What We Are Reading Today: The Lost Sons of Omaha

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Updated 16 June 2023
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What We Are Reading Today: The Lost Sons of Omaha

Author: Joe Sexton

The Lost Sons of Omaha by Joe Sexton is an in depth look at a shooting/murder during the protests after George Floyd’s murder, as well as the aftermath of that killing.
This book is meticulously researched and should be required reading for anyone in journalism, said a review on Goodreads.com.
“It’s not an easy read, but it’s one that makes you think,” the review added.
The book examines some of the most pressing issues facing America today, including the country’s dire need for gun control and mental health reform; the dangerous spread of fake news and the urgent call to band together in the collective pursuit of truth, fairness and healing.
Through dogged reporting and clear prose, “The Lost Sons of Omaha” elevates a made-for-social-media tragedy into a kaleidoscopic account of race, justice and urban politics, the legacy of our forever wars and the flaws of the legal system.
Sexton “shows that even events where we can easily make a snap judgement about right or wrong is never quite so straightforward,” said the review.

 


What We Are Reading Today: Can College Level the Playing Field? 

Updated 13 March 2026
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What We Are Reading Today: Can College Level the Playing Field? 

Authors: Sandy Baum and Michael McPherson

We often think that a college degree will open doors to opportunity regardless of one’s background or upbringing. In this eye-opening book, two of today’s leading economists argue that higher education alone cannot overcome the lasting effects of inequality that continue to plague us, and offer sensible solutions for building a more just and equitable society.

Sandy Baum and Michael McPherson document the starkly different educational and social environments in which children of different races and economic backgrounds grow up, and explain why social equity requires sustained efforts to provide the broadest possible access to high-quality early childhood and K–12 education. 

They dismiss panaceas like eliminating college tuition and replacing the classroom experience with online education.