Eric Garland

Intelligence analyst and advisor to CEOs and governments. I break down global events into clear narratives and appropriate profanity.

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Book Recommendations:

EG

Recommended by Eric Garland

@davidenrich Yo, I read a great book about how "complicated" some of these law firms are. People should give it a look. https://t.co/LznwZ98CNC (from X)

National Bestseller "A powerful and important picture of how mega law firms distort justice."—David Cay Johnston, Washington Post The NYT's Business Investigations Editor reveals the dark side of American law: Delivering a "devastating" (Carol Leonnig) exposé of the astonishing yet shadowy power wielded by the world’s largest law firms, David Enrich traces how one firm shielded opioid makers, gun companies, big tobacco, Russian oligarchs, Fox News, the Catholic Church, and much of the Fortune 500; helped Donald Trump get elected, govern, and evade investigation; masterminded the conservative remaking of the courts . . . and make a killing along the way. In his acclaimed #1 bestseller Dark Towers, David Enrich presented the never-before-told saga of how Deutsche Bank became the global face of financial recklessness and criminality. Now Enrich turns his eye towards the world of “Big Law” and the nearly unchecked influence these firms wield to shield the wealthy and powerful—and bury their secrets. To tell this story, Enrich focuses on Jones Day, one of the world’s largest law firms. Jones Day’s narrative arc—founded in Cleveland in 1893, it became the first law firm to expand nationally and is now a global juggernaut with deep ties to corporate interests and conservative politics—is a powerful encapsulation of the changes that have swept the legal industry in recent decades. Since 2016, Jones Day has been in the spotlight for representing Donald Trump and his campaigns (and now his PACs)—and for the fleet of Jones Day attorneys who joined his administration, including White House Counsel Don McGahn. Jones Day helped Trump fend off the Mueller investigation and challenged Obamacare. Its once and future lawyers defended Trump’s Muslim ban and border policies and handled his judicial nominations. Jones Day even laid some of the legal groundwork for Trump to challenge the legitimacy of the 2020 election. But the Trump work is but one chapter in the firm’s checkered history. Jones Day, like many of its peers, have become highly effective enablers of the business world’s worst misbehavior. The firm has for decades represented Big Tobacco in its fight to avoid liability for its products. Jones Day worked tirelessly for the Catholic Church as it tried to minimize its sexual-abuse scandals. And for Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, as it sought to protect its right to make and market its dangerously addictive drug. And for Fox News as it waged war against employees who were the victims of sexual harassment and retaliation. And for Russian oligarchs as their companies sought to expand internationally. In this gripping and revealing new work of narrative nonfiction, Enrich makes the compelling central argument that law firms like Jones Day play a crucial yet largely hidden role in enabling and protecting powerful bad actors in our society, housing their darkest secrets, and earning billions in revenue for themselves.

EG

Recommended by Eric Garland

@ClementsAustinJ @UnpaintedMelody "For Once in My Life" by Stevie Wonder, played by the GREAT James Jamerson. If you don't have this book, you absolutely need it - Jamerson's bass lines are - without exaggerating - Bach-level genius in counterpoint. Essential study! https://t.co/v60200mOtR (from X)

Standing in the Shadows of Motown The James Jamerson Bass Method explores the life and legacy of James Jamerson, the bass legend who defined the Motown sound. This bass guitar method book features 49 note-for-note transcriptions of Jamerson’s iconic basslines, in-depth interviews, and over 50 rare photos. Whether you are a bass player, musician, or Motown fan, this book provides an immersive experience into the golden era of funk, soul, and R&B. This book includes authentic bass transcriptions, a 120-minute online audio play-along, exclusive interviews with legendary musicians, and rare photos that showcase Motown history. It is a comprehensive bass method suitable for beginners, intermediates, and professionals. Learn basslines from classics such as Ain't No Mountain High Enough * Ain't Nothing like the Real Thing * Ain't That Peculiar * Bernadette * Come 'Round Here (I'm the One You Need) * Darling Dear * Don't Mess with Bill * For Once in My Life * Home Cookin' * How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone * How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) * I Heard It Through the Grapevine * I Was Made to Love Her * I'm Gonna Make You Love Me * My Guy * Nowhere to Run * Reach Out I'll Be There * What's Going On * You Can't Hurry Love * and many more excerpts and riffs. Designed for bassists of all levels, this book features real recorded performances of Jamerson’s basslines, interactive online audio, and a structured approach to developing essential groove and timing skills. It is perfect for learning funk, R&B, and Motown bass techniques. Step into the world of Motown bass and master the grooves that shaped modern music. Whether you are looking to improve your bass guitar technique or explore the roots of funk and R&B, this book is the ultimate resource. Order now and start grooving like a Motown pro.

EG

Recommended by Eric Garland

[WARNING: DORKERY] The international affairs community has had years to deal with the implications of "Anarchy is What States Make of It" and Alexander Wendt's constructivist theory. This book is, for my money, the best explication of a key aspect. https://t.co/vJaRIF1RQE (from X)

LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media book cover

by P. W. Singer, Emerson T. Brooking·You?

Named a Best Book of the Year By Amazon and Foreign Affairs Magazine Through the weaponization of social media, the internet is changing war and politics, just as war and politics are changing the internet. Terrorists livestream their attacks, “Twitter wars” produce real‑world casualties, and viral misinformation alters not just the result of battles, but the very fate of nations. War, tech, and politics have blurred into a new kind of battle space that plays out on our smartphones. P. W. Singer and Emerson Brooking tackle the mind‑bending questions that arise when war goes online and the online world goes to war. Delving into the web’s darkest corners, LikeWar outlines a radical new paradigm for understanding and defending against the unprecedented threats of our networked world.

EG

Recommended by Eric Garland

I'm glad @davidashimer is making the TV rounds talking about his essential new book RIGGED and outlining how Russia is still attacking our election. MUST WATCH 👇 https://t.co/PdcKqvJZ6s (from X)

The definitive history of the covert struggle between Russia and America to influence elections, why the threat to American democracy is greater than ever, and what we can do about it. This is "the first book to put the story of Russian interference into a broader context.... Extraordinary and gripping" (The New York Times Book Review). Russia's interference in the 2016 elections marked only the latest chapter of a hidden and revelatory history. In Rigged, David Shimer tells the sweeping story of covert electoral interference past and present. He exposes decades of secret operations—by the KGB, the CIA, and Vladimir Putin's Russia—to shape electoral outcomes, melding deep historical research with groundbreaking interviews with more than 130 key players, from leading officials in both the Trump and Obama administrations to CIA and NSA directors to a former KGB general. Throughout history and in 2016, both Russian and American operations achieved their greatest success by influencing the way voters think, rather than tampering with actual vote tallies. Understanding 2016 as one battle in a much longer war is essential to comprehending the critical threat currently posed to America's electoral sovereignty and how to defend against it. Illuminating how the lessons of the past can be used to protect our democracy in the future, Rigged is an essential book for readers of every political persuasion.