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Niall Ferguson

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Niall Campbell Ferguson is a Scottish-American historian who works as a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. Previously, he was a professor at Harvard University and New York University, was also a senior research fellow at Jesus College, Oxford, and a visiting professor at the New College of the Humanities.
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The War Lords and the Gallipoli Disaster book cover
The War Lords and the Gallipoli Disaster
How Globalized Trade Led Britain to Its Worst Defeat of the First World War (Oxford Studies in International History)
Nicholas A. Lambert - 2021-02-05
Goodreads Rating
Discover the untold story behind the infamous Gallipoli campaign through a bold and fully researched account that reveals how the War Lords ordered the attacks for political-economic reasons. Author Nicholas Lambert contextualizes the events within the global trade industry, showing how the Gallipoli disaster was driven by the need to alleviate the international grain trade's disruption caused by the war. Explore the perspectives of each individual War Lord and gain insight into the strategic decision-making process in a globalized world economy.
Niall Ferguson
2022-03-23T19:06:12.000Z
I highly recommend Nick Lambert's books: "Planning Armageddon: British Economic Warfare and the First World War" and "The War Lords and the Gallipoli Disaster: How Globalized Trade Led Britain to Its Worst Defeat of the First World War."      source
Planning Armageddon book cover
Planning Armageddon
British Economic Warfare and the First World War
Nicholas A. Lambert - 2012-01-01
Goodreads Rating
Explore a secret plan by the British Admiralty to win a rapid victory in the event of a war with Germany - economic warfare on an unprecedented global scale. This strategy aimed to exploit Britain's effective monopolies in banking, communications, and shipping, but was ultimately revised due to collateral damage concerns. Discover how this revisionist account overturns the conventional understanding of British strategy in the early part of World War I and stresses the importance of Clausewitz's political conditions of war in strategic policy analysis.
Niall Ferguson
2022-03-23T19:06:12.000Z
I highly recommend Nick Lambert's books: "Planning Armageddon: British Economic Warfare and the First World War" and "The War Lords and the Gallipoli Disaster: How Globalized Trade Led Britain to Its Worst Defeat of the First World War."      source
The Economic Weapon book cover
The Economic Weapon
The Rise of Sanctions as a Tool of Modern War
Nicholas Mulder - 2022-01-25
Goodreads Rating
Discover the origins and consequences of economic sanctions in this timely international history book. From the blockades of World War I to their use in colonial empires and interwar confrontations with fascism, author Nicholas Mulder provides a political, economic, legal, and military analysis of this coercive tool. With extensive archival research, this book reveals why sanctions are often considered a form of war and the unintended consequences they can bring. A Foreign Affairs Best Book of 2022, this valuable read offers sobering lessons for Western policy makers today, according to renowned sources such as Paul Kennedy in the Wall Street Journal and The Economist.
Niall Ferguson
2022-03-09T00:25:19.000Z
This certainly seems like the history book we should all be reading: @njtmulder 's impeccably timed The Economic Weapon:      source
The Square and the Tower book cover
The Square and the Tower
Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook
Niall Ferguson - 2018-01-16 (first published in 2017)
Goodreads Rating
Explore the hidden networks that have driven change throughout history in this bestselling book. The Square and the Tower challenges the traditional view of history as hierarchy, and instead uncovers the power of informal networks. From ancient cults to Facebook, discover how networks drive innovation and shape the world we live in. This thought-provoking book offers a fascinating exploration of network theory, and a bold new perspective on the future of power.
Niall Ferguson
2021-06-25T07:11:20.000Z
The book sought to introduce network science to readers of history:      source
The Son Also Rises book cover
The Son Also Rises
Surnames and the History of Social Mobility (The Princeton Economic History of the Western World, 49)
Gregory Clark - 2014-02-23 (first published in 2004)
Goodreads Rating
The Son Also Rises challenges the belief that social mobility has improved over time by tracking family names across eight centuries and various countries. Economist Gregory Clark provides evidence that fate is determined by ancestry, and that social mobility rates remain low and are resistant to change. This thought-provoking book will challenge assumptions and spark debate.
Niall Ferguson
2021-02-22T22:25:39.000Z
For the @GlasgowGuardian to call Greg Clark a "eugenicist" is grotesque. He is a brilliant and original economic historian, whose books "A Farewell to Alms" and "The Son Also Rises" I highly recommend:      source
A Farewell to Alms book cover
A Farewell to Alms
A Brief Economic History of the World
Gregory Clark - 2007-08-13
Goodreads Rating
Explore the factors that determine a country's wealth and poverty with "A Farewell to Alms." Author Gregory Clark challenges popular theories on the causes of economic growth, suggesting instead that it is cultural changes that lead to prosperity. He argues that stable settlements and security are essential in developing effective workforces capable of economic growth, debunking ideas that natural resources and outside intervention are the primary drivers of prosperity. This thought-provoking book challenges conventional wisdom on global economic history and may change the way you view the world.
Niall Ferguson
2021-02-22T22:25:39.000Z
For the @GlasgowGuardian to call Greg Clark a "eugenicist" is grotesque. He is a brilliant and original economic historian, whose books "A Farewell to Alms" and "The Son Also Rises" I highly recommend:      source
Blueprint book cover
Blueprint
The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society
Nicholas A. Christakis - 2019-03-26
Goodreads Rating
Blueprint by Nicholas A. Christakis explores the idea that our genes not only affect our bodies and behaviors, but also influence the ways we form societies. Christakis offers many examples, from historical cultures to modern online communities, to prove that we are innately programmed for love, friendship, cooperation, and learning. Despite our violent past, our social blueprint for goodness cannot be escaped. By exploring our evolutionary roots, Blueprint shows that our genes have shaped societies for our welfare, and societies continue to shape our genes today.
Niall Ferguson
2019-04-02T00:50:34.000Z
I cannot recommend too highly the new book by @NAChristakis: One of the finest -- and most humane -- minds of our time.      source
The Unraveling book cover
The Unraveling
High Hopes and Missed Opportunities in Iraq
Emma Sky - 2015-04-07
Goodreads Rating
Follow Emma Sky's journey as she takes on the challenging task of helping rebuild Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Serving longer than any other senior military or diplomatic figure, Sky provides unique insights into the complexities and evolution of Iraqi society. The Unraveling analyzes the course of the war, from insurgencies and civil wars to corrupt political elites, and examines the failures of policies of both Republicans and Democrats. This intimate insider's portrait highlights the limitations of power and the lessons that must be learned.
Niall Ferguson
2015-07-12T02:18:00.000Z
A book every American and Briton needs to read, by a woman braver than nearly all of us. The Unraveling, by Emma Sky      source
Recommended by
Seán Ono Lennon
The Buried Giant book cover
The Buried Giant
Kazuo Ishiguro - 2015-03-01
Goodreads Rating
Set in post-Arthurian Britain, The Buried Giant follows Beatrice and Axl, an elderly couple journeying to see their son whom they can barely remember due to a strange mist causing amnesia. With a Saxon warrior, orphan child, and knight joining their journey, they all slowly begin to recall their dark past. This poignant and unforgettable story meditates on memory, love, vengeance, and war, and is sure to captivate readers.
Niall Ferguson
2015-03-14T18:27:45.000Z
Reading Kazuo Ishiguro's The Buried Giant. I am more enthralled than I have been by a book in a long time. Profound meditation on memory.      source