KARLA MASS: The week's most talked about books
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Globally and politically, our environment, as we know it, is changing, and fast. Authors of every genre weigh in on the nation's economic pitfalls, political turmoil and social ills. A common thread among political platforms is the call for change. Everyone has an opinion, but only a few are fortunate enough to share their passionate views with readers on our nation's identity crisis.Meet Zbigniew Brzezinksi and Brent Scowcroft, two persuasive authors and former National Security Advisors, and moderator and Washington Post columnist David Ignatius. There's nothing boring about the collaborative effort in their new book, "America and the World: Conversations on the Future of American Foreign Policy." With a refreshing and unscripted question and answer forum, the greatest debate of them all is on!Ignatius: ... Our subject in these conversations is how the United States can begin to put a badly disordered world back together ... talk about the values you would like to see us bringing to this dialogue with Arabs and Israelis, and how we can change the image our country has today in that part of the world to something more positive.Scowcroft: The peace process is the place to start. If we can succeed in that we will turn the mood around. We are now seen not as impartial but as supporting one side. The Arabs have largely lost faith in us because of that, and because of Iraq ...Brzezinski: ... We were viewed by most people in the Middle East, particularly after World War II, as a liberating force. We were seen as encouraging the disappearance of the British and French without moving in our own forces in their wake ...A heated, three-way conversation continues to explore myths and reality of an unstable foreign policy. How did we get here? Answers are a dime a dozen. But the tough questions remain: Is it time to pull out of Iraq? What is our role as Americans in the Far East? Does American policy need a huge makeover? Democrat, Republican or Independent, what will become of the American spirit?America and the World: Conversations on the Future of American Foreign Policy
Authors: Zbigniew Brzezinksi, Brent Scowcroft, David Ignatius (moderator)
Publisher: Basic Books
Publication Date: September 2008
Listen to an excerpt from America and the World: Conversations on the Future of American Foreign PolicyMORE PATRIOTISM AND POLITICS
Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution - And How It Can Renew America
Author: Thomas L. Friedman
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication Date: September 2008
Summary: A compelling look at our environment and its perils. A green America? If it means a cleaner America, why not?
The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008
Author: Bob Woodward
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: September 2008
Summary: Woodward tackles the subject of war while exposing the truth behind the political and military involvement in Iraq.
Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America
Author: Paul Tough
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Publication Date: September 2008
Summary: A social experiment to simultaneously change all aspects of children's lives, from schools to neighborhoods. Tough examines his educational and socal vision.
The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism
Author: Andrew J. Bacevich
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Publication Date: August 2008
Summary: Bacevich provides readers with a historical perspective on American policy, from 1945 to today. He initiates a public debate on the nation's most pressing problems.
The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule
Author: Thomas Frank
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Publication Date: August 2008
Summary: Does government work? Frank is not just cynical about the Republican's role in office, but the role the Democrats play as well. The ominous tone of the after effects of Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq War is far reaching.
Black Belt Patriotism: How to Reawaken America
Author: Chuck Norris
Publisher: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
Publication Date: September 2008
Summary: Norris, the assault specialist, admits there's a terrible assault on American values. He feels it's high time we get back to the basics.
Why We Hate Us: American Discontent in the New Millenium
Author: Dick Meyer
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Publication Date: August 2008
Summary: Meyer refers to what ails America as a 21st century mood disorder. His witty observations are not only on target, they also provide much needed comic relief.
Tell How Me How This Ends: General David Petraeus and the Search for a Way Out of Iraq
Author: Linda Robinson
Publisher: Perseus Publishing
Publication Date: September 2008
Summary: The best-selling author of "Masters of Chaos" and a political insider, Robinson focuses on the early phase of the war, the progression of the war and the war today.
The Week's Most Talked About Book(s)" is a weekly book review and literary criticism column that publishes every Friday. Selected titles are based on popularity, public opinion, research and observation. Questions, comments and suggestions should be sent to book lover and columnist Karla Mass at kmass@mcclatchyinteractive.com.
