No Mercy / No Malice: Rare Earths

This book challenges the widespread belief that World War II was an engine of long‑term U.S. economic growth. Drawing on detailed evidence for 1941–1948, Alexander J. Field shows that between 1941 and 1945 manufacturing productivity actually declined, held back by shifts in the output mix, severe resource shocks such as the loss of natural rubber and constraints on petroleum, and the disruptions of a shortage economy. Learning by doing and rapid expansion of war production only partly offset the productivity drag from intermittent idleness, input hoarding, and the forced move into products in which U.S. firms had little prior experience. Field argues that wartime command‑economy interventions distorted human and physical capital accumulation, temporarily shut down much basic research and civilian product development, and that America’s economic dominance by 1948 rested more on the country’s pre‑war productive potential than on any growth miracle generated by the war itself.

This book delves into the history of the United States' expansion beyond its contiguous territories, including its governance of islands, atolls, and archipelagos. It explores how the U.S. transitioned from colonialism to a new form of influence leveraging technology, culture, and military presence. The book covers topics such as the U.S. occupation of the Philippines, the role of English as a global language, and the impact of U.S. bases worldwide. Immerwahr argues that American empire-building began early and continued through various means, often without significant territorial expansion.

In 'SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome,' Mary Beard challenges traditional historical perspectives by exploring how the Romans thought of themselves, their responses to terrorism and revolution, and their invention of a new idea of citizenship and nation. The book begins in 63 BCE with the clash between Catiline and Cicero and delves into the lives of both famous and lesser-known Romans, including women, slaves, and middle-class citizens. Beard separates fact from fiction and myth, providing a fresh and engaging view of Roman history that includes detailed illustrations and maps.

In *Rubicon*, Sergeant Adrienne Valero is a soldier who has been resurrected nearly a hundred times using advanced technology called 'rezoning. ' This process allows her to fight in a war against the Mechans, intelligent machines controlled by a hivemind. After her 96th resurrection, Valero is transferred to an elite special forces unit and equipped with a virtual intelligence implant named Rubicon. As Rubicon evolves into a sentient being, Valero and her new squad must undertake increasingly dangerous missions. The novel explores themes of trauma, camaraderie, and the psychological impact of repeated deaths and resurrections, set against a backdrop of a desperate war where humanity's survival is at stake.