Book Discussion - Weds September 19th 7-9pm Houston Central Market Community Room - THE BENEFIT AND THE TAX BURDEN by Bartlett

[Alice Aman]

Hi everyone -

We will meet next Wednesday, Sept 19th to discuss THE BENEFIT AND THE
TAX BURDEN: TAX REFORM-WHY WE NEED IT AND WHAT IT WILL TAKE by Bruce
Bartlett.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Benefit-Burden-Reform-Why-Need/dp/1451646194

We will be discussing the entire book and not splitting it up this
time. Though the total page count is listed as 228, actual length as
far as words to read is less, maybe around 180 pages because there are
pages with lots of footnotes with references to sources. The lists of
sources are easy to skip over without missing out on the substance of
the reading, at least I'm finding that to be true.

We start a new book titled THE SHALLOWS by Nicholas Carr in October
when we will read the first six chapters (about 114 pages).

Hope to see you next week.

--Alice

http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/HoustonNonfiction/

===== Houston Great Books Council News ===========

The new issue of the Houston Great Books newsletter, Great Reading can
be downloaded from:
http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/HoustonGreatBooks/GreatReading3-3September2012.pdf.

Please notice the announcement for the upcoming workshop, on September
22. Discussing Nonfiction will be one of the subjects. More info about
how to register for the workshop is available in the newsletter.

Also, on October 7th, the Houston Great Books Council is holding their
annual membership meeting and will have a discussion on George
Washington's Farewell Address. Election of new officers will be held.
(FYI - Wendy from our group is on the ballot as candidate for
President.) More info and RSVP requirement details available at
http://www.houstongreatbooks.net. (We are associated with the Houston
Great Books Council and always appreciate if someone wants to submit
membership dues to the council but this is not a requirement for the
Houston Nonfiction group.)

=== Upcoming Houston Nonfiction Discussions =========================

[Sept 19]
--THE BENEFIT AND THE TAX BURDEN: TAX REFORM-WHY WE NEED IT AND WHAT
IT WILL TAKE [Hardcover] by Bruce Bartlett [publ 2012] 288 pages
[highly recommended by Kathy, a regular attendee of the group]
Written by a senior economist in the Reagan and Bush administrations
it is surprisingly fair in pointing out where our politics has not
been helpful in the debate on federal taxes and spending. Most of the
explanations of economics and tax policies are clear and easy to
understand without a degree in finance required.

[Oct 17 and finishing on Nov 21]
--THE SHALLOWS: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas
Carr (publ 2011) 228 total pgs
[2011 Pulitzer Prize finalist]
While the author tries to ground his argument in the details of modern
neuroscience, his most powerful points have nothing do with our
plastic cortex. Instead, he is most successful when he sticks to
cultural criticism, as he documents the losses that accompany the
arrival of new technologies.

[Dec 19, Jan 16 and finishing on Feb 16]
--THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest
for the Ultimate Theory by Brian Greene (publ 2001) 464 total pgs
[2000 Pulitzer Prize finalist]
The author, a specialist in quantum field theory, believes that the
two pillars of physics - general relativity and quantum mechanics -
can be reconciled in superstring theory and gives the nonspecialist at
least an illusion of understanding--or the sense of knowing what it is
that you don't know. And that is traditionally the first step on the
road to knowledge.

[Feb 16 - also on meeting agenda is election of new titles - those who
have attended at least twice may submit up to two titles for the
ballot IN ADVANCE. Winners will lead discussion of the book they
suggested. Titles subject to review.]

[Mar 20, Apr 17 and finishing on May 15]
--LORDS OF FINANCE: The Bankers Who Broke the World by Liaquat Ahamed
(publ 2009) 505 total pages
[2010 Pulizer Prize]
The book is about events leading up to and culminating in the Great
Depression as told through the personal histories of the heads of the
Central Banks of the world's four major economies at the time:
Benjamin Strong Jr. of the New York Federal Reserve, Montagu Norman of
the Bank of England, Émile Moreau of the Banque de France, and
Hjalmar Schacht of the Reichsbank.