Ta-Nehisi Coates – The Atlantic:
On Monday, the retired four-star general and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly asserted that “the lack of an ability to compromise lead to the Civil War.” This was an incredibly stupid thing to say. Worse, it built on a long tradition of endorsing stupidity in hopes of making Americans stupid about their own history. Stupid enjoys an unfortunate place in the highest ranks of American government these days. And while one cannot immediately affect this fact, one can choose to not hear stupid things and quietly nod along.
Coates follows up his tweet-storm of yesterday with a quick, useful essay today, listing five volumes that raise the reader’s intelligence, rather than reduce it. Grant, in particular, has been well-reviewed since its publication this year.
My reading list is so damned long.
#Ta-NehisiCoates #CivilWar #USHistory
A Random Stroll 