain Sight by Sarah Kendzior

Here's a list of the books I read after Trump was elected:

A Higher Loyalty by James Comey
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig
American Carnage by Tim Alberta
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Blowout by Rachel Maddow
Collusion by Luke Harding
Dark Money by Jane Mayer
Dark Towers by David Enrich
Democracy In Chains by Nancy MacLean
Everything Trump Touches Dies by Rick Wilson
Facts And Fears by James R. Clapper
Fascism A Warning by Madeline Albright
Fear by Bob Woodward
Fire And Fury by Michael Wolff
Friendly Fascism by Bertram Gross
House Of Trump – House Of Putin by Craig Unger
How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
Kushner Inc. - Greed. Ambition. Corruption. By Vicky Ward
On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
Plutocrats by Chrystia Freeland
Proof Of Collusion by Seth Abramson
Red Notice by Bill Browder
Russian Roulette by Michael Isikoff and David Corn
The Case For Impeaching Trump by Elizabeth Holtzman
The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis
The Mueller Report  by The Washington Post
The Only Game In Town by Mohamed A. El-Erian
The Threat by Andrew McCabe
This Fight Is Our Fight by Elizabeth Warren
Tough Love by Susan Rice

Here's a list of other books I read between Trump and Biden:

The Art Of War by Sun Tzu
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (John Ciardi) 
The Bhagavad Gita translation by Eknath Easwaran

Holy Moly!

Sarah Speaks The Old Language

I just finished the 20 page introduction to "Hiding In Plain Sight" by Sarah Kendzior.

Sarah speaks my only language, English, but she does so better than I ever have or will.

Here's the thing. There are two parts to speaking any language - the obvious spoken or written part and the experiential part that pushes those words out of the speaker - necessitates that they be articulated.

The ability to empathize is dependent upon the speaker having gone through a similar experience/trauma.

An intelligent person can only go so far in communicating anything. An intelligent person who has survived a trauma can go farther.

Sarah goes the distance.

My only personal experience with Sarah Kendzior has been in the last few weeks since I began reading "The View From Flyover Country". Prior to that, I heard her name mentioned on Twitter.

I don't know what sensitized Sarah. I just know an empath when I experience one. Sarah is an empath.

There is only one thing that I take issue with Sarah on - "hope". I'm ever hopeful. I'm not hopeful waiting for a miracle. I'm hopeful that I will not be crushed to the point I no longer believe resistance is worthwhile.

I've spent years reading books about the events I believe she will cover. I've written hundreds of essays and letters. I haven't yet seen them through her eyes. I'm so looking forward to it.

Holy Moly!

Who Knows What Evil Lurks In The Hearts Of Men? Sarah Knows!

Over the last few years, quite a lot of people have told me I needed to read "The View From Flyover Country" by Sarah Kendzior.

During Trump's term in office, I was reading as fast as I could to try and understand what was happening.

On 1/1/17, I launched "The Church Of The Holy Moly" (THCOTHM). I also got active on Twitter.

I did lots of things, and then after Biden took office, I just lost my energy. I still did things, but my energy was low.

For the first time in years, I began reading novels. I started watching a lot of streaming videos on Netflix, Prime and HBOMax.

You could say I was in for some R&R after trying to navigate my way through a black hole.

In the 4 years I chronicled Trump as the Prophet of TCOTHM, I evolved. I had to play a lot of catch up.

There was a time, back in the day, when I was very active and very focused. I came out of mothballs after W was elected and things rapidly went to hell.

When Obama was elected, I went back into mothballs. My daughter even urged me to go on Twitter. I think she thought it would be therapeutic for me.

Ironically, Jess is now encouraging me to cut back on Twitter and other social media.

In 2021, I started experimenting with video. I even had a co-conspirator - Nick. Nick is the grandson of someone I met as a teen. I've known Nick for several years now. He refers to me as his "mentor".

Nick and I posted our first video, "Nick and Brendan Attempting To Span A Generation Or Two", last March.

https://youtu.be/uzy2PkrYG0A

Nick graduated from law school in 2020. While there, he distinguished himself academically and served as the editor of the school's law review.

Since law school he's been working as an ADA in New York. More recently, he's fallen head over heels in love. What can I say?

At any rate, 2021 was a year of avoiding COVID, experimenting with videos, reading novels and watching streaming videos.

Last month I was looking for something to read and ordered "The View From Flyover Country". I'm not sure what I expected. Someone had once again urged me to read it and I ordered it.

I finished the book today. I intend to begin "Hiding In Plain Sight", another of Sarah's books, tomorrow. I had ordered both of Sarah's books at the same time.

I was immediately caught by Sarah's writing. She gets right to it. She is intelligent, insightful and articulate - the writing trifecta.

At page 50, she had completely caught my attention. She provides a new perspective on most everything she covers.

Today I just knocked off the book because I wanted to write about it and make it my first blog post of 2022. I thought I had a handle on it - on Sarah's insights. Silly me.

In Part VI, "Beyond Flyover Country", Sarah took things to a whole new level. "Snowden and the Paranoid State" is the writing of an old soul in a shining new incarnation. It's also not a fluke - not a singularity.

The last few chapters all provide wonderous insights into human consciousness. What a delight!

Who exactly is Sarah Kendzior and what exactly does she know? She knows a lot.

So yeah, I'm suggesting you read this book. I'm also going to give a copy to Jess.

Holy Moly!