Weekend Archive

Weekend Butler: Editor’s letter update. Praise for Taylor Swift (Okay: one song). Pulitzer Prize novel. Sharon Olds poem. Blood-pounding movie. Delish cacao a pepe. - UPDATE:  LETTER FROM THE EDITOR I rarely do this, but earlier this week, I wrote an editor’s letter about my health, which has been, in the 20 years I’ve been publishing

Weekend Butler: Elmo worries about you. A necessary substack. A minister’s eulogy for a murdered grand-daughter. Music: I’m still obsessed. Poem: a ‘happy child’ and ‘a cornball father.’ A toothsome dinner. - ELMO IS CONCERNED “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” asked 3-year-old Elmo, the forever star of “Sesame Street,” on X (formerly Twitter). He was promptly flooded with responses,

Weekend Butler: Feeling lucky. Must-see weekend movies. Cannabis prevents COVID? Nancy Pelosi’s 1/6 “Lost and Found.” Best slippers for women. And more. - SHOPPING ON AMAZON: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a modest commission from qualifying purchases. How does that work? You start on Butler, buy something on Amazon --- or Whole

Weekend Butler: Forrest Gump 2021? Sherlock Holmes returns. Sassy Julia Child. Weekend reading: a short page-turner. - “STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES” The Russians are gearing up for an invasion of the Ukraine, and Tucker Carlson says we should side with Putin. A Virginia politician says it may

Weekend Butler: Francis Ford Coppola’s surveillance thriller, “The Conversation.” The marriage of Garcia Marquez & Mercedes Barcha. Artisanal Firewood? Anne Lamott. A classic baseball novel for kids. Louise Glück. Braised asparagus. - SUPPORTING BUTLER: Since the start of 2023, Amazon seems to have gone on a quiet campaign to rid itself of small sites that, collectively, generate revenue worth noticing --- and

Weekend Butler: Garland Jeffreys is so much more than “Wild in the Streets.” Rolling with Tom Cruise. A weekend movie that’s fun and smart. Shrimp that’s not boiled to death. - GARLAND JEFFREYS IS SO MUCH MORE THAN “WILD IN THE STREETS” -- LIKE A DOCUMENTARY FILM For the final New Year’s Eve party in the old apartment, we invited a

Weekend Butler: Gary Gulman: very funny. Tommy Smothers: great mentor. Jackson Browne: reality check. The richest Nobel poet. Savvy investment advice. Celery-and-apple stuffed roast chicken. - GARY GULMAN Let's start with funny. Is he? Very. Watch. Then, if you're like the friends who laughed at this comic (in the photo, above), you'll go on to YouTube and

Weekend Butler: Greetings from a computer far away, doing the best it can to serve you - I was planning to be in New York this week. I had forgotten a few things: fate, luck, angels. And so, unexpectedly, I am far away, stunned, grateful. This Weekend Butler

Weekend Butler: Have I solved vaccine resistance? Learn this word: asparagopsis. Blind cats who stick together. A gorgeous song, a thrilling movie, and more. - “If you are not vaccinated, your chance of getting through this without having to become either vaccinated or infected is essentially zero.” - Dr. David Persse, Professor of Medicine and

Weekend Butler: How to succeed: “handle hard better.” Paul McCartney’s “perfect love song.” Elizabeth Strout’s “ideal reader.” For better health: “Pick up the pace. ” Roasted carrot ginger soup. And more. - HANDLE HARD BETTER A few weeks ago, Weekend Butler included a video by Kara Lawson, the head coach of the Duke University women’s basketball team. Before Duke, she made history as

Weekend Butler: How would you teach empathy? The Elon Musk bio…killed. Morning Yoga. Talking Heads. The favorite recipe of the NYTimes. - WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I DIDN'T WRITE THIS. I FOUND IT ON FACEBOOK, which, amazingly, sometimes delivers something that isn't advertising or an announcement of a death or a long marriage.

Weekend Butler: I see sick people. How to upgrade your yacht. Lavender fields forever. A feel good song. The obvious recipe: Julia Child’s onion soup. - LET'S START WITH A FEEL GOOD SONG Early Beatles. Great footage. Steve Van Zandt, foundational in Springsteen's band, found it, calls it "the greatest." My favorite moment: Ringo smoking a cigarette

Weekend Butler: I’m not a Christian. What can Easter mean to me? (It can mean good news!) Holiday Ham or Holiday Lamb. Vivaldi. Handel. - I’M NOT A CHRISTIAN. WHAT CAN EASTER MEAN FOR ME? (GOOD NEWS) Easter is not my holiday. I believe Jesus was a great spiritual presence, but I don’t believe in the Resurrection,

Weekend Butler: If it’s too heavy for Superman to carry, who will carry it? Plus: Michelle Williams on love, Chris Rock’s message Kanye could use, a hearty recipe, and more. - PRELUDE: “WAITING FOR A SUPERMAN” Let’s start with a song, “Waiting for a Superman,” by the Flaming Lips. Watch. I asked you a question I didn't need you to reply Is it gettin'

Weekend Butler: In the real world, real news, mostly ugly. In Butlerworld, better news: Actors. Comics. Writers, Movie, Concert Tickets, Roasted Fish - IN THE REAL WORLD: Lucian Truscott IV reports: "Election deniers are in charge of elections in 17 states.” Jann Wenner, one of the founders of the Rock Hall of Fame,

Weekend Butler: Is it possible that the problem with almost everything is…a three-letter word? I have great tickets I can’t use: want them? And free tickets to a Toni Morrison event. And Sondheim, Glück, Dylan, and more protein - IS IT POSSIBLE THE PROBLEM WITH PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING WRONG IS… A THREE-LETTER WORD? I was small and smart and mouthy --- a bully magnet --- so I learned early to

Weekend Butler: It’s always something. Calm.com. The Stoics. A Russian poet. Dreamy music. And something completely different. - It’s always something. With wisdom gained from the focus group --- thanks again, all --- I completed the novel. Michael Tonello was enthusiastic about my adaptation of Bringing Home the

Weekend Butler: It’s not “the battle of the sexes,” it’s bigger than that. Patti Smith’s excellent advice for 2023. Two weekend movies, a delightful poem, a toothsome recipe. - IT'S NOT “THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES.” IT’S BIGGER THAN THAT. I posted my review of Lessons in Chemistry on Facebook. On 2 accounts, 150 “likes.” That’s a lot. More to the

WEEKEND BUTLER: Jackie O’s favorite poet. The Beatles tell all (or most). Judi Dench recites Shakespeare. George Clooney mouths off. Jamie Oliver’s chicken. - BORN: APRIL 29, 1863. DIED: APRIL 29, 1933.  WHO AM I? His poem, “Ithaka,” was the favorite of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who had it read at her funeral. Easy to understand

Weekend Butler: Jimmy Breslin, “Deadline Artist.” John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon: A new film. Our daughter’s birthday. An overlooked film: “She Said.” Wendell Berry. - JIMMY BRESLIN, "DEADLINE ARTIST" If you could call anyone the day after 9/11, who would you call? I called Jimmy Breslin. “Security will make you weep,” he said. I didn't understand why that was