Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Where Do You Keep Your Monkey?

It’s none of your damn business where I keep mine. But LFG perched hers on one of my bookshelves. He seems to be cheering on a unit of one hundred year old lead toy soldiers while being supervised by a Charvet collared Alberto Santos Dumont in the background. Pretty much sums up my world over here. And don’t start tisk-tisking so soon. You’d probably enjoy yourself here in the playhouse.
Stephen Ambrose Pegasus Bridge is plank one of the Monkey Perch. I’m still in awe of the brave men who went in the night before D-Day in those death trap Horsa Gliders. And you remember my story about Bill Millin piping Lord Lovat et al over Pegasus Bridge...right?
Porter’s Redefining Healthcare is next. And it should be required reading for anyone who wants to participate in the American healthcare dialogue. Hear me when I say with measured humility, that most of you and certainly most of America remain clueless regarding the complexities of the healthcare economic, or clinical for that matter, engine that runs seventeen percent of our economy. And Porter is the uber strategist. Played kick-ass golf at Princeton before going on and getting his advanced degrees at Harvard. He’s interested in the application of strategy in visual arts and music and he’s the father of two daughters. Probably a cool guy to have a cocktail with.
Listen, you can’t do something as heavy as Porter without then adding a dollop of whimsy to the pile. So yes, you can find randomanalia and esoterica as farfetched as a little picture book on Cricket Club ties. These long out of print books are going for crazy money these days. I’ll sell you this one for fifty bucks.
The MCC colours are rather fetching. Maybe in a tie only though. This bad boy, Sir Tintin, an MCC member in full, was obviously over damn whelmed by the enormity of his coat. His getup has gone.
In Carolina Clay, Leonard Todd shares the saga of his quest to uncover the story of a slave, once owned by his family, who made clay pots and jugs in South Carolina.
Warriors Rage gave me, the strategy guy, a renewed appreciation for tactics. The fire and maneuver skills of modern day tank soldiers are impressive on one hand and when assessed in tandem with their technology and ordnance…chilling on the other. One of my clients is featured in the book...an individual...not a corporation.
And finally, my Daniel Silva novel that he signed for me and LFG at the book fair in 2009. I’ve just started his newest novel…having delayed beginning it since I finish them in about a day or so and he only writes one book per year.

Ok, that’ll do it for LFG’s monkey. If you don’t do anything else today, make sure you put your monkey where it belongs.

Onward.
ADG, II

13 comments:

James said...

After reading a review at "The Epic" I've been reading Bartle Bull.Great adventures. At this point in life I'm more interested in entertainment rather than education.
My brass monkey reading a book sits atop my grandfather's rollertop desk.

Main Line Sportsman said...

Pegasus Bridge is in my on deck circle.

GWS said...

Hold until relieved...

Pegasus Bridge is an amazing book. I was lucky enough to meet both Stephen Ambrose and Bill Millin in Normandy before they passed - talking to them made me feel, for the first time, that my generation is generally lesser in quality than the WW2/Korean War generation. Not that I feel that way currently, but at that point in time I certainly did.

My interest in the events at Pegasus Bridge led me to reading 'A Bridge Too Far', concerning the events of Operation Market Garden. Another fascinating story, albeit sad and frustrating.

Thanks for opining on some books that I may have otherwise never heard about. 'Redefining Healthcare' may make it into my queue due to its timeliness.

Cheers,
GWS

Patsy said...

Have you been to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans yet? I realized I'd forgotten half the things I learned about the War in school and learned a million more.

Anonymous said...

I literally have a stuffed monkey perched above my dining room table. I once knew a very nice Russian man (may he rest in peace) who always kept a monkey above his dining room table and while the story of why has been long forgotten, the monkey is still there in remembrance of such a great man.

Turling said...

So, if I don't care to be involved with the health care debate, I can skip the "Redefining Healthcare", yes?

Pegasus Bridge sounds interesting. I may hunt for that one. I did just order the Mark Twain autobiography that was held, per his wishes, until 100 years after his death. That one will trump all others once it arrives.

CeceliaMc said...

I once was the guest of a friend who had some similar stuffed monkey toy on a shelf in their guest room.

My husband had to close it in the bathroom before I could sleep.

Creepy!

Pigtown*Design said...

I really don't think that is a question that a gentleman should be asking.

ADG said...

MegTown...I'll deal with you next week.

CeceliaMc...y'all are pulling my leg about these stuffed monkeys.

Turling...I'm afraid if you venture too far into the healthcare debate, you'll be prone to self-harm. I'm off to order the Mark Twain autobio as soon as I finish here. Pegasus Bridge...great book, fun and easy to read. Typical Ambrose...before he got loose with his facts.

AnonymousStuffedMonkey...and I bet that monkey gives you NO trouble.

Patsy...I have not been to the WWII/D-Day Museum in New Orleans. Haven't set foot back in the Big Easy since I buried my girlfriend, packed the moving van and pulled away.

GWS...that's great that you met those guys. "Hold until..." It was the until part of that command that was daunting no?

MainLine...you'll enjoy it.

James...I'm with you re entertainment. I've always said, if I go back to school, it will be for something FUN.

ilovelimegreen said...

After you read Twain's autobiography, pay a visit to the Mark Twain House in Hartford - one of the best things that odd city has to offer. And ADG, I don't have a monkey so I have no place to keep it.

Lisa said...

RE: Hear me when I say with measured humility, that most of you and certainly most of America remain clueless regarding the complexities of the healthcare economic, or clinical for that matter, engine that runs seventeen percent of our economy.

Let me say with as much volume as the typed word can give, I KNOW exactly what the complexities of the healthcare economics/engine that runs seventeen percent of our economy are. My husband is a physician and I am his 'office manager'. The recent increase in my ulcer medication due to dealing with this present administrations s**t is what I have to offer in my 'understanding' of the situation. To state the obvious, it scares the shit out of me as to what the current administration has in mind regarding my husbands business. All he wants to do is help/make people feel better. Obama has 'other' plans/control issues. People wonder why we have not nurtured our children toward the medical field - I bite my tongue in retorting the REAL reason - too political for most. I'll just end here as this is not my blog and I'll even understand if this post doesn't 'filter' through your standards.

ADG said...

Lisa...As one in the trenches, you know firsthand the absolute absurd mess that our healthcare system is in. I give Obama an "A" for courage...for engaging an issue that has been toxic to politicians. I give the Congress an "F" for hastily assembling a "plan" that doesn't address the key issues that will ultimately bankrupt our country if we don't address them. But I'll stop right there because this blog is my escape from work...it's about socks!

LimeGreen...maybe we could co-parent a monkey. I'm already doing it so one more probably won't be a problem.

Patsy said...

Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't think :-(