Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War – by Fred Kaplan

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What I liked about this book

I thought the book did an incredible job enlightening us about how easily our “inter-connected cyber world” can turn from convenience and ease to inconvenience and horror.  One of the prominent themes was “anything we can do, they can do back to us.”  It’s a defining indication of how far we’ve come in technology – but also, the price we should expect to pay for our gains.

What was most challenging about this book
The most challenging issue is understanding that many of our “complaints” about international spying, hacking, etc. online is often a practice that originated domestically.  It will be more difficult, after digesting the contents of this book, to simply point the finger at the rest of the cyber world for some of the ideas we may have started right here at home. Whether this is good or bad is to be determined, but the facts are laid out in this book and are arguable.

Why and to whom would I recommend this book

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has an online business (or plans to create one), or simply has a genuine interest in cyber security as either a hobby or potential profession.  I also think it is a great read for anyone who is interested in learning HOW we have gotten to the “point of no return” in our knowledge of the cyber world and all of the amazing details involved.

 

 

 

Alexander Hamilton – by Ron Chernow

 

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What I liked most about this book

 I liked the way Ron Chernow laid out the book.  His writing style made it an amazing read and allows the reader to quickly get in the flow to obtain a full understanding of the complicated brilliance of this man (Hamilton) and his amazing contributions to the formation of the U.S.A. in such a brief time – while simultaneously addressing the issues that led him to an early and tragic death.

 What was most challenging about this book

 The biggest challenge of this book was simply keeping it balanced and upright while reading all 730 pages!  My left wrist and fingers took quite a beating from many weeks of twists and turns. However, the pain was well worth it!

 Why and to whom would I recommend this book

 I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning a lot about our country’s start (and probably over the age of 12). There are so many compelling details of which many of us probably are completely unaware. Finally, it is a great way to gain a better understanding of how the United States of America took shape, what the environment was like at the time, and who made the greatest impact.