Thursday, April 26, 2007

MISSING DAVID HALBERSTAM AND (THE OLD) JOHN MCCAIN

We are saddened by the untimely death of legendary author David
Halberstam, a writer for all seasons.  His sports books which were
literally his respites from weightier topics were superb, and “Summer
of 49” we feel is the best baseball book ever written.  But it was
his 1972 review of the Vietnam War with “The Best and the Brightest”
that made the quintessential argument against reckless wars of choice
that is his work for the ages.  Even the forward featuring the
following “Insights into how a great and good nation can lose a war and
see its worthy purposes and principles destroyed by self-delusion”
illuminates to this day.  That contribution was made by a man
named John McCain, back from being held prisoner of war in Vietnam, and
speaking realistically from first hand experience; we miss that guy
too.

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