Book reviews offer one of the best ways to get a hold on a large topic, and they present the author with a chance to show their best writing. Here are the 10 most popular book reviews published on AlterNet for 2006.
10. Will They Ever Stop 'Hijacking' Jesus?
By Charles Demers, The Tyee
A new book argues the right distorts Christianity. But who doesn't?
9. Yay, Yay for USA!
By John Dolan, The eXile
Yale professor John Lewis Gaddis engages in a torrent of patriotic self-congratulation in his new book about the Cold War.
8. What to Read While the Cradle of Civilization Burns
By Deborah Campbell, The Tyee
Books that will give you the history and context of the Middle East that the media refuses to provide.
7. America's 100 Years of Overthrow
By Robert Sherrill, Texas Observer
The US is addicted to overthrowing foreign governments -- 14 in the past century -- from Cuba to Chile to Iran.
6. In Love With Ourselves
By Silja J.A. Talvi, In These Times
American culture is full of narcissists of all shapes and stripes -- George W. Bush, Rush Limbaugh, Paris Hilton and any number of other public figures leap to mind.
5. Not Your Average Joe
By Jan Frel, AlterNet
Author Norah Vincent dressed up as a man to find out how men really behave in all-male environments. Surprise, surprise: They're nice guys.
4. Enough With the 'One God' Stuff
By James Foley, AlterNet
In the world today, one ancient religious ideology, monotheism, stands out as especially dangerous, repressive and loony.
3. Sex and the Septuagenarians
By Lakshmi Chaudhry, In These Times
Gail Sheehy's new book, about sex and the 'seasoned' woman, argues that older women should be free to have sex however -- and however much -- they want.
2. Is Overachieving Bad for Girls?
By Courtney E. Martin, AlterNet
A new book praises hyper-achieving 'alpha girls.' But their behavior may be symptomatic of a larger trend in outwardly high-achieving and inwardly self-hating young women.
1. Sex Workers' Lit Ruined My Sex Life
By Anneli Rufus, AlterNet
A host of new books by authors who entered the sex trade and wrote about it make you not want to have intercourse again, ever, with anyone.