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After 9 months in Argentina and reading very little in English, I have been reading non-stop since I got home. Two books I recently finished that I would recommend:State of Fear by Michael Crichton - As with all of Crichton’s books, he learns seemingly everything about a specific topic (in this case, global warming) and then weaves a story around his newfound knowledge. The story is good but the science he cites is more interesting. The following are a few quotes from the “Author’s Message” section:

- I conclude that most environmental “principles” (such as sustainable development…) have the effect of preserving the economic advantages of the West and thus constitute modern imperialism toward the developing world. It is a nice way of saying, “We got ours and we don’t want you to get yours, because you’ll cause too much pollution.”- We haven’t the foggiest notion how to preserve what we term “wilderness,” and we had better study it in the field and learn how to do so. I see no evidence that we are conducting such research in a humble, rational, and systematic way. I therefore hold little hope for wilderness management in the twenty-first century. I blame environmental organizations every bit as much as developers and strip miners. There is no difference in outcomes between greed and incompetence.- Everybody has an agenda. Except me.

If you pick up the book, check out the exchange on pages 421-426 between Kenner and Bradley about global warming. It is an eye-opener…The Broker by John Grisham - This is a story about a Washington power broker who is granted a last-minute pardon by a corrupt U.S. President and then escapes to Italy to start a new life. The experiences the character relates in Italy could easily be applied to Argentina as well - the food, the pace of life, the fashion, etc.

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