Blogging

Subscribe to Blogging

In recognition of the Independence Day holiday in the U.S., and in what is now an annual tradition, I reprise my 2012 essay about Time and Summer, which can be found here. Amidst all the disruption we have all experienced in both our work lives and personal lives in recent months, life’s timeless lessons…

Readers of this blog may have noted that from time to time I refer to “the D&O Insurance industry,” or to the “Professional Lines Insurance industry” but may not be sure what I was talking about. The good news is that for anyone who wants or needs to find out about the industry, there is now a book for that. It is called “Professional Lines Insurance: An Oral History,” with the subtitle “The People and Companies Who Built a Niche.” The book is available here. It would be conventional to say that the book was “written by” industry veteran Larry Goanos, but that would suggest that this is a conventional book – which it is not. It is more like a literary form of performance art with the professional lines insurance industry as its subject, and with Larry’s own personal industry experience as the central organizing theme. It is also a detailed account of many of the people who made the industry what it is today.
Continue Reading Book Review: “Professional Lines Insurance: An Oral History”

The Louvre Museum, Paris

I hope readers will recall that several days ago, in a fit of pandemic fatigue and nostalgia, I posted an article in which I reminisced about interesting art I have experienced while traveling, including pictures of the art I had encountered. I also invited readers to send me pictures of their art experiences, with my promise to publish future posts featuring readers’ pictures. In response to my art nostalgia post, I received several notes saying kind things about the article, but so far only one reader has actually submitted pictures. Even though I have received only one reader submission, I am going to post the submitted pictures here, both because I really like the submitted pictures, and because I hope that by publishing these pictures, others might be encouraged to send in pictures as well.
Continue Reading A Reader’s Art, Travel, and Nostalgia Pictures

In recognition of the Independence Day holiday in the U.S., and in what is now an annual tradition, I reprise my 2012 essay about Time and Summer, which can be found here. In the midst of the very strange time in which we are all now living, life’s timeless lessons somehow seem more important…

H.M.S. Endeavour

I am sure I am not the only one who has been thinking about leadership over the last few days. Leadership, as we all know, is not tested when seas are calm and skies are blue. Leadership is tested in a time of crisis. It is in times of crisis that leadership matters most.

These thoughts were in the forefront of my mind as I was reading Peter Moore’s excellent book, “Endeavour: The Ship That Changed the World,” which tells the story of the ship best known as the vessel on which Captain James Cook and his crew sailed their voyage of exploration and discovery between 1768 and 1771.
Continue Reading Reflections on the Meaning of Leadership

Perry Granof

It was very shocking and sad to learn this past week of the untimely death of my good friend and industry colleague, Perry Granof. Because Perry was friends with so many in the industry, I thought it would be appropriate for me to post a memorial to him here.  Please also read the many memorials to Perry at the end of this post. Because the way Perry lived his life has so many lessons for all of us, I hope everyone will read this memorial, even those who did not know him.
Continue Reading In Memorium: Perry Granof      

A very long time ago, but also for a very long time, there was a third country between what is now France and what is now Germany. Today, this area is divided among a number of countries – Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Eastern France, Western Germany, and Switzerland. Parts of this area were known for a time as “Burgundy.” But originally this area was called “Lotharingia,” in honor of Charlemagne’s grandson, who once ruled the region. Although it not often told or even remembered, this area has a long and interesting history. This unfamiliar history is the subject of the latest book by Simon Winder, a book that is full of wonder and unexpected delight.
Continue Reading Book Review: “Lotharingia”

Several years ago when my wife (also a lawyer) and I were in London on holiday, we took the opportunity to visit Old Bailey, London’s famous criminal courthouse. We were fortunate on the day we visited to see a portion of rather sensational murder trial. The facts surrounding the underlying crime, while lurid, were also fascinating, but the most striking thing for us about the trial day we observed was the quality of the advocacy, which was absolutely brilliant. Witnessing the spectacle was a completely enthralling experience.
Continue Reading Book Review: “Court Number One: The Old Bailey Trials That Defined Modern Britain”

As a follow-up to my year-end activities, including publishing a list of my own top ten 2019 travel pictures, I have also been publishing pictures that readers have submitted of their 2019 travels. My first installment of readers’ 2019 travel pictures can be found here, the second installment can be found here, and the third installment can be found here. In this post, I am publishing the latest round of readers’ travel pictures, including some very distinctive pictures from Central Asia.
Continue Reading A Final Round of Readers’ Travel Pictures