Political book series: Marc Ang and Tobin Gilman recommend down-to-earth, applicable texts

Can everyone be a Bill Gates, reading 50 books/yr? Even local and statewide changemakers often struggle to make time for reading. In this latest Opp Now exclusive, Marc Ang—Asian Industry B2B president and esteemed journalist—and Tobin Gilman—former longtime SJ resident, Charter Review Commissioner, and history advocate—spotlight their favorite political books. While “political book” conjures images of overly abstract documents, Ang and Gilman highlight practical reads on prevalent issues, written for real people. To receive daily updates of new Opp Now stories, click here.

Marc Ang:

A book that has shaped my interest in politics in general, as well as more specific areas like energy policy, is Sarah Palin’s “Going Rogue: An American Life.” I never thought I’d care about something seemingly as “dry” as energy policy. But when I read Palin’s book, I was struck by how she draws from the real world, the problems that affect most of us. Her writing is intelligent without trying to be overly intellectual. Palin doesn’t philosophize about the world, but instead practically examines how community members are affected by issues such as energy legislation, down to the very fine details. (Moreover, this has informed my practical approach to policy.) When “Going Rogue” came out in 2009, it really spoke to a lot of blue-collar people that are just living their lives—the forgotten sector of the American population. In that way, I found it incredibly refreshing.

Tobin Gilman:

Like many folks with conservative and libertarian leanings, I read Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged” during my college years as a political science major at Cal Poly, SLO. Those two books helped counterbalance the liberal sermons most of my professors were delivering in the classrooms, and they left a lasting impression on my views about the role of government. 

Jimmy Carter was elected during that period and presided over passage of a “windfall profits” tax on energy producers, a “luxury” tax on boats and other manufactured products, and formation of the Synfuels Corporation, which the central planners thought would put the U.S. on a path toward energy independence. The results were disastrous, and a book entitled “A Time For Truth” by William E. Simon, former Treasury Secretary during the Nixon and Ford administrations, that hit the shelves in 1979 helped me understand exactly how policies like those exacerbated the energy crisis, unemployment, and inflation. I still have that paperback packed away somewhere. 

Most of my reading about politics these days is done online rather than books, but I do enjoy full-length biographies of American presidents. Learning about the lives and times of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Grant, Teddy Roosevelt, Hoover, and other presidents who pre-dated my time on this Earth provides context for contemporary issues. History really does repeat itself!

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