Finished up two books

First I finished The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047.

I have to say I'm really not sure how I feel about this book.  As I have stated many times I am not an economist and have been told that I am actually far too stupid to understand economics, so maybe I am just too stupid to really understand this book, which centers around the economic collapse of the United States.  My problem with the book is that the author seems to ignore Friedman in favor of Ron Paul, and in writing of the consequences of an economic collapse seems to approve of the results of subscribing to the "Let it Burn" school of Tea Party politics.  Yes, the country falls apart but by God we are getting what we deserved.  Sorry I'm a little to happy with my life to want that to occur.  In a lot of other ways this book reads like a Trump manifesto.  She does nail the coming entitlement fiasco on the head though.

(I know what you are going to say (or what you would say if I had any readers) - "But Chad, she is a conservative, you should be agreeing with her."  No, she isn't she is a nihilist who happens to share some libertarian / fringe conservative economic philosophies.  I am a Reaganite / Monetarist.  She is a Nihilist / Paulbot.  )

That said the book was engaging and even though many people have complained that the characters are too expository, the material that they discuss is interesting and worth thinking about.

Second I finished The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness

What can I say?  It's a book about the iPod.  It was OK and if I had read it 10 years ago I might have been more excited.  As is it was just kind of one of those moment in time books.  Don't bother unless it get's updated or you are a huge Steven Levy fan.

Also - @MillaJovovich recommended The Wealth and Poverty of Nations so I will be giving that a shot after The Rise and Fall of American Growth.