Manhattan Moments: Addiction & Art

MASTER WORK Empire of Pain:  The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe For anyone who’s read Radden Keefe’s book about the Irish Troubles, Say Nothing, you know him as a nonfiction writer who draws you in with meticulous detail and creates a novel-like reading experience.  His latest work, Empire of Pain, is equally meticulous and an absolutely …

Manhattan: Art, Food & More

STUNNING ART EXHIBIT—People Come First I feel as if I should have heard about the American artist Alice Neel long before this.  She lived from 1900 to 1984 and was active on the political scene in Manhattan.  The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a retrospective of her work on display until August 1, and it’s stunning.  Her paintings are largely …

Potpourri: From Majesty to Travesty

MAJESTY AND MIGHT Funeral of Prince Philip Despite the restrictions of the pandemic, yesterday’s funeral for Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in St. George’s Chapel was replete with majesty and the military.  Outside, some 800 members of various branches of the military paraded, saluted, and honored the steadfast Duke of Edinburgh.  Queen Elizabeth entered the chapel alone …

Women: Historical & Fictitious

Here are several portrayals of women, four who are historical, that is real people, and one from a novel adapted for a television series. BIOGRAPHY—OVERDUE RECOGNITION The Agitators: Three Friends who Fought for Abolition and Women’s Rights by Dorothy Wickenden One of the satisfactions of the times we’re living in is seeing women whose achievements have …