The Rational Optimist

One of my great and increasing pleasures is the Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition. I have grown to really look forward to reading Peggy Noonan, maybe my generation's most gifted essayist. That would be enough reason to pay the subscription price. To read her wordsmithery (is that a word?) is a sublime joy to this humble journeyman writer.

And the Review section in the WSJ has become a revelation over the last few years. The essays are getting better and better. And the book reviews make me weep, because there are so many great books and I will just not be able to get to them all. But at least I can read the reviews and remind myself of what I should have learned. I spend a few hours every weekend trying to get through the treasure in those pages – on the treadmill, at the coffee shop, or at brunch. I commend it to you. And getting the Journal online here on the ocean is cool. (www.wsj.com)

Today's Outside the Box is two essays, by Matt Ridley and Bill Gates, from the Review section of the WSJ. Ridley has written a book called The Rational Optimist, which I have downloaded into my iPad and will read on the Forbes cruise this week. Bill Gates writes a longer essay to say why he thinks Ridley has some things wrong, while overall giving the book high marks. This is one of the more thought-provoking exchanges I have read in a while.

I am on the Forbes cruise and we are at sea on the way to Cabo. Heard Steve talk this morning. I always feel better after listening to him speak. I just like the optimism. For whatever reason, my phone is working, as is the internet. You gotta love it. But I will get a little play-time in.

And I'm already working on this week's e-letter. This one may be somewhat controversial, but it will be fun. Have a great week. And now enjoy this week's Outside the Box.

Your ready to catch up on some reading analyst,