Weekend reading suggestions

Introduction

Autumn temperatures are dipping lower this weekend, making it a good time to catch up on reading.

Next week, of course, we plan to crack open a new book by our own Michael Hudson, The Monster: How a Gang of Predatory Lenders and Wall Street Bankers Fleeced America — and Spawned a Global Crisis. The Center for Public Integrity will hold a book party for him on Monday evening at its downtown Washington, D.C. office and readers are invited to stop by.

But for this weekend, here are a few suggestions for your iPad – or, for the rest of us, the old laptop:

• The Nation’s Kai Wright analyzes and opines about the state of the mortgage industry in “Foreclosure Fraud Fallout.” He writes, in part: “The president and his advisers tell us instead that holding banks accountable while helping families who are drowning in fraudulent debt is too dangerous for the housing market. This position does not differ substantively from that of George W. Bush. Given what we’ve learned lately, it’s even less defensible.”

• The Atlantic’s David Indiviglio writes a tale of two very different recent bailouts: “Taxpayers will lose between $221 billion and $363 billion through the bailout of Fannie and Freddie. Meanwhile, taxpayers will gain $11 billion through the bank and insurer bailout. How did these two bailouts have such drastically different fates?”

• For many, it’s the dreaded “I” word, but for The New Yorker’s James Surowiecki inflation might be the way to go.

Please chime in and share other financial reform articles good for weekend reading.