@BrickRoad said:
Recently read 'Nothing To Envy'. Pretty moving book really detailing some true stories from the DPRK. Not sure if @drewbert has read it, or would even want to after his visit, but it is a great read.
Yep! I read it before I went. Probably the best book I've read on the subject, especially if your goal is to understand what life is like in the DPRK for the average citizen. Really well-written.
And while I'm here: just got done reading A World Lit Only By Fire by William Manchester, which is by far my favorite title of a book ever. It's a nonfiction book about the medieval era, specifically how the Renaissance, Reformation, and circumnavigation of the globe by Magellan helped bring humanity out of its thousand-year knowledge drought. I especially liked the first third of it, which talks about day-to-day life in the dark ages, but I also liked reading about the other stuff, since I didn't know much about the Renaissance before reading this book. It's also written for humans, unlike most textbook-style books on history that would bore actual history professors. Manchester isn't a historian (technically, though he is a biographer), so he comes at the subject from an outside perspective, which is perfect for the average reader.
Currently, I'm on Wired for War by P.W. Singer, another nonfiction book, this one about the role robots will play in the future of armed conflict. It's also pretty good, and not only showcases some awesome up-and-coming battle robots, but also delves into the psychology of using robots in warfare, and whether it's a good idea. Despite how awesome it sounds to have robots roaming the battlefield, there are some things Singer brings up that I never considered. Worth checking out if either robots or warfare interests you. Also very well-written.
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