In the Mail:

Three more books with colons in the titles.

Eric Hoffer's True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements

Eric Sevareid's Conversations with Eric Sevareid: Interviews with Notable Americans (It contains an extensive interview of Hoffer.)

David Hackett Fischer's Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America

I bought them all used through the ABEBooks.

I just finished James Webb's Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America, which I found very interesting, considering my ancestors come from the Appalachian mountains, and are most definitely Scots-Irish of the hillbilly type. Taken in conjuction with Walter Russell Mead's The Jacksonian Tradition, it's quite a bit to think about.

The Scots-Irish culture is a highly individualistic one, but one willing to follow a strong leader. It has a hatred of aristocracy, but a respect for accomplishment. It's also an embracing culture - adopt its ways, no matter your background - and you're an accepted member.

The same cannot be said of most cultures.

And we're still a plurality in this country. If you want to understand the portion of the populace that decides elections these days, I recommend you read Born Fighting. If you're of Scots-Irish descent, you'll find yourself nodding and agreeing. If you're not, you'll be shaking your head. But trust me on this: James Webb knows whereof he writes.