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I'm honored by your remarks, and grateful. Please call me Chris. As to readings, just read widely and often. On the subject of WWII and its generations, the finest book I've read on the subject is a novel, "Guard of Honor," by James Gould Cozzens.

A current book on skeptics and doubters throughout history is "Doubt: A History," by Jennifer Michael Hecht, who is also a favorite poet of mine. I would travel anywhere to see her read on the same stage with another poet I love, who I believe complements her, Robert Bly; though I am probably alone in that belief.

Finally, I recommend the scene from Shaw's play "Man And Superman" known as "Don Juan in Hell." It's the length of a short story, but a demanding read; yet fortunately you can still find it in recorded form, from a 1950's set of disks. I'd advise both listening to the recording and reading it, if you can. Most writing about the devil, from John Milton on down, makes him the bad boy we hate and envy and would love to be, but Shaw shows him as he is: cultured, mild, civil, tasteful, discreet, well-mannered, educated, the kind of scholar you'd want to sit down with to discuss the evolving Presidencies and obscure nineteenth century political movements, and a dreadful bore bent on persuading humankind to give up, retire, relax and enjoy the good life and its many, many pleasures.

Throw in "The Seventeen Traditions" by Ralph Nader and you'll never want to leave this party where Don Juan and Donna Anna, the Statue and the Devil (the party wouldn't be complete without him - there's no keeping him out) and Shaw, plus Hecht and Bly and Nader and old Cozzens, plus all the others to whom thanks are due, hang out all the time. Ray Suarez is there, so's the whole crew.

I'll leave with my favorite line by Shaw: "Decency is indecency's conspiracy of silence."