Welcome to this month's reading group selection. David Von Drehle mentions The Melting Pot , a play by Israel Zangwill, that premiered on Broadway in 1908. At that time theater was accessible to a broad section of the public, not the exclusive domain it has become over the decades. Zangwill carried a hopeful message that America was a place where old hatreds and prejudices were pointless, and that in this new country immigrants would find a more open society. I suppose the reference was more an ironic one for Von Drehle, as he notes the racial and ethnic hatreds were on display everywhere, and at best Zangwill's play helped persons forget for a moment how deep these divides ran. Nevertheless, "the melting pot" made its way into the American lexicon, even if New York could best be describing as a boiling cauldron in the early twentieth century. Triangle: The Fire That Changed America takes a broad view of events that led up the notorious fire, not...
This is a wonderful book. And unlike the book on Henrietta Lacks, which I read around the same time, she is completely sympathetic (or empathetic?) with her "informants."
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of sympathetic, I have no problem with the choice of Martha's Vineyard although it does seem to be slightly tone deaf with the rest of the country. But it's small enough that he can walk around downtown with the kids, which seems to be a major consideration. And my guess is they like that. Better than the fake vacation "ranch" that Bush Jr. had. Talk about a scam arist.
Yea, I think he bought that "ranch" in 2000.
ReplyDeleteI imagine Obama has chosen MV as much for its relative isolation as the Kennedy and Clinton legacies.
I thought Bush Jr. sold his ranch after he moved to Dallas, but I guess he held on to it. He even visited at least once since 2008 to ride his bike. So I guess it wasn't all just ranch hand optics -- although I still think he bought it after he was elected because Rove told him to.
ReplyDeleteStrange how the right objects to Obama's hiatus, but continually defended Bush and Reagan's prolonged vacation times. Those two took far more time off from the White House but, as usual, it's OK when a Republican does it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the elite have "earned" it. Obama needs to work twice as hard because, well, you know, he's not one of us.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of one of the stories related in the bio of his mother, about how the young Barry would skip along while Indonesian kids would throw rocks at him and call him racist names. To which his mother would reply, it's okay, he's used to it.
Obama is taking ten days with his family. Bush used to take the entire month of August off -- in fact, it was on August 6, 2001, that he was warned that "bin Laden determined to strike in the US."
I guess he was too busy relaxing to worry too much about it.
Saw an article on this the other day where it stated that Obama had taken like 62 vaction days as opposed to 180 for Bush at the same point in time.Not sure that was the exact amount but it was quite a difference.9bosox)
ReplyDeleteBush took a lot of heat for his vacations as well, but then he started inviting heads of state to his "ranch," and it was soon dubbed "White House West," or something like that. Convenient way to make it look like you are "working."
ReplyDeleteOf course, Bush never really worked a day in his life. Everything was handed to him. It was a nice cakewalk.
Obama doesn't even own a vacation home, let alone a ranch. Remember Reagan's ranch?
ReplyDeleteDo you remember that W.'s people released official vacation reading lists? I thought Obama did that the first year. All I'm seeing now are accounts of what he bought at a particular book store in Martha's Vineyard.
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