Somehow, Scott McLemee's"Bookshelf and Self," IHE, 27 February, and Freshome's"30 of the Most Creative Bookshelves Designs," 25 February, seemed destined for each other, except that a bookshelf really ought not call so much attention to itshelf. Hat tip.

Daniel Kurtz-Phelan,"Big Fruit," NYT, 2 March, reviews Peter Chapman's Bananas: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World.

David Michaelis,"‘He Drew Great Mud'," NYT, 2 March, reviews Todd DePastino's Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front.

Nicholson Baker,"The Charms of Wikipedia," NYRB, 20 March, reviews John Broughton's Wikipedia: The Missing Manual. Hat tip.

Todd Spivack,"Barack Obama and Me," Houston Press, 28 February, is a critical account by a reporter who covered Obama's early political career in Illinois. Thanks to Ahistoricality for the tip.

Oscar Chamberlain - 3/3/2008

I was lucky enough to find a copy of "Up Front" around the house when I was a teenager. In its own way, it's an extraordinary memoir of the war.

Here is a link to many of the cartoons in it: http://www.stripes.com/02/nov02/mauldin/index.html
(The one with the jeep was a personal favorite of his, and mine.)