Two giants passed away in the same day--J.D. Salinger of Catcher in the Rye fame and one of my real heroes, Howard Zinn--author of A People's History of the United States. That book has stuck with me and influenced my view of our American story as much as any single volume. The most memorable passage? (I am paraphrasing) "Christopher Columbus wrote in his journal the evening after landing at Hispanola, 'The people are beautiful. They came bearing gifts to us of fruit. With 10 well armed soldiers I could have the entire island subdued in a week.'"