All golden ages are marked by periods of spectacular cultural flourishing, scientific exploration, technological achievement and economic growth; yet no two are the same. Their beliefs, societies and place in the wider world all vary. Despite this, all previous golden ages have ended, whether it be because of external pressures or internal fracturing; too much hubris or too little wariness. Looking at seven of humanity’s greatest civilizations – ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, Abbasid Baghdad, Song China, Renaissance Italy, the Dutch Republic and the Anglosphere – historian and commentator Johan Norberg seeks to distil their strengths and shortcomings in answering the question: how do we ensure that our current golden age doesn’t end? As insightful as it is riveting, Peak Human is at once a paean to our incredible progress and a warning that we cannot afford to be complacent.
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Attention DMA Golfers: The last meeting to sign up for the Oak Hills Golf Outing is this week, May 13. Steve True will be manning the signup sheet as you come into the meeting room. Tee offs start at 11am Thursday, May 21 and limited to 24 golfers. The fee is $66 payable at Oak Hills. Foursomes will be assigned before the 21st. It is a fun day with no formal competition. Using the forward tees is recommended. Since we are playing through lunchtime, we will have boxed lunches available. Steve has the choices at signup. The lunches@ $18.25 will be available in Odeen’s Restaurant after you sign up in the Golf Shop. Please arrive 20 minutes before your tee time.
Jerry Crowley, Steve True
All Hail the Hale and Hearty!
On Thursday, May 18, we will be traversing a path in the Naugatuck State Forest. The trail starts out running north, directly alongside the railroad tracks and then turns 90 degrees to the west. The first part is level and the second portion mildly uphill, with one abrupt declivity on the way. (During this short dip you may choose, like me, to turn around and use your arms for additional balance.) The goats among us (and there are many!) will scamper right through. Our efforts will be well-rewarded, as a rushing torrent is close at hand, with a gorgeous, cascading waterfall as the ultimate payoff.
Carpoolers should meet at the DCA parking lot at 9:30 a.m. Please remember to park your vehicle in the back. For navigation purposes, or those choosing not to carpool, proceed up Rte. 8, use exit 21 and cross over the Naugatuck River in Beacon Falls on Depot Street. Take your next two rights and park facing the tracks just outside the cyclone-fence gateway, where there is ample room. It should take about 40 minutes to drive there from Darien.
For our repast, we will gather afterward at The Tap House in downtown Naugatuck, just north of the bridge.
Alec Wiggin
May 2026
1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in History–and How It Shattered a Nation by Andrew Ross Sorkin
From the bestselling author of Too Big to Fail, “the definitive history of the 2008 banking crisis,”* comes a spellbinding narrative of the most infamous stock market crash in history. With the depth of a classic history and the drama of a thriller, 1929 unravels the greed, blind optimism, and human folly that led to an era-defining collapse—one with ripple effects that still shape our society today.
In 1929, the world watched in shock as the unstoppable Wall Street bull market went into a freefall, wiping out fortunes and igniting a depression that would reshape a generation. But behind the flashing ticker tapes and panicked traders, another drama unfolded—one of visionaries and fraudsters, titans and dreamers, euphoria and ruin.
With unparalleled access to historical records and newly uncovered documents, New York Times bestselling author Andrew Ross Sorkin takes readers inside the chaos of the crash, behind the scenes of a raging battle between Wall Street and Washington and the larger-than-life characters whose ambition and naivete in an endless boom led to disaster. The dizzying highs and brutal lows of this era eerily mirror today’s world—where markets soar, political tensions mount, and the fight over financial influence plays out once again.
This is not just a story about money. 1929 is a tale of power, psychology, and the seductive illusion that “this time is different.” It’s about disregarded alarm bells, financiers who fell from grace, and skeptics who saw the crash coming—only to be dismissed until it was too late.
Hailed as a landmark book, Too Big to Fail reimagined how financial crises are told. Now, with 1929, Sorkin delivers an immersive, electrifying account of the most pivotal market collapse of all time—with lessons that remain as urgent as ever. More than just a history, 1929 is a crucial blueprint for understanding the cycles of speculation, the forces that drive financial upheaval, and the warning signs we ignore at our peril.
Pp 577