4 Books Beyond the Fray

POLITICS
HENDRIK HERTZBERG

A calm voice and a soft heart suffuse the work of Hertzberg, a writer and editor at the New Yorker. This collection covers four decades of commentary and observation, from hippiedom to Iraq. On the spot at political conventions and rallies, his reporting rings true. Because he keeps his distance from the main players (and their "minders"), he is free to call them on their foibles. Perennial Democratic Presidential candidate Richard Gephardt is an earthling whose body has been taken over by aliens: "I keep expecting him to reach under his chin and peel...

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