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

Featured Topic

[21]Human Modification
    Links:
      21. http://thebrowser.com/reports/human-modification

Scientists are experimenting with different ways to enhance humans.
  What's possible? And what may be possible in the future? Does messing
  with Mother Nature raise ethical questions? [22]Read on
    Links:
      22. http://thebrowser.com/reports/human-modification

Book of the Week

Book of the Day

[23]The American Enemy by Philippe Roger
    Links:
      23. http://thebrowser.com/recommended/american-enemy-by-philippe-roger

[24]Richard Kuisel says: "An erudite yet witty and scathing account of
  Gallic anti-Americanism" [25]FiveBooks Archive
    Links:
      24. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/richard-kuisel-on-french-attitudes-america
      25. http://thebrowser.com/fivebooks

Video of the Week

[26]Charles Dickens's London With Simon Callow
    Links:
      26. http://thebrowser.com/videos/charles-dickenss-london-simon-callow

Whistlestop tour around sites associated with Dickens's life
  [27]More videos
    Links:
      27. http://thebrowser.com/videos

Quote of the Week

[28]Tim Vine, on domain names
    Links:
      28. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/mediamonkeyblog/2012/feb/09/tim-vine-award-winning-joke

"Conjunctivitis.com. That's a site for sore eyes"

[29]More quotes
    Links:
      29. http://thebrowser.com/quotations

Reader Recommendations

@timfalconer Men who cuddle with mountain lions: inside Canada's
  bizarre exotic-animal trade http://t.co/zv8n6sah by @klaidlaw
  [31]#browsings [32]More like this
    Links:
      31. https://twitter.com/search?q=#browsings
      32. http://thebrowser.com/browsings