In focus: Staying Informed On-The-Go Part 2: The Power of Book Reviews

In a perfect world, we would spend hours each day in the library, reading great texts, and then convening outside in beautiful weather to discuss them. In our reality, we work long hours and are tired after busy, (hopefully) productive days. Ocassionally, our diligence kicks in and we pick up that dusty copy of The Federalist Papers, learning well into the night. But sometimes, we just want to lie down and watch Sports Center (this is ok!).

A fantastic way to keep your mind sharp and survey a wide variety of topics in a short time is to read book reviews. Foreign Affairs has a great book review section, and one author usually handles each subcategory (i.e. Economics, Middle East, et. al). I read their May/June 2015 book review section the other night, and in about ten minutes I touched on the ulama in Saudi Arabia, the politics of Nile access in Egypt, the balance of power between the U.S., China and Russia, and Kuwait’s status as a unique rentier state. That was just ten minutes.

I am sure your favorite publication has a book review section, but I would recommend the big players: The New York Times, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, etc.

Hopefully, a few reviews will inspire you to purchase the actual book, and then the real learning begins.

Gregory J. Fitton is online director at America’s Future.