"Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow" by Yuval Noah Harari

Quick Book Review: “Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow” by Yuval Noah Harari

This is a philosophical book about what the future of mankind will bring.  The author discusses many of the latest trends in science and technology, and warns of the consequences of misusing and abusing the knowledge we’re acquiring.  I appreciated his argument for the better treatment of animals, and his comments on smartphones, antidepressants, and longevity were thought-provoking and compelling,…

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"You All Grow Up and Leave Me: A Memoir of Teenage Obsession" by Piper Weiss

Quick Book Review: “You All Grow Up and Leave Me: A Memoir of Teenage Obsession” by Piper Weiss

This was a disappointing book. The blurb intimated that this was more of a true crime story, about Gary Wilensky, a tennis instructor and twisted child predator who stalked and pursued rich girls on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in the ‘90s.   Only a small part of the book deals with Wilensky and his crimes. Instead, most of the book…

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Men Of The Woods in Amsterdam Pt.1 – Celebrating 41 Years of Friendship

Introduction: The Backstory In early 1978, as I was finishing up my freshman year of college at New York University (NYU), I realized that this wasn’t the collegiate experience that I was expecting or hoping for.  I was still living at home, riding the subway into the city for my classes, and then coming back home to Brooklyn to try…

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"Under the Knife: A History of Surgery in 28 Remarkable Operations" by Arnold van de Laar

Quick Book Review: “Under the Knife: A History of Surgery in 28 Remarkable Operations” by Arnold van de Laar

This was an excellent book, giving a fairly comprehensive overview of the history of surgery through some fascinating (and shocking, and horrifying) surgical cases. These include a story about a man who desperately removed his own bladder stone, Bob Marley’s melanoma (which started as a minor toe problem, until it metastasized to his brain and killed him), JFK’s autopsy,  and…

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Robb Comes To Amsterdam Pt.5 – The Amsterdam Pride Parade (and more!)

In New York City, the big Pride parade occurs on the Sunday of Pride Weekend, traditionally the last Sunday in June.  In Amsterdam, however, the parade occurs on Saturday. Rather than march down the street, the floats sail down the Prinsengracht canal.  In New York, traffic is a nightmare and trying to get from one side of town to the…

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Robb Comes To Amsterdam Pt.2

Amsterdam weather is notoriously iffy.  Clouds can appear and rain can come pouring down at a moment’s notice.  I was obsessively checking the weather before Robb’s arrival, and it all looked favorable, except for Tuesday, his second day.  Most of the agenda I planned centered on outdoor activities, because Robb doesn’t like generally like museums. In this pouring rain, though,…

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