After a long discussion with my dad about the invasion of Ukraine, what led up to it, leftism, anti-imperialism, life in the USSR, Stalin, stalinism, and so much more, he has told me he’d like to read the books I’ve read.

He’s brought this request up twice more already and he’s been very keen on my perspective when we recently had a talk about leftist perspectives on the concept of nations and states.

Now here’s the issue, I don’t really read books. I read articles, essays and other shorter texts as well as video lectures (I love you yellow parenti). He is very much a Book Reader. The type of dad to have more than one book about historical naval battles.

He’s a good guy, but he can get very defensive and set in his ways, and he’s sort of stuck in the basic NATO EU-leftlib mindset.

I plan on giving him Dominico Losurdos “Stalin: History and Critique of a Black Legend” as a christmas present alongside a list recommending him other books.

  • Blackshirts and Reds
  • This Soviet World (Though I’ve only read excerpts of this one sadly)
    And which other books should I recommend him? I’ve been looking for a nice approachable Lenin one, I’m thinking State and the Revolution?
    I was also considering Marx’ “The 18th Brumaire”, but I’ve also only read excerpts from that one, so I don’t know.
    Also are there any essays you’d recommend for him, despite him not being a short form enjoyer? I’m considering Engels’ On Authority.

I’d like some recommendations for good books. I’m especially interested in stuff that can turn him towards a more third-worldist perspective. I’ve never read any Fanon @ReadFanon@hexbear.net (sorry) so I don’t feel comfortable just throwing a book at him from there, but would it make sense? Likewise I’d like to get more modern stuff.

  • BanMeFromPosting [none/use name]@hexbear.netOPEnglish
    12·
    2 months ago

    The Jakarta Method is an excellent recommendation! Don’t know why I didn’t think of that myself. I think I have to read wrecthed of the earth myself first.

    As for the rest of your recommendations, I appreciate them, but they seem more fitting for a USian than a european. Not that they’re not good for a european too, but if you don’t already have leftist worldview I fear it’ll mainly just feed the basic notion of “the US sucks” which is broadly agreed upon here.

    • JoeByeThen [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
      7·
      2 months ago

      Oh yeah, if you’re European ignore that stuff, my bad. Check my other reply to my comment for a couple more that might work for you though. (Edit: minus Angela davis as that one is pretty us centric.) stalin-approval

      You may wanna also see if you can find something that discusses the overlap between Nazi Germany and NATO then… thinkin-lenin

      I haven’t read this, and know nothing about it but it’s on my list because there’s so few books about Gladio which also may be of interest given that the US basically ran a secret war in Europe.

      Operation Gladio : The Unholy Alliance Between The Vatican , The CIA And The Mafia, Paul L. Williams (2015)