Two More

I have also started reading:

1.) Samuel P Huntington's Clash of Civilizations. It is often talked about, especially in the post-9/11 world so I felt I should read it so as to be able to intelligently discuss the ideas it contains.

2.) Don Cheadle and John Prendergast's Not on Our Watch. The book is about ending the genocide in Darfur. It also focuses on other crimes against humanity. So far it is excellent.

Books I want to buy soon

1.) Dead Fish Museum
2.) Come Together, Fall apart
3.) Absurdistan
4.)Not on Our Watch (bought today)
5.) The Accidental

Future release:
Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union

Books I am Reading Now

The History of French New Wave-a scholarly book about the rise and success of the French New Wave cinema in the 1960s

Battling Terrorism in the Horn of Africa-a book from a few years ago from Brookings. The title says it all.

How We Are Hungry-still making my way through the novella.it's an eggers book but it isn't as good as HWOSG

The Book of Laughter and Forgetting-the book before The Unbearable Lightness of Being...the first 4 pages, recapping how the communists came to power in Czechoslovakia in 1948, has broken my heart...how I will finish it is beyond my comprehension...

You Don't Love Me Yet-Jonathan Lethem

I finally finished You Don't Love Me Yet. It was somewhat of a letdown. It was a comedy that wasn't terribly funny. It was a book about bands that wasn't all that interesting in terms of the band. It suffered from the all-too-common problem of men writing with a female as the protagonist. This, in and of itself isn't always terrible. However, when female protagonists written by men are involved in sexual situations, it can, and usually does, get awkward. I am not female expert and I don't know how Heidi Julavits and other female friends of Mr. Lethem and their sex lives are like, but from what I can tell, Mr. Lethem does not understand female sexuality all that well.

The reading I went to included a discussion about the writing process of the book. He said that he cut 60-70 pages at the last moment...and thank god for that.

I have heard almost nothing but good things about Mr. Lethem's books. I only wish that this was not my introduction to him. I expect Motherless Brooklyn and Fortress of Solitude are going to be as great as they are built up to be...I hope so after the disappointing novel I just finished...

Girls on The Verge by Vendela Vida

Girls on the Verge is the result of a master's thesis Vendela Vida wrote while at graduate school at Columbia. It is about various groups young girls join and the rituals and initiation processes they go through to become a member. The book is quite interesting in the insight it gives to both the female perspective as well as unique insight into the idea of joining a group, whether it be a street gang, young newlyweds, a sorority, or attending the Burning Man Festival. An interesting read. I look forward to reading her first two novels. Also, Vendela Vida is the wife of my favorite author, Dave Eggers!