I like Sunday mornings. Steve sleeps in (and I know he was up VERY late last night, er, this morning so I know I won't see him for a while) and I have all morning to play on the Internet while I drink coffee. I jump around my bookmarks in news and books and sometimes take side trips from links just to see where it goes. This can take HOURS...Currently taking up most of my reading time this weekend is the nonfiction bestseller TEAM OF RIVALS by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It reads very narratively rather than a dry stream of facts that one dozes over and then quickly sets aside. Here's a description:Goodwin makes the case for Lincoln's political genius by examining his relationships with three men he selected for his cabinet, all of whom were opponents for the Republican nomination in 1860: William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, and Edward Bates. These men, all accomplished, nationally known, and presidential, originally disdained Lincoln for his backwoods upbringing and lack of experience, and were shocked and humiliated at losing to this relatively obscure Illinois lawyer. Yet Lincoln not only convinced them to join his administration--Seward as secretary of state, Chase as secretary of the treasury, and Bates as attorney general--he ultimately gained their admiration and respect as well. How he soothed egos, turned rivals into allies, and dealt with many challenges to his leadership, all for the sake of the greater good, is largely what Goodwin's fine book is about. Had he not possessed the wisdom and confidence to select and work with the best people, she argues, he could not have led the nation through one of its darkest periods.
This book talks about the journals and letters and so forth the author used for her sources. Some -- I think in her estimation -- are better than others because they mention not just the personal stuff going on in their lives but also makes note of and has commentary on the happenings of their times. Which brings me to reflect that I don't really do that in my blog. Mostly, I've tried not to bring politics into this even though the goings on in the country affect me pretty much on a daily basis. I suppose one can discuss current events without bringing politics into it at all even though it interests me the most. Blogs are different that journals though. I COULD start a separate blog for the political stuff just for kicks and just for myself. Hmmm. Thinking to do.
Blog/Website of the Day: Sarah Weinman's Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind which sounds very non-mystery oriented but it is. It can be found at http://www.sarahweinman.com/. This is a staple of the mystery reading world which is why I haven't listed it previously because I think a lot of people know about it but just in case there are some who've missed it, this is a basic site to visit. She posts Sunday through Thursday typically.
Being a Sunday there are of course current events going on but the media take it back a notch in covering them because of the weekend. The quote unquote "stimulus" package to help the economic situation of the country is being discussed. Much commentary I could say here about the wrong direction this is going and what a mistake it has been since last fall but that's enough for now. The situation in the Middle East of course has become an "us and them" situation. Obama completed his first few days in office (just had to erase my commentary on that so I'll leave it as a simple short sentence there). Still talking about the jet landing on the Hudson -examination of the engine leads. New Miss America crowned last night. Markets are closed so no info today; I've signed up for email alerts from various government agencies because I want to keep an eye on this administration but today so far is quiet. The SAG awards are on tv tonight.
Not much else going on today. I'll read a bit and catch up on my WSJ and so forth and do some laundry. Maybe start a DVD, I'm not sure. Steve will wake up eventually, watch something on tv while playing Fallout 3. Tug will get all worked up about his walk around 1:30 (zero degrees out, oh boy). What else is there to do on a Sunday?
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster
No comments:
Post a Comment