ebarnum@northshire.com's blog

The President's Club is about the "most exclusive fraternity in the world" - ex-Presidents of the United States. It is a completely fascinating book, chock full of surprising facts, political intrigue, and odd friendships (Clinton and Nixon, really?). Add to this a spare writing style, and this book gives the political junky a potent drug that won't wear off for awhile. A great read, and highly recommended. ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum

An interesting take on Richard Nixon, the Checkers Speech , and the election of 1952. It's a slim book made sensational by the author's claim that Nixon was on the verge of a nervous breakdown over the accusations that he profited from his political life. The Checkers Speech was a do-or-die effort. If the ploy had failed, it was likely that Ike would have dropped him from the ticket. Luckily for him it succeeded, painting Nixon as a plain old regular guy when he was anything but - and thereby giving us the title of the book, Just Plain Dick. Definitely a must for political junkies, and there is a wealth of analogies to today's political furor. ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum

A treasure trove of fascinating stories of unlikely relationships. Well written and totally compelling, the chapter on the friendship between Mark Twain and Helen Keller is so touching that it is worth the price of the book, but all of the stories are priceless. ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum

The host of the smartest and best political show on television, Up with Chris Hayes, has now written one of the smartest books I have ever read. The author's political savvy is so pronounced that I swear I could feel new brain synapses growing as I read this terrific book. Hayes ruminates over how the American elite has embraced the new financial and social inequality that has set them apart and how it has made them more prone to failure and corruption than ever before. Cogent and clear, this is an important book that important people should read. ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum

A terrifically fun read about a man who, while researching an article about the U.S. Memory Championships, decides to take up the challenge when a contestant tells him that even he could learn how to have an amazing memory. A year later, the author is a finalist in the competition himself. A hunorous and enlightening look at memory from ancient times to the cutting edge research that is going on today. Highly recommended ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum