Prairie Fox Reads

      Book Review: The Anatomy of an Institutional Tragedy Title:   A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam Author:   Neil Sheehan Edition:   Vintage Paperback (First published September 1, 1988; this edition September 19, 1989) Page Count:   896 pages ISBN:   9780679724148 (ISBN10: 0679724141) Genre:   History / Biography / Military History / Nonfiction Rating:   ★★★★½ (4.5 out of 5 stars) Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. This has in no way affected the content, objectivity, or critical analysis of this review. “A rare blend of historical immediacy and craft that makes the ordinary feel urgent.” Reviewer’s Context and Thesis As an executive overseeing a large team of government employees, my daily professional life involves navigating the intersection of public health, policy implementation, and IC tradecraft. Balancing the demands of an executive ca...

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual By Michael Pollan Genre: Nonfiction / Health / Nutrition / Food Writing Publication Year: 2008 My Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5/5) Spoiler Preference: Spoiler-Free The Wisdom of Simplicity in an Age of Nutritional Noise Few areas of modern life are as overcrowded with advice as nutrition. On any given day, we are told to avoid carbohydrates, embrace carbohydrates, fear fat, celebrate fat, count calories, ignore calories, eat like our ancestors, eat like Mediterranean villagers, eat for our blood type, eat for longevity, or eat according to the latest social media trend. Amid this endless stream of contradictory guidance, Michael Pollan's Food Rules offers something that feels almost radical: simplicity. This is not a book of breakthrough scientific discoveries. It is not a comprehensive nutrition textbook. It is not a detailed dietary program complete with meal plans and recipes. Instead, Food Rules is a compact collection of practical principl...

  Book Review:   After the War on Crime: Race, Democracy, and a New Reconstruction Disclaimer:  I was provided an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. This provision has in no way affected the content, objectivity, or critical analysis of this review. Publication and Context Title:   After the War on Crime: Race, Democracy, and a New Reconstruction Editors:   Mary Louise Frampton, Jonathan Simon, Ian F. Haney-López Publication Date:   July 1, 2008 Page Count:   256 pages Format:   Hardcover Genre:   Non-Fiction / Criminology / Sociology / Political Science Target Audience:   Academics, policy professionals, community activists, and readers interested in criminal justice reform, sociology, and American political history. Contextual Backdrop: Published in 2008, this volume addresses the socio-political landscape of the United States following decades of a “war on crime” that began in the 1970s. The bo...