Audio Book Reviews

Sleeping With The Devil
Audio version (abridged non-fiction)
Author: Robert Baer

Former CIA agent Baer is back with a timely opinion piece on the ins and outs of the Saudi kingdom, support for radical Islam, and big money and influence buying at the highest level of the U.S. political and business circles.

Baer leads off with a very sobering analysis on the importance of Saudi oil to the U.S. economy and the tremendous damage a terrorist disruption to the flow might cause. The intricate relationships between the Saudi royal family and U.S. officials is interesting and informative, but there really isn't much new information here. Baer has stretched the topic so thin in places and attempted to weave odd stories in that it appears he is straining to fill enough pages to rush out a book in a good market on middle east issues . . . particularly from a former CIA agent.

Not bad, but nothing earth shattering here.
_________________________________

Anti-Americanism
Audio version (unabridged non-fiction)
Author: Jean-Francois Revel

Written by a best-selling French writer (and known American-supporter), the book is an interesting calling-out of European governments and "intellectuals" for their unending attacks on the U.S. and shameless hypocrisy. A refreshing in their face slap at French intellectuals and their unceasing American bashing to cover up their own faults and scheming, it is heavily rooted in modern day issues. However, you will find enough historical context to be useful, particularly in Europe's colonial history.

Written and published in France, the book had to be viewed as a vitroil attack. Hearing America's political and cultural systems enthusiastically defended is quite entertaining at times, although I was left wondering if a French intellectual hearing a similar attack by a Berkley liberal against the American system would find the same satisfaction.