In an earlier post, I wrote about some of the books that I had read and enjoyed in 2024. There were too many to squeeze into one post, so this is a second instalment.
Best Books 2024, Homer, cold cases, Zionism
2024 Reading List: Highlights and Reviews
I love to read and to share information about books. Here are some that I enjoyed in 2024 and why.
Cash transfers from Meta class action explained
Meta, the company owning Facebook, is paying out $725 million in a class action suit for sharing its users' personal data without their knowledge to third party users. I received a direct cash transfer into my bank account for thirty-six dollars. I found it creepy. Â
Understanding the Roots of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Many supporters of Israel in the current war upon Gaza claim that Jewish people are indigenous to the region and have a right to claim it as their homeland. Author Rashid Khalidi, whose ancestors were a prominent family in Palestine prior to the creation of Israel, reminds us there were Palestinians living there long before the creation of Israel in 1948.
Gideon Levy criticizes Israeli media
Gideon Levy is a columnist for the Israeli newspaper Haaertz and a fierce critic of his country's media, especially its reporting on Israel's longtime occupation of the West Bank, and now of its conduct in the war on Gaza. On November 13, speaking online from Tel Aviv, Levy delivered the annual Peter Stursberg Foreign Correspondent’s Lecture, sponsored by the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University.
Dying to tell the story
Shrouq Al Aila, a young Palestinian journalist, spoke to us directly from Gaza recently. She told us that she could hear explosions from Israeli bombs nearby. It has been a deadly year for journalists in Gaza, not to mention the rest of the people there. Hearing Shrouq talk was a disturbing and enlightening experience.
A Communist for the RCMP
Frank Hadesbeck was a long-time civilian informant for the RCMP over a span of 35 years. In this and future blog posts, Dennis Gruending, author of A Communist for the RCMP, explains how he researched and wrote this unique book.
Israeli settler violence
Armed and violent Israeli settlers are attacking the homes and fields of Palestinians with the support of the Netanyahu government.
Brian Mulroney, envelopes stuffed with cash
Brian Mulroney, who died in February, 2024, is being widely feted as a great prime minister. But after he left office, he also took envelopes stuffed with cash from a lobbyist and had no credible explanation for it.
San Miguel as tourist haven
San Miguel de Allende in central Mexico has been called one of the best small cities in the world and is a big draw for expatriates. It is indeed an attractive city, but unfortunately, the city's promoters both marginalize the past and conceal the present.
Pulpit and Politics 