I came to Georgia in February to teach English (leaving in July), and realising I didn't know that much about the history of the country, I went and bought one of the definitive books on it in English, Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia by Donald Rayfield (Reaktion, 2012). And after nearly three and a half months (interspaced with me reading another book) I finished it.

The first half of the book, going from ancient times until the Russian occupation at the start of the nineteenth century, is a real rough read, and the reason I took so long to finish the book. Rayfield, easily one of the foremost English historians on Georgia, effectively just lists off kings and battles. It seriously at times simply goes "this king began his reign this year, and married this wife, had these children, and fought these battles. He died this year, and then this king came along." For nearly 200 pages it goes on like that, real dry reading, the type of thing you'd expect from early medieval chronicles or something of the sort.

However this is partially redeemed in the second half. The writing definitely improves, and there is more to it than listing off rulers, though that still plays a prominent part until the (temporary) end of Russian rule (1918-21). This section provided a lot of information and details, though he is somewhat critical of the Georgians as a whole at times, suggesting that because Mein Kampf and The Prince are best sellers in 2010 or so means they lack political sophistication (living here now, I would not totally disagree, but that is not something you can really say about a country of 4 million).

The book also lacks on the sourcing, and maps. Now, granted I can understand if the publishers wanted to limit the endnotes/bibliography, but its quite pitiful, there only being a handful of sources listed, and few endnotes to consult. As someone who seriously wants to read up on some more Georgian history, but at the same time has written university papers on the 2008 war, I know there is more he could have, and likely did, consult. As for the maps, they were real small and hard to properly consult, which was a shame considering the volatile nature of the region throughout history. Better maps would definitely help people trying to read the book, as I did, to try to understand where things were happening, and not have cities/landmarks printed in microscopic type.

That said, this is likely the most comprehensive book on the history of Georgia in English, so if you are interesting in learning about the country and willing to slog through 200 pages of reciting kings and their wives, this is definitely something to read.

I'm re-reading Sarah Schulman's The Gentrification of the Mind: Witness to a Lost Imagination. To be fair, it's not really a true work of history, but I've found it tremendously valuable in providing a context and a framework to my study of the AIDS crisis. Part memoir, part call-to-arms, part scathing critique, Schulman looks back on the AIDS crisis years (1981-1996) and analyzes the relationships between AIDS, the art world, rising rents, physical gentrification, the homogenizing of intellectual and artistic thought, and the mainstreaming of the LGBT movement. I do not agree with everything she says (and I imagine she wouldn't want me to) but I think she provides a counter argument to so much of mainstream thought in regards to art, activism, and "progress" that is both valuable and needed.
Historically, I really appreciate her fervor and passion in regards to remembering the AIDS crisis as it was. A substantial part of her argument is that the mainstream narrative of the AIDS crisis (if we have one at all) is a passive model that cuts out the damage of the very real indifference, fear, and active hatred on the part of people in power. In its place is a model of gradual but inevitable change, of "coming around."
On a personal level, her writing also really resonates with me, as a young lesbian living in a rapidly gentrifying city. Reading anything by Schulman is never a comfortable experience, but I always feel like I walk away from one of her books deeply changed in some small but profound way. It's a short, fairly easy read. Definitely recommended to anyone who is interested in gentrification, how we remember the past, mainstreaming of movements, or the art world.

I've been slowly making my way through Cleary's "The Ending of Roman Britain" and it has been quite an illuminating read. I'm only part way through but so far Cleary has presented the machinery of the Roman state in Northern Europe, particularly in Britain, as well as the political situation with great detail using both textual sources and an impressive amount of archaeological data. I'm looking forward to getting into the details of the collapse of Roman British society which I imagine Cleary handles with appropriate thoroughness.

I am looking for a book on the history of the Space program, especially focusing on the US side. Do you guys know a good one ?

I just finished reading about fifty years worth of Reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. I was mining the documents for information about the Blackfeet in Northwest Montana. It is kind of astounding how poorly managed their reservation was. There were about 20 different superintendents in a 30 year period who all tried to institute different policies. One guy would come and say "No wonder the Blackfeet are having problems farming- the Montana climate is far better suited for stock-raising." Then he would leave and the next guy (who knew nothing about the Blackfeet) would literally say the tribe would do far better "if a greater quantity of agricultural implements" were given to them.

I am currently researching the Supreme Court's history to understand why American historians teach that Justices receive lifetime appointments in order to remain above the influence of the contemporary political climate when this is clearly untrue. I've read and made notes on the following:

1. Cliff Sloan and David McKean, The Great Decision Jefferson, Adams, Marshall, and the Battle for the Supreme Court.

2. James MacGregor Burns, Packing the Court the Rise of Judicial Power and the Coming Crisis of the Supreme Court.

3. Sandra Day O’Connor, Out of Order.

4. Peter H Irons, A People’s History of the Supreme Court.

5. Frederick S. Lane, The Court and the Cross.

I'm searching for additional readings that discuss the cultural and social aspects of the scholastic atmosphere S.C. Justices encountered. Any help on this is greatly appreciated.

Does anyone have any suggested readings for the Brezhnev era of Soviet history, focusing more on the political situation/function of the system?

I've read a bunch of contemporaneous texts but the commentary was of course a bit skewed by the lack of information and some the guesses they made didn't really stand up well. "How the Soviet Union is Governed" seems to be the great stand out but I know its argument for a Soviet Union moving towards a form of pluralism was a bit controversial for its time.

Brezhnev Reconsidered (Bacon and Sandle eds.) is probably he only 'recent' text I've read on the topic and I wasn't particularly impressed with the sections on the central leadership - those particular chapters just didn't feel like they were making a particularly strong argument for their claims.

So, any suggestions?