It's the story of a charismatic socialist who swindles the establishment and the media into ignoring his totalitarian instincts and seeing him as a Messianic figure. Not that there's anything remotely analogous there to anyone we might know today.
It's a great book by Tim Reiterman who was a contemporaneous reporter at the San Francisco Examiner. It is thoroughly researched and documented, but reads almost like a novel. You get to know so many seemingly normal players in the drama, and though you know the rough outline of the final scene already, the anticipation builds as you wonder just how it will play out and who will still be there when the stage goes dark.
I've also just read The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
and When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man
, both thoughtful and well-chosen gifts courtesy of JF. The former is the story of the few who made a fortune predicting the housing crash and an indictment of the current crony capitalism regime, by Michael Lewis of Liars' Poker and Moneyball fame. The latter is the fascinating autobiography of Jerry Weintraub, who talked his way from New York City poor kid to promoter of Elvis and Sinatra and producer of some of the biggest Hollywood movies today.All three are highly recommended.
3 comments:
I'd have to say you are drifting so far off into la la land WC that your blog is going down the tubes real fast. We don't care what the fuck you're reading!
Get a grip on reality and do your blog some justice. Your talents are quickly fading. Use it or lose it!
The Big Short is hilarious in a we-are-so-doomed sort of way. I also recommend the Quants which further illustrates that the stock market is far, far from what it was intended to do for the economy.
you are getting WAY too much reading done! Do I need to give you homework?
Post a Comment