Didn’t catch too much of the Democratic National Convention tonight, but I saw Michelle Obama deliver one hell of a speech.

I spent six years in Utah. In high school, I took my first year of German and two years of civics from teacher who was a Mormon Democrat and a member of the Utah State Senate (a very lonely member as I recall). So I know they exist, and I wish the younger ones luck.

Lalia Lalami on Islamophobia. (You know, that thing that leads your cousins from Scottsbluff, Nebraska to believe that the same conspiracy that’ll force us all to marry gay people will yoke us to Sharia law.)

In Praise of Positive Book Reviews. Especially those from Nick Hornby.

Later.