History and Foreign Affairs Roundtable Discussion &Book Club

We'll discuss Czechoslovakia's history from 1918 to 1948, the controversial figure of Edvard Beneš, and how Czechoslovakia came into the Soviet sphere following WW II.

We'll begin with the establishment of Czechoslovakia following WW I and its development under Masaryk into a democratic system with a strong economy. We'll continue discussing the state through Western betrayal and annexation in 1938, German occupation during WW II, the Prague Uprising in 1945, and the Communist coup in 1948, all under Beneš.

We'll discuss the Algerian War (1954 to 1962) - a struggle of nationalism vs. imperialism, marked by brutality on both sides. This war was highly significant to the anti-colonial movement, serving as a powerful symbol and inspiration for other liberation movements in former colonies worldwide seeking self-determination after WW II.

The Algerian War brought down six French governments, returned de Gaulle to power, and came close to provoking a civil war in France. More than a million Muslim Algerians died in the conflict and a million European settlers were driven into exile.

An eye-opening account of arguably the most fateful tech arms race in history, reshaping the planet in real time, from a brilliant longtime AI insider with intimate access to the world of Sam Altman's OpenAI.
Hao provides answers to many essential questions that should be asked about this massively disruptive sector, including – What could go wrong?
A New York Times Notable Book • An Instant New York Times Bestseller • One of Smithsonian's Top 10 Science Books of the Year

“A bestselling page-turner that has made waves not just in Silicon Valley but around the world . . . With Empire of AI, Hao is fundamentally shaping many people’s perceptions and understanding of the company at the center of the AI revolution.” —TIME Magazine, “TIME100 AI 2025”