Alternative for the MassesI'm nostalgic for the 90s and alternative music but I wasn't there for any of it. I was 4 and a half years old when Nevermind was released and was introduced to Nirvana by my dad playing MTV Unplugged…Cory Dransfeldt·May 27·2 min readFollowmusicnonfiction
London Falling...I have no fear, 'cause London is drownin' and I, I live by the river... You can't write a book called London Falling and convince me it's wholly unrelated to London Calling . Perhaps it is, perhaps…Cory Dransfeldt·May 16·1 min readFollowcrimenonfictiontrue crime
Manufacturing ConsentThe mass media serve as a system for communicating messages and symbols to the general populace. It is their function to amuse, entertain, and inform, and to inculcate individuals with the values, bel…Cory Dransfeldt·May 6·3 min readFollowjournalismpoliticshistorynonfiction
Murder the TruthMurder the Truth is another entry in a line of books illustrating the ways in which immense wealth has warped the foundations of American society. We all watch in horror as things bend, fold in and wo…Cory Dransfeldt·Apr 25·2 min readFollowjournalismpoliticshistorynonfiction
England's DreamingI like the Sex Pistols ’ music but was only vaguely aware of their history, so England’s Dreaming made for an interesting and, at times, conflicting read. I find it easy to get caught up in an ideal o…Cory Dransfeldt·Apr 18·2 min readFollowbiographymusicnonfictionbiography & autobiography
El PasoEl Paso is a heartfelt, beautifully written tale that manages to connect the city's history to that of her family's, other migrant families and the dynamics of immigration woven deeply into the fabric…Cory Dransfeldt·Apr 1·1 min readFollowjournalismpoliticshistorynonfiction
More Everything ForeverMore Everything Forever is an essential read for the modern, tech-empowered dystopia we find ourselves in. Adam Becker methodically examines and destroys the pseudo-religious nonsense of modern tech f…Cory Dransfeldt·Mar 22·2 min readFollowtechpoliticsnonfiction
Gilded RageGilded Rage is well written and covers a lot of what one might already know from paying more than passing attention to the tech industry and political landscape of the United States in recent years. I…Cory Dransfeldt·Mar 13·3 min readFollowtechpoliticsnonfiction
Killer ClownI have an on and off again relationship with true crime. I found I'll Be Gone in the Dark to be both riveting and terrifying. Adnan's Story was another gripping read. [Killer Clown](Killer Clown) isn'…Cory Dransfeldt·Mar 3·2 min readFollowhistorycrimenonfictiontrue crime
To Catch a FascistAn easy, extremely engaging read and a necessary journey into forces defining our modern political moment. The author clearly sits with and sympathizes with the antifascists covered here, a sentiment …Cory Dransfeldt·Feb 18·2 min readFollowpoliticshistorynonfiction
UnderworldUnderworld is more of the same from Jared Savage, but not in the bad way that that phrase typically connotes. It's a necessary conclusion to a trilogy of books that remain novel for their locale and i…Cory Dransfeldt·Feb 9·1 min readFollowcrimenonfictiontrue crime
How to Stand Up to a DictatorMaria Ressa is a remarkable individual. She's a journalist, author, activist and is both innovative and tireless in her pursuit of truth and justice. How to Stand Up to a Dictator is an essential read…Cory Dransfeldt·Jan 19·2 min readFollowjournalismpoliticsnonfiction
Fight OligarchyFight Oligarchy is both brief and direct. Bernie Sanders, while imperfect, is one of the more inspiring political figures on the left in the United States. (The actual left, not the center occupied by…Cory Dransfeldt·Dec 30·2 min readFolloweconomicspoliticsnonfiction
The Idaho FourThe Idaho Four is a thoughtful, fair and empathetic retelling of an American tragedy. One of many American tragedies. Every day seems to bring a new one. I didn't follow the case, I had a passing awar…Cory Dransfeldt·Dec 28·1 min readFollownonfiction
The Fort Bragg CartelIt’s not at all surprising that starting forever wars, giving elite forces license to do whatever they want while enabling and covering for their worst behavior would produce all sorts of negative out…Cory Dransfeldt·Dec 20·1 min readFollownonfictiontrue crime
Year of the RatFrom reading about nazis to reading about the British far right that both admires and wants to revive their ideas. Harry Shukman infiltrated the British far right with the help of HOPE not hate and ve…Cory Dransfeldt·Dec 12·1 min readFollowpoliticsnonfiction
The Nazi MindThe Nazi Mind is informative, but not profound. It's populated by vignettes about the atrocities committed by Germany during World War II. There were vignettes I didn't know about, who was involved an…Cory Dransfeldt·Dec 4·2 min readFollowhistorynonfiction
OwnedOwned is, unfortunately, a fairly shallow look at how the patronage of tech billionaires has managed to push several prominent journalists to the political right, causing them to defend and align with…Cory Dransfeldt·Oct 12·2 min readFollowjournalismtechpoliticsnonfiction
This Is for EveryoneThis Is For Everyone feels perfectly timed. The web is at an inflection point and, as its originator, there's nobody more qualified than Berners-Lee to discuss its past, present and future. What this …Cory Dransfeldt·Oct 6·3 min readFollowtechnonfictionbiography & autobiography
ChokepointsThis was a thorough, engaging and — at times — dry explanation of sanctions and modern US and western economic warfare. The author builds a compelling case for the use of economic weapons, but makes a…Cory Dransfeldt·Sep 2·3 min readFolloweconomicspoliticshistorynonfiction
CopagandaCopaganda is the most important book I've read in a while both for its impact and its insight. As a working civil rights attorney Alec Karakatsanis is supremely qualified to expound on the subject of …Cory Dransfeldt·Aug 20·3 min readFollowjournalismpoliticshistorynonfiction
Code Name: Pale HorseA reasonably engaging piece of copaganda . The groups the author helped impede, bring down and infiltrate are all, with little argument, terrible and his actions — as described — were well intentioned…Cory Dransfeldt·Aug 11·1 min readFollownonfictiontrue crimememoir
Punk ParadoxGreg Graffin's Punk Paradox is an interesting, winding read that works well as a compliment to Do What You Want . The latter gives you a full view of Bad Religion 's history, this gives you a full vie…Cory Dransfeldt·Aug 2·3 min readFollowautobiographymusicnonfiction
The House of My MotherA compelling, empathetic and flawed read. It certainly draws you in, but much of the detail of the author’s experience(s) with her mother is surface level. You know there’s more there, you can feel it…Cory Dransfeldt·Jul 12·1 min readFollowautobiographynonfictiontrue crime
PersonhoodPersonhood details the rise and unrelenting march of an American political movement with a singular focus on establishing personhood rights for the unborn. Not stopping with the repeal of Roe — no, no…Cory Dransfeldt·Jul 5·1 min readFollowpoliticsnonfiction
How Infrastructure WorksI'm not — by any measure — a deeply studied fan of infrastructure. I value it, I appreciate it and I know that it's at its best when you don't think about it. It does its job, you rely on it so faithf…Cory Dransfeldt·Jun 24·1 min readFollowtechsciencenonfiction
The Sirens' CallHayes' The Sirens' Call is a compelling read and part of what makes it so compelling is his framing of attention as a finite resource that has been totally commoditized. Which, well, it has been. It's…Cory Dransfeldt·Jun 16·2 min readFollowpoliticssocial medianonfiction
Stories Are WeaponsTopical, well-researched, compelling, concise. Framing recent campaigns, memes, psyops — whatever you'd like to call them as propaganda and weaponry feels both novel and accurate. It's a helpful frami…Cory Dransfeldt·Jun 11·2 min readFollowpoliticshistorynonfiction
AI Snake OilI was tempted to set this aside when I first got into it, but I stuck with it and I don't regret doing so. It provides a high-level overview of the field, its shortcomings and possible, realistic outc…Cory Dransfeldt·Jun 7·2 min readFollowaitechnonfiction
No More TearsJohnson & Johnson is a healthcare empire and a household empire in the United States (and elsewhere, perhaps? I can't speak to that). That they are so deeply entrenched and recognizable is a crediting…Cory Dransfeldt·Jun 3·2 min readFollowpoliticshistoryhealthnonfiction
The AI ConA book of and for our current societal and technological moment. Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna are the experts we need and can trust to write this. It's essential, it's critical and it's both easy to…Cory Dransfeldt·May 21·3 min readFollowaitechnonfiction
On AirI've never been a fan of NPR in any meaningful sense — I trust their reporting, find it credible and reliable but have never become attached to its more lauded shows and the hosts attached to them. St…Cory Dransfeldt·May 17·2 min readFollowjournalismpoliticshistorynonfiction
Black Tunnel White MagicI often look to the true crime genre for engaging narratives, detailed retellings of stories I'm perhaps only vaguely aware of and a simple interest in the genre. I wasn't aware if this case and I'm s…Cory Dransfeldt·May 6·2 min readFollowcrimenonfictiontrue crime
Fahrenheit-182One of the better music memoirs/autobiographies I've read recently and — perhaps — credit should be due to Dan Ozzi for that (at least in part). I've got distinct memories of Mark, Tom and Travis soun…Cory Dransfeldt·Apr 26·6 min readFollowautobiographyemomusicnonfiction
Play NiceI loved StarCraft, had a passing interest in WarCraft, spent a lot of time on Diablo II multiplayer with friends and that's where my interest in Blizzard ends. I spent a lot of time playing Diablo II.…Cory Dransfeldt·Apr 21·2 min readFollowtechnonfiction
The Wonder BoyTim MacMahon is a talented writer — his NBA coverage speaks to that. He's knowledgable and well-positioned to write this book. He didn't have sufficient access to Dončić himself and the book would be …Cory Dransfeldt·Apr 14·3 min readFollownbanonfictionsports
Red ScareHistory may not repeat itself, but it rhymes. Our current political moment is one that rhymes with the red scare . Clay Risen does an admirable job covering the history of and events around the post-w…Cory Dransfeldt·Apr 9·2 min readFollowpoliticshistorynonfiction
Death Is Our BusinessThis felt like more of a primer on Wagner than a comprehensive history. Nonetheless, it’s a compelling explainer of private military companies (PMCs) with Wagner at the heart of it. From the conflict …Cory Dransfeldt·Apr 1·1 min readFollowhistorynonfiction
Above the NoiseDeMar is one of those classic "fuck fuck fuck stay in front of him — oh god he's in the paint — fuck put your hand up — nice defense, oh shit he made it anyways" guards. Stay in front of him, make the…Cory Dransfeldt·Mar 25·2 min readFollowautobiographynbanonfictionsports
MeltdownA neatly organized chronology of yet another bank failure. You get some history on Swiss banking, a good deal of insight into the firm and a conclusion that ends with its failure and an acquisition by…Cory Dransfeldt·Mar 21·1 min readFollowhistorynonfictionbusiness & economics
