Comments on: FDL Book Salon Year End Wrap

By: Ian Welsh

Ian Welsh — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:59:37 +0000

Yeah, I think you can kick out reincarnation and karma and still remain true to Buddha’s teachings. I don’t think it’s necessary, but if they’re getting in the way I’m reasonably sure he wouldn’t have objected. Metaphysical musings weren’t important to him.

By: Rayne

Rayne — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 04:19:55 +0000

Have been to many of the Book Salons here at FDL, and enjoyed them thoroughly. The ones that were my favorites were the authors who appeared to take the opportunity of dialogue with readers and progressives very seriously yet eagerly — John Dean being a foremost exemplar. Paul Krugman was a blast as well. Both Naomis Wolf and Klein were much needed, timely. There were other authors who were great, but frankly, there was a wealth of riches here, cannot recall all of them without a complete list to point to more names as outstanding.

One author I would love to see here is Joan Didion; members of New York Review of Books this past year would have received a small bound essay, “Fixed Ideas: America since 9.11″ with a forward by Frank Rich. Between this piece and her essay reviewing multiple books about Dick Cheney, I believe she has a sold grasp on the mindset that has gripped this country in such a toxic fashion; I would love to know whether she believes that a kind of fog of grief allowed us as a people to enter some sort of magical thinking, not unlike that she has suffered through herself in grief, but somehow different because it was manipulated rather than allowed to progress its natural course. Does she have some feel for how we should emerge from this, being both an observer and participant of the human condition, and a writer who documents the same?

Thanks for all your work, Bev. And thanks as always to Jane for this Book Salon platform, now imitated by others but never equaled.

By: MrWhy

MrWhy — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 04:17:55 +0000

Kingsolver another good recommendation.

By: MrWhy

MrWhy — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 04:16:29 +0000

I’m a fan of Hillerman too.

How about someone who writes on the Intelligent Design / Evolution debate?

By: RBG

RBG — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:50:08 +0000

It’s interesting that you would mention Charlie Savage.

http://firedoglake.com/2007/09.....ie-savage/

By: PhysioProf

PhysioProf — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:40:53 +0000

That is a fascinating idea! In that regard, it would be great to have some real print journalists–even if it is not to discuss books–do salons, such as Charlie Savage of the Boston Globe. We have been so deadened to the power of real journalism by the pathetic stenographic shitheels that populate the vast majority of mainstream bylines, that it would be invigorating to engage with some real journalists.

By: PhysioProf

PhysioProf — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:37:03 +0000

Yeah, Chomsky. He wouldn’t mind “edgier”.

By: PhysioProf

PhysioProf — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:36:30 +0000

He loved interacting with all of our readers, and he reads here regularly to keep up with all of you.

That is great to know. Dean is a true American patriot. He should be an inspiration to every “conservative” who senses that something is very, very wrong with what their leaders are doing and saying, but doesn’t quite know how to deal with it.

By: PhysioProf

PhysioProf — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:33:49 +0000

Agreed.

By: PhysioProf

PhysioProf — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:33:05 +0000

Sinclair Lewis was a great period author.

Anyone who enjoys secret agent/spy potboiler type novels will love the “World’s End” series of 11 Sinclair wartime novels starring the character Lanny Budd, that take place during the 1930s and 1940s. The third novel in the series, “Dragon’s Teeth”, won the 1943 Pulitzer prize.

One you start with one of them, I promise it will become an addiction until you finish all of them.