Eric Foner

During my business travels I have grown accustomed to reading the "A Life in Books" feature in Newsweek magazine. Recently the featured person was Eric Foner, author of "Free Soil, Free Labor, and Free Men", which I finished reading in 2006. Foner's work was very informative so when I saw his name in Newsweek I was interested in hearing what books were important to him. Here is Mr. Foner's "Five Most Important Books" --

1. "The Making of the English Working Class" by E.P. Thompson
2. "Black Reconstruction in America" by W.E.B. DuBois
3. "Waiting for the Barbarians" by J. M. Coetzee
4. "History of the Siege of Lisbon" by Jose Saramago (a novel)
5. "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkein

Of these books I have only read one half of EP Thompson's book so I clearly have some catching up to do on Mr. Foner's list. Saramago's novel seems to be an interesting read.

Asked "what important book that you admit you have never read" Mr. Foner replied - "Moby Dick" because it is "just too long".

I agree with Mr. Foner -- but Moby Dick is not only too long it struggles to flow as a compelling story which really makes me wonder why so many critics consider it to be a key work of literature.

Consider your own "Five Most Important",

Todd