Thomas L. Friedman definitely
gets it on how deep and systemic the problems with consumer
culture are. Hot, Flat and Crowded explains a lot of the
problems and puts them in perspective very well. I think his
rose colored glasses obscure his view in some ways, but that's
a minor bone to pick. For sure he's collected a lot of stories
that are worth reading into his narrative. Yes, they do add up
to a real need for change in the United States. Reading it, I
was glad to see evidence of a journalist with mainstream pull
"getting it."
Read The Kite
Runner on my eastbound summer vacation trip. It's an
Afghan-American story of how war came to Kabul and how one
family escapes. They end up in Fremont, California. That's where
the author finished growing up. If you want to know something
about Afghan-Americans, this is probably a good book to read.
It's a fun read. I gave it away at the Green Party Convention so
I'd have room in my kit for stuff like Jill Stein buttons to
bring back to San Jose.
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