Review: The Post-American World

The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's funny to observe how overwhelmingly things changed in a decade after this publication. As the saying goes: 'If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.' Though even as US became more imperial with a new unexpected president, and all hopes for the democratisation of Russia are in ruins with the actual revival of the Cold War atmosphere - the moral idea of the book, if I may to use this characteristic, is still so much appealing: for US, as the single superpower of our globe, to lead not with fear and isolation, but with openness and inspiration.


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Review: The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy

The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy by Daniel A. Bell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It has long been a generally accepted fact that we live in an era of crisis of liberal representative democracy. The China model is an attempt to analyze a political alternative to the classical Western democracy: a meritocratic system which is used for many years now in China by the ruling Communist Party. While the author himself recognizes the fact that it is highly doubtful for the Western population to accept any other system than 'one person - one vote' (even facing the dismayal incompetency of the democratically elected populists), this book could be a thought provoking insight into the alternative ways of political thinking, something that could become - who knows? - an escape from the current cul-de-sac of the Western electoral policies.

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Review: A Legacy of Spies

A Legacy of Spies by John le Carré
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“I’m a European, Peter. If I had a mission – if I was ever aware of one beyond our business with the enemy, it was to Europe. If I was heartless, I was heartless for Europe. If I had an unattainable ideal, it was of leading Europe out of her darkness towards a new age of reason. I have it still.”
― John le Carré, A Legacy of Spies

A swansong of George Smiley with these beautiful words in the end. I couldn't agree more.

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Review: Intelligent Research Design: A Guide for Beginning Researchers in the Social Sciences

Intelligent Research Design: A Guide for Beginning Researchers in the Social Sciences by Bob Hancke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In this quite short book the author managed to give more than a couple of good advices on the academic writing, especially methodology. If you are interested in a PhD or preparation of a scientific paper, this is definitely your reading.

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Review: The Spy Who Came In from the Cold

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carré
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An immortal classics of a spy thriller from the true knight of the cloak and dagger, John le Carré (nom de plume of David Cornwell, an agent of the British intelligence service). As always, written in beautiful English, intriguing and capturing. This novel put a high standart for the spy literature and was brilliantly screen adapted with a iconic Richard Burton as a main character.

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Review: The Man with the Poison Gun: A Cold War Spy Story

The Man with the Poison Gun: A Cold War Spy Story by Serhii Plokhy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The study of the Cold War history which fascinates you like a spy thriller. Detailed, grounded on many various sources, this account of a clandestine war waged by Kremlin in Soviet times would be definitely interesting for those who oppose Moscow nowadays, as times may change but their methods stay the same, if not became more ruthless and devious.

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Polar (2019) - blood on the snow

It's not just a brutal gore (though it has enough of it).

It's a philosophical tale of violence and retribution.

The one and only brilliant Mads Mikkelsen, playing main character, goes through the painful transformation, the divine ordalia, as he passes through the hanging and loses his eye, as Odin did, to obtain a new wisdom.

Also, I would like to point out Katheryn Winnick (Катерина Винницька), a Ukrainian from Canada, she did masterfully in Vikings - and now she is very persuasive in the role of Vivian, the exquisite assasine master.

Strongly recommend if you're into such kind of stuff