GOOD-BYE, TRIB—AND THANKS
ON OCTOBER 14, 2013, The International Herald Tribune, the Trib, for short, changed its name to The International New York Times. It wasn’t the first name change, but it’s fun … Continue reading
ESCAPE FROM THE AMAZON!
SERENDIPITY SEEMS to occur whenever I search for a particular book—and find another that I completely forgot I had. So it is with the wonderful humor of Alex Atkinson and … Continue reading
HARRY A. FRANCK: PRINCE OF VAGABONDS
IF ANYONE ever earned the title “Prince of Vagabonds,” it was Harry A. Franck. A trip around the world sans cash? Sure. Through Germany immediately after World War I? Yep. … Continue reading
OP SHAKESPEARE
WE RECOGNIZE the sounds of Shakespearean English, that regal, full and slightly plummy resonance of the language. But this is modern theatrical English; it’s not the language as she was … Continue reading
TOM McCAHILL
THERE HAVE been lots of automotive journalists over the years, but Tom McCahill was one of a kind. He more or less invented the U.S. road test and certainly enriched … Continue reading
MOLLS, SPIVS AND GOODY TWO-SHOES
A BOOK on slang may seem like a contradiction in terms. Slang is ephemeral; books are lasting, or used to be thought so. On the other hand, historical slang is … Continue reading
COPLAND AND CULTURE
COMPOSER AARON Copland had a profound effect on American culture—and vice versa. Yesterday I shared mini reviews of some of my favorite Copland music (www.wp.me/p2ETap-1wz). Today, it’s a book review. … Continue reading
MY FAVORITE COPLAND
AARON COPLAND is the most American of American classical composers. I celebrate him here with several mini reviews of music I love. Tomorrow, I recommend a most artful book on … Continue reading
VINTAGE PARIS, BERLIN & HOLLYWOOD
WHAT WONDERFUL times they must have been: the vintage years of Paris, Berlin and Hollywood. Following World War I and even into the Great Depression of the 1930s, these three … Continue reading
MINUTES OF KNOWLEDGE
WE’RE USED to sound bites, minutely clear and succinct, satisfying despite their brevity. Curiously, there have also been literary counterparts. And, wouldn’t you know, I have a modest collection of … Continue reading
