1. Gail Hareven, The Confessions of Noa Weber. This newly translated Israeli novel was a great deal of fun, without being too light. Recommended.
2. 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die, by Tom Moon. It's mostly popular music but a mix of everything. I was amazed how much this guy's taste, including on particular classical recordings, matched my own. This is a more serious book than the packaging indicates.
3. Miles, Ornette, Cecil, by Howard Mandel. I never considered putting this one down. It appeals to readers who are already fans but it is also a good start for expanding your horizons beyond "traditional" jazz.
4. Jason Scott Smith, Building New Deal Liberalism, The Political Economy of Public Works, 1933-1956. A very good book arguing the case for New Deal public works projects, primarily on grounds of growth (not stimulus). I also enjoyed Robert D. Leighninger's Long-Range Public Investment: The Forgotten Legacy of the New Deal.
5. Keith Thomas, The Ends of Life: Roads to Fulfillment in Early Modern England. His Religion and the Decline of Magic is one of my favorite history books ever (he tells us that, in equilibrium, a certain number of people should pretend to be witches, to get what they want). The new one is impeccably researched and written, but I don't see so much original material there. I can honestly call it a good book but for me it was a disappointment.
If you like Thomas you must make sure to read Eamon Duffy’s “The Stripping of the Altars”, which takes the other side of the definitional conflict over what was considered magic or religion in medieval England.
my book on jazz post 1960 is called “Self-Indulgent Noodling”
fundamentals still aint sound regarding the US economy
How can one man read so goddamn much? Tyler sends out one of these “What I’ve Been Reading” updates practically every other week. Do you finish a book in like 3 hours?
I hate that the music book is organized alphabetically. How about a road map that takes you through music in a more logical, informative way?
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