Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

4 questions from Tom about books: The global politics of firearms, the Army in Kansas, a history of copyright, & more

Is there a good book on the political history of firearms, from their invention to their apotheosis in America today?

Opperguncontrol
Opperguncontrol

 

 

— Is there a good book on the political history of firearms, from their invention to their apotheosis in America today? I know there are some books about the United States and gun politics, but I am looking for something more global. I specifically am interested in whether there is a perceived relationship between democracy and firearms, and also if attempts to regulate their ownership have been seen as rooted in class differences. Yes, I know what Mao said about where political power comes from.

— Is there a strong but detailed account of how the U.S. Army tried to handle its role in Kansas in 1856-1861? I’m especially interested in Geary’s governorship. In some reading the other day I was struck by how important a political tool the census was. In a democratic system, it is the beginning of political power. (Speaking of which, has Iraq done a census since the Americans arrived in 2003? Seems to me that probably was the first thing we should have done, as soon as feasible.)

— Also, is there good global history of copyright? (I ask because I read the other day that we are coming to the end of the copyright era.) I am more interested in history than law. I found this book, but judging from the table of contents, it isn’t really the Braudelian overview I want to read.

— Also, who would be the best living novelist to write about this year’s presidential election campaigns?

Image credit: Frederick Burr Opper (1881)/Puck/Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum/Ohio State University/Wikimedia Commons

 

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.