Feldman's Faves: April 4, 2022

Good Morning Everyone

It was great seeing everyone on ZOOM last week. It will be fun to connect in person on Thursday for those of you who are planning to be in the office. I know everyone is busy, as March was another crazy month for our section. We really appreciate all of your hard and smart work.

Just a few random thoughts…..As one of the world’s oldest Swifties I was disappointed but not surprised that Taylor did not win last night for Evermore – my 15 year old daughter had a much more difficult time accepting this reality but, at the same time, was very happy for Bruno Mars (the Michael Jackson of today) and Silk Sonic. I also want to use this opportunity to publicly announce my belief that the Raptors will be going to the Finals this year – if anyone (other than poor Duncan (who has suffered enough)) wants to take on this bet please let me know. Sad to say goodbye to Coach K but what an unbelievable career and legacy.

This week’s theme is simply things that I love.

Rules of civility: a novel By: Amor Towles – I am such a huge fan of Amor Towles’ writing. My favourite book from last year was A Gentleman in Moscow, which then led me to read The Lincoln Road and now to Rules of Civility, a book that many of you recommended. The actual Rules of Civility were written by a young George Washington that many young blue bloods used as their guide to properly function in high society (as well as those young men aspiring to enter high society), with gems such as never roll your eyes, never raise your eyebrow, when it is appropriate to remove your hat, and to never be “close-talker”, etc. I love great writing and to me great writing includes the ability to keep you interested and engaged for the whole book and sad when it is over. In every case, this is exactly how I feel when read Towles’ books (you all may have a different view when you read my emails…). The stories he tells and the level of detail he provides in telling his stories are beautiful, precise and so enlightening. To borrow a basic plot summary from Goodreads, “Set in New York City in 1938, Rules of Civility tells the story of a watershed year in the life of an uncompromising twenty-five-year-old named Katey Kontent. Armed with little more than a formidable intellect, a bracing wit, and her own brand of cool nerve, Katey embarks on a journey from a Wall Street secretarial pool through the upper echelons of New York society in search of a brighter future. The story opens on New Year’s Eve in a Greenwich Village jazz bar, where Katey and her boardinghouse roommate Eve happen to meet Tinker Grey, a handsome banker with royal blue eyes and a ready smile. This chance encounter and its startling consequences cast Katey off her current course, but end up providing her unexpected access to the rarified offices of Conde Nast and a glittering new social circle. Befriended in turn by a shy, principled multimillionaire, an Upper East Side ne’er-do-well, and a single-minded widow who is ahead of her times, Katey has the chance to experience first-hand the poise secured by wealth and station, but also the aspirations, envy, disloyalty, and desires that reside just below the surface. Even as she waits for circumstances to bring Tinker back into her orbit, she will learn how individual choices become the means by which life crystallizes loss.” This story is remarkable and is a classic case of what happens when one tries (and ultimately fails to keep up appearances). What distinguishes this book from most is Towles’ ability to both capture a time (NYC in 1938) and the rules of engagement for the different “classes” in upper and lower society New York at the time. Towles perfectly describes the subtleties that mark and distinguish those living in apartments overlooking Central Park and those living and hanging out downtown. Just like in A Gentleman in Moscow, Towles (like nobody else) gives you the perfect snapshot of what life was like for a wide range of people in an era many years ago. Towles really is one of the best writers alive today. Here’s a great review from Kirkus - https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/amor-towles/rules-civility/

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Tracy Morgan – As you all know by now, I also love Conan’s PODCAST. His brand of humour is pitch perfect to me in large part because of his ability to take a bit and run with it in outrageous ways. With Tracy Morgan he finds his comedic soulmate, who is probably among the most outrageous comedians on the circuit today. This interview goes to places that are NOT appropriate AT ALL for children but are really freakin’ funny. At the same time, Morgan opens up about his life and his near death experience (getting hit by a truck) and what it took for him to get back to living his life. He is truly courageous and a very thoughtful and admirable human; his story really is one of resilience and is inspiring. This PODCAST will make you laugh so hard that you might cry and may you cry so hard you might have to just laugh. Here’s an excerpt from the PODCAST itself: ”Comedian Tracy Morgan feels bloated to be Conan O’Brien’s friend. Tracy sits down with Conan to talk about the roots of his iconic comedic sensibilities, his favorite character bits on SNL, starring in The Last O.G., and his emotional recovery from his 2014 truck accident. Plus, Sona confesses to a truly despicable sushi-related crime”: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/conan-obrien-needs-a-friend/id1438054347?i=1000554674679

Thank you for your ongoing engagement and participation. A special thanks to Michael Koch for giving me Nobel Prize Winner, V.S. Naipaul’s classic, A House for Mr. Biswas. For those of you not familiar with this book, it is one of Naipaul’s best. Michael and I had actually spent quite a lot of time doing a deal in Trinidad (of all places) a few years ago and this book, among other things, describes better than anything I’ve read, the inner workings of the Trinidad/Indian community. Worth checking out – thanks again Michael.

And remember to stay safe, stay healthy and to docket daily.

Jon