15 December, 2011  Winter Reads: A List  [cue: deep-baritoned
voice over...]   [cue: windy sounds]  The dim days of earth's
sabbath are before you.  [cue: record scratch]  Did I ever tell
you that my New York apartment is called "The Winter Palace?"
No? Did I not do that because it reveals how violently dork-
faced I am, that I actually love AllThingsRussian so profoundly
that I have named my apartment after the winter residence of the
Tsars of Russia? Well! (I say to all you cooler-than-though
scoffers) Well! At least I am consistent. At least I faked left
and swung left.  Anyway, here in The Winter Palace I don't rely
on the calendar or the weather to let me know that winter is
here (also, here in New York, that would be particularly
ineffective as it was 60 degrees last week...) My winter
traditionally kicks off with:    1. A viewing of Bill Murray in
Scrooged. (Because this is the one time of year when Bill Murray
and I spend time together with a movie that is not What About
Bob?)   2. Setting up my sweet