From The Atlantic Monthly, Richard Florida on how the crash will reshape America (and more and an interview); and Christopher Hitchens reviews Samuel Johnson: A Biography by Peter Martin. From LRB, Eric Hobsbawm reviews Bomb, Book and Compass: Joseph Needham and the Great Secrets of China by Simon Winchester. From TLS, a review of Stephen Halliwell's Greek Laughter: A study of cultural psychology from Homer to early Christianity; and a review of books on globalization and its cures: Can anything good come out of our messy ideas about how the world works now? Jonathan Chait writes in defense of waste: Note to Republicans — the whole point of the stimulus is to spend money! Dick & Ronnie & God & Gorby: An excerpt from The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan: A History of the End of the Cold War by James Mann. From Time, a look at the 25 people to blame for the financial crisis. The Pope is emerging as an ultra-reactionary: First he antagonised Muslims, now he has outraged Jewish groups by favouring a Holocaust denier. From NR, a look at the best conservative movies. Time for a muzzle: The online world of lies and rumor grows ever more vicious — is it time to rethink free speech? A review of A Jury of Her Peers: American Women Writers From Anne Bradstreet to Annie Proulx by Elaine Showalter. From NYRB, Ian McEwan on John Updike.
