Read This!
Andy Rooney: A Lucky Life by Paul Grondahl. I don’t read all of the books that I list every month in this column, but I read this one, and it’s fantastic. I can’t remember another biography that I wanted to reread once I finished it. It’s not only entertaining, you’ll learn things about Rooney you never knew before. A fine memoir of not only a popular American writer, but a great one.
Rooney wrote several pieces for the Post, including “Sugar City Goes Sour” for the January 1987 issue, “To Kill a Maple Tree” for the April 1987 issue, and “Hip, Hip But No Hooray” for the April 1988 issue. He also was interviewed for our March 1984 issue.
Driven by Mason Coile. How’s this for a premise? A man whose wife and child have left him decides to just escape from his life via the world’s most advanced self-driving car…but he wakes up inside the car, and it won’t let him out or stop.
A Midnight Treasury of Frightening Words by Caroline Taggart. Just in time for Halloween comes this guide to “the secret history of over 300 macabre and haunting words.”
Frank Capra by Sam Wasson. A look at the life of one of the great directors (It’s A Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, You Can’t Take It With You, Lost Horizon).
Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley. This is a Miss Marple mystery, but it’s a new Miss Marple mystery. Foley takes over the iconic series from Agatha Christie (who wrote several stories for the Post).
The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook: 2001-2027. This has every single recipe from every episode of the show, including the new season, which starts this weekend.
Is It Okay to Watch a TV Show More Than Once?
I clicked on this Slate piece to see what show the writer suggested we watch every single year. It’s the mini-series Band of Brothers, and a fine choice. But then I came across this line, which stopped me in my tracks.
“In my opinion, life’s too short to rewatch TV shows.”
Really? So I guess this writer doesn’t listen an album more than once or read the same book more than once? Of course she does, but because it’s television, she has to be all snobby about it.
Maybe life is too short to even worry about whether you’re watching a TV show more than once.
I’d tell you to read the piece again but life’s too short to re-read Slate articles.
Now Is the Time for All Good Men to Come to the Aid of Their Country
We’ve had so many stories in the past several years about typewriters being “back” I think we can say that they’re not just back, they’re here to stay, as this Today feature shows.
Uploaded to YouTube by TODAY
What’s Up, Doc?
I’m no longer a fan of lists (there are too many of them now), but I really can’t argue that much with Entertainment Weekly’s list of the 30 greatest cartoon characters. The character they have at number one is the one I would have picked too, though Tom & Jerry should be higher on the list.
RIP Bob Mackie, Peter Max, Annie Dillard, Roger Simon, Flo Anthony, Barry Melrose, Jay Maisel, Ronnie Dove, and Nina Shipman
Bob Mackie was a legendary costume designer probably best known for his work on The Carol Burnett Show. He also dressed people like Cher, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, and Mitzi Gaynor. He died Monday at the age of 87.
Peter Max was the acclaimed creator of colorful 1960s posters, paintings, and advertising. He died Monday at the age of 88.
Annie Dillard won a Pulitzer for the non-fiction book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. She also wrote essays, poetry, a classic book on writing, The Writing Life, and was a teacher. She died Tuesday at the age of 81.
Roger Simon was a longtime political columnist. He died last week at the age of 78.
Flo Anthony was a celebrity and entertainment journalist for the New York Post and the co-host of The Gossip Show on E! She died last week at the age of 74.
Barry Melrose was a veteran hockey analyst for ESPN and a former player and coach. He died last week at the age of 70.
Jay Maisel was an acclaimed photographer who took many classic photos over several decades, including the cover of the Miles Davis album Kind of Blue, several Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue covers, and photos taken on 9/11. He died last month at the age of 95.
Ronnie Dove was known for such songs as “Say You,” “Right or Wrong,” “A Little Bit of Heaven,” and a cover version (with the Beltones) of the Buddy Knox hit “Party Doll.” He died Tuesday at the age of 91.
Nina Shipman appeared in such films as The Oregon Trail, High Time, and Vertigo, and TV shows like Perry Mason, The Munsters, and The Andy Griffith Show. She died last week at the age of 88.
This Week in History
Mayflower Departs from England (September 16, 1620)
Did you know that there were 26 (!) ships named Mayflower during the years the most famous one was in service? There was even a second Mayflower that sailed from London to Plymouth in 1629 with 35 more passengers.
And then there’s the Mayflower II, a replica built in the 1950s that is used as a floating museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Bewitched Premieres (September 17, 1964)
This was a good show, at least until the final season when it got to be ridiculous. In fact, I’d say the first few seasons are worth…rewatching.
This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Underwood Typewriter (September 14, 1940)
Andy Rooney used an Underwood, though not this exact model. He owned 17 Underwood 5 models, but reluctantly did switch to using a computer because it was easier (he still used a typewriter for letters and labels).
September Is National Potato Month
Curtis Stone has a recipe for Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes and one for the Ultimate Roasted Potatoes. The Pioneer Woman has these Crash Hot Potatoes (yes, that’s the name, I wasn’t sure at first either), The Daring Gourmet has the Perfect Au Gratin Potatoes, and Serious Eats shows you how to make the Ultimate Baked Potato.
And if you’re having a potato-themed dinner party, then you’ll want some potato desserts too. Try this Delicious Chocolate Potato Cake from Homesteading Family or Potato Candy from Sugar Spun Run. It’s mashed potatoes and peanut butter.
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
Wife Appreciation Day (September 20)
Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate her the other 364 days of the year.
Fall Begins (September 22)
Or you can call it the “autumnal equinox” if you want to get all poetic about it. It starts at 8:04 p.m. ET.
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