No one is going to accuse the American Prospect’s Ezra Klein of being a libertarian. (Oh, wait. I think I did once.)

Which makes it all the more impressive that he was able to say such kind things about the Cato Institute’s latest health policy book, Medicare Meets Mephistopheles:

[T]he book is actually quite good. I’d happily recommend it to anyone with a basic grasp on health care and a desire to learn a bit more about Medicare. Hyman is a felicitous and fun writer, and he conveys an impressive amount of history and data in as accessible and absorbable a manner as one could hope. I know how tricky it is to make health care a quick and gripping read, and I tip my hat to anyone who is capable of enriching the debate and educating readers by doing so.

Full disclosure: Klein was less enamored with Hyman’s analysis and recommendations. (Readers can find those comments in Klein’s post over at Tapped.) Hopefully, Klein will raise his concerns at the Medicare Meets Mephistopheles book forum this Thursday.