2013 - Year of Manga - February

Proper books read: Naomi Klein - The Shock Doctrine
Bits of various Japanese poetry ebooks

Manga read: Kyoko Okazaki - Rock: A Club Kids Story (not completed)

Not being practical, I underestimated just how busy I would be in February. I had a lot of time away from work but not many days off work and lots of materials to edit and prepare.

The Shock Doctrine was one of the books I intended to read last year but didn't. If I were to compare it to anything, I suppose I would have to say it does for politics and economics what Rachel Carson's Silent Spring did for the pesticide industry.

The crux of it is that everyone in power is corrupt and seeks profit and that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are wolves in sheep's clothing. Not really a surprise, but what is surprising is that natural disasters, terror attacks and wars are market leverage opportunities for some of the world's largest corporations and conglomerates.

It is a depressing read until one gets to the concluding chapter which suggests that grassroots movements have the power to take their destiny into their own hands.

Conversely, Rock, so far veers between light and dark and from juvenile to adult. I'll write more about it next month.

The poetry books were a bit tough and not quite what I was looking for but I am still searching for some Japanese poetry that interests me.