A Boffo Issue

Over the past few months I've considered cancelling my subscription to the New York Review of Books. Their Holiday issue made me once more realize why I subscribe. As usual, I skipped over a number of articles in which I had zero interest. But then, I read Cathleen Schine's review of Gail Collins' "When Everything Changed". And then Ian Buruma introduced me to Helene Berr. I've always been fascinated with George Kennan and Paul Nitze; Brian Urquart's review of "The Hawk and the Dove" made me see Nitze in a new light. The capstone was Tony Judt's thoughts on social democracy. Yes, I had no interest in Francis Bacon. But, the articles I've mentioned will last me into 2010 and beyond.