You don't have to be Jewish to appreciate Arnold Kanter's collection of speeches that he gave his synagogue for 15 years, just as you don't have to be a sports fan to appreciate the ups and downs (mostly downs) of the Cubs, included in Sam Eifling's season summaries. Of course, the religious Cubs fans out there will be in hog heaven. Kanter hits the sweet spot when he writes that "somehow, the Cubs' predicament seems quintessentially ...." A nice, light read, though you may have the feeling sometimes that "you had to be there" to fully get the jokes.

Mr. Kanter's work is a compilation of speeches he gave at his local religious congregation over a number of years. It also contains excellent summaries of the Cubs' season each year the book covers. Funny, sly, and sometimes dead-on right in his analysis of the Cubs from a Jewish perspective, Is God a Cubs Fan is an enjoyable, quick read for anybody who's ever been to Wrigley.

I never prided myself on my interviewing skills, and I was always amazed at how much better prepared the candidates were than I. But now I actually feel competent to conduct an effective interview. And I've already put these new skills to the test.

However, I would like to see a little more on gracefully turning down unsuitable candidates.

While it lacks passion of Dr. Brzezinski's works, this book is a cold-blooded review (detailed and timely) of U.S. intervention policy. Not written for a mass reader, it keeps CNN-style "human rights" hoopla to a minimum. Chapter on "New Techniques of Coercion" will be especially revealing for non-US readers.