December 08, 2016
Weekend Reads For December 9
- Our latest installment of #BlanchedNuts takes a look at the most influential climate skeptics of 2016, ranging from Nobel Laureates to bad gamblers.
- In light of Trump’s China tweets we rounded up a few important pieces on the US-China relationship:
- Pnut Reader Ali Wyne asks what happens if America just can’t compete with China in the Pacific in the long-term.
- The Eurasia Group wonders whether the US or China will swing first amidst mounting tensions.
- The Atlantic explores China’s “Great Leap Backwards” and what it means for Sino-US relations.
- Taking a step back, are the two countries destined for war, or is there a way out?
- If we are talking about China, perhaps we should have Henry Kissinger, who orchestrated the US-China relationship, weigh in here? The Atlantic interviews him and here he is generally impressed with China’s cool reactions so far.
- The Washington Post argues against an American overreaction to Trump’s Taiwan call. After all, they are a strong US ally.
- Also, we picked up “Age of Ambition,” by Evan Osnos to learn more about China. You can also read his New Yorker piece on Xi Jinping here.
- On a similar vein, is it the end of the Anglo-American worldview?
- How did the alt-right embrace racism? Salon’s Matthew Sheffield takes a look.
- Switching to a more light-hearted topic. How do you hide $400 million from your wife when you are getting a divorce?
- The Wall Street Journal warns against empathy saying it could make us tribal or, even, cruel. Counterintuitive but interesting. (But also, behind a paywall.)
- Also behind a paywall (and equally interesting) the Journal looks at the life of the “last diplomat” Robin Raphael.
- Bill Gates asks “what makes a great leader” and reviews “the myth of a strong leader” by Archie Brown. You can find the book on Amazon if you are interested.