When Ignorance Ain’t Bliss

When did ignorance become a virtue in American politics? Comedian and satirist Andy Borowitz says that US media clearly favors politicians who are entertaining and extreme over classic qualities like intelligence and competence. In his latest book, Borowitz traces this disappointing heritage. The Guy Who Dumbed Everything Down Poor old Dan Quayle. No politician wants […]

Is Bernie Sanders Really Radical?

In the 2020 Democratic primaries, Senator Bernie Sanders’s ideas were dismissed as “radical” by political elites and many in the media. But millions of people supported his grassroots campaign, so it’s not exactly fair to describe his agenda as fringe. What should we make of his politics? Making America Great Again (Bernie Remix) If Americans […]

Megathreat Creep

Nouriel Roubini has a pretty cool nickname for an economist. But “Dr. Doom,” as he’s known, doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the future, particularly since he predicted the 2008 economic collapse. His new book, Megathreats, is about how interconnected economic, technological, environmental, and political problems may be the end of society as we know it. Dr. […]

How Did We Get Here?

How does a cataclysmic event alter the world? It’s an interesting question to ponder as we watch the effects of COVID-19 continue to unfold. Recognizing that history doesn’t actually happen overnight, business prof Scott Galloway analyzes almost a century’s worth of crisis and change in the United States, including events like World War II and […]

The Secret Keeper

John F. Kennedy liked to swim naked at lunchtime. Franklin D. Roosevelt made staffers hide his wheelchair at dinner parties. Lyndon B. Johnson complained about the water pressure. J.B. West, who served as head usher at the White House for 28 years, absorbed a lot of interesting tidbits during his decades on the job—and he […]

Hanging Out with Kim Jong-Un

“You’re fired.”  Mike Pompeo, who served as director of the CIA and US Secretary of State under Donald Trump, was the only member of Trump’s core team who didn’t hear those words or quit of his own accord. Over four years of delicate negotiations with volatile leaders in North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, Pompeo worked […]

The Dark Past of German Moguls

Porsche cars, Dr. Oetker products, and billionaire dynasties such as the Quandts are very famous names and brands. But few people know about their horrifying pasts. Investigative journalist David de Jong aims to change that with Nazi Billionaires, an explosive story that uncovers the truth about modern-day German conglomerates that have swept their Nazi pasts under […]

A True Story From The Wild West

Kit Carson was a legend of the American West — a trapper, guide, and soldier. He was unusual among his contemporaries in that he also deeply understood (and tried to honor) the native peoples there. Set against the backdrop of the decades-long battle between the Navajos and the Americans who threatened their land and their […]

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