Reemerging

The gaps between posts have now reached embarassing proportions. I have just been overwhelmed for close to three months now, but there seems to be some light at the end of this tunnel as I begin to dig out of the overcommitted spring semester I created for myself. I am likely to provide readers (those few of you out there) with more detail than is desired about the "digging out" process over the coming weeks. But first, some recommendations as I reemerge into the world of blogs and books. Blog-wise, friend Ciarán is once again back to somewhat regular posting and has provided one brilliant review of Robert Caro's classic The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York. His review and analysis does justice (and then some) to that enormous volume (he had been complaining in our Skype chats about hauling it around for oh so many weeks -- even in paperback it is quite a burden). I recommend the book to anyone who wants to understand New York and the important (and overlooked) role of public authorities in the govenrance of the US, and I would recommend Ciarán's review to anyone who want to grasp the nature and core importance of the book. Book-wise, I am in my usual multi-read mode (my boring work out routine requires some distraction in the form of a book or an interesting podcast), and increasingly I find myself focusing on Cobra II : The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq, the detailed story behind the preparation and conduct of the invasion of Iraw by Gordon and Trainor. Provides great background and insight into the current debate surrounding Donald Rumsfeld's current tenure at Defense, and does an amazing job of trying to explain the odd thinking of Saddam Hussein leading up to the invasion (among other things). I have the feeling that I will devote some blogs to work as I get further into it. More later.... Tags:Cobra II Rumsfeld Robert Moses Robert Caro