Upcoming Events:
Saturday, 13 December, 6 pm
Book Talk, “Unexpected Variations on the Theme of Christmas,” Garden Wall Bookshop (formerly Kismet Books) 101 N. Main St., Verona, Wis.
Friday, 16 January, 6 pm
Book Talk, Signing and Sale, An Apartment in Paris, Benjamin's Mess, The Gathering Place, 715 Campus St., Milton, Wis.
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The Weekly Screed
by David Benjamin “After the Black Death came the Renaissance. From the depths of economic horror came Roosevelt’s New Deal. From this horror, so far, come the senseless twists and turns of the orange Narcissus.” — Roger Cohen, N.Y. Times MADISON, Wis. — Although I can’t explain why, I’ve always enjoyed reading books about fatal…
by David Benjamin “I can’t believe I have to say this. But please don’t drink bleach.” — Joe Biden MADISON, Wis. — I can’t believe I’m saying this but Joe Biden, bless his heart, must be wrong. After all, the White House’s crack medical team — led by Jared “Doc” Kushner and his faithful sidekick…
by David Benjamin “… The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free… The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever… No part of the flag should ever be used…
by David Benjamin “To say no to President Trump would be saying no to God, and I won’t do that.” — Rev. Paula White MADISON, Wis. — Ever since Donald Trump landed ego-first on the Resolute desk like a 250-pound sack of Yukon Gold potatoes, I’ve been mystified — not by his supporters, fans, cronies…
by David Benjamin “By April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.” — Trump MADISON, Wis. — Yo, Big Don. I hope you don’t mind me calling you that, But hey, it fits. I mean, big? You’re larger than life, yo. And you are the Don! So, anyhow,…
by David Benjamin “Only the Pontiacs, Nashes and cellar-dwelling La Salles are in financial condition to buy any minor league players to improve their clubs at this time.” — Jack Kerouac MADISON, Wis. — I learned baseball solitaire from Dick Albright, my first best friend in high school. He invented a game played with a…
by David Benjamin “No one reached out to me and said, ‘As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?’ If that’s the exchange, I’m all in.” — Texas Lieutenant Gov. Daniel Patrick WASHINGTON, D.C.…
by David Benjamin “We should also put an end to the airlines’ pursuit of smaller and smaller seats, which are not only uncomfortable and even physically harmful, but also foster in-flight rage and make the job of flight attendants nigh unbearable.” — Tim Wu. New York Times, 16 March 2020 Ed Bastian CEO Delta Airlines…
by David Benjamin “Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus. Coronavirus. They’re politicizing it. And this is their new hoax.” — Donald Trump WASHINGTON, 4 November 2020 — In the wake of President Donald Trump’s crushing defeat yesterday, pundits and analysts are speculating cautiously that Trump’s “base” of rabidly loyal followers might been been decisively…
by David Benjamin ““I was nauseous and tingly all over. I was either in love or I had smallpox.” — Woody Allen PARIS — Ronan Farrow has spent his life striving to spit out the silver spoon he was born with. When he does one of his cool and princely TV interviews, you can —…