News of the Week: New Books, Canned Food, and the Great Taylor Swift Apostrophe Debate

Read This!

Six new books you might want to buy, and maybe even read.

Fourteen Days by various authors. A collaborative novel set during the COVID shutdown, written by people like Margaret Atwood, Douglas Preston, John Grisham, R.L. Stine, and Erica Jong. The twist? You don’t know who wrote what.

The Bad Weather Friend by Dean Koontz. The veteran suspense master’s new novel is about a man who loses his job and his financée but then gets a mysterious inheritance and a secret message.

Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood by Ed Zwick. The producer and writer (whom the Post’s Jeanne Wolfe interviews in the latest issue) gives a candid behind-the-scenes look at the movies he has worked on and the celebrities he has worked with.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt. After a decade of stability or improvement, adolescent mental health got worse around 2010. Why?

Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley. A memoir that explores what happened to the essayist/novelist after her closest friend committed suicide.

50 Oscar Nights by Dave Karger. This is “31 Days of Oscar” month on TCM, and host Karger has interviews with an incredible list of stars, including Julia Roberts, Clint Eastwood, Dustin Hoffman, Mel Brooks, Sally Field, Marlee Matlin, and Peter Jackson. They discuss what made their Academy Award-winning nights special (or in some cases, not so special at all).

Is There a Mistake in the Title of Taylor Swift’s New Album?

This is the third week in a row where I’ve mentioned the pop superstar. Apparently I’m now your official source for all things Taylor Swift.

But this isn’t about her music or her football star boyfriend. This is about punctuation!

At the Grammys two weeks ago, Swift announced the surprise release of a new album, The Tortured Poets Department. But wait … should Poets have an apostrophe?

And This Year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Are …

This year’s list includes Sinead O’Connor, Foreigner, Cher (though she might not accept the nomination), Peter Frampton, Oasis, Mariah Carey, Sade, Kool & The Gang, Lenny Kravitz, Ozzy Osbourne, Mary J. Blige, Jane’s Addiction, Dave Matthews Band, Eric B. and Rakim, and A Tribe Called Quest.

Voting will take place over the next two months with the inductees being named in April.

Still not in the Hall: Jethro Tull, Big Mama Thornton, King Crimson, The Smiths, Devo, Warren Zevon, America, Asia, Bad Company, The Guess Who, Boston, Blue Öyster Cult, Huey Lewis and the News, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

Headline of the Week

“Should the Day after the Super Bowl Be a National Holiday?”

(The answer, by the way, is no.)

RIP Seiji Ozawa, Bob Edwards, Christopher Priest, Mojo Nixon, Kelvin Kiptum, Bill Post, Henry Fambrough, Rory Stevens, Hank Bradford, and Si Spiegel

Seiji Ozawa was the acclaimed conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for almost three decades, longer than any other music director. He died last week at the age of 88.

Bob Edwards was the voice of NPR’s Morning Edition for 25 years and later a SiriusXM host. He died this week at the age of 76.

Christopher Priest wrote several novels, including The Prestige, later made into a movie starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. He died last week at the age of 80.

Mojo Nixon was the ’80s punk/rockabilly singer known for such songs as “Elvis Is Everywhere.” He was also an actor and SiriusXM host. He died last week at the age of 66.

Kelvin Kiptum was the world’s marathon record holder, running last year’s Chicago Marathon in 2 hours, 35 seconds. He died Sunday at the age of 24.

Bill Post invented Pop-Tarts! He died Saturday at the age of 96.

Henry Fambrough was the last surviving original member of The Spinners, known for such songs as “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” and “Working My Way Back to You.” He died last week at the age of 85.

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Rory Stevens — real name Rory Shevin — played Beaver’s neighbor Chuckie on Leave It to Beaver. He also appeared in movies like The Birds and Carrie. He died in November at the age of 69.

Hank Bradford was the head writer of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He died in January at the age of 88.

Si Spiegel was the World War II hero who helped popularize artificial Christmas trees when he returned home. He died in January at the age of 99.

This Week in History

Thomas Edison Born (February 10, 1847)

Since I mentioned Dave Karger’s Oscar book above, here’s how Edison unintentionally founded Hollywood.

“Rhapsody in Blue” Debuts (February 12, 1924)

The Post’s Andy Hollandbeck has a great piece on the 100th anniversary of the George Gershwin tune, one that some guy thinks is “the worst masterpiece.” (That guy is wrong.)

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Del Monte Corn (February 11, 1950)

This ad reminds me that I haven’t eaten creamed corn in 40 years, though I used to have it all the time when I was a kid.

February Is National Canned Food Month

Hey, let’s start with creamed corn.

Trisha Yearwood has a recipe for Sour Cream Cornbread and On Sutton Place has a recipe for Jiffy Corn Casserole (made with Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix).

Meanwhile, Taste of Home has an Ambrosia Salad, The Pioneer Woman has a 7-Can Soup, and Food52 has the classic Tomato Soup Cake, which I have always wanted to try. A cake made with a can of tomato soup!

And we can’t forget my favorite cook, Peg Bracken. Since this is The Saturday Evening Post and Bracken wrote several pieces for the magazine, here’s her recipe for Saturday Chicken.

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

Daytona 500 (February 18)

Fox will have coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Presidents/President’s/Presidents’ Day (February 19)

You can argue among yourselves about whether or not an apostrophe is needed.