Perspective is a tricky, subjective devil, suggesting a relative hierarchy. Most would say a person’s perspective reflects what he or she recognizes and believes is most important. When complaining about this or that, I commonly put my mind at rest by telling myself to relax and “keep some perspective.” At times I have joked about [...]
Think back on your life. What stands out? What do you remember first, and then what comes to you more slowly as you reconstruct your memories? Or, what made you choose one or another event among the thousands that comprise your life? This was one of the challenges I faced when writing my memoirs. I [...]
I remember when at the dawn of my career in science a lady I met for the first time at a social occasion deduced correctly by my name that my father was the world-famous cellist, Gregor Piatigorsky. Then, she took me by surprise by asking in a deadpan, serious voice, “Are you a failure like [...]
Wednesday evening I went to hear Jeffrey Goldberg speak about his much-publicized article, “The Obama Doctrine,” published in the April issue of The Atlantic. The historic Sixth and I synagogue in Washington was filled to capacity. James Bennet, editor of the magazine, questioned Goldberg about his extensive interviews of President Obama. Goldberg explained that his objective was [...]
Recently I went to Strathmore Music Center in Rockville and heard Brian Ganz, an accomplished pianist, play a Chopin recital. Ganz played superbly and received a deserved ovation from the audience. As much as I enjoyed the concert, as smoothly as it all went, the few moments before the concert impressed me as well. Spontaneous generation [...]
Last week I talked about ekphrasis: the pairing of art with words. I relate to the art of pairing art with words much like like one pairs wines with food. The flavors of each enhance the other, allowing us to best savor the two. The following print, Polar Patterns, was created by my wife, Lona, to accompany a [...]
