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Alexander Thompson

Posted on | June 3, 2009 | 1,159 views |

Alexander Thompson is an assistant professor of Political Science. His book Channels of Power was published in 2009.

What are your five favorite books and why?

The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman

 

This history of the decision-making leading up to World War I and the initial stages of the war should be read by all actual and aspiring leaders. The book illustrates how miscalculation, hastiness and egos can lead to avoidable tragedy.

 

Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck

This isn’t Steinbeck’s most celebrated novel but it might be his most enjoyable to read. A tight-knit group of paisanos, living in the hills above Monterey, Calif., share friendship, defy all social conventions and spend most of their energy seeking and drinking cheap red wine!

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Carson raised public awareness about pesticides and pollution and helped launch the modern environmental movement. The book is a model of how to write about science for a popular audience, a skill that is more important than ever for tackling today’s new - and even more serious - environmental challenges.

My American Journey by Colin Powell and Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama

These are unusually insightful memoirs of two interesting men. Both rose from modest backgrounds and defied social barriers while devoting themselves to public service, ultimately achieving the highest positions in government.  

L’Assommoir by Emile Zola

This is a painfully realistic portrayal of working-class life in 19th-century Paris, full of themes that seem equally relevant today.

What books have helped you most in your academic career?

 The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq by George Packer

This is one of the books that convinced me to write my first book on the Iraq wars. It is a detailed account of the ideas and decisions that led the United States to invade Iraq in 2003.

After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy by Robert Keohane

Keohane showed that, even if we assume leaders are self-interested and cynical, they can still achieve international cooperation - at least some of the time.

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