Things Noted Here and There

Tim Harford,"Rent-A-Treasure," Slate, 14 September, explores a proposal by Harvard's Michael Kremer and MIT's Tom Wilkening to curtail the world trade in antiquities. See: Kremer and Wilkening,"Antiquities: Long-Term Leases as an Alternative to Export Bans," 3 January. David Meadows,"Renting Antiquities," Rogue Classicism, 15 September, argues that, since most of the trade in antiquities goes into the hands of private collectors, it is unlikely to be significantly curbed by state- or institutional- leasing.

Gerald Baker,"A Quick History Lesson: America is No Rome," London Times, 14 September, seeks to put the analogy to rest.

Rebecca Newberger Goldstein,"The Political and the Divine," NYT, 16 September, reviews Mark Lilla's The Stillborn God: Religion, Politics, and the Modern West.

Megan Marshall,"A Life Less Ordinary," NYT, 16 September, reviews Linda Colley's The Ordeal of Elizabeth Marsh: A Woman in World History.

Katherine Aaslestad and Judith A. Miller,"Conference Report: GENDER, WAR AND POLITICS: The Wars of Revolution and Liberation - Transatlantic Comparisons, 1775 - 1815 (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Arts and Humanities, May 17-19, 2007)," H-South, 12 September. Major conference. Major participants.

Susie Linfield,"A Natural History of Terrible Things," Washington Post, 16 September, reviews Diane Ackerman's The Zookeeper's Wife.

Guy Gugliotta,"Lost in Space," Washington Post, 16 September, reviews Michael J. Neufeld's Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War.

Oliver R. Goodenough,"Lessons on the Surge from Economics 101," Rutland Herald, 12 September, is a powerful lesson on the economy of war. Hat tip.