Lunch and Learn

Just spent one of the most delightful afternoons at Candy and Joe's—for those who know them, I thought I'd take a photo of them actually in the same frame to demonstrate they actually do intersect in their amazing and peripatetic lifestyle. No, I'm not even going to go into it.

Candy, in my opinion, defines the word Maven as used by Malcolm Gladwell in his book The Tipping Point. If you haven't read it, it's worth checking out. Perhaps one of the early works of non-fiction that really took to heart or simply took good advantage of the lessons of fiction and storytelling and makes for entertaining—as well as instructive—reading.

While I was ensconsed in this lovely spot, eating amazing food, enjoying the conversation of most eclectic, and fascinating group of people—journalists, vintners, actors, filmmakers, psychologists, writers, editors, pick an interesting profession, pick an interesting person, they are there—an interesting challenge was made: are there 32 great romances? Would I be willing to contribute to a collection a fellow guest was compiling? I canvassed everyone for help, but realized as I sat down that it was too awkward to do as a publisher, so I bowed out.

I wanted to thank everyone who contributed their brilliant suggestions—many of which I totally agreed with. However there were a number of titles I hadn't read, so my "TBR" pile has just grown enormously, and I can't wait to get started—thank you for so many excellent suggestions and ideas! I will also be passing on your recommendations to our team for consideration for favorite titles to get back in print, so I assure you, nothing is wasted!

OK, you have been so good, I had to share this brief article I read in my September 2006 Natural History Magazine Samplings section (Magazine is yours free just for being a member of the Museum of Natural History in New York, one of my favorite Museums!).

You may ask yourself: Is there any benefit to having a lateralized brain? Let me just share some information from a recent study by Marco Dadda, a psychologist, and Agnelo Bisazza, an evolutionary biologist, both at the University of Padua in Italy that suggests that lateralization may make animals better at the critical skill of multitasking (something you may feel is a skill particularly well developed in women. Well, gentle reader, read on!).

"Goldbelly topminnows are small Central American fish that belong to the guppy family. Female goldbelly topminnows must put up with repeated attempts by males to mate with them. The suitors can be distracting, even exasperating, to females, particularly when they are trying to eat.

"Dadda and Bisazza compared the feeding efficiency of female goldbelly topminnows bred to be lateralized with that of females bred to have no side preference. When there were no distracting males, the two kinds of females caught food equally well. When randy males were present, however, only the lateralized females kept eating efficiently, while still avoiding unwanted advances. Parallel processing seems to benefit from a brain with asymmetrical function. (Behavioral Ecology 17:358—63, 2006) —Stephan Reebs

Doesn't that sort of say it all? Somehow, when it's two Italian guys (with, c'mon, sort of made up sounding names) staring at schools of these adorable Central American guppies, worried about whether their girls are getting enough to eat. Sitting there, describing the importunate and irritating goldbelly topminnow guys...just trying to get on top, one can only assume, taking the girl's side. It's, well, it's beautiful. Food? Sex?

Now you know why you have a right and left brain. Keep them both in working order!