Inspiring Teachers

Photo from Best Colleges Online

Best Colleges has published an article titled “15 Incredibly Inspiring Women in Academia.” Given the Republicans' attack on teachers that is occurring around the country, this is a timely read to remind them of the importance of education. Find the article at http://www.bestcollegesonline.com/blog/2011/06/05/15-incredibly-inspiring-women-in-academia

Recently read: Donald E. Westlake’s Watch Your Back

I always enjoy Westlake’s comic crime books, especially the ones with Dortmunder and his cronies. In this one, Dortmunder’s fence, the offensive Arnie, is home from his “intervention” at Club Med with news of a billionaire’s home sitting defenseless. So Dortmuncer gathers his crew of Kelp and Stan and Stan’s mother and Tiny to battle on two fronts: the removing of the billionaire’s possessions, and saving the O.J. Bar & Grill from a Mafia takeover. A treat to read!

Recently read: Cara Black’s Murder in the Sentier

Black’s books are good contemporary detective novels set in contemporary Paris, featuring private eye Aimee Leduc. I’ve read and reviewed several of the books over the years, and all are worth reading. This one is too, although I thought Leduc’s driving motivation was too forced. In this book, a mysterious woman appears with knowledge of Leduc’s mother, who vanished when Aimee was very young. Leduc tracks down elderly terrorists from 60s and 70s Europe (remember the Red Army?), becoming more and more concerned that her mother abandoned her for political motives. As ever, lots of descriptions of the underworld of Paris.

Another birthday

Carl's birthday martini

We spent the entire weekend celebrating Carl's birthday, starting on Friday with a visit to the Denver Art Museum to see the Cities of Splendor: A Journey through renaissance Italy, with lunch at the museum's elegant restaurant, Pallettes. Yesterday we explored the northern suburbs and desolate lands between Boulder and Arvada, lunch at Bloom's, and cocktails and pizza at Abrusci's Italian restaurant. Today we are lolling, but still eating!