This is a book of puzzles, by noted logician, Raymond Smullyan. Here’s an example: “Very well, Auspicious King,” said Scheherazade. “The news has reached me that one day a customer brought into the shop of Abdul the Jeweler six chains, each of which had five links. He wanted the six chains to be joined into [...]

Ferenc Fricsay was born in Budapest, where he studied music under Bela Bartok, Zoltan Kodaly and Ernst von Dohnanyi. He was musical director of the German RIAN Symphony Orchestra, and excellent recordings of the work of Bartok are available on CD. He also worked for Deutsche Grammphon, recording the works of Beethoven. He conducted the [...]

This is the cover of (unfortunately) the final edition of The Worldly Philosophers by Robert L. Heilbroner. This book introduces economic ideas through the lives of great economists. The eccentricities (and bad French) of Adam Smith. The carbuncles and chaotic lifestyle of Karl Marx. The wanderlust and lasting impact of Henry George. The infidelity and genius [...]

Valery Gergiev is a “specialist” in the music of Sergei Prokofiev, and that may be an understatement. His recordings of the Prokofiev piano concertos, with Alexander Toradze, are spectacular, and their version of the much recorded Third  Concerto stands out as one of the best. Similarly, his recordings of the Prokofiev symphonies are equally spectacular, [...]