Tony Judt, noted historian, contracted amyotrophic laterial sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) a few short years ago. Before he died from ALS, Judt, with colleague Timothy Snyder, conducted a series of interviews on Judt’s thoughts about the 20th Century. The interviews range from the causes of WWII, to the rise of Marxism, to Judt’s three marriages (two divorces), and the career of a historian in America and Europe. Timothy Snyder is the perfect partner for these interviews: he’s both probing and knowledgeable. Thinking the 20th Century presents intellectual history in a most congenial format. Tony Judt died in August 2010, but he left us this wonderful parting gift. GRADE: A

GAME CHANGE is based on the book of the same title which tells the story of the end of the 2008 Presidential campaign. The “game change” is the McCain Inner Circle’s decision to choose Sarah Palin as their vice-presidential running mate. The strategy was to tap into the women’s vote, but Palin’s behavior during the final months of the campaign really did change the game. Julianne Moore delivers a strong performance as Sarah Palin. Ed Harris is credible (and sympathetic as John McCain). Woody Harrelson surprised me with his excellent portrayal of chief McCain aide Steve Schmidt. Game Change presents the high-pressure dynamics of a Presidential campaign, warts and all. Don’t miss this! GRADE: A

Okay, it’s not exactly the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel. JOHN CARTER follows A PRINCESS OF MARS in broad outline, but there are some significant differences. A key difference is the way John Carter gets from Earth to Mars and back again. Taylor Kitsch plays a credible John Carter. I really liked Lynn Collins’ performance as Princess Dejah Thoris. There’s plenty of action. The special effects fill the screen. I hope JOHN CARTER generates enough box office dollars for Disney to continue the series. GRADE: B+

It’s hard to believe A Princess of Mars is a hundred years old. Published in 1912, A Princess of Mars launched Edgar Rice Burroughs’ writing career. Civil War veteran, John Carter, is transported to Mars where Carter’s strength and agility makes him a favorite of the Martian tribes. In the run-up to today’s opening of the movie version of A Princess of Mars I decided to reread Burroughs’ iconic text. Sure there’s some dated language, but Burroughs knows how to tell a gripping tale of adventure. I can’t wait to see John Carter! I’ll post a movie review of it tomorrow.

Bruce Springsteen and I go all the way back to “Born to Run” (1975). The radio stations played “Born to Run” on heavy rotation. I bought the album and played it constantly. Ever since, I’ve bought Bruce Springsteen’s CDs. Despite his prodigious output, Springsteen maintained good quality control. I like some Springsteen CDs better than others, but there isn’t a clunker among them. Wrecking Ball, Springsteen’s new CD, reflects more of a social consciousness than you’ll find in today’s pop music. “We Take Care of Our Own,” “Jack of All Trades,” and “Wrecking Ball” all speak to America’s problems. But, despite the social messages, the music remains driving and insistent. Recommended. GRADE: B+
TRACK LIST:
1 We Take Care of Our Own 3:53
2 Easy Money 3:36
3 Shackled and Drawn 3:46
4 Jack of All Trades 5:59
5 Death to My Hometown 3:28
6 This Depression 4:07
7 Wrecking Ball 5:49
8 You’ve Got It 3:48
9 Rocky Ground 4:40
10 Land of Hope and Dreams 6:58
11 We Are Alive 5:36
12. Swallowed Up (In The Belly Of The Whale) 5:33
13. American Land 4:34

Child 44 is the most claustrophobic novel I’ve ever read. It’s set in the Soviet Union in the early 1950s. Secret Police Officer Leo Demidov, former WWII hero, finds his world turned upside down when he tries to investigate a series of murders. The Soviet bureaucracy discourages Leo’s investigation arguing that Soviet life doesn’t have any crime only political transgressions. The stifling webs of corruption and political treachery make Child 44 a very paranoid read. Tom Rob Smith captures the desperation, fear, and cruel looniness of the Soviet state. And, I can’t think of a more beset hero of any novel. Smith piles difficulties on Leo that even Job couldn’t handle! GRADE: B+

Nothing tastes so soothing on a cold winter night than a nice cup of tea. My recent favorite is Rishi Tumeric Ginger Tea. Yes, it’s a bit pricy at about $8 for a 2.46 oz tin. But that makes around 12 cups of delicious tea. Rishi Tumeric Ginger Tea is an organic loose herbal tea so you’ll need an infuser. But the wonderful taste of the golden turmeric with zesty lemon grass and spicy ginger will tickle your taste buds! Usually I add dollops of honey to most teas to kill the astringent taste, but I don’t need to with Rishi Tumeric Ginger Tea. There’s a natural sweetness in this mixture. This tea is caffeine-free. Some people claim turmeric relieves their joint pain. Other people claim ginger solves their digestive problems. All I know is that Rishi Tumeric Ginger Tea tastes great and has a calming effect when I drink it. GRADE: A

Diane and I attended a wonderful piano recital at SUNY at Buffalo where Richard Goode performed before a Standing Room Only crowd. This recital was a partnership between the SUNY at Buffalo Music Department and the Ramssi P. Tick Concert Series. I’m a big fan of Richard Goode. I have most of his CDs. This is the third time I’ve seen him perform. Goode is a no-nonsense guy. He sits down, performs, takes a bow, and leaves. No inane patter. No “explaining” the music he’s about to play. Goode is all about playing the music. I was hoping Goode would play some Mozart (I play Goode’s Mozart CDs on a regular basis), but No Such Luck. Goode opened the recital with Schumann and Brahms. The whole second half of the recital was Chopin. I enjoyed the second half better than the first. GRADE: A-
PROGRAM:
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/1. Von fremden Ländern und Menschen ROBERT SCHUMANN
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/2. Kuriose Geschichte
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/3. Hasche-Mann
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/4. Bittendes Kind
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/5. Glückes genug
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/6. Wichtige Begebenheit
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/7. Träumerei
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/8. Am Kamin
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/9. Ritter vom Steckenpferd
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/10. Fast zu ernst
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/11. Fürchtenmachen
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/12. Kind im Einschlummern
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Scenes from Childhood/13. Der Dichter spricht

Seven Fantasies, Op. 116; No. 1: Capriccio in D minor JOHANNES BRAHMS
Seven Fantasies, Op. 116; No. 2: Intermezzo in A minor
Seven Fantasies, Op. 116; No. 3: Capriccio in G minor
Seven Fantasies, Op. 116; No. 4: Intermezzo in E major
Seven Fantasies, Op. 116; No. 5: Intermezzo in E minor
Seven Fantasies, Op. 116; No. 6: Intermezzo in E major
Seven Fantasies, Op. 116; No. 7: Capriccio in D minor
Intermission
Nocturne for piano No. 16 in E flat major, Op. 55/2, CT. 123 FREDERIC CHOPIN
Mazurka for piano No. 7 in F minor, Op. 7/3, CT. 58
Mazurka for piano No. 29 in A flat major, Op. 41/4, CT. 79
Mazurka for piano No. 11 in E minor, Op. 17/2, CT. 61
Mazurka for piano No. 10 in B flat major, Op. 17/1, CT. 60
Mazurka for piano No. 13 in A minor, Op. 17/4, CT. 63
Scherzo for piano No. 4 in E major, Op. 54, CT. 200

It’s tax season and as I have done for over a dozen years, I bought a copy of TURBOTAX DELUXE at Sam’s Club for $39.98. This edition has Federal and New York State returns plus Federal E-File. We don’t have a complicated return. The biggest chore is entering all the charitable contributions we make to Public Radio and TV, various health charities, arts institutions, colleges, etc. It took me about a half hour to enter all the data and TURBOTAX told us we owed the Feds about $2000, but we were getting a $1000 refund from New York State. I like to break even, but this is close enough. If you’ve never used TURBOTAX, I highly recommend it. This edition walks you right through the process. Nothing could be simpler. Just make sure you have all your tax information handy and you can finish this chore in record time at minimal expense. GRADE: A