Vital MX Book Club

Figured it was worth updating this thread with some recent readings, I can't believe it's been over a year!  Anyway, here's what I've been reading lately:

Provoked by Scott Horton:

 Absolutely cannot recommend this book enough if you are interested in geopolitics and a detailed history of the relationship between Russia and the United States after the fall of the Soviet Union.  I first heard Scott on the Lex Fridman podcast and was absolutely floored by his depth of knowledge on so many US foreign policy topics, so I figured I would give his latest book a try.  Be forewarned, it is DENSE, but it completely reshaped by view of the war in Ukraine and how the US government operates in general.  Probably one of the most influential pieces of literature I've ever read, so if you're in the mood for a deep dive into something like this it's well worth picking up.  As a side note he also does a podcast on Thursday nights under the Provoked name with Daryll Cooper where they discuss current events, if you're so inclined.

Exactly by Simon Winchester

After reading Provoked I wanted to switch gears into something a lot less dense and a little more fun, so I grabbed this after an online recommendation.  If you're into engineering or manufacturing this would be a fun book to read, it essentially goes back through history and gives a brief chronological overview of precision manufacturing through the lens of achievable tolerances during the time period.  From the extremely wide tolerance of roughly .1in in the 1700s to the unimaginably small tolerance of .00000001in found in todays microchips, it's filled with unique and interesting stores about various inventions and the advancements in manufacturing that were necessary for them to come to life.  More technically oriented people would probably enjoy this book more, but it's written lightly and interestingly enough for a general audience as well and was a lot of fun to read. 

Jungle Keeper by Paul Rosolie

Another easy and fun book to read, this one is somewhat similar to his first book Mother of God that details his struggle to save the Amazon rainforest, but this one is updated with more recent developments as well as other details from the past that didn't make it into the first book.  Very interesting to read and not written in a condescending or depressing tone like a lot of environmentalist literature, there's a lot of hope within these pages but also a very real reminder of the challenges facing that region of the world.  There's also a lot of commentary on his own personal growth throughout the process that I found insightful, so definitely recommended if you like adventure books or have an interest in introspection.

Skunk Works by Ben Rich

I read most of this book over the course of a week long vacation in between MTB rides and family time, so it's a relatively easy read, but was definitely a lot of fun.  It essentially details Ben's time at Skunk Works (the secret R&D arm of Lockheed) starting with the development of the U2 spy plane, through the creation of the Oxcart/SR71, and culminating with the development of the F117 stealth fighter.  I'm not an expert on the history of aircraft or fighter jets by any means, but it was easy for me to follow along with the little bit of familiarity I had with these aircraft.  I wish that the book dove a bit deeper into the technical challenges they faced and the incredible solutions they created to overcome them, but I understand this book was written for a pretty general audience so it's more surface level when if comes to that type of thing.  The biggest thing that I found interesting was the dynamics of the relationship between Lockheed and the Military, and more importantly how it has changed over time with the coming and going of certain administrations and key figures in government.  Definitely a fun read, would recommend.