George A. Steiner was born during the Taft administration. He was 102 years of age on May 1 this year. He sent a card to mark his birthday. His son — John F. Steiner — and I attended graduate school at the University of Arizona during the Johnson and Nixon administrations. Father and Son — both have had rich and productive academic careers — have been writing the definitive college textbook on ethics and business, Business, Government and Society: A Managerial Perspective. I say “have been” because the 13^th edition was  published two years ago.

It is the most interesting textbook I have ever read. Unlike most, it is replete with fascinating stories well told. The writing is first-rate — also a rare thing among the genre. One of my favorite gems is a chapter on Henry David Thoreau. The Steiners say of Thoreau that besides being indolent, he “became a beacon for the few in each succeeding generation who rejected materialism. But its light has a limited radius. Tourists now drawn to his Walden Pond homesite support three shopping malls within a mile as the crow flies.”

John says his father has “certain feelings” about being 102. All things considered, I think that’s understandable. His father dictated the content on the front of the card, which asks the question, “Do You Know Me?”

If you want to know more about George Steiner, search Google, and it will yield many books.

The search will not tell you about his paintings, one of which is in the background of the portrait, which was taken by John.

Many happy returns.