The American Scholar: Solitude and Leadership - William Deresiewicz

The position of the leader is ultimately an intensely solitary, even intensely lonely one. However many people you may consult, you are the one who has to make the hard decisions. And at such moments, all you really have is yourself.

Reading about the economy

Just finished two short books on the state of the economy, where we go from here, and how we get there: The Great Stagnation by Tyler Cowen and Race Against the Machine by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee.

In effect, they take opposing positions on what’s going on: Cowen thinks we need a new transformative innovation; Bronjolfsson and McAfee think we need to catch up with existing innovations. I found Race Against the Machine more compelling, but both were good reads, and I recommend the two of them as a paired set.

Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers: “Bustin’ Loose”

The Best of Chuck Brown — Chuck Brown (2005) ★★ “Bustin’ Loose” is a great song, and there are some other gems here. But this collection does not need to be two discs; one would have been more than enough on its own. View high resolution

The Best of Chuck Brown — Chuck Brown (2005)

★★

“Bustin’ Loose” is a great song, and there are some other gems here. But this collection does not need to be two discs; one would have been more than enough on its own.

The Best of Aretha Franklin — Aretha Franklin (1984) ★★★★ Artists like this, where they were clearly favoring singles over albums, is one area where greatest-hits collections make sense. View high resolution

The Best of Aretha Franklin — Aretha Franklin (1984)

★★★★

Artists like this, where they were clearly favoring singles over albums, is one area where greatest-hits collections make sense.

The Best of 1990-2000 — U2 (2002) ★★★ Greatest hits collections are for little girls and housewives.

The Best of 1990-2000 — U2 (2002)

★★★

Greatest hits collections are for little girls and housewives.

The Best of 1980-1990 — U2 (1998) ★★★ I like U2, but I have no real use for Best Of albums when I have the original studio stuff. Bought this for the B-Sides disc.

The Best of 1980-1990 — U2 (1998)

★★★

I like U2, but I have no real use for Best Of albums when I have the original studio stuff. Bought this for the B-Sides disc.

Berceuse Élégiaque — John Adams performed by the Bournemouth Syphony Orchestra (Marin Alsop, cond.) ★★★★ A short (and good) piece by pulitzer-prize winning modern composer John Adams. View high resolution

Berceuse Élégiaque — John Adams performed by the Bournemouth Syphony Orchestra (Marin Alsop, cond.)

★★★★

A short (and good) piece by pulitzer-prize winning modern composer John Adams.

Beneath This Gruff Exterior — John Hiatt & The Goners (2003) ★★★★ Great songwriter, rockin’ band, music that straddles the line between rock and country. This isn’t one of Hiatt’s masterpieces, but it’s a damn good album. View high resolution

Beneath This Gruff Exterior — John Hiatt & The Goners (2003)

★★★★

Great songwriter, rockin’ band, music that straddles the line between rock and country. This isn’t one of Hiatt’s masterpieces, but it’s a damn good album.

Bend It Like Beckham — Various Artists (2003) ★★★★ This veers on occasion into a bit of a pop wasteland, but on the whole it’s a strong set with a lot of interesting Indian and Indian-influenced music. View high resolution

Bend It Like Beckham — Various Artists (2003)

★★★★

This veers on occasion into a bit of a pop wasteland, but on the whole it’s a strong set with a lot of interesting Indian and Indian-influenced music.