From The Guardian, an article on the private language of book inscriptions; the butler's job in fiction: Domestic staff may be long gone in the real world, but they're still doing sterling service in novels; and why don't fiction editors get awards? Death a la Carte: It's not Google that's killing the media. Luck Inc.: Here are the 7 secrets of really, really lucky companies. The Triangle: Michael Gecan on policy wonks, patronage, and the possibilities of the grassroots. Environmental values: How to ensure the environment is properly accounted for. An article on "Star Trek" and the impact of sci-fi style. How did Americans become so obsessed with their teeth? An interview with Alyssa Picard, author of Making the American Mouth: Dentists and Public Health in the Twentieth Century. The truthiness of political polling: Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinions — and facts, and polls. From Standpoint, a review of Whose Culture? The Promise of Museums and the Debate over Antiquities; and a look at why Adam Smith still matters. How the West was saved: An excerpt from The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America by Douglas Brinkley. A review of The Storm: The World Economic Crisis & What it Means by Vince Cable. More on The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work by Alain de Botton.
