MAP, BOND MAP
From Atlas Obscura, the Ian Fleming Literary Map, an essential guide to the locations of every assignation and allegation, as well as other information, from Fleming’s fourteen James Bond novels.
Books & Authors
JULY 2016: TRUMP’S CONVENTION, AND BEFORE
7.21 Donald Trump, in his acceptance speech at the RNC: ““I alone can fix it.” 7.21 Billionaire tech mogul Peter Thiel won loud applause at the GOP convention: “Every American has a unique identity, I am proud to be gay. I am proud to be a Republican. But, most of all, I am proud to …
APRIL 2016
4.30 Barack Obama at the White House Correspondents Association dinner: “The republican establishment is incredulous that he is their most likely nominee. Incredulous. Shocking. They say Donald lacks the foreign policy experience to be president. But in fairness, he has spent years meeting with leaders from around the world: Miss Sweden, Miss Argentina, Miss Azerbaijan. …
A NEW OLD PHOTO OF WILL CUSHING
There are not many photos of Will Cushing, and nearly all of the ones we have are from various sessions Will spent at Mathew Brady‘s studios. One exception is the group portrait of Admiral Porter and his captains, taken in December 1864, in which Will is included. That photo appears in my book, Commander Will …
MARCH 2016
3.31 State budget passes, nearly on time, and with provisions for Paid Family Leave and a path to $15 an hour minimum wage. 3.31 The New York Times: “Donald J. Trump said on Wednesday that women who seek abortions should be subject to “some form of punishment” if the procedure is banned in the United …
FEBRUARY 2016
2.29 “It’s scary,” South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who has endorsed Marco Rubio, said on ABC’sThis Week She added: “I think what Trump will do to the Republican Party is really make us question who we are and what we’re about. And that’s something we don’t want to see happen.” 2.28 George Kennedy dies 2.28 …
THE BEST OF 2015
A Totally Idiosyncratic, Justifiable to No One But Myself List of the Best Stuff of the Year Gone By 1. Travelling Bolstered by nearly 20 stops on the great Push the Cush Tour (including Annapolis MD, Philadelphia PA, Washington DC, Newport RI, Austin TX, and many places in New York and New Jersey), and highlighted …
KILLING O’REILLY
I have known guys like Bill O’Reilly all my life, and they have all annoyed me. He’s Cathoic working class, just like me, just like a lot of guys I went to school with. He’s smart, but bombastic, smug, pugnacious, anti-intellectual, and on top of that, cynical. He always wants to pick an argument, and …
DANCING WITH WILL CUSHING
The lovely folks at the Putnam Valley Historical Society invited me to give my presentation on Commander Will. “You do an eclectic celebration of the dance! You do Fosse, Fosse, Fosse! You do Martha Graham, Martha Graham, Martha Graham! Or Twyla, Twyla, Twyla! Or Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd! Or Madonna, Madonna, …
TALKING IN TEXAS
Many thanks to the Civil War Roundtable of Austin, Texas, for inviting me to talk about Will Cushing at their meeting last Thursday. I had a great time: the talk went well, the crowd was large and friendly, and they bought a lot of books. In addition, the group was very hospitable. They bought me …