Al Valvano

Compared to the first, which I found engaging and well-paced, this one seemed to drag.

Bought this one on a whim. I really appreciated the attention to small character details.

Hate to over-simplify this, but I just wanted to like it more.

Some interesting tidbits, lots of great stories from the survivors he interviews. I mostly felt that the various points made were shallow at best, condescending at worst.

I've meant to read this some time, and I'm glad to finally have gotten to it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a homeschooling family, I was fascinated by the sections on education: the cultural associations drawn, the tie to agriculture, and the suggestive data about how our school system may be flawed. Definitely recommended.