Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right by Jane Mayer. This revealing piece of investigative journalism from the award-winning staff writer for
The New Yorker was one of las
t year's hottest political books. Mayer turns the spotlight on the secretive world of the Koch brothers and other immensely wealthy ideologues who are shaping the fate of America. The paperback edition includes a new preface in which Mayer discusses Donald Trump's victory and how, despite much discussion to the contrary, this was a huge victory for the billionaires who have been pouring money in the American political system. She argues that these super-rich men with extreme libertarian views are the real power brokers, bankrolling a systematic, step-by-step plan to fundamentally alter the American political system. As we begin a new era in Washington,
Dark Money will likely become essential reading for many folks interested in better understanding today's political scene.
Everybody's Fool by Richard Russo. If
Dark Money sounds a bit like a duty book, here's a feel-good antidote. Twenty-plus years after the publication of
Nobody's Fool (which made me a Russo fan forever), independent booksellers welcome the softcover arrival this week of
Everybody's Fool, which revisits the residents of North
Bath, NY, a decade later. Russo is a master of the 'lovable loser' character, and he has concocted a delightful mix of eccentrics both old and new this time around. If you haven't read
Nobody's Fool, or have forgotten many of the details (hand raised), not to worry - this delightful novel stands on its own without need for a backstory.
What I have always found remarkable about Russo is that he can create ordinary people with flaws and weaknesses and make them utterly appealing and, at times, even heroic. He reminds us that the glue that holds together communities, even seemingly downtrodden ones, is the interaction and basic decency of its residents. These are people with problems, sure, but also folks with humanity and loyalty. Russo presents their foibles with much humor but with a caring touch, which adds to the enjoyment of this cheerful read.
violence and revolving around the secrets of two families touched by an evil that has passed between generations. By the way, author Roy is no stranger to these awards, her Bent Road having won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel and Until She Comes Home being a Best Novel finalist.
it's more than just a conventional mystery story. The book's narrator, a communist double agent, is a half-French, half-Vietnamese army captain who comes to America after the fall of Saigon, and while building a new life with other Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles is secretly reporting back to his communist superiors in Vietnam.