A sad yet sweet so-long to Sendak

As most of you know by now,cherished children's book author/illustrator Maurice Sendak passed away earlier this week at the age of 83.

His work includes such time honored classics as Where the Wild Things Are,In the Night Kitchen,Pierre and Chicken Soup with Rice completely written by him and illustrations done for other titles such as the Little Bear series. Sendak won several awards in his field,including a Caldecott medal for Where the Wild Things Are and a National Book Award in 1982.

What some might not know or remember is the animated special based on his books that came out in the 70s. Really Rosie was a collection of Sendak's stories from his Nutshell Library series with songs performed by Carole King.

The connecting thread that tied these tales together for the show was Rosie,the boisterous little girl who dreamed to become a star. She charges all of the neighborhood kids to audition for the imagined movie of her life story,which happens to be called "What Happened to Chicken Soup?"-Chicken Soup being her baby brother. You have to admit that's a catchy title:

Chicken Soup does make an appearance during the course of the special,with his big musical tribute to that particular style of soup that goes well with every month of the year. Even devoted vegans couldn't resist the charms of that edible ode:



More recently,Sendak did a pair of interviews with Stephen Colbert,speaking frankly about the state of children's literature and offering amusingly blunt opinions regarding Colbert's efforts to produce his own celebrity kiddie book(which actually will be out in stores),I Am A Pole(And So Can You). Those appearances were some of the best moments on The Colbert Report this year and the timing was oddly appropriate,something no doubt Mr. Sendak would have appreciated:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 2
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

Maurice Sendak gave joy to many people over the years with his art yet battled many personal demons throughout his life such as his all time favorite writers,William Blake and Herman Melville. Nevertheless,he managed to showcase his creative genius to the world and impart a sense of wonderment about childhood for generations to come. It's a pity that he couldn't stay with us a little bit longer. However,the beauty that he left behind in the pages of his books will be cherished in the hearts of readers everywhere:

Should you enter Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall before you can Bring Up The Bodies?

One of the big book releases this spring is Bring Up The Bodies,Hilary Mantel's follow-up to her Man Booker prize winning novel Wolf Hall. Since the bulk of the plot of BUTB is about the downfall of Anne Boleyn,considered to the best known of the doomed wives of Henry the Eighth,diving right into this story without having read the previous book is a reasonable option for any reader.

Having received a review copy of BUTB,I was prepared to do just that but my tendency towards sticking with continuity lead me to picking up the paperback edition of Wolf Hall,which I am currently reading at the moment. While I am pretty familiar with whole Anne Boleyn saga,Hilary Mantel's writing style and take on that time frame is crisp and new to me. Her prose is engagingly readable,with a touch of stream of consciousness to add fresh flavor to what could be a stale story in other hands.

Mantel's twist is seeing the Tudor world through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell,a legal adviser to Cardinal Wolsey who makes his path to power via the political struggle to divorce Henry from Katherine of Aragon and replace her with Anne. Cromwell is seen in history as the polar opposite of Thomas More,whose refusal to endorse the dissolution of the Catholic Church's authority in England lead to his official execution:

However,Mantel humanizes Cromwell,who started out life as a commoner and made his own way in the world. While not every deal he made was ethical,most of his decisions seemed to be based on street smarts as well as book knowledge. Plus,his knack for making enemies as easily as others make friends didn't help Cromwell's likability factor any.

I suspect his more pragmatic side will be at the forefront of Bring Up The Bodies,as the book covers the trial of Anne Boleyn and those accused of being her lovers. As much as folks will want to see him as a self interested villain,blame for the downfall of Boleyn can be cast in more than one corner and Cromwell's part in that sad ending is about equal with Henry's,one could argue:

This retelling of the Tudor tale is no easy trick to pull off,as any writer of historical fiction can tell you. However,Mantel holds the reins quite steady and breathes some lively air into the proceedings. Of course,most people are more intrigued with Anne Boleyn than Cromwell but both sides of that coin are in focus in BUTB,from what I've been seeing.

Bring Up The Bodies is intended to be the second volume in a trilogy,which will probably take Thomas Cromwell to his inevitable demise. Too soon
to tell when that one will be out,yet judging by what Hilary Mantel has graced us with so far,that book should be well worth the wait:



As to whether or not you should start with Wolf Hall before BUTB,it may be a good idea to get both books and see which way works best for you. Regardless of how you get there,this journey into the heart and mind of Thomas Cromwell is an exhilarating reading experience to behold. Everything old can be new again,particularly when it comes to history in the making and unmaking of a true to life character:

Seems we have the makings of a real superhero showdown this summer

The superhero film has had it's ups and downs over the past couple of decades but with the instant blockbuster impact of Marvel's The Avengers on both audiences and critics this past weekend,all signs are pointing to go for this genre to dominate the summer movie season.

Raking in a truly record breaking box office take of $2000.3 million and ranking highly in the Rotten Tomatoes count of positive feedback from film critics,The Avengers has become an overnight sensation that,for once,is living up to the massive hype generated by the studio and the comic book company.

Not to mention the fact that certain producers must be kicking themselves over the golden opportunity they had to work with Joss Whedon on a Wonder Woman movie and allowed that deal to slip through their fingers. With Whedon working his magic on Marvel territory,one hopes that he might be persuaded to display his talents with a DC project again(probably after a lot of groveling,I would imagine):

The gang at DC Comics does have an ace up their cinematic sleeve,as The Dark Knight Rises is due out in late July. Despite doubts about Anne Hathaway's Catwoman garb and the garbled speech of heavy hitter bad guy Bane,the combo of Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan in this third and promised to be final collaboration should please all comers.

The catch is,of course,that this is the last Batman movie both Bale and Nolan will work on. In a way that's good because as we have seen in the past,wearing out your welcome in the caped and cowled genre leads to very cheesy flicks that are so bad even the director will actually apologize for making such a mess on the DVD extras. On the other hand,getting another visionary director to elevate the genre is not as easy as it seems:

The underdog in this game is a reboot of the Spider Man franchise,which was upgraded by director Sam Raimi(until the third movie,that is.)and is now in the hands of Mark Webb,who gave us (500)Days of Summer. Granted,I didn't see that rom-com but it can make folks puzzle over why that fella was chosen for this gig.

The Amazing Spider Man stars Andrew Garfield as the teen title hero,replacing Tobey Maguire and takes a few twists with the story such as having Gwen Stacy be the focal girlfriend(who actually was Peter Parker's first big love interest before Mary Jane Watson)and having The Lizard/Dr. Connors as the major villain of the piece.

I was ready to rip on this remake,having fond memories of the earlier Raimi Spidy films but after watching the trailer,I must say that ASM does look promising. The action looks great,the story appears to be smart and funny and casting Denis Leary as the chief of police is a nice touch. The film opens on the July 4th weekend,so it does have a good shot at staking it's superhero claim:



So,it looks as if we actually have some great superhero movies to enjoy,a nice surprise for all concerned. I would advise,however,Marvel to not be too quick to rest on their laurels just yet and for DC to gear up and make a few superhero films that are not overly reliant on visual effects,plus allow some crossover connection. A Justice League movie,if done right,could open up a whole new world of possibilities both artistically and financially.

As for the fans,we must try to encourage good comic book films from the powers that be and avoid arguing over which franchise is better. It would be fun to not only have a Justice League movie but to have an Avengers/JL crossover film as well. Sounds crazy,perhaps,but I can dream,can't I? Stranger things have happened,especially at the movies:

Tune into Bad Movie Month this summer for some terrible TV time

One of our few traditions at LRG is Bad Movie Month,where every Friday in August we highlight a truly awful cinematic offering. This year's theme is TV Remake Madness,a Hollywood standard that doesn't seem to die,only multiply like a string of zombie movies.

First in our lackluster line-up is Dragnet from 1987,starring Dan Ackroyd as a descendant of Joe Friday with Tom Hanks as his modern day partner. This film version of the iconic 60s crime series takes a comedic spin on the subject matter,which might have seemed great on paper but when put into action,becomes one of those SNL skits that never knows when to end.

As proof of that,check out this rap video made for the soundtrack featuring Hanks and Ackroyd(they wear short shorts and wind up in go-go dancer cages at one point;you have been warned!):

On the next channel,we have 1998's Lost In Space,starring William Hurt as the dad of the Robinson clan,accompanied by the likes of Matt LeBlanc,giving the kind of performance you would expect from Joey on Friends in a sci-fi flick and Heather Graham as daughter Judy(not of the Jetsons).

One of the few things that make this overwrought film bearable is Gary Oldman,as the devious Dr. Smith. This is the second time that I know of Oldman being a great villain in a bad yet watchable science fiction movie(before that,The Fifth Element in 1996). However,even a good bad guy can not redeem a truly awkward film fiasco:

It would be wrong to leave kid shows out here,so the 1987 live action version of Masters of the Universe is on the viewing schedule here. Muscle man extraordinaire Dolph Lungren plays He-Man while Frank Langella gets to hide his face in Halloween make-up and avoid the shame of being recognized as Skeletor.

Like Lost in Space,another Friends regular has a pivotal role in this more campy than the actual cartoon feature. Courtney Cox is denied the opportunity to wear a kooky costume,however,as her part of hapless Earthling drawn into this cosmic battlefield only allows her to scream on cue. Then again,it's probably more of a realistic character than the one she plays on Cougar Town these days:

Speaking of cougars,the last and most likely the least of these TV based terrors is Sex and the City 2. Since I am NOT a fan of the highly touted HBO series,watching this pack of whiny well-to-do gal pals take a glamor trip to the Middle East is cinematic torture for me. Yet,due to this sorry sequel making every Worst Movie of the Year list back in 2010,plus a good number of Razzie nominations and wins,makes it hard to overlook this ripe for the ripping chick flick.

And no,I don't intend to sit through the first SATC movie. I'm not that much of a glutton for cinematic punishment,folks. After all,there were plenty of
people who saw this sucker in theaters who didn't either and watching it from that p.o.v. should be useful. Hey,if I can get through Battlefield Earth,this shouldn't be too bad,right?:



My consultation prize for enduring that horror show will be The Sister's Salute(my sis Stephanie has an August birthday and I like to add a favorite bad movie of her choice as a blog gift),which is Summer School from 1987. Granted,it's not TV based but the plot does have a sitcom feel to it.

I hope you all check our Bad Movie Month write-ups this summer and share your best of the worst TV related Hollywood film thoughts. While some major motion pictures made from small screen favorites haven't been all bad,too many of them haven't been that worth while opening weekend watching either. The only way to find out whether or not a big screen TV remake has what it takes to entertain is to stay tuned:

A pair of unlikely alliances on GOT,a sad departure from TAR and a night of Mad Men revelations

The shadow creature birthed at the end of the last episode of Game of Thrones served it's purpose this week,as Lady Stark and Brienne were the lone witnesses to the assassination of Renly Baratheon. Unfortunately,both ladies were blamed for the would-be king's death so they had to make a run for it.

Their escape gave each woman time to ponder their move,which for Brienne was mostly about avenging Renly's murder. However,she decided not only to take Lady Stark's advice regarding that issue but to pledge her services to Catelyn as well.

This new bond between them should prove to be useful for each of them as war fare rages on in Westeros(and there's no sign of that ending any time soon!). It's a sort of mother-daughter connection that they truly need at this juncture:

Speaking of daughters,meanwhile Arya is managing to keep her place as Tywin's cup bearer at Harranhal without letting too much of her fury towards the Lannisters being on full display. One of her good deeds is coming to fruition as Jaqen(one of the men trapped in the cage during the trek towards the Wall)expresses his wish to repay her for saving his life and those of his fellow captives.

As "only death can pay for life",he offers her the elimination of three of Arya's enemies. To test drive this bargain,Arya selects the Lannister torturer known as The Tickler and she is well rewarded indeed. This deadly deal is going to lead this particular young lady of the house of Stark down a very intriguing path,mark my words:

On The Amazing Race,Team Kentucky(Bopper and Mark) made their best bid to reach the finale but even with a Fast Forward at their disposal,the guys still came in last place.

Seeing such goodhearted friends,who truly looked out for each other and avoided a lot of the pointless drama,have to go home is such a shame. They did at least win one First Place prize and if Team Border Patrol(Art and J.J.)honor their promise to share some of the money they earned at one Pit Stop with Bopper and Mark,that will help to cut some of their loss.

The TAR finale is a two hour presentation and without Mark and Bopper,hard to root for the remaining four pack. Just as long as Team Big Brother and Team Border Patrol don't win,I'll be happy with either Ralph and Vanessa or Dave and Rachel crossing the finish line first. It would have been nice,though,to see Team Kentucky get that shot at the home stretch:

Things were appearing to be pretty rosy on Mad Men for Don and Megan,as their team effort to save the Heinz account was a roaring success,with Megan being able to take her fair share of the victory pie.

That was followed up with an awards banquet for Don,to which Roger,Sally and Megan's visiting parents attended. Everyone got a lot more than they expected at this shindig,as Megan had a chance to talk with her father about his true feelings about her marriage and Don discovered just how the business community really feels about him.

The one who really had an eye opening experience was Sally,as her trip to the ladies' room gave her a full view of her step grandmother and Roger getting better acquainted,in the blunt sense of the term. Poor kid,what a way to be introduced to that! Granted,she was going to come across something sexual amongst the adults around her sooner or later yet that little incident is clearly going to haunt Sally for the long run. Guess disappointment flavored pudding was on the dessert menu at this party:



RANDOM NOTES:

DESIGN STAR:The seventh season of the HGTV competition show is set to start soon,with a blast from the music scene of the 90s past making a guest appearance. Vanilla Ice,who has a home repair show on the DIY network,will be stopping by at some point to guest judge and that alone is reason enough to check this out:

Battle of the books instead of bands?

There's an interesting debate going on at the Smart Bitches,Trashy Books site over whether or not it is possible for a fan of the Bronte sisters to be
able to love both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. According to the guest author of the piece,most Bronte followers seem to prefer one over the other.

I suppose that enjoying Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights in equal measure is not an impossibility but I can fully understand making only one of them your favorite read of the Bronte bunch. Jane Eyre was and is a long time favorite of mine since childhood,where as Wuthering Heights,I only read to completion once in adulthood and that was enough.

In reading over the comments left at the post,one person cited a point in favor of WH over JE in that Kate Bush wrote a song about it and there weren't any for Eyre. So,out of curiosity,I looked up the Kate Bush tune,which is suitably haunting,and went in search of any musical ode for Jane Eyre:

While the commenter was correct about there not being a specific song for Charlotte Bronte's best known heroine,a musical version was launched back in the late 1990s and reached Broadway in 2000. The show didn't last long but it did garner several Tony nominations.

There was also a WH musical(along with a ballet and an opera) but that one never went beyond London,so I think we can put a check in the win column for Jane Eyre here:

This could be a fun way to debate literary preferences,by finding songs connected to them to use as counterpoints. For example,many Jane Austen fans often discuss which one of her books is best,with Pride and Prejudice as a major front runner. The ever lasting popularity of that book has lent itself to nearly countless reinterpretations from classic remakes to modern day love stories.

One of those P&P updates was the Bollywood themed musical film,Bride and Prejudice,that outlined many of the trials and tribulations of the Bennet sisters and especially leading lady Lalita(aka Elizabeth). Plenty of those songs could make the case for that book easily:

However,quite a few folk claim Austen's Emma as her masterpiece and can be just as tenacious as the title heroine in staking that claim.

To further bolster their argument in song,a musical adaptation of the novel has made it's way around the repertory theater circuit and does have a couple of catchy numbers that could go up against P&P rather well,I think:



The options for book battle through song are plentiful;the listings range from the works of Stephen King and Poe to Ovid and even Daphne Du Maurier can be put up for debate-which is better,Rebecca or Jamaica Inn? Of course,such things are really just a matter of personal preference but it's fun to argue about works of art.

After all,one does need a chance to exercise their mind outside serious real world matters. Folks can get too worked up over less vital subjects as well but if things become too intense,we can always break out our action figures to settle the argument once and for all:

What makes Think Like a Man a rare success in the self help based genre

For the second week in a row,the film adaptation of comedian Steve Harvey's romantic advice guide,Think Like a Man,has been number one at the box office. The critical reviews of the movie have been mixed but audiences are still eager to flock to the theaters for it. You could say that folks are just in mood for a romantic comedy right now but this weekend's highly promoted new entry,The Five Year Engagement,barely reached the top five list of movie money makers.

So far,films based on self help books have had the same hit-or-miss ratio with movie lovers as video game based ones have;great looking but lacking in steady story elements. This holds much truer for self help titles,since they are written as instructional manuals for the most part.

Some could point to factors such as Steve Harvey's fan base or the down playing of controversial singer Chris Brown in the cast for most of the TV spots for this film getting the big numbers at the ticket booth. However,I think there is one small but crucial detail that many are not seeing as the key to TLAM's success.

The basic plot of the movie has a group of frustrated in love women who decide to take a few cues from Steve Harvey's book(which is fully titled Act Like a Lady,Think Like a Man)and use them to their advantage. The men in their lives find out what they're doing and go,'Oh,well,two can play at that game!" Both sides acknowledge the existence of the book that is the basis of the movie,which is a little bit meta and a nice tip of the hat to those who read it in the audience:

The previous attempt at establishing this film genre,He's Just Not That Into You,simply played out a short story style of script and so far as I know,didn't directly connect the book with the onscreen characters(I didn't see the movie and have no interest in doing so,not even for Bad Movie Month).

HJNTIY also received mixed reviews and while it opened at number one on it's opening weekend,the film quickly dropped into second place by the next. Both movies have solid ensemble casts and ties to a best seller,so what accounts for the change here? In my mind,Think Like a Man is much savvier for playing up their book hook rather than pretending that their love connection tale is cut from mostly original cloth:

Some may shrink from what film critic Roger Ebert describes as "one of the greatest examples of product placement in history" but in this case,it may the proper exception to the rule. Most people who chose to see a book based on a book have read the book beforehand and expect to see some of what they liked on page to appear onscreen.

Given that the nature of self help titles doesn't readily lend itself to movie friendly plot developments,having the characters read the book and apply it's contents to their current situation makes it more relatable.

Even to people who didn't read the book,it makes more sense-"What does this have to do with that book?" they might say upon leaving the theater. "I could've stayed home and watched a Friends marathon instead!" Bridging that literal gap could be the best bet that the self help based movie genre can make to stay alive amongst the major media sharks.

The real test for this niche will be the upcoming What to Expect When You're Expecting,another all star cast line-up that's "inspired by the best selling book." Hopefully,a couple of the characters will be seen reading the title manual or it may get written off as a typical pregnancy panic flick:



Time will tell about the self help book based genre,which may be a blessing as well as a curse for movie makers and their target audience. Of course,some will never like self help books in any form and will no doubt see the rise of them as hit films as a sign of the apocalypse. As for me,I'm a live and let live kind of gal when it comes to this topic and prefer to vent my movie wrath about other things,such as a lack of a Justice League movie which is a worse crime against cinema to me. Then again, we all have our pop culture crosses to bear and should respect each other's need to righteously rant:

GOT goes to the bargaining table,a close call for a TAR team and more Vampire Diaries hijinks

Haggling was the name of the game on the last episode of Game of Thrones,starting with the Battling Baratheon brothers. Renly and Stannis meet in the field,with Lady Stark present,to discuss joining forces.

While it would benefit both sides to work together,the main bone of contention is who would be the one to wear the crown. Stannis is as stubborn as all get out that he should be in charge and Renly just loves sniping at his big brother.

Too bad Lady Stark isn't in charge here,as her notion of making these two get along might actually be beneficial to the proceedings.

Unfortunately,the only influential female in this mix is Melisandre,the Red Woman who persists in promoting Stannis as the Lord of Light's chosen one.

Her methods of persuasion,however,are going to prove to be rather deadly(no spoilers,I swear!). Let's just say that her interest in giving Stannis a son isn't as motherly as you might think it is and that the consequences of her powers are scarier than you might imagine:

Meanwhile,Dany and friends have reached the city of Qarth in hopes of being granted refuge from the desert. The Thirteen,the folks who run Qarth, did promise to recieve them but were quick to demand a look at the dragons first to see if they were real.

Dany took offense at their high handed attitude and showed some Targaryen flair in gaining entrance to the city. That impressed at least one member of the Thirteen,who took personal responsibility for Dany and her people. While she has a foot in the door,Dany should not get too overwhelmed by the beauty of Qarth or she may find herself outside the gates yet again:

On The Amazing Race,the first Road Block that the teams faced in India was particularly challenging to one pair,Team Kentucky. One team member had to learn a Bollywood dance routine and perform with a troupe in front of a local film director.

Since Bopper has been having trouble with his knees,Mark had to step up to the plate but the combination of heat and motion sickness(which he experienced on the bus heading over to the task),the poor guy went through more than a dozen attempts to get the dance done right.

Not too long into this ordeal,Bopper begged his friend to quit and just take the penalty at the Pit Stop. Mark wouldn't do it,worried about winning the money for his family. After a decent rest break,he did finally complete the challenge and thankfully,this was a non elimination leg. I really hope these guys make it all the way to the end,they truly deserve to:

The gang on The Vampire Diaries have a 1920s theme dance to distract them from their usual woes,but they need to keep on their toes as a secret alliance has been made under their noses.

It's also under the radar of their enemies,as Alaric's other personality has made a pact with Esther,the mother of the Originals.

Seems that Esther used her remaining magic to take over her darling daughter Rebecca's body and the two of them are out to wipe out all vampires,regardless of how good or bad they are. Hopefully,this ruse will be revealed in time to save our special vamps from extinction,plus let them enjoy the dance:



RANDOM NOTES:

AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY PLATES: This upcoming Bravo series appears to be the Amazing Race of Cooking,as contestants travel the globe to learn international cuisine and prepare it at local restaurants in order to win the grand prize. With Cat Cora as hostess,this should be a savvy sweet ride:

Some sweet sitcom birthday surprises

Alright,folks,today is my birthday and I tend to do specially themed posts about that on this occasion,so please bear with me. One thing that I've never had is a surprise birthday party and judging from the many examples that I have seen featured in pop culture,I don't think that I'm missing out much.

Mainly seen on sitcoms,surprise parties tend to be recipes for disaster and personal embarrassment,especially for the guest of honor. Yet,they are such a great go-to plot device that it would be a shame to do without such a golden opportunity for laughs. So,here are a handful of surprise party moments that provided plenty of startling(and silly)revelations:

NOBODY LOVES AN OVERDONE REACTION: An episode of Everybody Loves Raymond had both Ray and his mother-in-law plan his wife Debra's surprise birthday party. Debra found out that Ray was working on it(but not her mom)and got him to change the theme to Chinese banquet instead of the English garden party that her mother originally wanted.

By the time she actually arrived at the party,pretty much everyone there knew that Debra knew,so her pretending to be surprised was a prime example of over the top theatrics:

FAR FROM FRIENDLESS: One of the drawbacks to planning a surprise party is leaving the honoree so much in the dark that he/she may start to think that their special day has been forgotten.

On I Love Lucy,Ricky and friends kept her completely clueless on that front,which caused Lucy to wander the streets until she ran into a group called "Friends of the Friendless" that boosted her spirits.

She lead her new band of followers down to the club to let her loved ones know what she thought of their ignoring her but found out how much they cared about her instead:




BIRTHDAY BOY SONG: Granted,Mad Men is not a sitcom but the show can be humorous at times and the most recent moment of unexpected joy this season was watching Megan give Don her idea of a perfect birthday present,her sexy rendition of "Zou Bisou Bisou" at his surprise party.

That little song and dance was amusing,particularly for the reactions of the various party attendees. The best review of that performance came from Roger Sterling and his second wife Jane,who clearly wanted a birthday wish of their own granted right then and there:



TOO BROKE FOR BIRTHDAYS: Despite their very limited budget,Max on 2 Broke Girls did want to give Caroline a surprise party for her birthday. Even though the party supplies consisted of a few balloons and a six pack of nonalcoholic drinks,she was willing to make the effort.

Turns out the real surprise was that Caroline had no intentions of celebrating her b-day,not to mention the secret hook-ups between several of the diner patrons and staff:



Thanks for sharing this birthday blog post with me and I hope that you found a couple of these clips worth watching. As for any real life surprise party planning,let me offer a small piece of advice. Do be careful in choosing who to throw such a bash for,since some people tend to see that as more of a threat than a treat:

In the merry month of May,books can bloom in time for June

We are in the midst of spring,with summer approaching fast( and hopefully not furious),making this time of year a lovely transition from cold to warm in more ways than one. A very much looked forward to change up is in new books,which span from refined to relaxing.

Whether you're seeking a nice lit pick for Mother's Day, a new book club selection or planning to get a jump on a juicy beach read,there should be something in this preview post that will take you in the right direction:

SOME REVEALING HISTORY

I've reviewed this book earlier this month but singing the praises of The Secrets of Mary Bowser feels right at any time. Lois Leveen's debut novel
takes a relatively unknown heroine of the Civil War,an educated young woman freed by her Abolitionist owner,and shares a mix of fact and fiction about her exploits as a spy for the Union army.

Mary's journey through life is expanded by more than just her experiences working under cover as a maid in the household of Confederate president
Jefferson Davis. Her experiences growing up as a slave,with one parent forced to live apart from her and her mother to going to school in Philadelphia by herself and seeing how even in a free state,racial bias is still prevalent to falling in love with a man who volunteers to fight for freedom,are alluringly amazing to read(May 15):

Hilary Mantel won accolades,along with the Booker Prize,for her twist on the tales of the Tudors with Wolf Hall back in 2009 and next month she returns to that time with Bring Up The Bodies. The story of Henry the Eighth and Anne Boleyn is seen through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell,whose rise to political power was made with their marriage.

However,as Anne is becoming less enchanting to the king,so is the appeal to Cromwell in keeping her as queen. Anne and her kin are not about to let go without a fight,which means more than one head may roll. Even to those familiar with this perilous period,Mantel shines a newer light on the subject that showcases it's doomed beauty brilliantly(May):

A LIFE WORTH SAVORING

Even amongst non-foodies,chef Marcus Samuelsson is a well known name. From his restaurants in the heart of Harlem to his appearances on shows such as Top Chef Masters and Chopped,Samuelsson's dedication to the art of cooking and sincere nature have won over many folks who haven't had the pleasure of tasting his food.

He tells his life story in Yes,Chef,that starts from his childhood in Ethiopia to being adopted by a Swedish couple after the untimely death of his mother and his love of cooking taking him to apprenticeships in Sweden and France and onward to New York. Samuelsson's culinary climb to the top of his profession promises to be a read-worthy entree indeed(June):

A DOUBLE INTRODUCTION

The mysteries of sex are a reoccurring theme in John Irving's novels and in his upcoming book,In One Person,they take center stage. Leading man
Billy Abbott explores his desires for both men and women over the course of his life,starting in the straitlaced 1950s and dealing with the turbulence of the AIDS crisis during the 1980s.

Along the way,Billy falls in and out of love with a variety of friends and lovers,not to mention handling the quirks of his less than functional family. Irving's blend of humor and heart,plus epic story telling,should serve him and the reader rather well here(May):

SINISTER SOCIETY LIFE

The heroine of Elizabeth Percer's An Uncommon Education,Naomi Feinstein,is determined to use her time at Wellesley college wisely in order to achieve her dreams of becoming a doctor capable of curing her ill prone parents. However,the isolation she craves for her studies turns out to be less appealing that she imagined.

An unexpected rescue of a drowning girl brings Naomi into the Shakespearean Society,a long standing secret club in the school,that opens up a whole new realm of social delights for her. That breath of fresh air becomes hard to enjoy when threat of a scandal forces her to choose between the new people in her life and those who have always been there. This debut novel could provide a lot of interesting debate for the college bound and book groups alike(May):

For Downton Abbey fans who love the thrill of the dark side,Sadie Jones may have your perfect cup of literary tea with The Uninvited Guests. A birthday party at a country estate in Edwardian England is interrupted by the arrival of unexpected guests,passengers from a nearby train derailment in need of shelter.

Amongst the distraught newcomers is Charlie Traversham-Beechers,a man who seems to know more than he should about the hostess,Charlotte,and her family. His attempts to provoke the delicate harmony of the household soon unleash an array of personal demons that appear to have very real teeth. The heady atmosphere of this riveting novel is bound to cause quite a bit of late night page turning(May):

SWEET SLICE OF SOUTHERN SAGA

Leila Meacham made an charming debut with the 2010 release of her steadfast saga Roses and lucky for us all,she's not stopping there.

Her upcoming novel,Tumbleweeds,like her first book is set in Texas and follows three good friends as they struggle to overcome a life changing event that affects their futures and bond with one another.

Not much more is known about the book,yet if it's half as satisfying as Roses was,Tumbleweeds should be making it's way into many a beach bag this summer(June).

While the temptation to go outdoors and indulge in the inviting spring and summer weather is understandable,do try to make reading part of that fun. Speaking of fun,book talks are a good way to be social this season but there's no need to resort to fisticuffs about which character is best,unless you're severely provoked,of course:

Does Dark Shadows deserve a silly spotlight?

Fans of the original Dark Shadows TV series(which ran for several years in the late sixties and early 1970s)were happy upon first hearing that
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp would be headlining a major motion picture version of the goth soap opera. However,many of those smiles have become frowns after viewing the trailer for the upcoming film.

The basic premise of the story is the same;accursed vampire Barnabas Collins returns to his former homestead upon being released from his coffin and encounters his troubled descendants. The tone of the piece then seems to romp right into parody country,as a sort of Brady Bunch:The Movie vibe then starts to take over.

While the script is written by Seth Grahame-Smith(the author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,plus another big summer movie this season,Abraham Lincoln:Vampire Hunter),who has proven to be a rather talented humorist,I'm not sure that his take on Collinwood is going to be appreciated by the diehard Dark Shadows crowd:

Granted,a good portion of the DS fan base loves the over the top antics of the show and have kept it alive as a camp icon for years,but others are
going to feel as they are being made the punchline of the jokes here. I only saw some of the original Dark Shadows in reruns as a kid and it was part of the reason that I became the huge vampire fan that I am. However,I also feel that my comfort level as a geek(not to mention my hopeful maturity as I grow older)helps me to be able to laugh a little about it.

That doesn't mean I'm totally on board with this version of Dark Shadows,which will be the introduction to the whole phenomenon for most of this generation.Tim Burton and Johnny Depp claim to be ardent fans of the show,for which I have no doubt about,and perhaps this is their way of reconciling that passion of the past with a reflection of their adult awareness about the flaws as well as the fun of it. One can only hope yet it is hard to deny the ripe opportunities for humor with this material:

The influence of Dark Shadows has been felt over time,with an attempt at reviving the show as a prime time contender during the 1990s and the daytime soap opera Passions clearly taking a page or two from the DS playbook. Yet,the true successor to the legend of Barnabas Collins is,in my opinion,The Vampire Diaries.

While TVD has more of a believable edge in terms of character development and sharper dialogue,it does own quite a bit to Dark Shadows there. After all,we do have a lovelorn vampire who returns to his ancestral home in order to be with the girl who eerily resembles his long ago sweetheart and there are witches and ghosts nearby. Sounds familiar in some ways,now doesn't it,folks?

Granted,things are a tad more complex with the sinister sibling rivalry,plus the previous girlfriend also being a jealous lookalike vampirella whose hobby is mind games and werewolves also part of the mix. Still,The Vampire Diaries is a very worthy heir to the bloody throne that Barnabas built:



So,while it remains to be seen if the new Dark Shadows movie is a fresh transfusion or a stake to the heart of vampire lore,I wouldn't despair just yet. Even if Dark Shadows turns out to be a dud,there is still plenty of room on the small screen for bloodthirsty melodrama to flourish.

Demand for DVD/ online streaming viewing of the original series will go up with all of the new attention given to it,thanks to the film,and season five of True Blood is arriving this June,so vampire lovers will have their fair share of dark delights to cool down with at home. It would also be nice to enjoy some blood chilling at the multiplex as well but in the end,quality should win out:

Pump up the Pulitzer Prize winning fiction of the past

There was quite a shock amongst book lovers this week,as the Pulitzer committee decided not to award a fiction prize this year. Granted,this has happened before but the last time this occurred was 1977,so to many folks such a thing seems unthinkable.

The lack of a fiction winner for the Pulitzer Prize has given distress to writers and readers,not to mention a special note of concern for booksellers. Usually the novel that gets the award becomes a high demand purchase for lit lovers,which brings plenty of them into bookstores big and small. In such tight economic times,the foot traffic on this front can be more crucial than ever:

As a former bookseller myself,I do have a suggestion on how brick and mortar book shops can handle this dilemma and that's backlist,baby.

For those of you unfamiliar with that term,it means previously published titles that are still part of a publishing house's rotation and the basis of their distribution list. Also,if you happen to sell DVDs as well,a good number of these past Pulitzer winners have film adaptations which you can easily pair up as a two-for-one deal.

One likely candidate for display is Richard Russo's Empire Falls,that received the PP in 2002. This novel that chronicles the life of a small town centers it's focus on Miles Roby,a modern day George Bailey type who doesn't have a guardian angel handy. However,his taken for granted good nature is upset more by a secret kept since childhood on behalf of a loved one. Not only is the book a wonderful absorbing read but the HBO miniseries made from it is this close to perfect as a visual translation of the novel:

Another good piece of work to feature here is The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos. This tale of two brothers,Nestor and Cesar Castillo,whose musical careers and fortunes rise and fall as they make their way from Havana to New York won the Pulitzer in 1990 and was the first novel written by a Hispanic American to achieve that distinction.

The 1992 film version starred Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas,with the title shortened to The Mambo Kings. The reviews were decent but film audiences weren't as captivated by it as readers were. The film did get an Oscar nomination for the pivotal song of the plot,"Beautiful Maria of my Soul" and a stage production was attempted in 2005. With the current state of Broadway musicals,it might be time to try that again:

For a more classical approach,Edith Wharton and The Age of Innocence nicely fits the bill. Set amongst high society in nineteenth century New York,the subtle yet tormented nuances of the passion between Newland Archer,a man already engaged to a proper young lady,and Countess Ellen Olenska,returing home to decide the fate of her ill advised marriage,is a touching tragedy of the soul.

There have been three movie editions of this 1921 Pulitzer winner,the first being a silent version made in 1924. The one that truly captures the spirit of the novel,in my opinion,is Martin Scorsese's 1993 rendition,which he directed and co-wrote the screenplay. Scorsese dedicated the film to his father who did not live to see it,a true shame since it's a breathtakingly beautiful presentation:

Last but not least on my list of suggestions,The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk is more than just a WWII story. It's an intense drama that highlights the true nature of men under pressure and how they can let their worst side take over. This is a good time to either reread or be introduced to Wouk,as he has a new book coming out this fall entitled The Lawgiver,about the making of a Moses movie in modern times,told via e-mail,tweets and other forms of new media. Pretty sharp for a gentleman of his age(which happens to be 96)-sir,I salute you!

Back to Caine,the novel(which won it's PP in 1952) inspired a stage play and a very notable film adaptation 10 1954 that is still considered to be a major influence upon courtroom dramas and military movies. Humphrey Bogart's performance as the too tightly wound Captain Queeg holds up as a major highpoint of his career but just as excellent was the work done by Jose Ferrar,as the military lawyer acting against his own instincts to bring Queeg down:




Of course,you can always promote the three novels up for the Pulitzer this year-Swamplandia by Karen Russell,The Pale King by David Foster Wallace and Denis Johnson's Train Dreams-and see which one your patrons think should have taken the prize home.

Awards aside,being pleased as a reader is what really counts in the long run and is key to keeping any work of literary art alive. Even books that do win any sort of honor aren't always appreciated in their time. Some people just love to find fault in anything popular,especially an award winner,and instead of drinking their sour grape brew,make your own lit-worthy lemonade:

Tyrion shuffles the deck on GOT,unnecessary pouting on TAR and a new page for The Vampire Diaries

When last we checked in with Game of Thrones,Tyrion made a power move to find out who in the Small Council would be quick to sell him out to sister Cersei. He spun a tale of making a marriage alliance with his niece Myrcella to Littlefinger,Vareys and the Grand Maester,naming a different potential groom and asking all of them not to tell the Queen mother.

Naturally,someone let her in on the plan and that leak came from the Maester,which made it easier for Tyrion and friends to plug up. Nicely played,Tyrion but be careful with those other guys,neither of them can be trusted,trust me on that!:

Meanwhile,Arya's trek to the North has been interrupted by Lannister soldiers seeking out Gendry,the possibly last of the illegitimate children of King Robert,for execution.

As much as Night's Watch man Yoren tried,the troops overtook him but not without a bit of bloodshed. Arya lost her sword and her freedom yet managed to save Gendry from death by telling their captors that another boy whom they had just killed was the one they were looking for. Good going,girl and stay safe:

On this leg of The Amazing Race,a Double U Turn was in place,which lets two teams get the chance to send two others back to complete the Detour challenge not taken.

Team Border Patrol(Art and J.J.)used that option to set Team Big Brother back but became unreasonably annoyed that Dave and Rachel(who they had an alliance with)didn't do so when they arrived to the DUT first. I honestly don't see what was the problem;as Dave and Rachel pointed out,Jamie and Nary(the "school teachers")were further behind the pack,plus they had a Speed Bump so in terms of strategy,delaying Team BB wasn't a necessary move to make.

You would think that Art and J.J. would be pleased to have the "honor" of u-turning Team BB but no,they were whiny and grumpy about the whole thing,swearing that their alliance was over. Being poor sports,fellas,not a smart way to earn that good karma you may need soon:

After a brief break,The Vampire Diaries return tonight with more entertaining angst and chaos. With Alric's alter ego hiding that special stake that could destroy the Originals,Elena needs to do something proactive so she chooses to retrieve Jeremy from his supposedly safe location in Denver. My best guess is that trouble is already lurking around that kid and is ready to pounce as soon as Elena shows up.

Damon is going with her,for more than one reason of course. Yep,that's the best time to consider a romantic entanglement,right when you're risking your neck to save just about everyone you know and care about,not to mention road trip! It never rains in Mystic Falls,the conflicts love to pour:



RANDOM NOTES:

MAD MEN: I would be remiss in my pop culture duties if I didn't comment on the fist fight between Lane and Pete this week. Pete was really cruising for a bruising and he certainly got one,English style. I do hope that Lane can find a better way to relieve his obvious stress about his place in the world but delivering a much needed smackdown isn't a totally bad way to start: