BOOK REVIEW: Considering the filth-in-human-form known as Roger Ailes, the despicable lead character in "The Loudest Voice in the Room: How the Brilliant, Bombastic Roger Ailes Built Fox News -- and Divided a Country" (ISBN: 978-0-8129-9285-4), you might expect to come away from each chapter feeling demeaned. Instead, author Gabriel Sherman just leaves you shaking your head in shock and shame.

REVIEW (by John Scott G) : The U.S. is drowning in laws, laws, and more laws. So says Philip K. Howard in his fast-paced "The Rule of Nobody: Saving America from Dead Laws and Broken Government" (ISBN-13: 978-0-393-08282-1). He calls for some common sense changes of attitude and makes a good case for constitutional amendments as part of the cure.

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REVIEW: A beautifully crafted book on a mesmerizing but ugly topic, "Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, & the Prison of Belief" by Lawrence Wright (ISBN: 9780307745309) is a shocking investigation into the cult of Scientology. As with today's torture-porn horror films, its followers are berated, degraded, and psychologically harmed.

ADSP Chapter 20: Life can be a bit of a crapshoot. For example, one never knows when a night on the town will bring you face-to-face with magnificent music. SONIA DADA -- They played for 115 minutes and the crowd was panting for more. That just goes to show you what can happen when a great group sings terrific tunes. This delightful situation went beyond mere sonic pleasure and became almost cosmic because Sonia Dada has tapped into the primal force of life.

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REVIEW: The fundamental principles of the United States were honored and extended by Frances Perkins, who was "The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life and Legacy of Frances Perkins - Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, and the Minimum Wage" (ISBN: 9781400078561). A tireless worker for justice, Perkins has too long been hidden from history. Kirstin Downey seeks to remedy the oversight in her fascinating book.

BOOK REVIEW: While it's aimed at policy wonks instead of the normal reading public, "We Are Better Than This: How Government Should Spend Our Money" (ISBN: 9780199332243) by Edward D. Kleinbard contains much that could help the USA live up to our repeated claims of being the greatest nation in the world.

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REVIEW: The Barbarians, The Vikings, The Goths, The Vandals, and The Huns are not just great names for rock groups, they were also terrific periods for artistic creation. Thanks to the 4-part DVD entitled 'The Dark Ages: An Age of Light,' you and your family can see the art they made while touring the world in the company of a very entertaining host.

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ADSP Chapter 21: Some guitarists play at lightning speed but it's the tone, the style, and the aura of magic that define the true heroes of the electric guitar. Joe Satriani. You've heard his work or you've heard his name, and he's either the greatest thing since sex or he's simply a technical master who goes through his shtick very well but has no true worth. (I look forward to your letters.)

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REVIEW: With an eye-catching title, Elijah Wald's "How the Beatles Destroyed Rock 'n' Roll: An Alternative History of American Popular Music" (ISBN: 9780199756971) is an off-kilter look at the progression of music from ragtime to rock to rap, with lots of insights on swing, jazz, folk, and blues. Consistently interesting and fun to read, the book pays special attention to what the media and the American mindset have done to influence the music we hear today.

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BOOK REVIEW: It isn't easy getting a handle on a genre that ranges from the smooth swing of a Benny Goodman to the jagged edges of an Ornette Coleman but Gary Giddins' 'Visions of Jazz' (ISBN: 0-19-507675-3) is a beautiful book that makes delightful reading for any jazz lover.

ARTICLE: Musicians of every type, from the deplorable to the divine, hit the stage every night of the week. Amongst the many who are mundane you can sometimes find a superstar that just hasen't yet been thrust into the limelight.

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REVIEW: Zephyr Teachout believes that venality has been on the minds and in the bloodstream of politicians since the founding of the nation. In "Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens United" (ISBN: 9780674050402) she makes the case and provides some possible resolutions to the problem.

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REVIEW: Positive feelings about the USA can sometimes be in short supply but Stanley B. Greenberg's “America Ascendant: A Revolutionary Nation's Path to Addressing Its Deepest Problems and Leading the 21st Century” (ISBN: 978-1250003676) offers optimism and the promise of a better future. Wouldn't it be great if he's correct?