I'm partway through Nixonland, and am liking it. Perlstein is trying to wind together a bunch of different strands (social, political, economic, generational, foreign policy, etc.) into a cohesive telling of the seismic shifts in American politics between 1966 and 1972. I'm not sure he's going to be able to pull it off, but it is fascinating reading. I'll have a full report when I'm done.
Anyone else reading anything interesting?
Posted by baltar at June 20, 2008 11:39 AM | TrackBack | Posted to Books | PoliticsI'm reading fiction at the moment - Kostova's The Historian. It's interesting and appropriately creepy so far (I'm not very far in yet).
Posted by: Armand at June 20, 2008 12:16 PM | PERMALINKFinally getting around to reading the Omnivore's Dilemma. Having read Food Politics the substance is familiar, but this is less policy wonk-y and more reflective. Good read, but it makes you want to shop only at your local farmers' market.
Posted by: binky at June 21, 2008 08:40 AM | PERMALINKThe Historian was a good read, and I've been wanting to get my hands on the Omnivore's Dilemma. I think my next step will be to re-read Eat Pray Love and make it a yearly read. What a great and eye opening book for people who need to step back from their busy lives and realize that "me time" is important.
Posted by: kikimonster at June 21, 2008 06:10 PM | PERMALINKI've read reviews of The Historian, but it somehow never attracted me. If you give it a good review, I might attempt it. I'm on deck for The Omnivore's Dilemma next; should be interesting and depressing.
I've never read Eat, Pray, Love. What's it about?
Barnes & Noble had a massive sale on remaindered books; I was suckered into getting 8 books for $40 (shipping included): it included Keegan's Intelligence and War, Anderson & Cayton's The Dominion of War (about how the US citizenry views war, and what that has led Presidents to do), What's the Matter with Kansas, and a few others. That should keep me busy.
Posted by: baltar at June 21, 2008 10:35 PM | PERMALINKPut me in the "disagree" column on Eat Pray Love. So much so that I couldn't even make it halfway through.
Posted by: binky at June 21, 2008 10:36 PM | PERMALINKBinky... I think Eat Pray Love is one of those books that you either love or hate. For instance, I couldn't stand The Time Traveler's Wife, and there are plenty of people who love it. Oh, well. Variety is the spice of life.
Posted by: kikimonster at June 22, 2008 09:42 AM | PERMALINKWell, I also despise romantic comedies, loathe popular fiction, and wish we never have to watch Oprah, Dr. Phil or Deepak Chopra. ;)
Posted by: binky at June 22, 2008 04:52 PM | PERMALINKLOL... I read it before Oprah got her hands on it and made every housewife in America love it.
I thought of another great book I loved last summer: The Thirteenth Tale. Very Anne Rice, great gothic mystery.
Posted by: kikimonster at June 23, 2008 04:39 PM | PERMALINK