Art Spiegelman on "Maus"

 

A few times each year, the Chicago Public Library chooses a book reflecting some societal theme, sets up programming and events, and presumably procures a bunch of extra copies. This season's pick is Art Spiegelman's "Maus," a graphic novel depicting his father's experiences during the Holocaust. I saw Spiegelman speak last week in Chicago¹ about the case for comics, his relationship with his father, and more, and it was fantastic.

"The Second Mountain"

The second mountain from
the left...no, that one.

David Brooks¹ came to town last May to promote "The Second Mountain," his most recent book. I'd actually been to a book talk of his several years ago when "The Road to Character" came out and thought about picking up a signed copy, but the line was sufficiently long and the hour sufficiently late that I decided not to. This time it was a morning talk, so no such concerns!

Brooks can be quite funny. One of my favorite moments was when he told the story of being taken to Central Park when he was a child for a be-in (i.e. a time and place the hippies would go to "be"). Someone set a garbage can on fire and the crowd was throwing their wallets into it to demonstrate how little they cared about material things. The five-year-old Brooks saw a five dollar bill beginning to smolder so he broke through the crowd, reached in, grabbed it, and ran away –  "and that was my first step toward conservatism."

How about the book?

A few thoughts on milestones

After three years of work, I completed my master's program and received my diploma at a nice ceremony last weekend. I enjoy graduations: the celebration, the sense of closure, the costumes, and the speakers, whose commentary adds a modern sensibility to old traditions.

Secretary Robert Gates on leadership

This past week, I saw Robert Gates give a talk to promote his new book about how organizations can be reformed so that they work more effectively and efficiently for both their staff and the people they serve. He argues that all too often, the missing ingredient is courageous leadership. Though he focused on governmental institutions, many of his points are broadly applicable and good food for thought.

Hardly a day passes in the life of any American without having to battle one or another bureaucracy. It doesn't need to be this way. I believe institutions – bureaucracies large and small – can be fixed. Changed and made more cost effective and user-friendly, efficient and responsive, and shaped to meet new problems and challenges.

It's a combination of pragmatism and optimism that of late I haven't seen enough of in government.

More quotes below.