China Hawks in Retreat? (Robert Wright & Kaiser Kuo)

Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Weiner provides a detailed and critical examination of the Central Intelligence Agency's history, from its creation after World War II through the Cold War and the War on Terror. The book is based on extensive research, including over 50,000 documents and interviews with CIA veterans. It highlights the agency's repeated failures, questionable methods, and lack of accountability, arguing for fundamental reforms within the CIA.

In this book, Robert Wright argues that Buddhism offers a secular, Westernized approach to mindfulness meditation that can help individuals and society by reducing suffering and increasing empathy. He draws on evolutionary biology, psychology, and neuroscience to support Buddhist teachings, such as the concept of 'no-self' and the nature of human suffering. The book is a personal journey that began with Wright's work on evolutionary psychology and deepened through his practice of meditation and conversations with skilled meditators. It aims to show how Buddhist principles can be applied in a secular age to improve individual and societal well-being.

In this book, Robert Wright explores the development of God concepts from pre-agricultural societies to the rise of Christianity and Islam. He uses archaeology, theology, history, and evolutionary psychology to reveal how these faiths have evolved away from belligerence and intolerance towards harmony and reconciliation. Wright also discusses the potential for a modern scientific worldview to coexist with a divine perspective, challenging conventional wisdom about the origins and evolution of monotheism.