How to Talk to a Liberal - Ann Coulter

Wow. I consider myself to be somewhat moderate and in being so I try to read arguments from both sides of the spectrum. Accordingly, Ann Coulter seemed like the perfect candidate of my next political book since she was an outspoken right-wing enthusiast. What I found out though was that she is a wind-bag.

This book, if she calls it that since all it is is a collection of articles that she has written over the years that did not get published (and for good reason), drags on and on with out making any academic points whatsoever. Instead, she wastes all of my time throwing out unsupported claims against anybody that has ever been concerned about fossil fuel emissions or has a last name that ends in stein.

While I think it was healthy for me to hear her arguments once and for all, she turned out to be an ugly-hearted-screw-ball.

Not Recommended

The Search - John Battelle

"Nobody, and I mean nobody, has thought longer, harder, or smarter about Google and the search business than John Battelle."

- John Heilemann

Compared to The Google Story, this is the academic and analytic explanation and observation of Google and the search industry. Battelle does a phenomenal job of analyzing what it means to be in the search business and what it will mean to be in the search business in the future. He explores both the roots of the technology that drives the business today and the possibility that search holds for the everyday consumer.

The most memorable part of his analysis is definitely what he refers to as The Database of Intentions. Google (and other search engines, but to a lesser extent) hold the modern day library of Alexandria making the sum of mankind's information freely and easily accessible.

Highly Recommended

Choosing Civility - P. M. Forni

This was a gift from my mother (should I take that as an insult?) Forni organized it like an academic essay (but for one of those LS&A classes) and breaks down civility into 25 steps. The writing was not very inspiring and was, frankly, quite boring. Forni did not use any short stories or fables with moral lessons interwoven into them to prove his points and instead just said "You should not put your elbows on the table - it is not proper!" (or something similar).

Even though it was only ~200 pages, it wasn't worth it. I will admit that being reminded of these subtle gestures of civility are needed for any individual but a 200 page book is overkill.

Really Not Recommended