bookshelf

The Draining Lake by Arnaldur Indridason

312 Pgs (c)  2004 Translated from the Icelandic by Bernard Scudder
Broward Library 04/04/09

A body, tethered to Cold War era Russian communications equipment, is revealed when an Icelandic lake is drained. Old memories and rivalries surface, involving socialist students studying in East German in the late 1950s.

Empires of Trust by Thomas Madden

How Rome Built - and America Is Building - A New World
10 CDs, 12.5 hours. (c) 2008. Narrated by Richard Poe
Recorded Books, Read: 03/22/09, Blog 03/23/09

Madden compares the development and influence of Rome (defined as both the Republic and the Empire, covering a span of 2,000 years) and the U.S. on the larger world. Unexpected and thought-provoking parallels are drawn, challenging conventional thinking.

Great Catherine by Carolly Erickson

A biography of Catherine the Great
11 tapes / Narrated by Davina Porter
Recorded Books, Read: 01/28/08, Blog 03/12/09

The author wants to set the record straight and dispel the worst of the criticism against Catherine the Great. The empress or Russia is presented as a sympathetic character who had her hands full with a problematic family life and an unwieldy realm.

Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith

ISBN 0553585975
First published in 1776. Narrated: Michael Edwards, 35 hrs.
Purchased from Audible, Read 01/14/08

This fascinating and entertaining book is the granddaddy of capitalist free market thought. Fully fleshed out with examples, observations and conclusions, it provides unique insight not only into our current economic system; but also a window into the revolutionary era of the 18C. Free audio downloads are available at Librivox.com.

Patriotic Grace by Peggy Noonan

What It Is and Why We Need It Now
192 pages (c)2008 Peggy Noonan, published by Collins
Broward Library 324.70973 NO. Read: 02/24/09

Just a suggestion, unless you are a militant Pollyanna, do not read this on the same night that you watch the "Cosmic Apocalypse" episode of the "The Universe" series from The History Channel. Through an unfortunate congruence of events, that's what I did. I'm no Chicken Little; well, maybe I am one now.