Review: Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism

Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism by Anne Applebaum
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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The candle 🕯️ of remembrance.

Holodomor - the genocide by the artificial famine created by the Communist regime in Ukraine. Never forget, never forgive.

Road to Warsaw Security Forum (#Road2WSF)

A highly interesting ministerial conversation 'Assuring Security in the Black Sea Region' at the online conference 'Road to Warsaw Security Forum' #security #IR #Road2WSF

Review: The Freeze-Frame Revolution

The Freeze-Frame Revolution by Peter Watts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

cold whispers of the stars

Watts did it again. This book is the main one of the Sunflower cycle, and he managed to paint even more fascinating picture than in Firefall or Rafters cycles, in my opinion. A travel through space and time of such colossal proportions that you hardly percive it scale. New pictures of dehumanised humans and humanised machines that will make you think again about problems of free will and purpose.

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Review: Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival

The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival by John Bagot Glubb غلوب باشا
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Stone's Fall

Stone's Fall by Iain Pears
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Critical Theory: A Very Short Introduction

Critical Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Stephen Eric Bronner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: The Dream of Scipio

The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Sketches from a Secret War: A Polish Artist’s Mission to Liberate Soviet Ukraine

Sketches from a Secret War: A Polish Artist’s Mission to Liberate Soviet Ukraine by Timothy Snyder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Machine, Platform, Crowd: Harnessing Our Digital Future

Machine, Platform, Crowd: Harnessing Our Digital Future by Andrew McAfee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Mitra-Varuna: An Essay on Two Indo-European Representations of Sovereignty

Mitra-Varuna: An Essay on Two Indo-European Representations of Sovereignty by Georges Dumézil
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An interesting and deep study of the mythological roots of the concept of political sovereignty for the Indo-European peoples. It gives a reader some food for thoughts that is quite relevant even in modern political conditions.

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Richard Jewell

Clint Eastwood is the living embodiment not only of the American cinematography but of the American spirit as well. At least, the ideal I personally believe the American spirit is. He created many truly iconic characters as an actor and now we can enjoy another wonderful movie that he did as a director. 'Richard Jewell' is a movie based on the real events. It is a deeply psychological social drama. It is a story about modest hero, coming form the little people of America, the people that used to be called 'a silent majority'. He is everything that modern "progressive people" consider to be "not cool". He is white man with traditional views and deep respect for the law and order, with a figure of an officer of the law enforcement as a role model. He possesses guns, he shoots for the recreation with the NRA members, he hunts. He works honestly and he truly believes in the System. And the System fails him, the System uses him as a scapegoat, the System tears his life apart.This exact story ends well. But how many such richards were left unheard, alone with their despair? No wonder, that 'a silent majority' is no longer silent, that it rebelled against the establishment in the US - and we can see the same processes all over the world. Eastwood heard this story of the heartland of America. And he told it us masterfully. 

Review: Fall, Or Dodge in Hell

Fall, Or Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An epic book of Neal Stephenson. I find his version of the technological developement of the human civilazation leading to Singularity quite interesting thoug I am not sure I would like to live in such world.

Finally, the line of Enoch Root, which goes through all his major novels, come to the logical end. It wraps it all pretty neatly.

Some pretty spicy satire on the socio-political realities of the beginning of 21st century as well. I wonder if it really procedes in this direction.

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Review: Artemis

Artemis by Andy Weir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

an interesting SF book with social observation on the possible consequences of Moon colonization by humanity

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Review: 1793

1793 by Ніклас Натт-О-Даг
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Майстерно написаний історичний детектив, що занурює читача у моторошні реалії Швеції кінця вісімнадцятого століття. Корупція, бідність і безправ'я пронизують суспільство, що втомилось від програних воєн під орудою слабкого і некомпетентного короля, нажаханого революцією, що розгортається в цей час у Франції. В цей темний час безвіри і продажних суддів знаходиться людина, якій не все одно, яка хоче докопатися до правди і віднайти правосуддя для жертви жахливого вбивства, що сталося у Стокгольмі. Вкрай атмосферна річ, що поєднує у собі у собі кращі риси нуарного детективу та скандинавської літератури.

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