David Mamet has always been a writer who prides himself on narrative craftsmanship. He builds a drama like a carpenter builds a chair, conscious of where the stresses are going to fall and looking for the best way to carry them. He's not above following a traditional blueprint either, which is why quite a lot of his dramas and screenplays have an old-fashioned sturdiness about them, the sense of a folk pattern adapted and personalised.

The songs that are hot on our playlist this week

Rare letters written by Vincent van Gogh, John Lennon and other iconic figures are being offered at an upcoming auction of more than 300 historical documents in New York City.

“Go baby, go baby go, don’t upset the rhythm though,” screeches Shingai Shoniwa above the roars of the crowd cheering on Ben Ainslie’s gold in the sailing and a sublime Andy Murray backhand in the tennis.

It was hardly the OJ Simpson trial. Considering this nation has become known as the CCTV capital of the world, there has been a reluctance to allow television cameras to record the dramas of other areas of British life.

Starring: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum

David Mamet, the "anti-liberal" US playwright who this week accused the British literary establishment of entrenched anti-Semitism, has become embroiled in a fresh row over his controversial new film about the jailed music producer Phil Spector.

In 1964 three unrelated Americans, Scott Engel, John Maus and Gary Leeds became the Walker Brothers, and once settled in London had No 1 hits with "Make It Easy On Yourself" and "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore". Their slow, cavernous, heavily orchestrated recordings were highly distinctive and Scott and John's voices merged together well. In 1965-66, Walkermania was not far behind Beatlemania.

Gladys Horton was the lead singer with the Marvelettes, who topped the American charts with "Please Mr Postman" in December 1961. It was a key record for boosting morale during the Vietnam War. Although not a British hit, the record has become so familiar that it has obscured much of their later, equally fine work.

Last week I mentioned my Christmas party. This, I should say, is most uncharacteristic – both mentioning it and throwing it. Mentioning it, because there's always a risk that no one will arrive, rendering it a hopeless flop. If that happens, I'll be forced to lie here in these very pages in order not to appear a total social disaster to you. Throwing it because, well, partly for the same reasons. But also because parties take time. Time, money, and energy – three things that I don't possess in abundance.