Mitty-me
I built the battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz, and sank them both. My part in a larger cause.
Urn
There are recovered antiquities, like Greek urns, and real artifacts, such as Naples.
Tears
Crying has less to do with showing feelings than public confusion about to behave when embarrassed.
The Name of the World
Michael Reed's life is falling apart (he's over 50, after all); cometh a younger woman. Johnson saves this from the maudlin.
The Big Lebowski
Among the most absurdly funny films made since 1950. The Dude rules.
American Zoology 101
With the start of the 2008 presidential election campaign, Italians are again turning to the United States for a show.
Wag the Dog
De Niro and Hoffman steal Levinson's movie, until he abandons them.
Z
To challenge an authoritarian state, you need to know its soul. Ask Costa-Gavras.
Marching On
Geraldine Brooks examines the Civil War and its human consequences in luminous prose.
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers
A spellbinding book that introduces readers to the eccentric mathematician Paul Erdós.
The Panama Hat Trail
Tom Miller's vintage tale is part Ecuador travelogue, part all about the Panama hat.