From The Economist, a review essay on the credit crunch. Robert Skidelsky reviews Fixing Global Finance by Martin Wolf. I, Toaster: British artist Thomas Thwaites inadvertently brings Leonard Read's classic essay "I, Pencil" to life. From Slate, here are six nonmilitary ways the president can influence Iran; and a look at how Obama is using the media to destroy and improve the traditional press conference. Carlin Romano on Obama, Philosopher-in-Chief. Politics of personal perfection: Let’s be honest — Barack Obama is better than you are. Rising Costs: Are Democrats sacrificing too much in order to pass health care reform? How to deal with a bad review: Tempting as it is, it's really not a good idea to attack your critics. A review of Travel as a Political Act by Rick Steves. An article on the island of St. Helena, the world’s best-kept travel secret. An interview with Gary Shteyngart on the search for authenticity and the evolving task of travel writers. How to write a bad travel story: Sure, you could write a compelling story, but why, when you could just as easily write a snoozer? Researching her novel in five different London hotels made Monica Ali appreciate why they are such a rich source of stories and characters for writers (and from Bookforum, a review of Ali's In the Kitchen).
