GRANT'S MASTERPIECE
I have read several books about the Civil War, but "Vicksburg" by Donald L. Miller, is the absolute best. In fact, if you want to...
top of page
Aug 10, 20245 min read
ONE OF THE WONDERS OF POP MUSIC -- "WHO'S NEXT"
Had the Marx Brothers been a Rock-n-Roll band, they would have been The Who, the edgy, mischievous British Blues-Rock band that in the...
Jul 27, 20249 min read
John, Paul, James & Peter
While their names may not roll off the tongue with the familiarity of John, Paul, George and Ringo--the Fab Four Beatles--in their day...
Jul 13, 20245 min read
Three Wise Men
The Three Wise Men of yore were, of course, the Three Wise Men from the east who came to Bethlehem bearing gifts for the new-born Jesus. ...
Jun 27, 202412 min read
John Adams v. Thomas Jefferson on the Fourth of July
THEY WERE THE ODD COUPLE of the American Revolution: John Adams, short, stout, emotional, impatient, vain, highly opinionated, and...
Jun 15, 20245 min read
Maserati v. Ferrari, the real story
It wasn't as melodramatic as the family-feud between the Montagues and the Capulets, in "Romeo and Juliet", and Modena certainly couldn't...
Jun 7, 20249 min read
book review--Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism Not Textualism, by Stephen Breyer
Stephen Breyer, served as a Justice on the Supreme Court for 28 years (1994-2022). He has written nine books about the law; this is his...
May 30, 20242 min read
GEORGE WASHINGTON, HEDGEHOG EXTRAORDINAIRE
George Washington, a hedgehog? You bet. You've heard the old adage, "The fox knows many little things, but the hedgehog knows One Big...
May 30, 20249 min read
One of the Wonders of American Music--Howlin' Wolf
Chester Burnett, a.k.a. Howlin' Wolf, was a musical genius. Yes, as much a musical genius as Ludvig von Beethoven. The reason he didn't...
May 25, 20243 min read
Coffee and Our Third Place
Compared with beer or wine, coffee hasn’t been around all that long. Beer dates back to 5,000 BC. Discovered growing in Ethiopia, it was...
May 18, 20246 min read
The Search for Truth
The most quoted book at the 1789 Constitutional Convention was the King James Bible. Indeed, the very ideals that exalted the Declaration...
May 17, 20243 min read
Finding the right Auto Repair Shop
Gary, a friend from my college days (we were roommates) who lives in California, was dissatisfied with the service he was getting from...
May 17, 20245 min read
THE SURVIVORS OF CLOTILDA SLAVE SHIP
The Clotilda was the last known U.S. slave ship to bring captives from Africa to the United States, arriving in Mobile Bay, July 9, 1860...
May 14, 20245 min read
Employment, ethics, and putting God first
After graduating from college, I worked in a retail store for a large company. There seemed to be few prospects for advancement, so I...
May 9, 20246 min read
book review: The Measure of a Man, by Sidney Poitier
The key to understanding Sidney Poitier's stellar film career, is that he was willing to walk away from a large movie contract, rather...
May 8, 20246 min read
Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe
Who knew? Who knew that the Gothic Cathedrals of Europe, so deeply associated with christianity, were in fact inspired by Islamic...
Apr 26, 202421 min read
Washington in New York -- chs 27, 28 & Epilogue
CHAPTER 27: TRANSITION TO PHILADELPIA The Masters-Penn-Morris House at 190 Market Street in Philadelphia seemed palatial to George...
Apr 25, 202424 min read
Washington in New York -- chs 24 - 26
CHAPTER 24: WASHINGTON D.C., THE ANTI-CITY Thomas Jefferson hated cities. Oh, he loved what they had to offer--fine food and drink, fine...
Apr 23, 202424 min read
Washington in New York -- chs 21, 22 & 23
CHAPTER 21: “THE MOST BITTER AND ANGRY CONTEST" Thomas Jefferson arrived quietly in New York City on Sunday, February 21, and booked...
Apr 20, 202425 min read
Washington in New York -- chs 19 & 20
CHAPTER 19: FRANKLIN'S LAST PUBLIC ACT On his 58th birthday, George Washington supervised the move across town to his new residence, at...
bottom of page