Nov. 19, 2008
A handy guide from the CIA, and more on David Foster Wallace
Freelance writers, who typically need to keep their feet moving like a good NFL runner and not get bogged down, have a special need for good reference books that boil a lot of information down into a succinct, at-a-glance format. One such book came across our desks this month—The CIA World Factbook 2009 (Skyhorse Publishing), the latest edition of a book that purports to offer "the world at your fingertips."
Leaving aside whatever political views you may have of the Central Intelligence Agency, this may be a good reference book to keep in mind (or to purchase, since the 831-page paperback is surprisingly cheap at 13 bucks).
What does it give you? A lot, starting with mini-histories and mini-economic overviews of every nation on earth. There's also a load of basic information about the geography, population, government, communication, defense and transportation of every nation.
In the front, there's a very useful description and roundup of all of the main religions and types of government. There's a lot of maps, too, though of varying usefulness in black and white.
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A lot has been written in the wake of David Foster Wallace's death at age 46 on Sept 12. But I can't imagine much of it is more memorable than this feature article in a recent issue of Rolling Stone by David Lipsky. It is a harrowing depiction of a mind trapped within itself. The headline:
The Lost Years & Last Days of David Foster Wallace
He was the greatest writer of his generation—and also its most tormented. In the wake of his tragic suicide, his friends and family reveal the lifelong struggle of a beautiful mind
The article can be read at this Web page:
www.rollingstone.com/news/story/23638511/the_lost_years__last_days_of_david_foster_wallace/print
--Ron Kovach, senior editor
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