Feb 10BOOK REVIEW: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man — 3rd Editionby John Perkins (Reviewer: Anthony Pomes) “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” –Robert Oppenheimer, quoting the Bhagavad Gita upon witnessing the world’s first atomic bomb test on July 16, 1945 The world is dying. Name nearly any measure of life available to us, and much of the…John Perkins4 min readJohn Perkins4 min read
Feb 23, 2021“Captain Perfection & the Secret of Self-Compassion” by Julian Reeve (Illustrated by Carol Green)Reviewer: Anthony Pomes Perfection remains a kind of Holy Grail for those who hope to do something so well that its execution can stand sturdily unto itself — utterly unblemished by the rest of the universe, and held infinitely beyond all manner of reproach. Yet, there’s the rub when it…Captain Perfection4 min readCaptain Perfection4 min read
Sep 10, 2020Book Review: “Whatever Works: The Small Cues That Make a Surprising Difference in Our Success at Work — and How to Create a Happier Office”by Thalma Lobel Reviewer: Anthony Pomes The weekend before I received this book to review, I had re-watched a Woody Allen film from 2009 starring Larry David titled Whatever Works. Perhaps influenced by the rampant pessimism displayed by David’s character throughout much of that movie, my immediate thought was that…Whatever Works4 min readWhatever Works4 min read
Aug 31, 2020Book Review: Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker (Yale Univ. Press) by David MikicsReviewer: Anthony Pomes I admit, without a shred of shame, that I have watched Stanley Kubrick’s films repeatedly during my nearly five decades rooted to this vast spinning globe. The pattern was set at age 11, when a “pan-scan” VHS copy of his 1968 legendary sci-fi masterpiece, 2001: A Space…Stanley Kubrick4 min readStanley Kubrick4 min read
Jun 30, 2020Book Review: “Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!”Deep Inside Valley of the Dolls, the Most Beloved Bad Book and Movie of All Time by Stephen Rebello Reviewer: Anthony Pomes Who among us can take a shower without thinking of composer Bernard Herrmann’s high-pitch shrieking violins from Hitchcock’s 1960 thriller, Psycho? At the same time, who has ever…Book Reivew5 min readBook Reivew5 min read
Jun 22, 2020Book Review: “Unlearning Anxiety & Depression: The 4-Step Self-Coaching Program to Reclaim Your Life”by Joseph J. Luciani, PhD Reviewer: Anthony Pomes Full disclosure: Please note that your humble reviewer finished reading this book exactly thirty-five days ago. He knows this for a fact because that was when he began the “mind-brain unlearning” process for himself, outlined wonderfully by author and internationally esteemed psychologist…Joe Luciani4 min readJoe Luciani4 min read
Jun 18, 2020Book Review: “Relentless: A Memoir”How a Massive Stroke Changed My Life for the Better by Ted W. Baxter Reviewer: Anthony Pomes Fear. Reach a certain age, and “fear” seems to become the chief theme of “life” — two four-letter words stretched tight atop the void. From our first cradle stirrings, a fear of death is buried so deeply in our DNA that it remains a largely existential…Ted Baxter4 min readTed Baxter4 min read
Jun 17, 2020Book Review: “Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail to Achieve Change and What They Can Do to Transform Giving”by Kris Putnam-Walkerly Reviewer: Anthomy Pomes Recently, amid the continued abject horror that is the Coronavirus, I agreed to play a game of Monopoly with my equally-stuck-at-home family. The eventual, and total, decimation of my board game liquidity — along with the collapse of my fledging hotel properties, including Park Place — was…Delusional Altruism4 min readDelusional Altruism4 min read
May 5, 2020“Breaking the Silence Habit A Practical Guide to Uncomfortable Conversations in the #MeToo Workplace” by Sarah BeaulieuMothers, daughters, sisters, wives, friends — and, of course, human beings. Women have the potential to place themselves in any or all of these roles, as per the dictates of modern Western society. They are also, however, something else in daily life — they are colleagues, or “co-workers,” to use…Sarah Beaulieu4 min readSarah Beaulieu4 min read
Apr 27, 2020“Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier” by Alan ZweibelReviewer: Anthony Pomes There’s a moment in Alan Zweibel’s delightful new book, Laugh Lines, set at the home of famed director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. They are screening for friends and family some restored footage of classic comedy TV sketches from Your Show of Shows and Caesar’s Hour…Laugh Lines5 min readLaugh Lines5 min read
