Wednesday, October 20 2010
‘Super Sad True Love Story’, Or, The Unbearable Lightness of Being Lenny Abramov
This story depicts a world that is completely absurd and out of control, which brings a lot of dark humor into it. Yet its truly scary -- you have to wonder if this is the slippery slope the real world is headed down.
Wednesday, December 2 2009
Bright-Sided by Barbara Ehrenreich
In attacking America's "cult of cheerfulness", Ehrenreich makes a good argument, but doesn't take it far enough.
Monday, November 30 2009
Girl Trouble by Holly Goddard Jones
If this came with a CD, I know what would be on it – Neko Case, The Drive-By Truckers, Gillian Welch, Kings of Leon, The Band and Mason Jennings. Like these artists, Jones makes America come alive.
Tuesday, November 24 2009
Chicago: A Biography by Dominic Pacyga
The story of Chicago is an epic one, full of many acts of ingenuity, wonder, greed, and tragedy; all the best and worst characteristics of humanity on a grand scale.
Wednesday, September 30 2009
The New American Spook Country
Spook Country is about America’s loss of innocence, its various ways of remembering the past, and an attempt to find a way of reconciling those memories with the present.
Tuesday, February 24 2009
“Zoom, I wish the world were truly happy”: Barack and the blues
In Grant park on the night of America’s victory in November 2008, Barack opened with: "It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America." It is my sincere hope that readers don’t miss that. Barack has a deep and personal understanding of this unique and complex American history. A cool, smooth, blues man has come to lead the nation.
