Meeting: Saturday, May 3, 2008

The Way of the Puffin

Jonathan Franzen

A journey through China’s future.

Q. Is JF optimistic about the Chinese philosophy of "growth now"? What makes his writing seem so intimate?

Up and Then Down

Nick Paumgarten

The lives of elevators.

Q. What lessons do we learn from NP? (Besides "never get in an elevator without a cell phone!)

New Airports in London, Beijing, and Madrid.

Paul Goldberger

Q. Is it really that important that airports have aesthetics? Do you care if an airport is more attractive than a train station or a highway?

Basil Twist’s “Petrushka,” the Kirov Ballet.

Joan Acocella

Q. Are JA's reviews a reasonable substitute for attending these performances? She writes with forceful authority... do you think it is just opinion or does she have a foundation for her conclusions?

Paul Wallfisch; M. L. Stein; Christopher A. Karachale

Q. Agree with these letter writers? Are they all well written? Why were they published?

Restoration Drama

Rebecca Mead

Trouble at Edith Wharton’s house.

Q. Is there a tragedy here? Does RM think so? Museums and history are expensive. Why does Edith Wharton's house and library and garden matter?

Crazy English

Evan Osnos

The Olympic bid to learn a new language.

Q. Does China have its own Tony Robbins now? What's good about this series of seminars? What's scary/bad? Is China a sleeping bear awakening?

Rereading Herodotus.

Daniel Mendelsohn

Q. More "history" writing. Why should we reread Herodotus? Aren't others doomed to repeat?

“Baby Mama,” “Roman de Gare,” ”88 Minutes.

Anthony Lane

Q. Make a list of Lane's zingers. Which is best? Nine hours of Elves?