Books for Giving…and Receiving
by Bonnie Martin on December 12, 2005 in Culture
Some students may by now be looking for the perfect holiday gift for the political or current events junkie on their shopping list. Others, now that the semester reading is done, may have visions of books they actually want to read dancing in their head.
Well, there are lots of choices for all. Nancie Scheirer, Trade Book Manager at The Coop, says that “non-fiction current events and economics books are extremely strong this year - there are a lot of great titles. Last year there was more fiction, like The DaVinci Code.”
Not surprisingly, there are many new books about Iraq. One of the best sellers is Assassin’s Gate: America in Iraq, by George Packer. It offers a look inside the infighting between the Pentagon and the State Department in determining Iraq policy.
Those tempted to think everything new is about Iraq may want to think again. “The books this year are broader in viewpoint - where are we going, what’s going on,” Scheirer says.
One such book is The Untied States of America: Polarization, Fracturing, and Our Future, by Juan Enriquez. The title says it all.
Those that attended the recent Forum event with Alan Dershowitz may want to check out his new book The Case for Peace. It discusses the prospects for a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the post-Arafat world.
A broader view of that region can be found in The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East. The author, Robert Fisk, is one of the few to ever interview Osama bin Laden.
Speaking of bin Laden, students interested in knowing how much progress has been made in security since 9/11 (and are not boarding a plane or train this holiday season) are advised to check out The Next Attack, by Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon. They argue that the answer to that question is “not much.”
For students with interests lying more in securities than security, Harvard Book Store’s head buyer, Carole Horne, says there are many noteworthy economics book out now.
The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford, is a light but serious view of how free market economic forces impact everyday life. This is the book to buy in order to understand the high price of a Starbucks latte. This book is easy to spot - it is the only one around featuring an economist in Dick Tracy get-up on the cover.
Economist Jeffrey D. Sachs has written an even more serious book, The End of Poverty, detailing his plan to eradicate poverty by 2025. And for U2 fans (yes, those clinging onto Littauer windows to spot Bono leaving his meeting with Larry Summers last week and others), the book has a forward written by Bono.
Those wanting to read something by Amartya Sen (Nobel laureate and professor in the Economics Department at FAS), beyond his ubiquitous Course Packet articles, are in luck. He has a new book out entitled The Argumentative Indian, about the history of India’s multicultural society.
Many KSG faculty members are also prolific writers, so students might want to check out something by that professor whose class they are thinking of taking. The list is long, but here are a few ideas: Nuclear Terrorism: The Ultimate Preventable Catastrophe, by Graham Allison, Leadership Without Easy Answers, co-written by Ronald Heifetz, and Radical Right, by Pippa Norris.
Those preferring to leave the non-fiction realm during break are advised to try Beasts of No Nation, a novel by Nigerian-born Harvard grad Uzodinma Iweala. It follows a boy in an African nation beset by poverty, who is forced to become a soldier at a young age.
Or, if a novel about 20th century war and history (think Nazi Germany and the USSR) is of interest, KSGers might want to consider Europe Central, winner of the 2005 National Book Award, and just out in paperback.
Cambridge is blessed with an abundance of bookstores, so any title of interest should be readily available. Most are staffed by knowledgeable bibliophiles who can help students with their selection. Happy shopping and happy reading!
Comments
Got something to say?
