The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It by Paul Collier is an interesting book that I recently finished for my Politics of Developing Nations class. Collier explains that of the 6 billion people in the world, there is 1 billion, "The Bottom Billion", that lives in a state of utter chaos and poverty. His book outlines four traps, or reasons, why those countries are failing, and he then gives instruments for the developed world to use in order to aid those countries. Although his book is extremely well organized and presents some compelling ideas, I'm not so sure many of them are as relevant with the current state of not only the U.S.'s economy, but the global economy. The book was published in 2007, and none of his ideas seem to contemplate over the issue that the economy was slowing down already at that point. Collier also doesn't present the idea of how the poorest nations will feel about Western ideals being forced upon them. Therefore, The Bottom Billion is a great first half of the entire story that is out there.

My latest read is a book for my Cultural Anthropology class called Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman and is by anthropologist Marjorie Shostak. The book describes the life of the !Kung people of sub-Saharan Africa, and focuses primarily on the life of Nisa. The !Kung are an interesting group of people. They speak using clicks, and they are hunter-gatherers. Nisa is an amazing woman. She has gone through many hardships in her life, yet she also has a certain sparkle. At times I didn't like her at all, but I learned to love her. Shostak writes in such a way that I feel connected to Nisa, and I care deeply about her. The majority of the book is Nisa's personal narrative. I'm astounded by the life she has lived. I definitely recommend this book for anyone. It's an easy read, and extremely interesting. The !Kung culture is never boring, and sex scandals are one of the main topics. I know that when you read this book, you will learn to love Nisa just as much as I have.

I was deeply saddened when my father came home from work today and told me that Michael Jackson had died. I couldn't believe it. I've been a supporter of his for a long time now. Despite everything that has gone on in his life, he was a brilliant performer whom I loved dearly. His talent was undeniable, and no matter what happens, he will always be the King of Pop. He had a difficult personal life, but I know that he should, and will be, remembered for his legacy in the entertainment industry. May he rest in peace.