In Fed We Trust: David Wessel
David Wessel is a journalist. Not an economic theorist, not a market participant, not a regulator or policy wonk. A journalist. In Fed We Trust is a piece of journalism, not of analysis. It is the story of everything the Fed did to combat the economic collapse over the last two years. Actions that led to the eme

Eating my broccoli - Balanced reading in 2009
This is my favorite time of the year. When the mercury seems weary by day and resigns to sinking post meridiem, my spirits tend to soar. It isn't all about the nip in the air either. It is the implied anticipation of the holiday season. The silent 'because' behind unspoken languor at work. The wait for year-end 'Best of 2009' lists.This is also a time for stock-taking. Under two months of reading left in the year. So how balanced a reading diet have I been consuming.My target is usually to read a mix of about 50/50 between non-fiction and fiction. I try to alternate so my balance remains close and the

How Fiction Works: James Wood
How is the pleasure of a particularly spectacular ballet movement affected by knowing that the movement was a combination of a plier, an etendre and a sauter?How is a great jazz tune enhanced by noticing a cross-rhythm and an augmented 7th?

"Why do I write this stuff?" - The literary vs genre fiction debate
On Sep 26, I spent the day at the National Book Festival in Washington DC. (Yes, I know, that was about a month back. Which is one of the more liberating things about writing a book blog, as opposed to say a news or politics or sports blog. What I have to say isn't exactly time critical.)The festival had great reader attendance, and a good many writers out in force working the audiences, signing books, and generally selling their stuff. There were tents where writers were making speeches and readers were following up with questions, townhall style. I saw the tent called 'Mystery and Thrillers' and was trying to give it a wide berth, mu

Nocturnes: Kazuo ishiguro
I feel like I have been writing about Kazuo Ishiguro a lot lately. Most of it positive and glowing. I might not have said it in as many words before, but I think it should be pretty obvious to readers of Brick and Rope - Ishiguro is one of my favorite authors of all time.