Cliopatria's symposium on Gregory Clark's A Farewell to Alms threatens to become the symposium that has no end. Mary Dudziak at Legal History Blog has helpful links to Clark's research. His"we'll talk, after you've read the book" – no immediate task since Amazon doesn't promise to have it in stock until 19 September -- does little to satisfy his leading critics: Jason Kuznicki, NathanaelRobinson, and J. CarterWood.

My friend, Eugene McCarraher, eviscerates Christopher Hitchens' God is Not Good in"This Book is Not Good," Commonweal, 15 June.

A. N. Wilson,"Is This the End of English Literature?" Telegraph, 8 August. However self-righteous, says Wilson, non-smokers have yet to show their literary chops. Hat tip.

Books & Culture, 21 August, has three reviews of interest: Allen Guelzo's"Capitalist Tool" reviews Ralph Frasca's Benjamin Franklin's Printing Network: Disseminating Virtue in Early America, Harold K. Bush's"Re-Enchanting Emerson" reviews Roger Lundin's From Nature to Experience: The American Search for Cultural Authority, and Harold Fickett's"That Loving Feeling" reviews Debby Applegate's The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher.

Jonathan Kirsch,"Curious Bedfellows," LA Times, 19 August, reviews Alex von Tunzelmann's Indian Summer: The Secret History of the End of an Empire. Hat tip.

liu shui xian - 8/23/2007

That bloody Pipelining（Chinese meaning 流水线） I both love and hate, love because it gives us the convenience of the workers, greater efficiency!Hate because we can only go with him day and night, the moment can not stop! It is for this! One month down, I would get sick! Now rest at home and bored RM4.46 look at the article on the Internet with every message! ! See here. I left traces! ! Then to bless you happy！！！

Serge Lelouche - 8/22/2007

He's your friend, not mine!

Ralph E. Luker - 8/22/2007

It would also be McCarraher, with two c's.

Serge Lelouche - 8/22/2007

By the way, your friend's name is Mcarraher, with an e.

Ralph E. Luker - 8/22/2007

Instead of an appeal to authority (Salmon Rushdie ?!), some evidence that justifies your use of the word "childish" might be worthy of discussion. As it is, we have only another visceral nasty comment from you. These comment boards were meant for conversation that has nothing to do with sustaining your reputation for that.

Serge Lelouche - 8/22/2007

So I read that childish review, it never once rises to Hitchens' level. As Salman Rushdie said of those who attack Hitchens' book, "they're not arguing--they barely even capable of observing."