title: The Insiders: Is This to be Mankind's Future ?
author: Montanali
description: Mr. Ali has been using Montanali as his nom-de-plume since he started writing in 1996. He presently resides somewhere but was born and raised in Brooklyn U.S.A. Since his retirement, he has the time to do the two things he likes best, painting and writing. It is the challenge they present that motivates him. He received an Associates Degree in Commercial Art from the State University of New York but never followed that career. Instead, he became an industrial designer of electrical and electronic equipment. This was the result of his additional education in electronics while in the United States Air Force. Besides art and writing, Mr. Ali has a variety of other interests. Among them are: designing and building cabinets, miscellaneous carpentry, pigeon racing, fishing, handwriting analysis and lets not forget  country dancin. He was accepted for membership in a local Artists Association. He is currently a member of a nearby Country Music Association. His past memberships include: the New York Metropolitan Country Music Association, the Boro Park Homing Pigeon Club and Mensa. All of these organizations have a continuing influence on his painting and writing and retirement in general.
zlib_text: MAR. 8, 2021
  PRICE $8.99
  
  4 GOINGS ON ABOUT TOWN
  11 THE TALK OF THE TOWN
  Amy Davidson Sorkin on hope amid COVID;
  touring the rooms at the top; a P.S.A. for the M.T.A.;
  mining Minecraft for wisdom; true selves on display.
  PERSONAL HISTORY
  Ann Patchett
  16 How to Practice
  Cleaning house and the art of letting go.
  SHOUTS & MURMURS
  Susanna Wolff
  23 Beyond Hygge
  LETTER FROM GAMBIA
  Ian Urbina
  24 The Smell of Money
  A fish-meal plant transforms a coastal community.
  ANNALS OF TECHNOLOGY
  Joshua Rothman
  30 Missing a Beat
  The challenges of building an artificial heart.
  A REPORTER AT LARGE
  Dexter Filkins
  40 Last Exit
  What kind of future does Afghanistan face?
  FICTION
  Jonathan Lethem
  50 “The Crooked House”
  THE CRITICS
  BOOKS
  James Wood
  56 Kazuo Ishiguro’s “Klara and the Sun.”
  59 Briefly Noted
  Casey Cep
  62 The women of the Barbizon Hotel.
  PODCAST DEPT.
  Alex Ross  66 Music appreciation with “Switched On Pop.”
  ON TELEVISION
  Naomi Fry  68 The twisted logic of “Behind Her Eyes.”
  THE CURRENT CINEMA
  Anthony 