IN THE MAIL: Ian Bremmer’s The J Curve: A New Way to Understand Why Nations Rise and Fall. Looks pretty interesting, though this bit from the jacket copy is contestable: “U.S. policymakers have sought to manage security threats with a simple formula: reward your friends and punish your enemies.” I’m not so sure that accurately describes our approach, unfortunately.

UPDATE: Here’s a review of The J Curve in the Philadelphia Inquirer, by Tim Worstall.