What We're Reading

Preeti Aroon

"Little Bill Clinton: A School Year in the Life of a New American," by Mary Wiltenburg of the Christian Science Monitor. Bill Clinton Hadam was born in 1999 in a refugee camp in Tanzania. In 2006, he moved to the United States with his family to begin a new life. The CSM follows him this school year with a series of blog posts, articles, and videos. 

Blake Hounshell

"Russia Invades Georgia: Defense Contractors Declare Victory." The Washington Independent's Matthew Blake (no relation) blogs about how Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and their pal Jack Murtha are gearing up for a renewed push on big weapons systems.

Joshua Keating

The Ghost of Freedom: A History of the Caucasus by Charles King. This one's been sitting on my shelf for a while, but I finally cracked it open for obvious reasons.

Kate Palmer

"The Impossible Conversation" in New York, Aug. 18 issue. An excellent package on how race is shaping the 08 campaign—and our broader political culture. John Heilemann's essay on why Obama's skin color is still an issue and Patricia J. Williams's article on the mistakes Americans make when supposedly "confronting" race are particularly worth a read.