My suggestion to you is to educate yourself and also just google for yourself some possible books. Maybe you will read something that not as many folks have bothered to and you will be able to add some knowledge to what others know and vice versa. I have found so much good literature on something I want to know just by looking up books on my own. It’s one of the best ways I have found to better inform me about things like why Japan descended into what it did in the 1930’s. There is so much good literature out there from a plethora of countries when stuff like this is discussed. When reading about a subject like this I sometimes want to read the opinions of people in other countries and how they view this particular part of how America operates. It can be really fulfilling to do that as well.
Good on you Bruin. Just keep going. There are too many pursuits in life that will not happen when alcohol consumes your time and money. One of those two will always be available, but you never get the time back.