Monthly Archives: July 2007

In the middle of May, I mentioned Jack the Cat in this column. Jack the Cat is not one of my cats, a point that would be obvious to anyone who has ever met one of my animals: Jack has … Continue reading →

(Prior to the arrival this week of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” the Boston Globe asked me and three other writers to offer our thoughts on how the book might end. This was my response — the last page … Continue reading →

Frankly, I knew all along that Homer and Marge Simpson and the kids lived in Vermont. The tip-off for me wasn’t the proximity to the nuclear power plant. It wasn’t even Bart’s iconic, “Don’t have a cow, man,” a trenchant … Continue reading →

Old art can be overrated. Do we appreciate Botticelli’s painting of the Birth of Venus because it’s really old — five centuries and counting — or because of its composition and grace? OK, that’s a ridiculous question. We all know … Continue reading →

Here are my two principal memories of my years at sleep-away summer camps: Replacing the prescription toothpaste another camper had brought from home with paste from the craft tent — a trick I learned from my older brother — and … Continue reading →