Author Archives
In 2018 I semi-retired by retiring from Weston High School after my 21st year teaching mathematics there. This was also my 44th year as a teacher altogether. In 2023 I retired fully, adding in my 18 years at Harvard’s Crimson Summer Academy each summer. For 21 years I had taught at the Saturday Course in Milton, MA, and I used to serve on the board of the Dorchester Historical Society.
I read, cook, and spend a lot of time building my model railroad. For some reason I’m left with less free time than would be ideal, considering that I’m supposed to be retired, but somehow I also manage to devote time to my wife, Barbara, and to our varying number of cats (once up to six, but now sadly down to one).
Larry Davidson
ljd@larrydavidson.com
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Restaurants need more business on Tuesdays. So we had to go eat at Tavolo last night.
Restaurants need more business on Tuesdays. So we had to go eat at Tavolo last night. I know, it was quite a sacrifice, but somebody had to do it. Barbara had a margherita pizza with a side of house meatballs… Read More ›
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I missed the milestone! Post #2000!
Five posts ago—that was my 2000th post in this blog! I had been intending to observe that as an important milestone, but it slipped past me. Oh well, let’s just turn the clock back to May 16, and we’ll be… Read More ›
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Vincent and William
Keeping a watchful eye out for intruders, Vincent guards his brother William as he sleeps:
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Goat problems!
No, no, we’re not talking about your pet goat’s behavioral problems. We’re talking about a certain type of math problem—a type of problem to which I used to devote a couple of classes per year when I was teaching Honors… Read More ›
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There was violence in Congress! (Hard to believe, I know—but true…)
Hyper-partisanship in the halls of Congress is nothing new. But at least we don’t have physical violence there anymore. Not today, at any rate. Are you listening, Mitch? Joanne B. Freeman has written an outstanding history book, The Field of… Read More ›
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Dana Bullister for City Council!
Normally I don’t endorse political candidates in this blog. But normally my former students don’t run for office! In fact, as far as I know, this is only the 2½th time. Please correct me if I am wrong. Why the… Read More ›
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A beautiful abacus set… and it was free! Free is good.
A family giving away their beautiful abacus set! Who could resist? Not me. As you will see in the photos below, we have an authentic Chinese abacus in pristine condition, inside a box in pristine condition, along with an undated… Read More ›
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The Art and Craft of Approaching Your Head of Department to Submit a Request for a Raise
Despite the title, this is a novel! Actually, the title is a bit problematic. The actual title of Georges Perec’s novel is L’art et la manière d’aborder son chef de service pour lui demander une augmentation, but perhaps for some… Read More ›
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Brasserie: An old but new restaurant in the South End
It rises again like the phoenix! As you know, the sad fact is that many restaurants have been forced to close permanently during the pandemic. But we were delighted to learn that one of our favorites, Gaslight Brasserie du Coin,… Read More ›
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“Can data solve our wicked problems?”
That’s a direct quote from an audience member in yesterday’s online program at the Leventhal Center: “Can data solve our wicked problems?” The program, titled “Matt Bui on how communities use & refuse data about themselves,” was part of the… Read More ›
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A typical house in Dot?
Spotted on my walk yesterday afternoon—a longer walk than usual because the weather was so perfect—was this beautiful house. Is it really typical for Dorchester? Well, you be the judge.
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All Other Nights
About 80% historical fiction and 20% chick lit—that’s my very rough estimate of the nature of this novel by Dara Horn. And it won’t surprise you that I enjoyed the 80% much more than the 20%. There are, of course,… Read More ›
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Foundation’s Friends (for, not by, Isaac Asimov)
This is a collection of 16 original science fiction short stories, plus one novella, written by 17 authors and assembled 32 years ago in honor of Isaac Asimov shortly before his untimely death. Inevitably the quality is uneven, but the… Read More ›
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Finally… Dining in at the Ashmont Grill
After more than a year, Barbara and I finally had dinner inside at the Ashmont Grill! It’s really a different experience, especially when we are greeted by Butterfly at the door and the meal is presented by our favorite server,… Read More ›
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Boston in Transit (the book this time)
Five weeks ago I wrote about a BPL talk on “Boston in Transit,” i.e. the history of public transit in Boston. Now I’ve been reading the accompanying book, with the same title. What a gorgeous book it turns out to… Read More ›
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Department of Death
The trouble with good academic satires is that they are too much like reality. This one is an excellent academic satire, and a mystery to boot. Department of Death is the latest and best of Lev Raphael’s literate mysteries featuring… Read More ›
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A cheery song about the MBTA! (Red, blue, orange, and green)
Okay, so the lyrics aren’t perfect. That’s all right; don’t quibble. Just remember: always look on the bright side of life. No, wait, that’s John Cleese. Oh, well. Here’s the MBTA song:
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Ready Player Two
How do you avoid being formulaic when writing a sequel to a creative and highly successful popular novel? The answer, apparently, is that you don’t avoid it; you give in to it. Now don’t get me wrong! Ready Player Two,… Read More ›
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Tavolo
Scrumptious dinner last night out on the patio at Tavolo! Barbara started with chef’s burrata with arugula, melon, prosciutto, vincotto, and black pepper; my starter was frico (pan-fried grana Padang, potatoes, baby arugula, pickled red onions, with balsamic reduction). Unfortunately,… Read More ›
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Train of Thought
Some fun reading for the pandemic! Linda M. Au’s Train of Thought is a light-hearted account of a two-week cross-country train trip—well, almost cross-country, being Pittsburgh to Seattle and back again. People who don’t appreciate train travel always observe that… Read More ›
Learning Strategies 