Hope you can join us for what promises to be a very lively book salon this afternoon.
Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will be here at 5 pm ET/2 pm Pt to discuss his book "The Test Of Our Times."
I know you all have questions.
Be sure to drop by and ask them…
It’s been the subject of a LOT of discussion, controversy and invective over the terror alert bit — but there is so much more on policy and internal wrangling in the book that deserves a wider, thorough airing.
And I know you all have lots of questions to ask, don’t you?
The magical mystery book tour on which Tom Ridge still finds himself took another turn yesterday evening on Rachel Maddow’s show.
At right, you can see the very end of the interview where Ridge compliments Rachel for asking her detailed and fact-based questions in a polite manner after she pins him down on Iraq excuses.
Have to say, Rachel’s consistent, persistent style and thorough preparedness is so much more effective than the servile and/or barely conversant in the facts bobbleheads we usually get, isn’t it?
But it was the back and forth on terror alerts and politics that got me.
Watching the Q&A, I was struck by Ridge’s vehemence on "at no time, at no time, at NO time did politics enter into anybody’s equation — these are tough judgment calls…."
And yet? The particular occasion he’s discussing was the weekend before the election in 2004. How could politics not be on anyone’s mind. And how could anyone know for certain what might be an internal motivating factor for anyone else’s arguments?
Why the continued back and forth? And why are we only hearing about this now?
Because this is what Ridge himself wrote in his book:
A vigorous, some might say dramatic, discussion ensured. Ashcroft strongly urged an increase in the threat level and was supported by Rumsfeld. There was absolutely no support for that position within our department. None. I wondered, “Is this about security or politics?” Post-election analysis demonstrated a significant increase in the president’s approval rating in the days after the raising of the threat level. … I consider the episode to be not only a dramatic moment in Washington’s recent history, but another illustration of the intersection of politics, fear, credibility and security.
Since it came out, he has variously tried to downplay, backpedal, or explain away that paragraph that has been seized on by commentators on the left and right and all over the media. But the questions still linger, as well they should. (more…)
I have been on a travel book kick of late. It’s a bit of escape reading for me, really, without having to actually leave the house.
There is a line in Out of Africa where Karin Blixen is asked whether she’s traveled much — she’s being teased about bringing Limoges to Africa to set up house. She replies that she has been "a mental traveler," meaning she’s done a lot of travel reading but never done much of the actual travel itself.
I fall into that category, partly because of budget constraints but, mostly and in all honesty, because life takes over and you forgo travel when you choose to do other things.
Some of my favorite books are those of Paul Theroux, whose acerbic wit and snarky attitude matches up so well with the idiocy of inane logistical snafus and rustling sweatsuit-clad tour groups with large cameras and tchotchke-seeking rapacious consumerism on their minds.
When I travel, I like to observe and soak things in where I happen to be in the moment, and so nattering on about the next shopping excursion down the road drives me batty. Theroux captures that irritation hilariously.
One of my all-time favorites of his is "Riding the Iron Rooster."
I re-read it recently when we were on the train back and forth from New York City. It turned out that both Mr. ReddHedd and The Peanut had caught the family ick that had gone around just as mine was beginning to ebb. What ended up happening is that both of them slept a lot on the train both ways, which gave me some quiet, uninterrupted reading time.
Despite the coughing and motherly worry, it was heaven. And I managed to read the entire book, cover to cover, from the time we left until just before we pulled back into Pittsburgh.
Another that I found enthralling was Colin Thubron’s "Shadow Of The Silk Road," also about China (I’m sensing a trend here.). His historical background is amazing, but it is his capacity to see both the good and bad in people that is captivating. For a more recent take on China, try Rob Gifford’s China Road — I’ve always loved his NPR reporting, and his book is a fascinating glimpse, especially about AIDS, Chinese bureaucracy and the difficulties in reporting real life details anywhere.
Two of my favorite books on the Afghanistan/Pakistan region capture difficulties — and historically inspirational underpinnings — as well. Jason Elliott’s "An Unexpected Light" remains a long-time favorite of mine precisely because his capacity for joy in the face of really tough odds is contagious. And I defy anyone to read Greg Mortenson’s "Three Cups Of Tea" and not come away inspired to do more, to be more. (more…)
This afternoon, I hope folks can join us for a discussion of Christopher Eisgruber’s latest book, “The Next Justice.” It will be hosted by professor Rebecca Brown, who is the Newton Professor of Constitutional Law at USC.
The book is a great exploration of the process of selecting justices for SCOTUS:
This afternoon’s book salon at 5 pm ET/2 pm PT, will be with Bruce Kluger and David Tabatsky for a compilation book they’ve put together entitled “Dear President Obama: Letters of Hope From Children Across America.”
I’ll be hosting the discussion and hope you can join us.
It’s Sunday morning. YAWN. Coffee’s brewing somewhere, I’m sure. Looks like it might be a good day for a great book. I started the Little House books with The Peanut last night, reading her the very first chapter of Little House in the Big Woods for her bedtime story. I’m not sure which one of us liked it best, frankly.
I can remember the first time I saw Star Wars, sitting in that darkened theater with my older cousin, in awe of the star cruisers that seemed to fly right out of the screen at us. It was magic. I became hooked on science fiction at the ripe age of eight because of the genius of Yoda. And all the potential of space travel and our own possibilities.
Thought I’d change things up a little this evening, with on of my favorite scenes from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. This one from the second film of the trilogy, The Two Towers, wherein Samwise Gamgee talks about the stories that matter.
And why the people in them keep on fighting for something better:“By rights we shouldn’t even be here.
