My Bookshelf

Writers are readers. It’s as necessary as oxygen. And I can’t read just one book at a time. So let me share with you what’s on my bookshelf

“The Hacked World Order” by Adam Segal. My wise friend gifted me this as I headed off to pursue the next level in my career. And yes, talk about connecting the dots. This is why we have to look at everything, and see the connections.

 

 

“@War” by Shane Harris. When I was studying Poli Sci, it was all about the Military Industrial Complex. Well, not much has changed except … now it is the Military Internet complex. These guys were staking out their turf way before anyone know cyberspace was a thing.  We don’t really like to use the term cyber  – we refer to it as Information Security.  And our watch words: Trust No one.

 

“Women in Tech” by Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack, Keren Elezari and more.  I know, admire and sincerely respect these two women. Infact, I have many role models in this field. The irony is how very few women there are in this field, especially when it comes to security.  We’re here because we followed our passion, in spite of or sometimes because of the challenges thrown in our path.  These stories are inspiring, and I hope invite other women to come join us in  field that is constantly evolving, and rewarding.

My Collection:
Jerry Langton “Gangland.” A fellow Canadian, his forte is writing about crime. This is an excellent and very current rundown on Mexico and the cartels. At the beginning of the book there is a terrific and succinct explanation of Mexican history leading to why cartels eventually formed. Then, Jerry walks the reader through each of the cartels. There are so many key events and important figures to keep track of. I would have loved to take this as a university course. And this is one of my go-to resources for my novel research.

Sylvia Longmire “Cartel”. Okay, she is so cool she could be one of my characters. Seriously, her bio is amazing. In her book, Sylvia takes the complex issues of cartels in Mexico, and presents them in an understandable and very readable format. This isn’t dry news reporting or highbrow analysis. This is a thoughtful and compelling presentation of the brutal reality faced by the people who live with the violence and crime.
And then, there is her website. It is a fabulous compendium of facts and details. Visit it at Mexico’s Drug War.

FORMATIVE INFLUENCES

Tom Clancy: It all started for me with “Patriot Games”. Intriguing characters, a politically volatile set-up, high-stakes action, impeccably plotted in fascinating detail. Nobody does it like Clancy. This is how I cut my teeth on the political thriller genre. Unfortunately, we lost a grand master of the game when Tom died last year, but his legacy lives on in his books and in those writers he influenced. I would pick “Clear and Present Danger” as one of my favourite reads, anytime. At the time this was written, my interest in the cartels had only just begun. If you read Clancy, you know how intricate a tale he weaves, pulling in characters and situations from around the world, then zooming right in to focus on a key plot point. He tells a wonderful story, filled with description, detail and relevant history. This, for me, was the ultimate Poli Sci class. And I am always adding to my collection of his books.