The Writer's Life 3/26 - Fantastic

There are three great articles in today's NY Post. In yet another piece in defense of capitalism, George Will informs of a new book on the subject. Here are highlights, edited by yours truly: "Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881), who called economics 'the dismal science,' never read John Tamny, author of the cheerful, mind-opening book, Popular Economics: What the Rolling Stones, Downton Abbey, and LeBron James Can Teach You About Economics. In the early 1970s, when the Rolling Stones were coining money and Britain’s top tax rate was 83%, Keith Richards, lead guitarist and social philosopher, said: 'That’s the same as being told to leave the country.' The Stones decamped to France, leaving Britain, Tamny notes, to collect 83% of nothing." 83% - what tyranny!


In an amusing take, Jonah Greenberg rails against the Obama administration's penchant for ignoring what displeases it. He likens the President to a comic book character, dubbing him Dr. Ignoro, citing examples and likening his retreat to golf courses as his Bat Cave or Fortress of Solitude.


An era is coming to an end in the Big Apple. The beloved show, The Fantasticks, will close on May 3 after a total of 51 years in production in NYC, the last nine at the Jerry Orbach Theater, named for the screen and stage legend who was its first star. It’s the Energizer Bunny of musical theater, holding the world record for its original 42-year run at the tiny Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village, where it premiered in 1960. It boosted the careers of Liza Minnelli, Glenn Close, F. Murray Abraham, Kristin Chenoweth, and even Ricardo Montalbán. It has run in 82 countries. 250 productions are staged each year, mostly at high schools and colleges. Its most famous song is Try To Remember, written by the show's creators, Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones. Jones is responsible for the story. Well done, gentlemen.


Fans of The X-Files have received great news -- six new episodes this summer on Fox. The show left the air 13 years ago. Unfortunately, the film versions were not up to par. I wonder if it will be a six-episode arc or entirely unrelated themes. I'm hoping for the latter. I enjoyed those episodes, which were more like The Twilight Zone, much more than the alien invasion saga, although that too was compelling the first few years. Then it got convoluted and unsatisfying.


I've now seen the first four seasons of The Walking Dead. I don't know how they did it, but the creative team made rivetting drama out of a played-out genre. Part of its success must be due to its deadly serious tone. It sells the idea better than any other zombie work ever has. It is relentless and uncompromising in depicting brutally, both against the zombies and humans vs. humans in the struggle for survival. It is a grim view of human nature but compelling. Kudos to the creator, Frank Darabont, and to the cast and crew. 


The floating book shop was rained out.

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