Roger's Booknotes

I'll probably be back to wasting too much time in front of the telly by next Monday, as I just came to the realization that I'm paying for cable service I haven't been using for the past few weeks.

Most of the extra time I filled with reading, primarily of recent books I wouldn't touch but for the fact they're available for free at the library -- and not exactly leaping off the shelves at that price.

I'm slogging through The Bush Tragedy by Jacob Weisberg of Slate infamy. It's well-written, if nothing else. So far it seems Weisberg thinks Bush is the tragic figure, as if the smirking Chief Executive was a dynastic heir who had responsibility thrust upon him before he reached maturity rather than an incompetent egomanic who created tragedy for millions and doesn't give a fuck. Weisberg seems to be siding with stupid in the stupid v. evil debate, when the obvious answer is both.

One tome I couldn't make it through was The Book Unreadable The Party Faithful by unrelenting God-botherer Amy Sullivan. (Yes, I saw the praise by Jon Meacham on the cover, but I refused to heed the warning.) I made it to the bit where Jimmy Carter wasn't religious enough and only won the White House because Ford pissed off the Catholics with his remarks about Poland in the presidential debate. If you need further encouragement not to read Sullivan, check out this link.

With books like these, television is looking better all the time.