The FPA’s Must Reads (August 9–15)

The most wanted man in the world
WIRED
By James Bamford

James Bamford tells for WIRED his discreet rendezvous with “the most wanted man in the world,” NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden, and reports on the background, motivations and future plans of this polarizing figure.

The Liberal Zionists
The New York Review of Books
By Jonathan Freedland

This must-read explores the dichotomy of the liberal Zionist, one who supports the current Israeli state but wishes to see progressive change, which often goes against mainstream position.

Hiroshima and the Inheritance of Trauma
The New Yorker
By Sarah Stillman

The New Yorker staff writer Sarah Stillman tells the story, through Tomiko Shoji, of numerous Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb victims lucky enough to survive but left with little more than painful memories.

ISIS: A Short History
The Atlantic
By Bobby Ghosh

Read this piece to gain crucial background information on the roots of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and how they got to where they are today, from a dark ideology to a terrifying reality.

The Brazilian Bus Magnate Who’s Buying Up All the World’s Vinyl Records
The New York Times
By Monte Reel

Check out this interesting read on a Brazilian man’s attempt to collect and save vinyl records of songs that never crossed the digital divide and stored for future generations.

Blogs:

Candid Discussions: Reza Marashi on U.S.-Iran Relations and Regional Dynamic by Reza Akhlaghi
The pitfalls of sanctions and financial warfare by Mark Varga
Snowden: NSA, not Assad, knocked out Syria’s Internet in 2012 by Hannah Gais
The Dangers of Investing in Conflicted Areas by Richard Basas
Unrest in Xinjiang Leading to Extreme Measures by Gary Sands