George V. Higgins wrote two classic crime novels: The Friends of Eddie Coyle and Cogan’s Trade, now retitled Killing Them Softly to tie-in with the new Brad Pitt movie of the same name. Higgins went on to write many other fine crime novels, but few of them reached the intensity of these two books. Jackie Cogan is an enforcer for organized crime in the Boston area. When a high-stakes card game is knocked-over, Cogan is called in to “fix” the problem. For those of you who haven’t experienced Higgins’ writing style, it’s gritty and hard-boiled. The movie opens today. Check out the trailer below.
FORGOTTEN BOOKS #197: KILLING THEM SOFTLY (aka COGAN’S TRADE) By George V. Higgins
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It’s hard to believe The Rolling Stones have been around for 50 years. Harder still to admit I’ve been listening to their music for much of that time. The Stones did their best work between 1962 and 1982. After that, the quality of their work slipped to mediocre levels punctuated with occasion hits (like “Harlem Shuffle” in 1984). The Stones have issued Greatest Hits compilations in the past but this 3-CD remastered set sounds best. Not everything is here (I would have included “The Hand of Fate”) but most of it is. You can hear Keith Richards’ story of how “Street-Fighting Man” was made by clicking 
Our discussion on Monday about the decline of education in America sent me to this volume from 1962. Back in the Fifties and Sixties, many colleges and universities had a curriculum based on Great Books. The University of Chicago and Columbia University were chief proponents of this approach to learning. Students were presented with the Great Books of Western Civilization and expected to master their wisdom. The Proper Study: Essays on Western Classics was designed as a guide book to the great works. It was illuminating to see what was considered “a classic” back in 1962:
I finally caught up with The Ides of March, a slick political thriller. Ryan Gosling plays a smart political operative working on George Clooney’s Presidential campaign. Gosling discovers a secret that could change the whole political race. I enjoyed the suspense in this film and the talented cast: Gosling, Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood. Check out the trailer below. GRADE: A-
I’m going to be using Cal Newport’s So Good They Can’t Ignore You next semester in my MANAGEMENT class. Students today are confused about their job prospects in this dismal economy. My message, reinforced by Cal Newport, is to master a skill set in order to survive in these trying times. Technology continues to erode middle-class, traditional jobs. Once upon a time, a high school drop-out could go work for General Motors and make $100,000 a year. Those times are over. In order to find a “good” job, my students are going to have to convince skeptical employers they have mastered the skills today’s job market needs. Somehow American education has lost its way. Reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic: the 3 R’s; few of my students have mastered these basic skills let alone computer skills. I’m amazed each semester at the number of students I have who can’t type! What are they doing in K-12? So Good They Can’t Ignore You presents a blueprint to young people on how to function in a skills-driven employment market. If you have a son or daughter or friend struggling to find work, give them this book. GRADE: B+
It’s make-or-break time for the Buffalo Bills in their quest for a Playoff berth after 12 straight years of failure. Ironically, today’s game with the Indianapolis Colts is the fulcrum for the entire season. A win puts the Bills back in Playoff contention, a lose sends them into a death spiral. Andrew Luck, the rookie QB phenom, looks to test the Bills’ porous defense. Can the Bills score enough points to win? Stay tuned. What’s happening with your favorite NFL teams today?
Before you go out and spend your hard-earned money on Return of the Thin Man, I thought I’d fill you in on what you’re going to be buying. The best part of Return of the Thin Man is Richard Layman’s detailed history of Dashiell Hammett in Hollywood with emphasis on the Thin Man series. Hammett sold MGM all the rights (in perpetuity!) to The Thin Man series (including the characters of Nick and Nora Charles…and Asta! In return, MGM paid Hammett $40,000. Not a Good Deal. After you read the lengthy Introduction, you’ll encounter a couple of film treatments (to call them scripts would be an exaggeration). And, after that, there’s an 8-page treatment for something called “Sequel to the Thin Man” which was never produced. So Return of the Thin Man is a hodgepodge that only a completist could love. GRADE: C
Just when you think every Elvis recording had made it out of the Vault, this wonderful 2-CD and DVD set shows up. The music captures Elvis’ performance recorded live at Madison Square Garden, New York City, June 10, 1972. Just take a look at the music played in these legendary concerts. The music has been remastered and never sounded so good! If you have an Elvis fan on your Holiday list, this is a must-have set. What is your favorite Elvis song? My answer would change day by day, but my choice today can be enjoyed below.