Books

Comment

Comment by Brian on November 19, 2009 at 8:08am

"Idiot America" by Charles Pierce; "The Greatest Show on Earth, Richard Dawkins.

Helen Thomas has a new book out about what the president should do to be a good president. Not worth the time, much as I respect Thomas.

On the wars--"Fiasco," and "Gamble" by Thomas Ricks; the "Emerald City..."one. And the recent one by Dexter Filkins.

Just throwin' out some titles for discussion. (Or you could ignore the fuddy-duddy.)

Comment by Florindo Troncelliti on October 27, 2009 at 2:44pm

How about calling this group, "Books, Newspapers, and Magazines?"

Comment by Christine Japely on July 11, 2009 at 10:39am

Tom Edgar ---- yes, Mailer's mind and his generosity are (were) overwhelmingly huge as evidenced in OSWALD'S TALE and also in THE EXECUTIONER'S SONG. He's really a writer for our times; ignoring the "why?" and the "how & who?" of JFK's death is like pretending we're not going to eventually die, and Mailer took on this big question in the most brilliant way of anyone out there. Also, he is so very human and understanding. And finally, the weird reverence/love people had (still have???) for JFK seems somewhat parallel to the reverence/love people have for Obama. I mean, I adore Obama, but he's got to learn and decide and act fast and quick, just like Kennedy did. The errors (mostly errors) Kennedy made should not be made again by Obama. Anyway, Mailer's subtle and wide-ranging commentaries via the highest level prose on this American life in all its down and dirty reality remind me of the superb non-fiction of Garcia-Marquez in NOTES ON A KIDNAPPING about Colombia and Pablo Escobar. Two absolute geniuses.

Comment by Mark Jacobs on July 11, 2009 at 9:31am

I apologize for not being more attentive here, I'm still arguing economics - as odd as that is for a geek.

Comment by Tom Edgar on July 10, 2009 at 2:22pm

I find Mailer to be one of the most powerful minds and best writers in our time. He seems to generally be ignored, perhaps he says things we would rather not hear, the truth about our culture and our place in the world.

Comment by Christine Japely on July 9, 2009 at 6:16pm

Did Mailer die last year? If you haven't read his 1995 masterpiece, OSWALD'S TALE, get a copy and read it! It's a riveting page-turner. It's non-fiction and almost 800 pages of brilliant history and reporting and interviewing. What a genius Normal Mailer was in his non-fiction.

Comment by Mark Jacobs on July 9, 2009 at 4:06pm

Please enter a review as a new discussion with the title and author of the book as the discussion title. Use the Comment Wall for comments about the group, not reviews. Thanx!