This past weekend was quite the wild ride even for those of us who are not into sports (that said, YES, Knicks in Five!!!!!) yet there were milder pleasures to be had as well.
For example, a church in my neighborhood usually has a big tag/rummage/etc. sale twice a year-fall, then spring-but this year, their second sale was this June(due to roadwork in the area). It’s a great chance to get some great deals and when it came to books, I found a nice trio of reads to add to my eternally growing pile.
Now, I have read Nick Hornsby before yet it’s been awhile so finding a nice British paperback edition of Funny Girl was hard to resist. Set in England during the 1960s, newly crowned beauty queen Barbara Parker decides to move from her hometown in Blackpool to London in order to achieve her dream of becoming the next Lucille Ball.
Through a series of rather fortunate events, Barbara remakes herself as Stella Straw, the rising young star on a hit sitcom. But will her ambitions allow for anyone else to matter in her life?
This novel was adapted into a British TV series called Funny Woman and received at least two seasons, both of which are available to watch in the US via PBS Passport(that I thankfully have)-should be a fun read along experience to be sure!:
Then, I came across Three Days in June by Anne Tyler, another author that I haven’t read for some time. Seems a good enough time to get reacquainted here.
The three days in the title are centered around the wedding of Gail Barnes’ daughter Debbie and Gail has plenty of her own troubles without dealing with all of that.
She just lost her position at the fancy private school she worked at for thankless years, her ex-husband Max has shown up with a rescue cat that their soon-to-be son-in-law is allergic to and if that’s not enough, Debbie has dropped a major bombshell of a revelation that could change the course of everyone’s life.
Tyler is best known for low key drama with strong emotional high points when necessary and this certainly sounds like a prime example of her smartly elegant work. This ought to be a good way to get to know her again indeed:
For something completely different, Ten Restaurants That Changed America was the final course on my book buying menu that day.
Culinary historian Paul Freedman highlights this top ten of groundbreaking dining establishments from the classic Delmonico’s in New York to Antoine’s in New Orleans, more commercial venues like Howard Johnson’s and modern day icons such as Sylvia’s in Harlem, New York.
The cultural changes that each place brought to American society when it came to fine dining are showcased in loving detail along with gorgeous photos, menus and even recipes! I was so lucky to find such a nice hardcover edition like this!
I may be just a Food Network watcher (and Top Chef fan) but it is interesting to learn more about the everyday art of cooking and especially, cooking for the delight of others. No doubt that this book will be a banquet of delicious insights to savor with each turn of the page:
Books weren’t the only good buys I made that day; my haul also included some fresh bed linens, a lovely tablecloth and a pair of damaged yet repairable Disney villain figures (with help from my mom!).
Whether it’s a tag, rummage, yard or flea market sale, these secondhand shopping events are great opportunities to not only get a good buy(particularly in our harsh economic environment right now) but to connect a little with your fellow buyers and sellers in friendly commerce. I know those last two words sound like an oxymoron but it is possible, folks, truly!
Anyway, it was an extra nice way to enjoy the weekend with some bargain hunting fun outside of watching reruns of Flea Market Flip.
However, the host of FMF now has a new show on Hulu called That Thrifting Show, where teams of two compete to design living spaces with secondhand items found online and off . The winning team gets to keep everything they bought, plus the other team’s purchases as well!
It’s definitely a good time to be had if thrift shopping is your thing and yes, there is a second season n the works. For some creative comfort viewing, this show is truly a bargain to behold(plus, you can read during the commercials!):
Like everyone else, my book buying budget does have its limits(especially these days) yet I still consider it a necessity to get new reads whenever I can.
To that end, I was happy to get a June box from Book of the Month Club and to finally get one of their Centennial editions-celebrating the 100th anniversary of BOTM-which was Catcher in the Rye, a book that I haven’t read in a long time and should be an interesting cultural experience to go through again.
In addition to These Summer Storms(which I mentioned last time), my third pick was The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee. The title character here is a samurai swordswoman for an intergalactic corporation whose final ties to the company have now been severed, leading her to follow her former employer into eternal retirement.
However, the current powers that be insist that she take on one last mission which, due to personal connections, she really can’t refuse. Also, this gives Isako a shot at revenge as her former apprentice, Matim, is behind the corporate scheme that set all of this into motion.
Fonda Lee is best known for her Green Bone Saga trilogy, which I’ve wanted to get into but haven’t been successful on that front. Since this novel is a standalone, my chances of clicking with her work might be better.
With strong yet sensitive leading ladies and creative world building that Lee’s books have been highly praised for, it would be totally remiss of me not to give this story a serious try:
This past weekend, I went to my local library and after returning three books(two of them I actually finished), I only borrowed two, one of which is a cozy fantasy and the other a more ferocious one.
Julie Leong’s The Keeper of Magical Things is definitely on the milder side as we are introduced to Certainty Bulrush, whose minor magical abilities are not enough to be considered fledged mage in the guild that accepted her but potent enough for a special assignment.
She must work along side Mage Aurelia, whose off putting manner makes her difficult to say the least, in transporting a set of slightly magical items for storage in the remote village of Shpelling. They are to set up a warehouse to properly sort out the objects from counter spelling each other as well as keep an eye on the little cat dragon that followed them and maintain as low a profile as possible.
After awhile, Certainty and Aurelia not only find a way towards a friendship, they also grow to believe that some of the packed away items might be more useful out in the regular world. Can they discover a path to truly make that happen or will they bring down more trouble on their heads?
Leong’s earlier novel, The Teller of Small Fortunes, is on my BOTM reading challenge list(that I hope to get to very soon!) and I was going to wait until I read that one first but with both books being standalone stories(set in the same universe)it didn’t make sense to wait that long. Besides, these novels sound like total delights and why should I deny myself the joys of such an enchanting world:
The other library loan is quite the massive volume but having read Joe Hill before, it ought to be relatively fast paced.
King Sorrow begins with college student Arthur who is being blackmailed into stealing rare books from the university library and the only solution that he and his friends can think of is to summon the title dragon demon to rid them of their enemies.
Trouble is, King Sorrow demands an annual tribute for his services and as the years go by, the price becomes more difficult to pay. Can Arthur and company rally again to end this ongoing nightmare or are their real problems just getting started?
I’ve heard nothing but elaborate praise from critics and readers alike about this book and even if I completely exhaust my renewal options here, there is no doubt in my mind that this will totally be worth it. Plus, given the state of things right now, conjuring up a dragon doesn’t sound that bad:
Speaking of libraries, I must say a few words about the recent passing of a favorite fictional librarian who helped a certain Slayer save the world a lot.
Anthony Stewart Head had many featured acting roles in his life and career, starting with a series of coffee commercials that inspired a novel to roles in fantasy shows like Merlin, comedies such as Ted Lasso and even a Jane Austen adaptation (2007’s Persuasion).
However, he is and will be best remembered as Watcher Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who began as the hapless school librarian at Sunnydale High and then later an owner of the local magic shop( which as one character noted had the longevity potential of a Spinal Tap drummer).
His blend of extensive knowledge, sharp movements of sarcasm and fatherly love for his charges made him a key player in this often changing yet steadfast supernatural drama that more than one generation calls their emotional home.
During these past few days, I have seen numerous fans and contemporaries give him nothing but absolute praise for his generous nature on and off screen and so many people crediting Giles with the reason they become librarians and that’s quite the legacy indeed.
It is beyond sad to see good folks leave us for worlds unknown yet it can be comforting to discover the positive impact they left for us, no matter how small it might seem.
Anthony Stewart Head was a fine figure of a person who used his artistic talents to breathe life into what could’ve easily been a stock character and made him someone worth living up to, flaws and all. Plus, instilling a love of literary based knowledge in the bargain is a great bonus, even if it’s a bit smelly:
With the premiere of the BritBox series, The Other Bennet Sister, this month, much more interest in Miss Mary Bennet has been expressed by Jane Austen fans of late.
It greatly helps that, unlike most of the Bennet family members in Pride & Prejudice, Mary’s part in that iconic tale has minimal to say the least. This allows writers to dream up all sorts of engaging plot lines for her(such as Janice Hadlow’s book which is the basis of the new series) that either enhance her character or send her off in a bold new direction.
As it turns out, there are quite a few books featuring Mary Bennet out there and today, I’m here to recommend one that I truly like and two others that sound rather promising to check out:
The Shocking Experiments of Miss Mary Bennet:
Melinda Taub’s second novel regarding the Bennet sisters has Mary deciding to take the matter of her unmarried status in her own hands.
If she can’t find a suitable husband, then perhaps her knowledge of the scientific arts can allow her to make one for herself. In setting up this task, she receives assistance from a most unexpected ally; Georgiana Darcy, her sister in law whose troubles in the romance department are somewhat similar to Mary’s.
When their creation goes awry, Mary and Georgiana must work together to solve this problem before a rather deadly turn is taken. Yet, can their mutual passion for science also lead to a more pleasant solution to both of their situations or are they doomed to be authors of their mutual demise?
I have read Taub’s previous novel about another Bennet sister (The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch) and that book became a best of the year read for me. Seeing this writer give Mary a Frankenstein flip sounds like an awful lot of fun indeed:
The Pursuit of Mary Bennet:
Pamela Mingle keeps Mary in the spotlight as the awkward middle daughter tries to be more than just an afterthought amongst her family.
When her wayward sister Lydia flounces back home, flush with a new scandal, Mary and her sister Kitty are sent off to stay with their married sister Jane Bingley in order to avoid being caught up in such a messy situation.
While there, Mary meets Henry Walsh, a friend of her brother in law, who finds her to be quite charming. This opportunity for true acceptance and love is most unexpected but when other circumstances arise, can she find her own way to happiness or must she be set aside for the selfish whims of others?
I’ve read this book twice( and will probably do so this spring as well) and it’s a endearing look at a woman who wants to be more than what her relatives have already decided she should be. Granted, Mary has a few stumbles along the way (including reprising her skills at the piano) but her emotional journey is well worth the trip:
Being Mary Bennet:
This modern day YA take by J.C. Peterson has senior class overachiever Marnie realizing that her roommate’s declaration that she’s that particular P&P character is definitely not a compliment.
As a struggling middle child trying to gain status among her own boisterous siblings, Marnie hopes that her big project to create a program that gives kids the opportunity to read aloud to shelter dogs , will give her a shot at the Hunt Prize, a rare honor given to only one member of the senior class at her prestigious school.
However, her goals now also include being less of a Mary Bennet and with the help of said roommate and a rather handsome new acquaintance(plus a very cute dog), Marnie might be more successful than she had previously imagined. But, should she settle for not just being a Mary Bennet or any other fictional character than just being her real self?
This does sound like a good creative way to reimagine Austen for a new generation, much in the style of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and if I came across it, it certainly would be something to enjoy for sure:
While I haven’t seen The Other Bennet Sister(don’t have BritBox sadly) or read the book, I do think it’s great that a fresh take on Jane Austen’s work is being celebrated like this.
Plenty of people are already complaining about the upcoming Pride & Prejudice movie in the works from Netflix and granted, I was not thrilled with their version of Persuasion (they totally rewrote Anne’s character and not in a good way!), let’s give them a chance at getting this one right.
At the very least, that production might lead to more Austen themed projects such as Dear Miss Austen that thankfully went to PBS and will have a second season entitled Miss Austen Returns.
Given the chaotic state of the world these days, having a little bit of Jane Austen adaptation goodness to look forward to is a small treasure of hope to cherish indeed:
If you’re like me at the moment, staying safe as can be inside with a seriously snowy blizzard wailing outside, then making plans to check out some upcoming book based TV sounds ideal indeed.
PBS is the perfect place to start here and set to debut on March 22 is The Forsytes , a new adaptation of the John Galsworthy award winning saga of novels and stories covering more than one generation of a wealthy Victorian family in life, love and loss.
The cast includes such notables as Francesca Annis, Stephen Moyer and Elinor Tomlinson and unlike prior versions, this series seems to be planning to cover all of the source material as a second season has already been announced.
If you’re a fan of The Gilded Age, this drama should quench that thirst rather nicely, I should think(maybe not in the HBO style but still simmering with romantic intrigue nonetheless):
Starting even sooner than that is a new take on Alexandre Dumas’ classic tale of revenge, The Count of Monte Cristo, beginning on March 1.
Sam Clafin stars as Edmond Dante’s, unjustly imprisoned on a remote island institution for years yet with the aid of a clerical fellow prisoner (Jeremy Irons) is able to escape and claim a hidden fortune.
Now, in his new identity, Edmond seeks vengeance on those who wronged him but can he truly reclaim what was lost from his former life?
This is an eight part series , so plenty of emotional depth and detail from the original novel should be rather abundant here, not to mention the quest to avenge some grievous wrongs feels very much in the spirit of the times we’re living in these days:
Now, I don’t have BritBox but it might be worthwhile to check it out later this year because a new Jane Austen themed series is on their schedule for 2026.
Based on Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel, The Other Bennet Sister does more than revisit Pride & Prejudice; it places Mary Bennet(Ella Bruccoleri) at the center of this story as she tries to figure out her own place in the world, not to mention the family line-up.
I know Mary isn’t the most favored Bennet sister amongst the fans but she does deserve a little bit of the spotlight and hopefully this ten part series gives her some moments to shine. Plus, having Richard E. Grant as Mr. Bennet is a true bonus, if you ask me(yes. he’s my favorite Austen parent and I will not be persuaded otherwise!):
In the meanwhile, I will continue to enjoy PBS programming and I do heartily recommend signing on to PBS Passport as it’s very reasonably priced as well as contributing to such a good cause like quality television in such times as these.
Most recently, my sibling and I watched the season six finale of All Creatures Great and Small, the kind of show that she would usually refer to as a “British coma” yet this heartfelt series set in a time and place far from our own has become one of our favorite shared experiences of late.
Public TV may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it does come in handy when looking for a relief from our everyday troubles and/or some insights into the wider world. Hopefully with all the strife going on all around us, one of the better things that gets us through and remains relatively intact is PBS with viewers old and new to keep tuning in:
We finally arrive at the last two episodes of Sanditon ,season one, for this Autumn in August journey and quite a lot has happened indeed! Sadly,Georgiana Lambe gets very little attention here but fear not, there are plenty of dramatic moments to savor:
A Small Victory for Stringer:
The Sanditon regatta event does go off, rather well, even getting Lady Susan(whom Charlotte met in London) to attend with some well connected friends to boot.
While Charlotte is happy to see her new friend again, she’s less than thrilled about Mrs.Campion(Ruth Kearney), a former love of Sidney’s that has become a wealthy widow looking to rekindle a certain flame, showing up for the day!
The big boat race, which highlights the whole event, turns out to be an unexpected win for Young Stringer, which is great since the poor guy heads into a boatload of misery by the finale:
Before all is said and done, Young Stringer loses his father (due to a fire that affects the future of the town) and his shot at Charlotte, causing him to put aside his dreams of being an architect.
It’s a sad storyline for this character to end up on but rest assured , by the time season two begins, he does take up an apprenticeship which sends him to London. Too bad we don’t hear from him anymore in this series yet he did get a decent outcome at last.
Losing Out on Love:
Meanwhile, Sidney and Charlotte wind up falling head over heels for each other (the why remains a mystery to me) and plans are made for their potential bliss ever after.
However, upon the fire that destroyed a good chunk of Sanditon and threatens serious ruin for Tom Parker(who was too cheap to buy fire insurance;seriously, dude?), Sidney heads off to London to try and raise the funds necessary to keep his relatives out of the literal poorhouse.
Unfortunately for Charlotte, his solution turns out to be marrying his widowed ex-girlfriend. That definitely broke up their romance and if you ask me, Charlotte is better off there. Sidney was too rude and moody to say the least.
I know that many fans were upset about this development when the first season ended and were fit to be tied upon no announcement of a second season back then.
A few years later(due to the popularity of historical romance series such as Bridgerton), a revival of the show gave those fervent folks some major “I told you so!” joy but alas, their dreams of “Sidlotte” were not meant to be.
Since many of the actors were no longer available for the series (understandably due to prior commitments), many of the characters had to be written out and Sidney was one of them. Oh, well, those Sidlotte souls can take comfort in the few passionate kisses their favorite characters shared:
One Happy Ending at Least:
Interestingly enough, the one character that did get a dream wedding was Lady Esther, whose fortunes went from low to high, thanks to her cantankerous aunt not dying and realizing just how much of a scheming weasel her nephew Edward and his cousin Clara were.
Not only did Esther become the sole heir, she found love with Lord Babbington (Mark Stanley), a guy who actually seemed rather sweet and respectful of his beloved’s wishes. Even when revelations about the nature of her relationship with her stepbrother came out(in public, no less!), he was not deterred from his devotion to Esther.
Well, if someone who was not Georgiana Lambe was going to have the wedding she deserved, Esther certainly was a proper choice. Esther does show up in the second season but not with Babbington (the actor wasn’t available) but they remained married and well, if you want to know more, PBS Passport has all three seasons available for streaming, just saying!:
Well, this wraps my Autumn in August trip and I hope you all had fun in the proverbial sun with these offbeat takes on Jane Austen. Also, thank you PBS for making shows like this available to American audiences even before streaming services existed!
If we are fortunate enough, by this time next year, PBS may still be around to brings us the best in arts and entertainment, along with educational programming that has benefited many generations and hopefully more to come. Supporting your local PBS station, if possible, is a small yet positive step towards achieving that goal.
Have a happy Labor Day weekend, folks and I hope to see you all in the fall(an easy rhyme but hard to resist!):
Welcome back to more Autumn in August highlights as we continue to visit Sanditon , season one.
The main focus of the day are episodes five and six, which sadly sideline my favorite character and shove the spotlight onto Charlotte and Sidney, whose romance is rather basic, if you ask me:
A Sporting Distraction
As you may recall, Georgiana Lambe(the best character) was having a secret romantic relationship with Otis,that was strongly objected to by Sidney(Miss Lambe’s reluctant guardian). Charlotte , therefore, has become a go-between in keeping the correspondence flowing by sending out and picking their mutual love letters.
With the annual cricket match coming up, Charlotte and Georgiana see this event as a good opportunity for a quick visit with Otis.
That distraction is further aided by Charlotte stepping into the game as a late replacement for the beleaguered Tom Parker, embarrassed at being called out for not paying his workers on the town renovation crew(which he rightly deserved to be publicly challenged on as those men have families to feed and bills to pay there, sir!).
Charlotte is no stranger to the game, coming from a large family in the country where such games are played by whoever is on hand. This twist of fate does take everyone’s eye off of Georgiana , which turns out to be both good and bad there:
Unfortunately, this leads to a plot line where Georgiana gets kidnapped and almost forced into marriage in order to cover Otis’ gambling debts(he had nothing to do with that plan as his mail had been swiped by his creditors).
This brings Sidney and Charlotte together as they head to London separately to find Georgiana and wind up teaming to track her down. It ultimately ends with a traveling coach race that saves Georgiana but ends her relationship with Otis, for now at least.
This is such a melodramatic story line that could’ve come right out of a Gothic novel by Ann Radcliffe, a popular writer of such tales who was lovingly spoofed by Jane Austen in Northanger Abbey , so I suppose it fits here. After all, Sanditon is an unfinished novel and Northanger Abbey was published posthumously, so the inspiration is in tune with Austen’s tastes.
Ballroom Blitz, Take Two
With Sidney and Charlotte being thrown together like this, a sort of affectionate feeling arises between them yet I’m still not fully convinced of their mutual attraction at all.
They attend a masked ball in London, part of a ploy by Tom to get folks interested in attending the upcoming regatta (boating exhibition) in Sanditon, which might not be even happening if the cantankerous Lady Denham dies(there’s a whole subplot with her potential demise and her relatives making devious plans regarding her will but I would prefer more Georgiana drama, if you ask me).
Back at the ball, Charlotte starts to have serious feelings for Sidney and confesses them to a complete stranger, a noble lady named Susan(who seems much nicer than a similarly named leading lady from an early Austen work):
With such newly found encouragement, Charlotte joins Sidney in the dance floor and the two of them seem to be on their way to true love. Of course, that won’t last for long as Sidney runs into a former lady friend who happens to recently widowed. Yep, another bad break on the rocky road to love indeed!:
I intend to wrap this revisit ti Sanditon up soon but might just for fun, have a rewatch of the 2007 adaptation of Northanger Abbey, which is available on PBS Passport along with all three seasons of Sanditon.
Since Andrew Davies, the writer who has adapted many classic works such as the iconic Pride and Prejudice miniseries, also did this version of NA and Sanditon as well, having all of this readily available via public television is a great convenience that is surprisingly affordable. Plus, supporting public television in these troubling times is a small yet vital way to do what you can towards bringing about better days to some.
Next time, we will be covering the final two episodes of season one of Sanditon and yes, there are some shocking surprises in store, especially for Charlotte!:
Welcome back to more of Autumn in August , where we deal with the late summer heat by watching some fine fall season fare.
Granted, there is quite a bit of summertime energy in our next entry, Sanditon(based on an unfinished novel by Jane Austen) but the plot points are autumnal enough to certainly suit our seasonal needs.
I have rewatched the first four episodes-there are eight in all-and instead of doing a recap, I will just highlight some of my favorite elements of this series (and one low point as well) in the manner of vacation style reminiscing.
The general plot is that the title location is a small seaside town looking to become a major tourist spot for those seeking healthy spa like remedies. One of the main proponents of this cause is Tom Parker(Kris Marshall) accompanied by his supportive yet sensible wife Mary(Kate Ashfield).
They have a brief roadside accident that literally throws them into the path of Charlotte Heywood (Rose Willams), the eldest daughter of a country family. Out of gratitude for her assistance, the Parkers invite her to Sanditon and that sets off a whole chain of events, including meeting Tom’s brother Sydney (Theo James) who is meant to be Charlotte’s love interest but we’ll get to them soon enough.
In the meantime, here’s a look at a few of my personal highlights from this first half:
Favorite Character:
To be fair, Georgiana Lambe is my favorite character in all three seasons of Sanditon and as portrayed by Crystal Clarke, she is as timeless as Elizabeth Bennet or any other Austen heroine.
As a heiress from Antiqua whose is made to leave her homeland upon the death of her father and pushed into society by the dealings of her guardian Sydney (who doesn’t hide the fact that this is a burden that she’s making more difficult for him in his obnoxious opinion!), Georgiana has much to bear with and while expressing her displeasure very forthrightly, is also just a girl looking to find her own way to happiness.
Her friendship with Charlotte allows Georgiana some moments of comfort and levity there. Also, she is strong enough to handle the biases of others yet vulnerable to being thwarted in love(as we shall soon see), making her way more interesting than most of the ladies in this first season alone and for good reason indeed!:
Best Takedown Moment:
That honor goes to Georgiana as the reluctant guest of honor at Lady Denham’s luncheon. The true reason for this get together is for Lady D(Anne Reid) to push her odious nephew Edward(Jack Fox) towards marrying into Miss Lambe’s quite considerable fortune.
Georgiana is not only well aware of this but equally aware of the patronizing bigotry that goes along with such an invitation. Unlike her ladyship(whose manners would make Lady Catherine De Burgh blush!), Georgiana is demurely able to put this vulgar display into proper check with one withering line:
Best Romance:
Once again, I have to give these roses to Georgiana as many of the love stories here range from hopeful(Charlotte and Young Stringer,yes!) to creepy (Edward and his stepsister plus cousin,ewww!)at best.
Miss Lambe, however, has a potential love match in Otis Molyneux(Jyuddah Jaymes), who she met in London and is kept from by Sidney. While there are facts yet to be revealed about their relationship at this juncture ,Otis and Georgiana do have such onscreen chemistry that sparks practically fly off them during each of their scenes together (however, Georgiana should’ve given Charlotte a heads up about being the cover story for that secret meeting!):
Worst Ballroom Blitz:
Sidney and Charlotte as the main couple of this show just never felt right to me for many reasons, first of which is his unwarranted rudeness to her from the beginning. “New maid?” he asks of his sister in law as he rides into town and greets Charlotte and Mary out in a walk together. Their relationship goes downhill from there.
At the first ball of the Sanditon season, Charlotte finds herself alone with Sidney and upon his request, tells him some of her initial impressions about his family. Now, while she was a bit too snarky in some of her comments, he did ask her for her honest opinion and too bad if it wasn’t to his liking!
Truly, it feels like this scene was written as an excuse for Sidney to be justified in being rude to her yet given his cold and dismissive attitude towards her from the jump, this makes him more of a jerk not the less of one here:
Despite such ballroom bumps in the road, this revisit to Sanditon has been an entertaining experience for the most part.
It’s one that I am able to take via PBS Passport, a reasonably affordable streaming service that helps public broadcasting out very much during these turbulent times as federal funding has been unnecessarily cut.
If you fondly remember watching Sanditon when it originally aired and/or curious about the entire series , many of the PBS channels this week will be showing a “Sanditon Revisited” special that you can either watch on your regular station or view online at PBS Passport. Remember, “Defunded but not Defeated “ is the right way to join in this particular fight for intellectual freedom.
I hope to finish my trip to Sanditon by Labor Day but there’s no need to rush through such good times, now is there? Oh, and I leave you with my last favorite thing about Sanditon-the opening credits! They are such a joy to behold in their innate simplicity that really sets the perfect tone for what’s to come:
Welcome to another round of Autumn in August , where we rejoice in the approaching fall season in the end portion of summer.
Since this year happens to the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, she seemed to be perfect hostess for this occasion and in order to encourage more people of the advantages of subscribing to PBS Passport (more that later), I chose a more recent adaptation of an Austen themed work to start us off:
Death Comes to Pemberley, based on the 2011 novel by acclaimed mystery author P.D. James, is a two part miniseries that first aired in the US in 2014. It stars Matthew Rhys and Anna Maxwell Martin as Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, living in relative calm several years after the events of Pride and Prejudice.
That calm is quickly broken by the unannounced arrival of wayward sister Lydia(Jenna Coleman) who is literally screaming bloody murder. She and her equally unwelcome husband Wickham (Matthew Goode) intended to crash the upcoming ball at Pemberley when an argument between longtime friend Denny and Wickham leads to a brutal end for one of them:
The one who got the worst of it was Denny, leaving Wickham to be charged with murder first at an inquest and then a trial.
The magistrate investigating the case is a man named Hardcastle(Trevor Eve) is no stranger to Darcy or Wickham as his late father held the same title and was very much a ruthless pursuer of the law. Darcy has the authority as a magistrate as well but due to obvious conflict of interest goes to Hardcastle, who refuses to play favorites with anyone here.
One of the interesting elements is the story is seeing the justice system of this time period at work. While forensics are limited to say the least, the reliance on witness testimony is truly crucial and the public observers who attend both the inquest and the trial are not shy masking their opinions on the proceedings known:
We also get to see some familiar P&P characters take the stage as Georgiana (Elinor Tomlinson) has two suitors, one of whom is Col. Fitzwilliam, beloved older sister Jane pays a visit to comfort Elizabeth and yes, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet spend a little time at Pemberley before all of the action begins(Mr. Bennet does head to the household library as fast as he can!).
A minor character that plays a strong supporting role in DCTP is Mrs. Reynolds(Joanna Scanlon). The devoted housekeeper is in fine form, supporting Elizabeth as much as she can while holding a steady course with the staff. The actress portraying her brings a fully formed humanity to what would consider to be a side character at best and she really grew on me during this rewatch.
Lydia, of course, is the ultimate drama queen here but she’s not completely superficial as the situation gets worse for her husband. Her giddiness is well timed at one point when Lady Catherine (Penelope Keith) pays a call to make her opinion known, fortunately cutting that visit short:
All in all, if you are a fan of Jane Austen style mysteries, this miniseries is a must watch for sure.
The cast is excellent, with Rhys and Maxwell Martin giving fine performances and having great onscreen chemistry with each other. Trevor Eve as Hardcastle does have a commanding presence yet doesn’t overpower his co-stars here(he was most recently seen in another book to TV adaptation, A Discovery of Witches) and the overall look and feel of the show fits as neatly as a set of ladies gloves.
The only P.D. James book I’ve ever read was this one and her reputation as a modern day mystery icon is well displayed both on page and screen.
I do like seeing both Elizabeth and Darcy seek the truth of the matter in separate yet similarly distinct ways, each of them having their own set of social connections lead them to a mutual conclusion (I can say no more in order to keep this a spoiler free zone). It’s a bit more of a dramatic take on the source material than some might prefer but Ms. James and company do honor Jane Austen (who did enjoy a thrilling read or two in her day) very well indeed.
I do hope that if you haven’t seen DCTP yet, you do so via PBS Passport as public television needs all the help they can get these days.
While the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is shutting its doors, PBS stations are still fighting the good fight for us all. “Defunded but not Defeated “ is their new motto and a great one at that. It doesn’t cost a lot to join(I only pay ten dollars a month myself) and you get a lot of great programming, including other Austen related content such as the recent adaptation of Gil Hornsby’s Miss Austen, a sheer delight, and hopefully more to come.
Meanwhile, our Autumn in August will continue with a look at season one of Sanditon , a rather loose take on this uncompleted novel by Austen yet rather amusing in many ways as the podcasters at Reclaiming Jane can well attest to !
For now, I plan to pack my metaphorical bags for the seashore while biding a nearly fatal farewell to the good folks at Pemberley there:
Making hotel reservations, even during the best of times, is definitely a challenging part of trip planning. However, those plans can get even more complicated when murder is added to the itinerary.
I’m talking about mystery novels set at hotels(more of a staycation person these days) and one of my recent library loans , The Socialite’s Guide to Murder by S.K. Golden, certainly has me planning for future stays at the Pinnacle Hotel.
Set in 1958, Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy is the belle of the high end NYC hotel owned by her absentee father. It’s the one place she’s felt safe in since the shocking death of her mother fifteen years ago and her somewhat permanent residence does have its advantages.
For one, Evelyn has an uncanny knack for finding lost things(and people) on the premises so when an important art exhibition being held by eccentric painter Billie Bell is disrupted by the theft of the never before revealed masterwork right under everyone’s noses, she is eager to be on the case.
Unfortunately, her assistance is strongly not wanted by the authorities and when Evelyn later on discovers Billie brutally stabbed in a hotel hallway, the stakes are scarily higher than she expected. Can Evelyn discover the truth behind these crimes before her hotel haven is no longer safe for anyone at all?
I’m almost finished with this book as of this writing and so far, it’s a delightful read. The characters are charming yet fully human, with Evelyn dealing with some personal issues that showcase just how underestimated she is due to her perky public persona.
This is first book in a series that I hope to read more of and I really do like Evelyn a lot; she’s like Elle Woods living in a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel universe:
Meanwhile, a new Molly the Maid novel from Nita Prose has just come out and that one also has a bit of an art heist plot line as well!
The Maid’s Secret has our heroine discovering that an old item in her household is actually worth a literal fortune, thanks to an Antique Roadshow type of TV program. That could certainly help pay for Molly’s upcoming wedding to her beloved Juan Michael and plan a future beyond her hotel duties.
On the day of the auction, however, the object is brazenly stolen, throwing all involved into chaos. What troubles Molly the most, though, is finding the hidden diary of her beloved Gran, who had quite a few secrets of her own to keep…
I hope to get to this entry sometime soon, as the first two books here were very engaging reads. Molly and her circle of hotel friends and adversaries are the type of folks worth checking in with over and over again for sure:
Of course, if I can’t get to either Molly’s or Evelyn’s place, I can always revisit Miss Marple At Bertram’s Hotel.
This later entry in Agatha Christie’s set of Miss Marple stories has our retiring elder lady booking a stay at the hotel of the title where she had once stayed at in London back in her younger years. While the place still has some of its charms , it is far from its glory days which leads to an intriguing murder for Miss Marple to solve!
The book is rather laid back when it comes to the plot and upon reflection, the spine of the story is the atmosphere of the hotel with different cultures and generations clashing in subtle yet powerful ways; definitely worth a reread but if you’re looking for a Marple that you haven’t read, be prepared for a mystery that’s more about the vibes:
Before I check out of the post to do more reading (really want to finish The Socialite’s Guide to Murder soon!), there is sad news to report as mystery author Kerry Greenwood has passed away at the too soon age of 70 recently.
She was best known for her historical mysteries that introduced the world to Phryne Fisher, a stylish and strong willed Australian heiress who used her considerable skills as a sleuth to right wrongs and bring about more true justice in the world.
Many of us discovered her books via the TV series “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries” and greatly appreciated such a lively leading lady who didn’t shrink away from the harshness of her world; rather she did what she could to make things better for others in her own way(an example needed to be followed by many of the powerful out there as we speak).
Kerry Greenwood will be missed but fondly remembered for her contribution to creating such a memorable detective both on page and on screen:
Living in these stressful times is no joke but one of the ways that we can channel that tension laden energy is by diving into a good mystery/suspense story.
Granted, that may not be your particular flavor of calming tea but for those eager to place their order, here are a trio of recent adaptations available on a streaming service near you that might do the trick:
LONG BRIGHT RIVER: Amanda Seyfried stars in this miniseries based on the novel by Liz Moore(best known for The God of the Woods) as Mickey, a cop seeing a very dark pattern in the recent slayings of three women.
She’s also on the look out for her sister Kacey(Ashleigh Cummings)whose addiction issues may be the reason that she’s missing yet something in the nature of these murders hint to Mickey that she herself has more of a connection to this case than expected.
The series was released on Peacock in March and the word of mouth has been pretty solid. Liz Moore is certainly having a moment and perhaps the timing is eerily perfect indeed:
FORCE OF NATURE: The subtle for this film adaptation of Jane Harper’s novel is The Dry 2, which is somewhat accurate as it is a follow up of sorts to the author’s breakout book, The Dry which introduces you to troubled detective Aaron Falk(Eric Bana).
The main mystery here involves a group of women who go out on a corporate wilderness retreat, only to turn up briefly missing and then being found with one of their party permanently out of the picture.
Having read this book, I can safely say that even if you haven’t read the previous entry(which I haven’t yet), that it does work well as a standalone story and draws an intriguing portrait of these women and the power plays that they draw themselves into , for decidedly worse and not the better.
The movie is available on Hulu and a few other platforms as well and certainly worth checking out:
THE LAST ANNIVERSARY:
This Australian miniseries is based on well known Aussie author Liane Moriarty’s novel about a young woman getting more than she bargained for from an inheritance.
When Sophie Honeywell(Teresa Palmer) is left a house on Scribbly Gum Island via the great aunt of her former boyfriend, it’s an odd situation to be sure but a grand opportunity for a new life as well.
However, Sophie is also getting a new community of folk with plenty of secrets and lies to conceal, the least of which is the infamous Munro Baby Mystery, still unsolved yet not truly forgotten…
Moriarty has an amazing knack for seemingly ordinary settings where her characters have far from ordinary strangeness to deal with and this story appears to be a prime example of that. It was released this past March and in the US, you can watch it on Sling, YouTube and a few other online places :
Like I said, mystery and suspense stories can be helpful in dealing with stress and such tales tend to do well in troubling times like the ones we’re experiencing now.
Part of the reason for that is that this genre greatly appeals to our innate sense of justice; that some things are wrong no matter who does them.
This need to right that which has gone terribly wrong is a key element in developing a strong sense of community as well as true empathy.
These ideals need to be nurtured and cherished in order to rally our spirits during challenging times and motivate us to want better and do better for each other together.
In the meanwhile, this does give us something good to look forward to-I for one am eager for the second season of The Marlow Murder Club(throughly enjoyed S[ on PBS Passport!), which hopefully will be airing later this year on Masterpiece. The books by Robert Thorogood sound great as well but I might want to wait on those to avoid spoilers , we shall see!:
One thing I noticed around the holidays was bookish folk choosing their “ one to finish” during the festive season (or in some cases ten!) and while I don’t usually follow trends, this time out took me along that page turning path.
My Christmas Eve read was the latest comic book history by Tim Hanley, Never A Sidekick , which chronicles the journey of Batgirl as a heroine in her own right.
She originally began as Bette Kane, niece of Batwoman Kate Kane, back in the 1960s. The two female characters were introduced as a way to offset accusations of an “unwholesome “ relationship between Batman and Robin from the censorship crowd.
While Bette was a breath of fresh air, although briefly seen in the comics,it was the live action Batman TV series that really brought Batgirl to pop culture audiences
As played by the lively Yvonne Craig ,by day she was Barbara Gordon, daughter of Gotham’s police commissioner and local librarian; at night she became the Dynamic Duo’s secretive ally with her own theme song!
While her stint on the show was not as long as many of the fans would’ve liked, Craig did reprise the character for a public service announcement that promoted the Equity in Pay Act for women:
While Barbara Gordon managed to maintain her own identity within the comics, even becoming a political activist at one point, another live action appearance came in 1997’s Batman & Robin, a departure from the previous films in more ways than one.
Here, as played by Alicia Silverstone,she was Barbara Wilson, the niece of butler Alfred Pennyworth with her big fight scene being against villainess Poison Ivy(Uma Thurman).
While this wasn’t a well received film, it did give Batgirl a nice revival and if you think about it, the campy nature of this movie does reflect that earlier TV series that launched the character into the pop culture spotlight:
Speaking of the small screen, a newer incarnation of the Barbara Gordon version of the character was depicted in the sadly short lived CW series, Birds of Prey, in 2002.
Upon being assaulted by the Joker in the infamous comic book story The Killing Joke(which even its creators regret ), Barbara was paralyzed but far from out of the crime fighting game.
Developing stealthy computer skills, she became The Oracle, a guide and mentor to various superhero teams including the original Birds of Prey. This phoenix like turn to her character inspired many in the disabled community , who were pleased to be getting some proper representation.
Oracle/Batgirl was portrayed by Dina Meyers on the show and was a solid lead on the series, only putting on the Batgirl suit once to confront a former foe(with the aid of a cybernetic spinal implant for mobility). The series had potential but much like the all too recent dismissal of the lost Batgirl movie, didn’t get the chance it deserved to shine:
Much like his prior books about superhero themed ladies such as Wonder Woman, Lois Lane and Catwoman, Hanley gives us a thoughtful and engaging look into Batgirl in her various versions, including other women who donned the cowl like Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown.
He also talks about the ill fated Batgirl movie, the comic book revival of the character and her animated appearances on the likes of Batman:The Animated Series and Harley Quinn.
His sincere enthusiasm combined with excellent research and compelling writing makes him a go-to for comic book lore and I can’t recommend him highly enough!
I was very happy to have Never A Sidekick as my holiday weekend read but it’s a wonderful book to enjoy all year long. Hopefully, we will get the Batgirl film that does her justice someday but in the meanwhile, Tim Hanley gives her the applause that she truly deserves:
