I listened to Madeleine Albright, the former US Secretary of State, talking on NPR this morning about her new book, Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box. I liked her humour. Since moving to North America five years ago, I’ve been stunned by the on-going appetite for books from the dullest politicians and economists. I mean really, who is going to read a book from Ben Bernanke or Dick Cheney or even Sarah Palin – yet publishers keep bringing them out? There’s a big fuss this morning about the forthcoming Palin book. This particular one from Albright – all about her rather large collection of costume jewellery and its role in meetings with world leaders – is a welcome departure from all those tedious tomes.