I've been working my way slowly through Alexander Cockburn's Corruptions of Empire which is mostly a collection of magazine stories, personal vignettes and diary entries starting in the 1950s when Alex was in private school in Ireland through to the Reagan years ending in 1987 when the book was published. Alex was a socialist and a journalist with a very British sensibility. I would compare him to Hunter S Thompson, very biting in his take on American politics and politicians, but a lot less unhinged and drug addled. Topics range from discussions of the virtues of French cooking vs English cooking, the preservation of Miami's Art Deco district, the CIA's funding of death squads in El Salvador, PG Wodehouse's time in America when he wrote most of his famous books, to the concept of political punditry. It's all very informative, but it never feels like a slog as Cockburn peppers everything with his distinct British humor.
Here's a little excerpt from his section on the plight of Palestinians in 1980
Here is a practical proposal to you. Discuss the basic facts of the oppression of the Palestinians by Israel as much as you can and going right down to the basics of the racism of everyday. Point out the obvious contradiction between what the majority of American Jews demand for themselves in the USA, and what they defend in Israel. Do not be intimidated in the struggle against racism and for human dignity, equality and freedom, by any demagoguery about peace and democracy, if they are used in the cause of discrimination, and perhaps the words of the prophet (Amos 5:15) will come true : 'Hate the evil and love the good and establish judgement in the gate, it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.'
And another excerpt on how his father (himself a famous communist writer in the early 20th century) would deal with debt collectors.
Early in life in Ireland i learned to appreciate the color of the envelopes containing the day's mail. White envelopes were good. Brown ones weren't and my father would leave them up on the mantelpiece unopened. Over the months they would gradually get demoted from this high station to his study and then to the bottom drawer of a desk in his study. We would all laugh heartily over the form letter to creditors my father threatened to send: 'Dear Sir, I am in receipt of your fourth communication regarding my outstanding account. Let me explain how I pay my bills. I throw them all into a large basket. Each year I stir the basket with a stick, take out four bills and pay them. One more letter from you and you're out of the game.'
It's a joy to read and because the book is mostly a collection of little stories and excerpts you can read a little bit a day.