A Defence of Christmas Presents

Have you read any of those articles written by one of those “holier than thou” journalists telling you that Christmas shopping is destroying the planet and you should be content to give and receive only hand-knitted socks and scarves (preferably from recycled wool)? I know I have read plenty of them, and they annoy me (and if you haven’t read any of them, here’s one … Continue reading A Defence of Christmas Presents

Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton – book review

I did it! I finished reading Ron Chernow’s massive biography of Alexander Hamilton with 4 more days to spare before I go to see the musical.   I’m not going to pretend this was a very easy feat for me – the first few hundred pages were quite uphill, perhaps because the stories about Hamilton’s distant relatives were not quite as interesting as the author … Continue reading Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton – book review

Wednesday Martin’s “Primates of Park Avenue” – book review

I know that I just published a reading list of things to read this winter and this book is demonstrably not on it. In my defense, I can only say that I felt in the mood for reading Wednesday Martin’s Primates of Park Avenue. You do have to be in the mood for it. I’m the kind of person who really enjoys watching Sex and … Continue reading Wednesday Martin’s “Primates of Park Avenue” – book review