This delightful little book is a collection of stories, both fiction and memoir, all of which have Amsterdam as one of the characters. The stories are all penned by Dutch writers. In some stories, the presence and feel of the city is barely noted, while in others, the city is the main character. The stories are grouped by the parts…
This was a strange book. It’s an improbably love story between a woman in her late 30’s and her former high school teacher, in his 60’s. What starts as an acquaintance develops into a friendship, and ultimately, a love affair. The fluffy, dreamy writing is very reminiscent of another female Japanese author, Banana Yoshimoto, who’s a big big favorite of…
More reasons to love Puerto Vallarta
I really had no idea who Scott Galloway was when I got this book, but it looked good when I perused it in the bookstore, so I purchased a used copy. The first part was cool enough, as Galloway, a NYU professor and (as I subsequently found out) unbelievably wealthy entrepreneur, doled out some well thought out nuggets of life…
I like to be busy, and my agenda is starting to look pretty full for the next few months. Tomorrow, we leave for Mexico, for five days. Puerto Vallarta. It’s my fifth time there, and Mark’s fourth time there. We’re going to be sharing an Airbnb with another couple. We’ve never really vacationed with another couple, so it’ll be interesting.…
A very interesting, very detailed account of the 28 months that LSD guru was on the run after escaping from jail on a ridiculous drug charge. President Nixon labeled Leary “the most dangerous man in America” and was absolutely desperate to see him recaptured and brought to justice. Fascinating stories about the jailbreak, his escape to Algeria and his joining…
Monday was the last full day with all four of us, and it was really a terrific day. We saved the best museum, the Van Gogh, for last. There was a fascinating temporary exhibit about his painting, The Sunflowers. First we attended a short talk about the painting. Apparently, after he painted it, Van Gogh felt that the uppermost sunflower…
I’ve been a fan of John Waters for over 40 years. I’ve seen all of his films and read all of his books. I’ve met him twice, and he autographed his book Crackpot for me. His books have been hilarious, and this one doesn’t disappoint. The guy is completely nuts. The first part of the book deals mostly with Hollywood…
On Saturdays, there’s a nice farmer’s market called Noordemarkt, on the northern part of the Prinsengracht. The plan was to check it out, and since Udi lives close to the market, pop by his place, introduce the guys to him, and show them the joys of a canal-view apartment. The market was very nice, as usual. Lots of fresh fruits,…
Excellent night last night at Radio City Music Hall!! Celebrating Peter Fonda and the movie’s 50 years, “Easy Rider” was shown with Steppenwolf singer John Kay and The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn performing the soundtrack LIVE! They were terrific. Great vibe. Great finale, too. “Easy Rider’s” iconic soundtrack includes Steppenwolf classics like “The Pusher” and “Born to Be Wild,” as well…
40 years ago tonight, this photo was taken at The Clash concert at the Palladium. I was at this concert with my friend Neil. Sam & Dave, and the Undertones, were the opening act. It was Yom Kippur and my mother was not pleased. What a show! Here’s the full show bootlegged and preserved:
I heard a song yesterday. I caught a lyric or two, and typed it into my phone, and found the song. Not sure what struck me about it. It was, like, a perfectly crafted pop song; good drumming… ’80s keyboards… anyway… check out “Losing Touch” by Roosevelt.
I was hoping this book would be a nice combination of Zen philosophy and financial management, and that’s what it was, I suppose. He makes some good points about how your attitude toward money is derived from how your parents dealt with money issues, and helps you understand how money can generate thoughts of fear, stress, anxiety, and anger in…
An excellent coming of age story (and actually, a memoir) about two French high school students who experience first love and sexual awakening with each other. Their backgrounds are very different, however, and as each moves on with his own life, the boys drift apart and lose touch. The protagonist ends up becoming a well-known writer and, by chance, meets…
A detailed, sorrowful account of the author’s untimely death from colon cancer at the age of 41. Yip-Williams was born with severe vision problems, and her grandmother insisted that her mother and father have the girl euthanized (there’s no other way to say it) by an herbalist. The herbalist refused, and the author overcame her handicaps to graduate college, marry,…