New U.S. men's soccer coach Jurgen Klinsmann

For new U.S. men’s soccer team coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who the New York Daily News describes as “the heralded German savior of American soccer,” success is not a simple measure of wins versus losses; rather, victory means finally defining a uniquely American form of the game.  The Wall Street Journal characterizes Klinsmann’s challenge thusly:

“It’s a fairly absurd idea really – that a country of 300 million people could be defined and reflected by the way 11 men chase a ball around a grass field for 90 minutes…But it’s an approach to international soccer that is gospel in most of the world and it’s what makes the Klinsmann experiment, no matter how it turns out, such an interesting shot in the arm of U.S. soccer at this crucial moment for the sport.”

For a deeper understanding of the links between soccer and national identity, check out Franklin Foer’s How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization. Read more…

“Our government has the same capacity for order and compromise of a kindergarten class left unattended with a bag of marshmallows.”

- Derek Thompson, writing about the debt ceiling crisis in The Atlantic

Gridlocked traffic

As the political gridlock over the debt ceiling continues, one thing is clear: on both sides of the political aisle, Americans’ frustration with the situation is high.

Personally, I say we start airlifting copies Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In into the Capitol. While we’re at it, let’s throw in a few copies of Getting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to Cooperation. Whatever it takes, right?

Or perhaps our political leaders ought to read Great Negotiations: Agreements that Changed the Modern World by Fredrik Stanton, which chronicles eight episodes of modern diplomacy Read more…

The final issue of News of the World

The News of the World phone hacking scandal continues to play itself out this week, with multiple outlets reporting mounting pressure on News Corporation heir apparent James Murdoch (kudos to The Atlantic Wire for cutting to the chase: “James Murdoch is Doomed”). Then, of course, came news about the inevitable book deals. (Not to be outdone, New York magazine is already casting the movie. Who should play Rupert Murdoch? Will the celebrities whose phones were allegedly hacked play themselves? So many decisions!) Read more…

In other words...welcome.

Welcome to the Daily Reader!

This blog is the brainchild of Macmillan. When they reached out to me about serving as the Daily Reader’s lead blogger, the premise they suggested was simple and compelling: relating books to current events.

I have a soft spot in my heart for books.  I love the written word in all forms, but there’s a particular commitment level that books represent; for every book, there’s an author who cared enough about a particular story to dedicate months, nay, years of her life to telling that story. I hope the Daily Reader will honor authors by helping more people discover their work, and that the site will honor readers, as well, by offering book recommendations connected to issues and stories of interest. We assume that if you’re reading this blog, you’re interested in the world around you, and we hope to help you explore that world more fully, through books.

The dedication (obsession?) of a book author reminds me in many ways of that of a documentary filmmaker — the one who spends a decade on a single project, fueled by an all-consuming passion for getting the story right. I’ve met a lot of filmmakers like this during my career in public media, and radio producers too. In the world of public media, storytelling is religion, and after 10+ years in the business (first as editorial director of PBS.org, and now as a freelance writer and consultant), I’m a true believer. I’m also a storyteller in my own right, as both a writer and performer.

Here’s what I’m not: an expert. Accordingly, I won’t be piloting this ship alone. The staff at Macmillan will help me flesh out story ideas and research books related to the topics of the day (we’ll feature books from a range of publishers, not just theirs). I’ll also be inviting guest bloggers and authors to contribute their picks. The more perspectives, the better.

I hope you’ll be part of the mix, too. Ostensibly, if you’re reading the Daily Reader, you’re someone with an interest and maybe even expert knowledge in books and news. We want to hear from you! I hope you’ll see this blog as a conversation, and share your favorite books, feedback, questions, musings… you name it.

Away we go!

Photo above is courtesy of Flickr user ButterflySha and is made available under a creative commons license.