Well the Patriots couldn't bring it home, but at least we got another unforgettable halftime show! Before the shellacking we hit the slopes and on the drive I listened to books for my #AcademicRunPlaylist!

First was "A World of Struggle" by David Kennedy. Kennedy lays out the philosophical issues with international policy making, focusing on the limits of the legal and economic fields and their default assumptions. This argument is fine, if often obscured by obtuse language, but Kennedy brings absolutely no data to the party, instead relying on case studies and reason. If this were an op-ed I'd have less of a problem with this approach, but when you write a book on the topic you really need to bring empirical proof to back up these claims. A lot of the points may be valid (there are also a lot that aren't), but unfortunately that backing is absent https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691146782/a-world-of-struggle

Next was "The Score" by C. Thi Nguyen. This book is an insightful philosophical examination of metrics across society and the significant trade offs that come with relying on them. Nguyen is clearly extremely negatively inclined towards metrics, but despite that he shows a mostly even hand weighing their benefits around coordination and standardization. This does have to be read as a philosophical work, however, not a scientific one, since none of his logical claims are backed by empirical work that he cites. Some of it is named in external research, but I would have loved for him to bring it all in one place. The focus on games as a lens to understand the power of metrics is extremely enjoyable, especially if you know the games he's talking about. Highly recommend https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735252/the-score-by-c-thi-nguyen/

Last was "China's Second Continent" by Howard French. This is another fantastic book from a can't miss author - this time circling the Continent to provide an on the ground view of the influx of Chinese immigrants and investment. The writing style is engrossing, and French seamlessly weaves personal experiences with macro observations to demonstrate the unique character of Chinese engagement with Africa. To me the varied motivations and orientations of Chinese immigrants towards their host countries was eye-opening, as was the sheer scale of this community. Given how important both regions are to the future of the world economy, this is a must read. Highly recommend https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/213738/chinas-second-continent-by-howard-w-french/