Martin Wolf, associate editor of the Financial Times, finds plenty to worry about in The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism. Wolf sees Trump and the wacky Right Wing as symptoms of underlying Democratic Capitalism. “…the appeal of right-wing populism to devotion to an idealized nation and a ‘great leader’ supplies a large mass of the people with what democracy cannot: relief from the burden of thinking for themselves in return for absolute loyalty to the leader. …it is going to win. It is far more successful than left-wing populism, because it feeds off fear and anger, while the left promises hope. …Hope requires trust. Fear does not: it just requires an enemy.” (p. 214)

Along with a brilliant economic analysis of our current problems, Wolf points out that climate change will affect all governments and all politics. No one can escape its effects. But, not much is being done to mitigate the problem which will be getting much worse in the years ahead.

“The marriage of liberal democracy with market capitalism is the most successful system in the history of the world. But liberal democrat is vulnerable to the selfishness of elites and ambitions of would-be despots. Historically, democratic republics have been exceptions. The normal human political patterns have been plutocracy or tyranny. The latter always waits in the wings. In todays world, tyrannies–demagogric and bureaucratic–are not just in the wings, but on the march.” (p. 375)

As the war in Ukraine and the possible invasion of Taiwan demonstrates, crises stress our global responsibilities. Wolf sets out an action agenda to address these matters, but warns the political will to solve these crises is currently lacking. If you’re interested in the present state of our fragile democratic and economic system, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism will enlighten…and alarm you. GRADE: A

1. Table of Contents
2. Preface: Why I Wrote This Book — xiii
3. Chapter One: The Fire This Time — 1
4. Part I: On Capitalism and Democracy
5. Prologue to Part I — 11
6. Chapter Two: Symbiotic Twins: Politics and Economics in Human History — 13
7. Chapter Three: The Evolution of Democratic Capitalism — 40
8. Part II: What Went Wrong
9. Prologue to Part II — 81
10. Chapter Four: It’s the Economy, Stupid — 83
11. Chapter Five: Rise of Rentier Capitalism — 118
12. Chapter Six: Perils of Populism — 175
13. Part III: Renewing Democratic Capitalism
14. Prologue to Part III — 217
15. Chapter Seven: Renewing Capitalism — 221
16. Chapter Eight: Toward a “New” New Deal — 283
17. Chapter Nine: Renewing Democracy –311
18. Part IV: A Hinge of History
19. Prologue to Part IV — 347
20. Chapter Ten: Democratic Capitalism in the World — 349
21. Conclusion: Restoring Citizenship — 371
22. Acknowledgments — 383
23. Notes — 387
24. Bibliography — 427
25. Index — 457

Just by chance I picked up this collection of screenplays. Best American Screenplays, First Series was first published in 1985 but I never saw it. Then, just last week, I bought it at a Library Sale. I read the screenplays and enjoyed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid the best. But, there are plenty of great screenplays in this volume. The Graduate by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry is a delight! I found Casablanca by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch very moving.

How many of these movies do you remember? Do you have a favorite? GRADE: A

I enjoyed Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers songs for years. But after reading Mike Campbell’s memoir, Heartbreaker (2025), the lead guitarist who played with Petty for decades tells how rocky the road to success really was. The band started out playing in strip clubs where the drunken audience would throw cans of beer at them if they blocked their view of the strippers.

Campbell writes about the tons of drugs and the many, many bad decisions, both personal and professional. Despite Campbell’s love for Tom Petty, Campbell tells how he and the Heartbreakers were told that the money would be split 50-50, with 50% going to Petty and the other 50% being split between the four members of the Heartbreakers. What a rip-off!

Later Campbell, who wrote and co-wrote several of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers hits, tried to advocate for himself as a co-writer and arranger. His friend denied Campbell credit telling him: “But I’m Tom Petty.” 

Another story involved Stevie Nicks, who recorded her hit, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, trying to join the band after feuding with Fleetwood Mac. The Heartbreakers took a vote and nobody wanted Stevie Nicks in the band. Campbell suggests that dealing with an ego-maniac like Tom Petty plus a Prima Donna like Stevie Nicks would be too much!

If you’re interested in the history of a band that opened for Bob Dylan and went on to become headlines themselves, Heartbreaker lays it all out. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — Greatest Hits includes the remastered versions of their best known songs. Are you a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fan? Which song is your favorite? GRADE: A for both the CD and the Book

TRACK LIST:

1	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	American Girl Producer – Denny Cordell Written-By – Tom Petty	3:30
2	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Breakdown Producer – Denny Cordell Written-By – Tom Petty	2:42
3	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Listen To Her Heart Producer – Denny Cordell, Noah Shark, Tom Petty Written-By – Tom Petty	3:01
4	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	I Need To Know Producer – Denny Cordell, Noah Shark, Tom Petty Written-By – Tom Petty	2:23
5	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Refugee Producer – Jimmy Iovine, Tom Petty Written-By – Mike Campbell, Tom Petty	3:21
6	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Don’t Do Me Like That Producer – Jimmy Iovine, Tom Petty Written-By – Tom Petty	2:40
7	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Even The Losers Producer – Jimmy Iovine, Tom Petty Written-By – Tom Petty	3:35
8	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Here Comes My Girl Producer – Jimmy Iovine, Tom Petty Written-By – Mike Campbell, Tom Petty	4:33
9	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	The Waiting Producer – Jimmy Iovine, Tom Petty Written-By – Tom Petty	3:54
10	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	You Got Lucky Producer – Jimmy Iovine, Tom PettyWritten-By – Mike Campbell, Tom Petty	3:37
11	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Don’t Come Around Here No More Musician – David A. Stewart Producer – David A. Stewart, Jimmy Iovine, Tom Petty Written-By – David A. Stewart, Tom Petty	5:06
12	Tom Petty–	I Won’t Back Down Musician – George Harrison, Jeff Lynne Producer – Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell, Tom Petty Written-By – Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty	2:56
13	Tom Petty–	Runnin’ Down A Dream Musician – Jeff Lynne Producer – Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell, Tom Petty Written-By – Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell, Tom Petty	4:23
14	Tom Petty–	Free Fallin’ Musician – Jeff Lynne Producer – Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell, Tom Petty Written-By – Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty	4:14
15	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Learning To Fly Musician – Jeff Lynne Producer – Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell, Tom Petty Written-By – Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty	3:57
16	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Into The Great Wide Open Musician – Jeff Lynne Producer – Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell, Tom Petty Written-By – Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty	3:38
17	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Mary Jane’s Last Dance Producer – Mike Campbell, Rick Rubin, Tom Petty Written-By – Tom Petty	4:32
18	Stevie Nicks And Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers*–	Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around Featuring [With] – Stevie Nicks Producer – Jimmy Iovine, Tom Petty Written-By – Mike Campbell, Tom Petty	4:03

Featuring one of the most lackluster covers in Science Fiction history, Damon Knight’s One Hundred Years of Science Fiction (1968) manages to redeem itself with some wonderful stories.

Back in 1968, Damon Knight was just beginning his career as an editor (while still writing short stories and novels from time to time). These 21 stories hardly accurately represent 100 years of Science Fiction–where are Heinlein, Van Vogt, Edmond Hamilton, Leigh Brackett, and a dozen other major SF writers?

But any anthology that includes Fritz Leiber’s “Sanity” and Theodore Sturgeon’s “The Other Celia” has the Right Idea.

Damon Knight sprinkles in classic stories like “The Ingenious Patriot” by Ambrose Bierce and “With the Night Mail” by Rudyard Kipling. But the focus of this anthology is the 20th Century. My only quibble is that after his “INTRODUCTION” Damon Knight doesn’t introduce the individual stories which would have enhanced the reader’s understanding how and why these particular stories and writers were selected to represent a century of Science Fiction. How many of these stories do you recognize? GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION by Damon Knight. — 7
I. WORLDS OF TOMORROW
WITH THE NIGHT MAIL by Rudyard Kipling — 13

Mr. Murphy of New York by Thomas McMorrow — 52

New Apples in the Garden by Kris Neville –68

Sanity by Fritz Leiber — 79

II. ALIENTS, ON EARTH AND ELSEWHERE

The Shapes by J. H. Rosny aine — 97

The Other Celia by Theodore Sturgeon — 122

Black Charlie by Gordon R. Dickson — 139

III. OTHER DIMENSIONS

A Subway Named Möbius by A. J. Deutsch — 157

The Man Who Came Early by Poul Anderson — 173

The Other Now by Murray Leinster — 198

IV. MUTANTS AND MONSTERS

Whatever Happened to Corporal Cuckoo? by Gerald Kersh — 213

The Mindworm by C. M. Kornbluth — 238

Nobody Bothers Gus by Algis Budrys- 251

V. MARVELOUS INVENTIONS

The Ingenious Patriot by Ambrose Bierce — 267

The Equalizer by Norman Spinrad — 269

Splice of Life by Sonya Dorman — 278

Business As Usual, During Alterations by Ralph Williams — 285

VI. THE MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE

The Man Who Could Work Miracles by H. G. Wells — 311

The Quest for St. Aquin by Anthony Boucher — 327

The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C. Clarke — 345

The Voices of Time by J. G. Ballard — 352

 Patience is the latest mystery drama broadcast on Sunday nights on PBS (it’s also available on AMAZON PRIME Video). Patience was adapted from the critically acclaimed French television series, Astrid.

Set in York, England, the show centers on the unlikely partnership between Detective Inspector Bea Metcalf (played by Laura Fraser), veteran investigator, and Patience Evans (played by Ella Maisy Purvis) an autistic woman who works in the Criminal Records Office. 

Metcalf realizes Patience’s brilliance and uniqueness in solving puzzles. After Metcalf discovers Patience’s ability to make connections in criminal cases that other people don’t see, she and Patience focus on solving crimes that have gone “under the radar.”

I’ve only watched the first episode, but this series has a lot of entertainment potential! GRADE: Incomplete, but trending towards a B+

Diane and Ann Hood at Larkinville in Buffalo, NY Oct. 5, 2016. Ann Hood is signing The Book That Matters Most.

Patti Abbott recently reviewed Ann Hood’s Morningstar: Growing Up with Books (2017) (you can read Patti’s review here). I love books where writers discuss the books that affected them the most so I immediately ordered Morningstar.

“In 1967, when I was ten years old, our town finally got a library. I went there twice a week, walking past the children’s section and heading right for adult fiction.

I can still remember craning my neck to look at all those beautiful books. I whispered the writers’ names: Evan Hunter, Victor Hugo, Harold Robbins, Herman Wouk, Fred Mustard Stewart, Dashiell Hammett, Edith Barton, Dorothy Parker. So many books! At random I pulled one from the shelf. And then another. I fill my arms with books.

And then I read.” (p. 31)

Here is someone who really loves books! Sadly, Ann Hood did not get a lot of support or encouragement from her hardworking parents, especially her mother. “She [Hood’s mother] had dreamed of a beauty-queen daughter, a cheerleader, a popular girl. Instead she got me, a pageant dropout after just two trophies, too clumsy to be a cheerleader or playground star…” (p. 20)

Other than a Third Grade teacher who allowed Ann Hood to stay inside during Recess and read, teachers pretty much ignored her and her passion for reading. “When my ninth-grade guidance counselor asked me what I wanted to do with my Life, I told him I wanted to be a writer. Mr. Stone, in his brown corduroy suit and tinted aviator glasses, shook his head sadly, ‘Ann,’ he said, ‘people don’t do that.’

My eyes drifted to the shelves against the wall. ‘Then how do we get all these books?’ I asked.

Mr. Stone placed at the books for a moment, then told me, ‘All those writers are dead.'” (p. 51)

Despite little support or encouragement for her writing aspirations, Ann Hood–powered by all the books she was reading–managed to succeed with the advice of John Steinbeck and Grace Haley. Her first novel was published in 1987 and she’s been writing ever since.

Morningstar, chapter by chapter, shows how the writers Ann Hood read shaped her dreams and aspirations. Hood’s mother called her “weird” but Ann showed her and all the doubters she was something more…a lot more. Don’t miss this inspiring book! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction: Growing Up with Books 13

Lesson 1 How to Dream: Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk — 33

Lesson 2 How to Become a Writer: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath — 45

Lesson 3 How to Ask Why: Johny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo — 64

Lesson 4 How to Buy Books: Love Story by Erich Segal — 80

Lesson 5 How to Write a Book: The Grapes of Wrath — 91

Lesson 6 How to Fall in Love with Language: Stanyan Street and Other Sorrows by Rod McKuen — 107

Lesson 7 How to Be Curious: A Stone for Danny Fisher by Harold Robbins — 121

Lesson 8 How to Have Sex: The Harrod Experiment by Robert H. Rimmer — 139

Lesson 9 How to See the World: Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak — 157

Lesson 10 How to Run Away: Rabbit Run by John Updike — 172

Acknowledgments — 185

Happy Father’s Day to all you Dads out there! I thought I’d give a shout-out to Art Garfunkel and his son’s album, Father and Son. Take a listen to Art Garfunkel and son singing “Time After Time.” Sounds good but Art Garfunkel has not aged well…

Track Listings:

1	Blue Moon
2	Vincent
3	Blackbird
4	Old Friends
5	Time After Time
6	Once in a While
7	I Won’T Let You Down
8	Let It Be Me
9	Nature Boy
10	You Belong to Me
11	Here Comes the Rain Again
12	Father and Son

If you’re in the mood for something completely different, you might want to give The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy a try. “Dr. Sleech (Stephanie Hsu) and Dr. Klak (Keke Palmer) are top scientists at THE SECOND BEST HOSPITAL IN THE GALAXY. Each day at work they’re confronted with seemingly unsolvable medical riddles while having to navigate the hospital’s more bureaucratic staff members, especially Nurse Tup (Natasha Lyonne).”

THE SECOND BEST HOSPITAL IN THE GALAXY is wild and wacky! I know this isn’t ER or St. Elsewhere, or Grey’s Anatomy, but it’s way more fun. The 16 episodes will keep you amused! Check out the trailer above! GRADE: A

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles books have been sitting on my shelves for years. Finally, I decided this was the time to read one of them. I started with Game Over (2008). Detective Inspector Bill Slider investigates a murder of ex-BBC correspondent Ed Stonax. But, an enemy from Slider’s past, Trevor Bates (aka, The Needle), threatens to kill Slider and his fiancé, Joanna. GRADE: B

After finishing Game Over, I decided to binge on a few more of Harrod-Eagles’s Bill Slider mysteries. Fell Purpose (2009) begins with the body of once beautiful and brilliant Zellah Wilding. Zellah was strangled with a pair of tights. Bill Slider and his team investigate the teenager who was rebelling against her Christian family with a secret boyfriend. Slider interrogates Zellah’s friends but the identity of the mystery man remains problematic. Bit by bit, Slider and his team reveal Zellah’s secrets until they uncover the killer. GRADE: B

Body Line (2010) also starts out with a body: David Rogers was a doctor–handsome, charming, and wealthy. Who would want to shoot him in the head? Slider and his team talk to Roger’s many girlfriends and are baffled by the contradictory stories they’re told. The mystery of David Rogers leads the team into a world where nothing is what it seems. GRADE: B+

I was completely baffled by Kill My Darling (2011) when a paleontologist is found murdered in the woods. Slider and his team investigate the men in Melanie Hunter’s life and one by one eliminate them from suspicion. Why was Melanie murdered? What dark secret did she harbor that got her killed? Cynthia Harrod-Eagles faked me out (and Slider for much of Kill My Darling) and the conclusion is one big surprise! GRADE: A

I’ve been a fan of police procedurals since I read Ed McBain’s Cop Hater in the early 1960s. I went on to read all 55 books in the series. If you like police procedurals, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles writes an outstanding series! I’ll be reading more Bill Slider mysteries in the months ahead! If you’re interested in how Cynthia Harrod-Eagles came up with Bill Slider, she tells all here: https://www.cynthiaharrodeagles.com/bill-slider-mysteries/how-it-all-began/

THE BILL SLIDER SERIES:

Orchestrated Death (1991)

Death Watch (1992)

Necrochip / Death to Go (1993)

Dead End / Grave Music (1994)

Blood Lines (1996)

Killing Time (1996)

Shallow Grave (1998)

Blood Sinister (1999)

Gone Tomorrow (2001)

Dear Departed (2005)

Game Over (2008)

Fell Purpose (2009)

Body Line (2011)

Kill My Darling (2011)

Blood Never Dies (2012)

Hard Going (2014)

Star Fall (2015)

One Under (2015)

Old Bones (2016)

Shadow Play (2017)

Headlong (2019)

Cruel as the Grave (2021)

Dying Fall (2022)

Before I Sleep (2023)

Easeful Death (2025)

A few weeks ago I attended a Joan Osborne concert (you can read my review here) and since then I’ve been playing several Joan Osborne CDs. My favorite Joan Osborne album is Breakfast in Bed with its covers of many hit songs. Included on this CD is Osborne’s stirring rendition of “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” from Standing in the Shadows of Motown. Also great is Osborne singing “Heat Wave.”

How Sweet It Is is almost as good as Breakfast in Bed with Osborne singing standards like “I’ll Be Around,” “How Sweet It Is,” “War,” and “Everybody Is a Star.”

Also worth listening to is Righteous Love with songs like Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” and “Love Is Alive.” If Joan Osborne visits Western New York again, I plan to attend her concert! How many of these songs do you remember?

GRADES: Breakfast in Bed: A

How Sweet It Is: B+

Righteous Love: B

TRACK LIST:

1. “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination” (Gerry Goffin, Barry Goldberg)
2. “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Bill Withers)
3. “Midnight Train to Georgia” (Jim Weatherly)
4. “Baby Is a Butterfly” (Osborne)
5. “Breakfast in Bed” (Eddie Hinton, Donnie Fritts)
6. “Cream Dream” (Osborne)
7. “Natural High” (Charles McCormick)
8. “Heart of Stone” (Osborne)
9. “Sara Smile” (Daryl Hall, John Oates)
10. “Eliminate the Night” (Osborne)
11. “Break Up to Make Up” (Thom Bell, Linda Creed, Kenneth Gamble)
12. “I Know What’s Goin’ On” (Osborne)
13. “Alone with You” (Osborne)
14. “Kiss and Say Goodbye” (Winfred Lovett)
15. “Heat Wave” (Holland–Dozier–Holland)
16. “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” (William Weatherspoon, James Dean, Paul Riser)
17. “Everybody Needs a Friend” (Curtis Mayfield) (bonus track)

TRACK LIST:

1		I’ll Be Around Written-By – Phil Hurtt, Thomas Randolph Bell	4:31
2		Think Written-By – Aretha Franklin, Ted White	3:38
3		How Sweet It Is Written-By – Lamont Herbert Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland*	4:21
4		Smiling Faces Sometimes Written-By – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield	4:44
5		Love’s In Need Of Love Today Written-By – Stevie Wonder	4:12
6		These Arms Of Mine Written-By – Otis Redding	4:39
7		Only You Know And I Know Written-By – Dave Mason	3:45
8		War Written-By – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield	5:50
9		Why Can’t We Live Together Written-By – Timothy E. Thomas	4:57
10		Axis: Bold As Love Written-By – Jimi Hendrix	4:03
11		The Weight Written-By – Robbie Robertson	5:13
12		Everybody Is A Star Written-By – Sylvester Stewart	3:15

TRACK LIST:

1		Running Out Of Time Written-By – Joan Osborne, Louie Perez	4:45
2		Righteous Love Written-By – Joan Osborne, Joseph Arthur	4:15
3		Safety In Numbers Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Joan Osborne	4:28
4		Love Is Alive Written-By – Gary Wright	3:26
5		Angel Face Written-By – Andreas Uetz, Joan Osborne, Joseph Arthur, Louie Perez	3:35
6		Grand Illusion Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Jack Petruzzelli, Joan Osborne, Rainy Orteca	4:02
7		If I Was Your Man Written-By – Joan Osborne, Joseph Arthur, Louie Perez, Rick Cherthoff*, Rob Hyman	4:58
8		Baby Love Producer – Aaron Corness Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Jack Petruzzelli, Joan Osborne, Rainy Orteca	4:17
9		Hurricane Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Jack Petruzzelli, Joan Osborne, Mike Mangini	4:16
10		Poison Apples (Hallelujah) Written-By – Joan Osborne, Rick Cherthoff*, Rob Hyman	4:18
11		Make You Feel My Love Producer – Rick Wil* Written-By – Bob Dylan	4:02