FiveBooks Newsletter 85

Links to all our original FiveBooks interviews of the week before, plus
a pick of the best content on The Browser.
[1]FiveBooks weekly newsletter: Links to all our original FiveBooks
interviews of the week before, plus a pick of the best content on The
Browser.
Links:
1. http://thebrowser.com

FiveBooks at The Browser

Don't miss this week's essential reading on FiveBooks. Today,
astronomer [5]Philip Plait explores the universe, from honeymoons in
space to moon landing myths, and explains how we pinpointed when the
Big Bang happened.
Links:
5. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/philip-plait-on-wonders-universe

Also on the site: author [6]Wade Davis examines the legacies of World
War One; economist [7]Jonathan Gruber considers the complexities of
public finance; biographer [8]Roland Huntford discusses great polar
explorers; and more.
Links:
6. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/wade-davis-on-legacies-world-war-one
7. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/jonathan-gruber-on-public-finance
8. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/roland-huntford-on-polar-exploration

Next week, keep your eyes peeled for book recommendations on love, war
and travel, including romance novelist Tess Gerritsen and professor of
economics Christina Romer.

FiveBooks News

[9]Philip Plait on the Wonders of the Universe
Links:
9. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/philip-plait-on-wonders-universe

Friday February 10

The astronomer and author of the acclaimed Bad Astronomy blog gives us
a superbly informative beginner’s guide to the galaxy, taking in the
birthdate of the universe, solar flares and much, much more
[10]Continue reading…
Links:
10. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/philip-plait-on-wonders-universe

[11]Wade Davis on Legacies of World War One
Links:
11. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/wade-davis-on-legacies-world-war-one

Thursday February 9

The author of Into the Silence tells us that the consequences of the
Great War were much more than merely political. He says the war had a
noticeable impact on exploration, arts and literature, and modernity
itself [12]Continue reading…
Links:
12. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/wade-davis-on-legacies-world-war-one

[13]Richard Kuisel on French Attitudes to America
Links:
13. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/richard-kuisel-on-french-attitudes-america

Wednesday February 8

The historian tells us how French condescension towards America goes
back to the 18th century, but more recent antagonisms can be traced to
the Second World War [14]Continue reading…
Links:
14. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/richard-kuisel-on-french-attitudes-america

[15]Jonathan Gruber on Public Finance
Links:
15. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/jonathan-gruber-on-public-finance

Tuesday February 7

A key figure behind the Massachusetts and Obama healthcare reforms
tells us about the purpose and uses of public finance economics, and
explains how Romneycare and Obamacare are both different and alike
[16]Continue reading…
Links:
16. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/jonathan-gruber-on-public-finance

[17]Roland Huntford on Polar Exploration
Links:
17. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/roland-huntford-on-polar-exploration

Monday February 6

The author of “Race for the South Pole” discusses the early history of
polar exploration, and gives us some fascinating insights into what
made the Norwegians different from their British counterparts
[18]Continue reading…
Links:
18. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/roland-huntford-on-polar-exploration

[19]Atheism In America
Links:
19. http://b.rw/AuHoS2

Julian Baggini | FT | 3 February 2012

Fascinating investigation into discrimination, isolation of atheists in
the US. “I’d rather have a big ‘L’ or ‘lesbian’ written across my shirt
than a big ‘A’ or ‘atheist’, because people are going to handle it
better” [20]More like this
Links:
20. http://thebrowser.com/best