Some quick links to good reading and viewing to help you with your Friday afternoon procrastinations.

Recent reviews:

News and Letters on Carole Joffe's Dispatches from the Abortion Wars.

CommonWealth Magazine on Neil Miller's Banned in Boston.

Author Interviews:

Civil Eats talks to Mark Winne about Food Rebels, Guerilla Gardeners, and Smart-Cookin' Mamas.

The worst fear to me is that we may voluntarily forfeit control of our food because it’s easier and we may not feel we have an alternative because circumstances have become so dire. And the first casualty in all of that will be democracy. I am trying to make it clear to people who are in the alternative food system that while a lot of good things are happening, they are still pretty small measures. We shouldn’t be so sanguine, we are still barely at the margins.

Carl Elliott explains the dark side of medicine to Time's Healthland.

White Coat, Black Hat can best be described as simultaneously fascinating and depressing — which is exactly what I told Elliott when I emailed him for an interview. In response, he said, "If you're depressed, then I'm doing my job," and added jokingly that he'd provide "free Zoloft with every purchase."

Forbes talks with Courtney E. Martin about the role money plays in activism.

The most important thing I’ve learned came from my friend Chris, who actually helped me produce the short videos of each activist that you can find on our website. He’s an ad executive, a very successful guy who came from a low-income background. He told me, “Courtney, money is just a tool. No more. No less.” I think that’s the most liberating and empowering way to look at it. It’s not your worth. It’s not your ticket to happiness. It’s simply a very powerful tool. 

Things to watch:

20/20 on Islam in America, featuring Eboo Patel.

Frederick Lane talks about privacy, teens, and "sexting."