From HNN, a review of Walter Hixson's The Myth of American Diplomacy: National Identity and U.S. Foreign Policy; and a review of Larry Ceplair's The Marxist and the Movies: A Biography of Paul Jarrico. A look at how brain scanners can see your decisions before you make them. David Warsh on politics, economics and the news. Dose Encounters: Melody Petersen’s breathless prose is well suited to the characters and machinations of Big Pharma. What were you thinking? The government can't read our minds — yet. The Art of Politics: Does pro-Obama creativity say more about the candidate or his fans? An interview with Christina Binkley, author of Winner Takes All: Steve Wynn, Kirk Kerkorian, Gary Loveman, and the Race to Own Las Vegas. The Future Is Now: It's heading right at us, but we never see it coming. Richard Florida on the rise of the mega-region. In Search of a Lost Africa: Her idyllic childhood was shattered by a violent civil war; her return from exile revealed what she had, and had not, left behind. How English became English: A review of The Secret Life of Words by Henry Hitchings (and more). Our nomadic future: Prepare to see less of your office, more of your family—and still perhaps be unhappy. An excerpt from The Man Who Hated Work and Loved Labor: The Life and Times of Tony Mazzocchi by Les Leoppold.
