What are we reading?

[Toya]

I'm reading Toya's comment right now.

Hey wise guy. 

[sunjata]

People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present by Howard Zinn 

That's a really good book to pick up and dive into.

Yes, a very very good book.

[karaszero]

I'm reading two books right now; The HAGAKURE (The book of the Samurai), and something a little easier, The Supervillain Book (The Evil side of Comics and Hollywood)

[sunjata]

Just started The Other America by Michael Harrington.  It is really good.
 

[Redjack]

Pride of Bagdad - Brian K. Vaughn

[stanleyballard]

"Standing at the Scratch Line" by Guy Johnson
"Tumbling" by Diane McKinney-Whetstone
"Yurugu" by Marimba Ani
"Gone Fishin" by Walter Mosley

[sunjata]

"Standing at the Scratch Line" by Guy Johnson
"Tumbling" by Diane McKinney-Whetstone
"Yurugu" by Marimba Ani
"Gone Fishin" by Walter Mosley

I read and enjoyed Gone Fishin when it was first released.  It is very diiferent from the other Easy series books.

[Wise Son]

I read Freakonomics and the collection of Bill Hicks' routines, letters and articles Love All The People while I was on holiday, both excellent books, the Hicks one especially giving you a real window into a brilliant, funny, angry and loving mind.

Freakonomics should be required reading for anyone who isn't happy to be called  amoron, it really is that good, as Curtis can tell you. It also reveals that 'Reginald' is one of the 20 'blackest' names in America.

[Curtis Metcalf]

I read Freakonomics and the collection of Bill Hicks' routines, letters and articles Love All The People while I was on holiday, both excellent books, the Hicks one especially giving you a real window into a brilliant, funny, angry and loving mind.

Freakonomics should be required reading for anyone who isn't happy to be called  amoron, it really is that good, as Curtis can tell you. It also reveals that 'Reginald' is one of the 20 'blackest' names in America.

Definitely co-sign on Freakonomics.  I found that particular tidbit amusing also.  I also noticed that Xavier was on that list to my surprise.

[Toya]

Isn't that the book that led that radio personality to state that aborting black fetuses, would lower the crime rate?

[Curtis Metcalf]

I remember the incident (we covered it on HEF 1.0) but I don't remember the book being involved.  Or what brought it on.  Anybody remember?

[sunjata]

Here is an old article from ABC news.
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/print?id=1171385

William Bennett Defends Comment on Abortion and Crime
'Book of Virtues' Author Says Hypothetical Remark Was Valid
By JAKE TAPPER
Sept. 29, 2005 — - After pondering on his radio program how aborting every black infant in America would affect crime rates, best-selling author and self-styled "Values Czar" Bill Bennett is vehemently denying he is a racist and defending his willingness to speak publicly about race and crime.

On the Wednesday edition of his radio show, "Bill Bennett's Morning in America," syndicated by Salem Radio Network, a caller raised the theory that Social Security is in danger of becoming insolvent because legalized abortion has reduced the number of tax-paying citizens. Bennett said economic arguments should never be employed in discussions of moral issues.

If it were your sole purpose to reduce crime, Bennett said, "You could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down.

"That would be an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down," he added.


Outrage From Democrats

Bennett was secretary of education for President Ronald Reagan and is considered one of the Republican Party's big brains. But this week Democrats and some Republicans seemed to also question if Bennett's mouth is of size as well.

Democrats expressed outrage, ranging from demands for an apology to requests that the Federal Communications Commission suspend Bennett's show.

"Republicans, Democrats and all Americans of good will should denounce this statement, should distance themselves from Mr. Bennett," said Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., D-Ill. "And the private sector should not support Mr. Bennett's radio show or his comments on the air."

"I'm not even going to comment on something that disgusting," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. "Really, I'm thinking of my black grandchild and I'm going to hold (off)."


'Things That People Are Thinking'

In an interview with ABC News, Bennett said that anyone who knows him knows he isn't racist. He said he was merely extrapolating from the best-selling book "Freakonomics," which posits the hypothesis that falling crimes rates are related to increased abortion rates decades ago. "It would have worked for, you know, single-parent moms; it would have worked for male babies, black babies," Bennett said. So why immediately bring up race when discussing crime rates? "There was a lot of discussion about race and crime in New Orleans," Bennett said. "There was discussion – a lot of it wrong – but nevertheless, media jumping on stories about looting and shooting and gangs and roving gangs and so on.

"There's no question this is on our minds," Bennett said. "What I do on our show is talk about things that people are thinking … we don't hesitate to talk about things that are touchy."


Bennett said, "I'm sorry if people are hurt, I really am. But we can't say this is an area of American life (and) public policy that we're not allowed to talk about – race and crime."

Robert George, an African-American, Republican editorial writer for the New York Post, agrees that Bennett's comments were not meant as racist. But he worries they feed into stereotypes of Republicans as insensitive. "His overall point about not making broad sociological claims and so forth, that was a legitimate point," George said. "But it seems to me someone with Bennett's intelligence … should know better the impact of his words and sort of thinking these things through before he speaks."

The blunt-spoken Bennett has ruffled feathers before, most recently in 2003 for revelations that despite his best-selling books about virtue and values, he is a high-rolling preferred customer at Las Vegas and Atlantic City casinos.

In light of accusations that the Bush administration should have been more sensitive to black victims of Hurricane Katrina, a Republican official told ABC News that Bennett's comments were "probably as poorly timed as they were politically incorrect."

ABC News' Avery Miller, Karen Travers and Toni L. Wilson contributed to this report.

[Curtis Metcalf]

Thanks, Sunjata.  Dead on again, Toya.  Having now read the book, it just underlines how idiotic Bennett's comments were.

[Toya]

I had pretty much the same reaction to Bennett's statements when ABC hired an interview with the writers.

[Magic Wand]

Another resurrection from the old forum:

Here's what I've read lately:

• Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
  

I read Blink over the summer.
But I MUCH preferred The Tipping Point.

Just finished Veronika Decides to Die by Paul Coelho.
It reminded me of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

In progress:  Freakonomics and a whole bunch of Black Panther comics that my Mom collected for me!

My Book of the Year is a richly, imaginative adventure by Yann Martel entitled, Life of Pi.  Pi is one of those books that I read slower towards the end because I didn't want the story to end.

My favorite mystery remains, The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin.  I dare anyone to read it and not love it.

Next up:  Reefer Madness and Soul City