Ahoy,
I’ve been working with a buddy on a new project that you all might be interested in. It’s called Golden Years Media and it’s a media org dedicated to seniors, including folks with dementia. The goal is to create a magazine and web presence that seniors can visit alongside their caregivers and that features easy-to-digest stories and images that aren’t political or particularly controversial.
Our magazine is called The Latest and it features fiction, poetry, and images, including lists of recent celebrities and historical figures. I know it sounds a bit infantilizing but if you’ve ever dealt with a loved one in the throes of dementia or in hospice it’s a boon to have something you can share and talk about.
We publish "The Latest" a monthly print magazine specifically written and designed for seniors. You're never too old to turn the page and in this age of devices, the feeling of an actual magazine in hand is becoming rarer. A physical magazine is familiar and warm. It's easier to read and see photos than on a phone. No instructions or charging are required either. Designed to be read alone or with a friend throughout the month to share an interest or memory.
Check it out here and tell me what you think. And now, on to the books.
Best,
JB
Adam Zamoyski
This is a very readable history of Poland which is also the story of Central Europe in its various permutations. This, along with the Gates of Europe, make an excellent primer on a geographic area that has long been under contention.
Lawrence Block
Block writes great thrillers and this is an interesting one. Set in my neighborhood, Bay Ridge, it tells the story of a guy who is trying to solve a number of murders while maintaining sobriety. Worth it.
Tim Mak
Tim’s book on the death of the NRA is enlightening and fascinating. The organization, founded to teach kids proper gun handling and shooting, turned into a media organization in the 2000s and eventually burnt out, resulting in something that is the shell of its former self.
The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin
Masha Gessen
This history of the rise of Putin is fascinating. Written on the ground by Masha Gessen, a well-known Russian journalist, it tells the story of a nobody picked by Yeltsin for one reason: he wouldn’t try Yeltsin for corruption when he came into power. Now this faceless KGB officer is threatening world peace. If you read one book out of this list, make it this one.