Big babies

Kinsley covers the final days of the Reagan era, the ups and downs of the Bush presidency, and Bill Clinton's triumphs and many troubles. He has a knack for delivering the bad news with the good, in a way that is highly amusing and sharply insightful. His subjects range from serious policy issues, presidential politics, the culture of Washington, and the foibles of the media to amused commentary on such topics as movies, television, and book publishing. From "Let Them Eat Laptops," his hilarious riff on Newt Gingrich's suggestion of a tax refund for the poorest Americans to purchase laptop computers, to "Martyr Complex," an exploration of the politics of religion, Kinsley touches on the issues that touch us. He dissects spin control and sound bites, flag burning and ethnic jokes.