Sergio

This week I wrote about our latest Book Club pick, Shadow Elite, which documents the poisonous effect the rise of a "transnational" class of elites has had on our democracy. Today I want to give you an antidote: Sergio is a powerful and deeply moving documentary I recently saw that tracks the remarkable life -- and tragic death in Iraq at the hands of a suicide bomber -- of UN envoy Sergio de Mello, one of the greatest (albeit least heralded) peacemakers of the 20th century. Described as "a cross between James Bond and Bobby Kennedy," he spent his life trying to end conflicts in the world's most dangerous places. Based on a book by Samantha Power, the film has been short-listed for the Best Documentary Oscar. So add it to your Netflix queue. And if you happen to be a member of the Academy, vote for Sergio!