“Americans spend too much on health care.” “We have worse health outcomes than our European counterparts.” Talking points such as these helped drive President Obama’s controversial and sweeping health care reform into law two years ago. But are they accurate?

The push for President Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act sparked one of the most acrimonious policy debates in American history. Two years later, the misconceptions distorting the debate persist. That's what makes the arrival of Christopher J. Conover's new book, "American Health Economy Illustrated," so valuable.

As the Supreme Court considers President Obama's health care law, these pieces are 'must read' works on the case and the future of American health care.

Reviewing "The Myth of The Paperless Office" for the New Yorker in 2002, Malcolm Gladwell argued that if the computer had come first, and paper didn't exist, someone would have had to invent it.  Paper, it turns out, is a lot more useful than we typically appreciate.

A university is more than the sum of its ethnic parts. It is comprised of individuals — black, white, Hispanic, Asian and others — who should be admitted or rejected without their race or ethnic heritage making any difference.

Nicholas Eberstadt's March 3, 2002, Powerpoint presentation at Duke University.

The economy assuredly is a critical issue in the upcoming election. But well-informed voters also should be demanding that those wishing to inhabit the Oval Office answer some very tough questions about health entitlements as well.

Wide-ranging, accessible, and provocative, this book is a must-read for anyone concerned with the future of American health care.