What I've Been Reading

This week was a struggle to find as much time to read as I would have liked - things at work got even busier, and I had a difficult time sleeping (or rather staying asleep) all week, that just made it hard to focus. That said, some of the best pieces I read this past week (from just the New Yorker and the Economist this time) ...

1. When Things Go Missing - from the New Yorker, just a very well-written and reflective piece on it means to lose and miss - things, elections, people. It's the type of read that makes you think about what you've lost, and what you're afraid to lose.

2. When Immigrants Are No Longer Considered Americans - also from the New Yorker, a piece that shares a personal story of the author that is also relevant and timely. As with everything in the New Yorker, it's well written, and worthwhile to read for the perspective it brings.

3. The Right Way to Redo Dodd-Frank - the Dodd-Frank law, passed in response to the financial behavior that led to the meltdown of the economy in 2008, has been in the news recently as President Trump has made noise about amending or repealing the law. This piece represents much of what I enjoy about reading The Economist - reasoned, rational pieces that discuss policy in a thoughtful manner, and thereby forces an attentive reader to think as well.

4. What America might want from Russia, but is unlikely to get - another from The Economist. The article gets at one of my concerns with President Trump and his ideas of foreign policy - he's (at least appears to be) very bi-lateral in his thinking. As the article discusses, foreign relations are complicated and messy and, well, not handled well through bi-lateral negotiations. Multilateralism, which the U.S. has embraced for decades, is necessary now more than ever. In any event, the article shows the complexity involved in even simple foreign policy matters.

I'm still making my way through American Amnesia, which I should be finishing soon. I continue to be impressed in the book - well written, informative, and obviously timely.