Springing into some new books for March & April of 2017

Despite those mixed weather reports from our official groundhogs, it looks as if spring will be arriving very soon. The warmer days will be good for many activities, including reading out of doors, something that I've never been drawn to myself , which requires buying a new book or two.

Granted, March and April are not always seen as the major pop culture release months yet I do see that changing. From event movies to major TV miniseries and brand new books, this season is more than just a warm-up for the summer delights to come:

SISTERS IN SUSPENSE:
 
 In Elizabeth Kostova's upcoming novel,The Shadow Land, our leading lady is traveling to Bulgaria in order to recover from the loss of a loved one and finds something completely unexpected in her luggage.

Alexandra quickly realizes that the funeral urn in her possession must belong to the elderly couple she helped get into a cab and is determined to return it as soon as can be. However, that good deed does not go unpunished as her search brings about unwanted attention from those dedicated to protecting a family secret that she had no idea of stumbling across.

Aided by a rather helpful taxi driver named Bobby, Alexandra soon finds herself on an adventure that takes her into the dark currents of European history. Kostova has a flair for blending mystery and old world mood like a fine tea that should satisfy anyone with a taste for such literary brew(April).

 For a story that's set further back in history, we have The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown, the witch hunter in question being Matthew Hopkins who was well known for his brutal body count in England during the 1600s.

In this debut novel, his widowed sister Alice comes to live with him, having nowhere else to go and especially with her expecting a child soon. Her impression of their hometown of Essex is one of fear as her brother's grim occupation terrifies everyone, herself included.

Wanting to know why Matthew has taken up this cause, Alice learns more of their family history and finds a truth that must be revealed in order to spare more innocent lives. However, confronting that dark secret could also threaten her own life in the bargain. This sounds like an intriguing imaginative look into why some prefer their enemies to be magical rather than merely mortal(April):

A GRAND GASCONY FEAST:

 Food writer David McAninch finds more than he bargained for when he takes an assignment to the remote countryside of Gascony in France to write about the fine art of cooking duck.

Being a fan of French life to begin with, he discovers that Gascony has much to offer and even winds up moving his whole family over there to experience it better. Duck Season chronicles that period of eight months for him where McAninch learned to cook many of the local dishes with his neighbors as well as tend sheep, hunt pigeons and work in a vineyard.

Even if you're not as big of a Francophile as the author, this gregarious look at such a homespun life and cuisine certainly could whet your appetite for French food, including the infamous duck comfit(March): 

 LESSONS IN LOVE:

 Looking for love is never easy, even when it seems to be so near and yet so far. That's the conundrum for the couple in Kate Eberlen's Miss You as Tess and Gus meet by chance during a trip to Florence and keep running into each other over the course of sixteen years.

As time goes on, each of them face similar challenges and choices in life as loved ones grow ill and depart, new responsibilities must be taken and chances for romance grow slim. Yet, somehow, Tess and Gus are meant to be together despite the tricks that fate plays upon them both.

This British debut novel is set to arrive in America this spring and should be a lovely read to relish as  love is in the literary air(April):

  
In Kate Alcott's The Hollywood Daughter, a young woman learns the difference between reel love and real life as her cinematic icon makes a startling declaration of love.

Jessica Malloy has always been thrilled to have her Hollywood studio father work to make Ingrid Bergman one of the biggest movie stars in the world. She worships Bergman to the point of wishing that the actress was her mother instead of the cold parent that she feels she has.

When in 1950 Ingrid Bergman does not hide her illicit love affair with director Roberto Rossellini nor the baby she has with him out of wedlock, Jessica's idol shatters before her along with her own notions about her family. If you enjoy old school Hollywood lore, this story seems like the matinee read to devour a bowl of popcorn with(March):

RARE BOOK SMARTS:

 Rare book expert Rebecca Romney has made her mark with fans of the hit reality series Pawn Stars and for this collection of tales from literary history entitled Printer's Error, she teams up with researcher J. P. Romney to share their knowledge of the printed word with readers and viewers alike.

From debates over if Gutenberg actually printed the Bible to Charles Dickens fighting for royalty rights for writers everywhere, this set of essays shares a wealth of book facts as well as celebrates the bookish folks who did their part to making literature come alive.

While I haven't watched Pawn Stars, I have no doubt that Rebecca Romney is one of the highlights of that show and that her take on books old and new here will be a page turning entertainment indeed(March):

I'm sure that many more wonderful books will blossom this spring, filling many a holiday basket or growing like a garden on bedside stands. Just be sure not to get too carried away with your reading or you'll be wasting those lovely days of sunshine by making those last pages linger too long:

An enchanting trio of reads that tell a tale as old as time

Coming up on the spring movie calendar is the live action version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson as the bookish Belle and Dan "Downton Abbey" Stevens as her title companion.

 Like many readers, this particular rendition of the romantic fairy tale does strike several positive notes for me with it's lively songs,  the strong and smart heroine and allowing a friendship to develop between the two intended love interests before making that big emotional commitment. Plus, Belle gets a gorgeous library as a token of love, what could be better?

To get into that literary spirit, here are a fine trio of books that will set the movie mood perfectly. First, go back to the beginning with a collection that not only has the original story but several from other cultures as well.

 Edited by Maria Tatar, Beauty and the Beast: Classic Tales about Animal Brides and Grooms From Around the World is set up into three categories; Model Couples From Ancient Times, such as Cupid and Psyche of Roman myth, Charismatic Couples In the Popular Imagination like the feisty heroine of Norway's East of the Sun, West of the Moon and Animal Grooms, which puts a different spin on the social standards of the story.

Checking out the many similar yet unique takes on this legend offers a richness to the material and plenty of fresh food for creative thought in the bargain. This collection is due out in early March, which should give you more than enough time to discover it's delightful introductions to a new age of once upon a time:

 If you're looking for a novel that uses the Beauty and the Beast theme in a new way, then Sarah J. Maas has a fantasy series for you.

 A Court of Thorns and Roses is set in a realm where a narrow border divides humans from Fae, a truce that young huntress Feyre inadvertently breaks by killing a wolf who happened to be a shapeshifting fairy. To mend the breach, she is exiled to the kingdom of Prythian as a guest of Tamlin, one of their High Lords.

As Feyre gets to know Tamlin and the Fae much better, she learns of a blight that is threatening to destroy their magic and set free a horde of dangerous creatures upon both of their worlds. In working to save her new friend, she discovers a power stronger than magic, that of love.

 Sarah J. Maas has quite a following among teen and adult fans alike and her use of prior mythos to enhance her storytelling skills is charmingly impressive. Hopefully this will one day be a movie to marvel at:

Meanwhile, for a blend of modern times and magical beings, Helene Wecker's The Golem and the Jinni shows you the beauty to be found in misplaced immortals living in America during the early 1900s.

Chava, a female golem, was made to be an obedient bride for a lonely man emigrating to America but her intended husband dies before they reach New York. Alone and on her own, she manages to pass for human yet struggles to control her powers on a daily basis.

Along the way, she encounters Ahmad, a jinni freed from confinement by a kindly tinsmith and who is still furious about where he has ended up. The two of them forge a friendship and possibly more, only to have what happiness they have together threatened by a ruthless mortal magician(think Gaston if he had powers).

This glowingly written novel is more that just a fairy tale but it's charms do weave a spell upon you as this special pair of hearts learn to beat as one:

The new Beauty and the Beast will be in theaters by March 17, giving us all plenty of time to rediscover the magic of that story by stacking up a pile of books that would impress Belle quite a bit there. After all, her true idea of treasure is an endless supply of books and a good friend to share them with and a good read is a grand start to that:

A nice little literary vacation with a library haul stop on the way

Well, we have another long holiday weekend to enjoy here and what better way to relax than picking up a few good books? While not every book that I selected for this occasion is light reading, all of them promise to be smartly soothing for the soul.

For example, the leading lady of Jenny Colgan's Little Beach Street Bakery is definitely looking for a change of scene and she certainly gets one after taking up residence in a remote seaside village in Cornwall.

Polly Waterford is trying to rebuild her life after her last boyfriend and their joint business venture have gone their separate ways. She decides to focus on her love of cooking, mainly bread making, to keep her spirits up and soon, it becomes clear that her destiny is to start up a new bakery and perhaps a new love as well.

So far, this story is as delightful as the other Jenny Colgan titles that I've read and if all goes well, I may have to get the sweet sequels to this tasty tale to boot:

With the Oscars coming up, I thought it would be good to read one of the books that the nominated films are based on and Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly fits that bill perfectly.

The author grew up around many of the people who knew the talented trio of women that the book focuses on, each of them who worked for NASA as mathematicians(also known as human "computers") during that critical era of the Space Race in the fifties and early sixties. Her narrative of this previously untold story has an intimate ring to it that highlights their personal struggles in this arena.

 Dealing with both racial and gender bias of that particular time period, these ladies,including Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughn, persisted in doing their utmost to having our country make international history.

 Since such an inspirational story like this can influence generations to come, I really hope that this film does well at the Academy Awards but at least the book will also be on hand to offer more insight into the lives of these remarkable women:

With this being a holiday, my big outdoor excursion was to the library both to return and pick out new reads. One of those was In The Unlikely Event by Judy Blume, an author I haven't read since my teens.

This novel is intended for adults as it tells a tale told by numerous characters who were all affected by a triple set of airplane accidents in Elizabeth, NJ during the early 1950s. These deadly crashes occurred within a short time frame that left long lasting impact upon the locals, especially Miri Ammerman and her mother Rusty.

I'm only a few chapters in yet this book does feel a lot like the Blume novels that I devoured in my youth(one of my favorites was Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself) and that is a plus in it's favor. Blume's knack for creating vibrant characters that you can connect to in times of troubles is a rare gift among writers and one that she appears to use wisely and well here:

To accompany that book,  I chose Susan Vreeland's Lisette's List which also has a blend of fact and fiction as the young woman of the title finds herself moving to Vichy,France in 1937 in order to care for her husband Andre's grandfather Pascal.

 Instead of becoming bored in such a remote locale, Lisette finds herself embracing the art world, due to Pascal and his artist friends such as Cezanne and Pissaro, who have given him some of their paintings out of appreciation for his help in mixing the materials for their paint colors.

That collection is endangered when the Nazis sweep though France and with Andre enlisting in the fight against such invaders, it is up to Lisette to protect the family art as best as she can. I fondly recall reading Vreeland's Girl in Hyacinth Blue years ago and this sounds like just as beautifully crafted as that book was:

Well, I'll still be reading these books for some time to come but it is fun to plan a little literary R&R time when the right date falls on the calendar. Having a stay at home vacation(for the most part) does have it's advantages, one of the best being no worries about how many books you can cram into your suitcase-you always have room for more in the comfort of your own home!:

Futuristic fiction that offers you present day food for thought

Truth is getting stranger than fiction lately, as we nearly have daily proof of. While I don't believe in "alternative facts", I do believe that reading about alternative realities can help us figure out how to deal with the rapidly changing circumstances of our times.

For one, time travel sounds like the perfect solution yet as the leading man of Elan Mastai's new novel All Our Wrongs Todays discovers, things like that never work out as smoothly as you want them to. Tom Barren comes from a version of 2016 where flying cars,robot maids and other marvels have made the world a better place to be.

Yet, he finds himself dissatisfied in life and love, so when he gets the chance to make an unauthorized time trip back to a very pivotal day, Tom takes it and accidentally causes that reality to be undone, leaving himself and the rest of us in the world we all share now.

 Even though his personal set of circumstances are somewhat improved, Tom is determined to reset the time line which only makes everything get even odder than before. This smart engaging story sounds like a grand read and a good lesson in learning to make do what you have before you:

For those still trying to figure out how we got to this point, the works of Octavia E. Butler seem to be ringing a few bells of clarity.

Particularly her Earthseed novels, which begins with Parable of the Sower that has  Lauren Olamina had fled her formerly enclosed community due to it being destroyed by wild folks addicted to setting fires.

 During her travels to find a new way of living in a world ravaged by environmental problems and social disarray, Lauren carries the hope of a new faith that could unite people into creating a brighter tomorrow for all.

Unfortunately, that faith is severely tested in the follow-up book,Parable of the Talents, as a newly elected president of the country demands a wipe out of any other religion than his own.

 Lauren's new society is attacked, it's residents brutalized and their children taken away in order to save them from being raised in "heathen" households. Such direct assaults are hard to handle, even if you're not suffering from hyper-empathy as Lauren does, yet she does find the strength to go on and reclaim her life and those of her friends.

Octavia Butler was an amazing writer who explored the impact of race and gender inequality in her work and was considered one of the finest in her field during her lifetime. Despite her passing away several years ago, it feels as if her voice is growing stronger with every new reader that takes up her books for solace and inspiration:

There are many people who think that if they had direct knowledge of what the future holds, their choices to prevent upcoming disasters would be easy ones to make. Well, they ought to read Stephen King's modern classic The Dead Zone and perhaps think again.

As Johnny Smith realizes that his reward for coming out of a lengthy coma are visions of what is to come(along with the true nature of the people around him), he does try to use these new psychic powers for good. However, the outcome of even those well intended interventions can bring about as much pain and suffering as if he had no advance warning of them at all.

His ultimate decision arrives with the handshake of an up and coming politician, whose future reign as president promises a true doomsday. While no one should make such a drastic move to alter the course of events, this iconic novel proves that being forewarned and being forearmed is not the same thing:

When all is said and done, I can honestly say that one of the few positive things that I see going on right is a return to reading. Whether your motives are for gaining knowledge, expanding your cultural horizons or just some much needed stress relief, picking up a book is the best way to tackle any obstacles up ahead and that is what will make for a more meaningful future for us all:

Stocking up on cinematic clues for Stranger Things 2

Out of the numerous Super Bowl commercials vying for attention this year, the one that engaged genre fans the most was the teaser for Season Two of Stranger Things, which is arriving this Halloween.

Between that and the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly,that has a nice cover story with preview pictures, eager viewers are searching for clues about what's to come and given that the teaser is less than forty seconds long, it's not as easy as it sounds. Nonetheless, there are hints to be had and while I am a new fan of the series, I do have a few ideas about what was shown.

So, here are a few films that may be helpful to watch(or re-watch) that I think might prove to be very relevant as to the continuing fate of our ST friends:

GHOSTBUSTERS: This one is a given, since the boys are seen in Ghostbuster outfits for trick or treating and with the new season set in 1984, this was the big summer movie of that year.

With all four of these D&D playing pals knowing full well that the supernatural is more real that most people think, I can imagine that this particular film really spoke to them( along with adults like Will's mom, for one) and maybe even encouraged them to try and build a few spirit catching devices of their own.

After all, that door to the Upside Down is not completely closed and it will take a few motivated experts and/or self starters to work towards any new visitors from that realm stopping in for a spell:

 

 DREAMSCAPE: Another paranormal themed film that came out in the summer of 1984 was this thriller starring Dennis Quad as a psychic recruited by scientists for a  secret project involving going into people's dreams.

At first, the intentions of the program are to help folks with sleep disorders but a sinister government agent decides to use this work to create the ultimate hitman and one of his targets is the President.

Since this was the second movie that year to be granted the PG-13 rating, I don't know if our pre-teen protagonists would have seen it(if they did, more than likely they sneaked in ). However, with more of Eleven's backstory being promised for S2, there may be a few highlights from this film that might pop up in an episode or two:

CHILDREN OF THE CORN: Yup, this cult classic came out in 1984 and I highly doubt that any of our young quartet saw this one as it was R rated. Trust me, it earned it's rating and then some, with plenty of bad reviews and yet, a long line of sequels following in it's campy goreshow wake.

So,why do I include it here? Well, there was a brief shot of a farmer type hitting something hard in the ST2 teaser that brought this to mind for me. Not to mention that Stephen King is one of the major influences on this series and even an awful short story adaptation like this did leave a permanent pop culture mark.

Plus,there are quite a few residents of the Upside Down that could be as awe inspiring to the easily lead as He Who Walks Behind The Rows was:

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND: This film would be rather familiar to our ST bunch, due to it being a 1977 release(with a special edition having a theatrical run in 1980). Not to mention that there is a clear shot in the the S2 teaser that is a callback to an iconic scene in this movie.

I do wonder if Will takes some time to watch Close Encounters, as he would relate to the characters being pursued and taken by otherworldly forces from their homes. It might also be a movie he'd want to avoid due to being triggered by those very scenes.

With Steven Spielberg also being another big league influence on the series, you know that this was referenced for a specific reason but somehow, I don't think that it will be a good sign for our ST folks there:

No doubt, we will get even more hints as newer trailers come along and hopefully, more pictures as well. All of this speculation is pretty fun and I just hope that the growing fan hype doesn't overwhelm expectant viewers too much. I trust the Duffer brothers to give us a good show and will be happy with whatever is coming next.

 Waiting until Halloween feels like such a long time(especially these days when we're all in need of a good distraction) but at least we do have time to watch a few good films to get us into that 1980s spirit that Stranger Things and it's fans thrive on so well:

My Series-ous Reading allowed me to enjoy The Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor

My year of Series-ous Reading(reading books from various genre series) has gotten off to a good start with Jane and The Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor. This is the first book in author Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen Mystery series, which has thirteen titles to date.

Having read a few of the later entries, it was good to go right to the beginning where the initial premise is that a set of journals written by Jane Austen were accidentally discovered in an old house and being published with footnotes. Those notes are quite informative at times, even to those familiar with the ins and out of Regency lore(a couple of legal terms were very enlightening to me).

Once that set-up is laid out for the reader, we get right into the story. Jane is introduced to us at age 28, having just accepted and quickly rejected the marriage proposal of Harris Bigg-Wither, a rather awkward period in her life. To avoid dealing with the recriminations of her family for that, she's taken to a spree of visits with friends and has decided to join a new acquaintance Isobel Payne, the newly wed Countess of Scargrave, in attending the Christmas celebrations at her husband's estate:

Before Christmas Day,however, the Earl is struck with a mysterious illness that does him in. Isobel is grief stricken,so Jane stays by her side to offer comfort, having no inkling of foul play as the Earl was considerably older than his recent bride.

Yet Isobel's maid has secretly left the estate and is sending notes to the authorities that claim Isobel and the young heir to the Scargrave title, Fitzroy Payne, are responsible for the Earl's death.

There are plenty of other suspects about, including several relatives of both Isobel and the Payne family, all looking to make what fortune they can from this tragedy. As Jane starts to play detective, another murder implicates her friend and she must do what she can to save her hostess from being officially sentenced to death.

As this story is placed well before Jane began her publishing career, you can spot many elements that will be added to her novels, most noticeably Pride and Prejudice. Many of the scenes in the book are rather engaging in the formal manners of that time, especially when a truly flighty cousin of Isobel's, Fanny Delahoussaye, is on the prowl, along with her obnoxious mother Hortense, are on stage and in full catty mode:

One character that is introduced here is somewhat of a Darcy but with a sneaky side that recalls a few of Austen's more roguish leading men.

Lord Harold Trowbridge has business dealings with Isobel that make him look like a despicable fellow but as it turns out, he is not as bad as first appearances make him out to be. I know from reading some of the later books that Lord Harold becomes an occasional ally of Jane's in her crime solving pursuits and there is quite the hint of attraction between them.

I do like that bit of chemistry ,mainly from arguing, that rises up during most of their scenes and look forward to seeing more of that as I go on with this series. Lord Harold and Jane's original team-up reminds me of season one of Castle, yet in my head, Lord Harold talks more like Ewan McGregor than Nathan Fillion(gents who I adore somewhat equally-can't help it, Fillion has the home field advantage here):

All in all, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor is a solid read that does make you want to read more of Austen's detective adventures. The mystery does take it's time to resolve but settled it truly is by the end in a satisfactory way.

It does help to know a good deal about the life and times of Jane Austen(as well as being able to overlook the fictional flights of fancy taken here) but Stephanie Barron has a good grasp on Jane's writing style and makes that narrative voice both engaging and believable. I will be delighted to spend more time in her company as this reading challenge goes forth.

In the meantime, my next selection of Series-Ous Reading is the third book in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series, The Deception of the Emerald Ring. This tale of Regency spies is lighter in tone so far than the JAM novels yet I'm sure that there will be plenty of romantic intrigue to give it just as much story telling tension to savor:

Keeping warm by the glow of my chilling book haul

With the snow falling outside my window right now, I am more glad than ever about my latest book haul. In rough weather conditions, it's always reassuring to know that you have enough food in the cupboard, a good blanket to crawl under and a pile of spanking new books to read.

First on the pile(thanks to Blogging for Books) is The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry,which is a follow-up to her earlier novel, The Lace Reader, yet it's not necessary to have read that one before this. Having read TLR, I'm curious to see what she has store here.

This book returns to the town of Salem, where police detective John Rafferty  is investigating the death of a teenage boy that may be connected to a cold case called "The Goddess Murders". Those killings were tied to descendants of accused witches back in the bad old days and many believe that a local historian,Rose Whelan, is responsible for those untimely deaths.

John doesn't buy that and neither does Callie Cahill, the daughter of one of the original victims who has come back to Salem. Even if Rose is innocent and they can prove it, how will they find the real killer? Especially if that killer is truly less than human in more ways than one. Barry's storytelling skills impressed me greatly back when I read The Lace Reader and catching up with these characters ought to be an engaging get-together:

My other two books came from the library and I was thrilled to find Jeffrey Toobin's American Heiress on the shelves. This is his take on the Patty Hearst kidnapping back in the early seventies, a story that has always interested me ever since I read Patricia Hearst's own account of it entitled Every Secret Thing(I even saw the movie version).

I know that Toobin didn't have the cooperation of Patty Hearst for this book, which from what I've heard has doubts regarding her participation in the crimes committed once she "joined" the SLA. Granted, I am rather sympathetic to what she went through but willing to see what evidence Toobin has gathered to make his conclusions.

After watching the adaptation of his book about the O.J. Simpson trial and gaining new insights into that event, this should be as equally fascinating. I've already started American Heiress and his addition of the social chaos swirling around that particular moment in time is certainly enlightening things for me already:

I paired that with the first in a new mystery series,Arsenic with Austen by Katherine Bolger Hyde. The leading lady here is widowed lit professor Emily Cavanaugh, who has a fondness for Jane Austen's Persuasion, a book she's reading while traveling to the small village of Stony Beach to claim an inheritance.

While settling the estate of her great aunt(who, rumor has it, may have been murdered) and getting to know the locals, Emily reunites with Sheriff Luke Richards, a former love of hers that could be the Captain Wentworth to her Anne Eliot.

Unfortunately, there's also a scheming cousin of hers named Brock who is reminding Emily a lot of the duplicitous Mr. Eliot of that novel about. As Emily and Luke look into a suspicious string of deaths going on, Brock is only one of the many suspects that might also add Emily to their deadly to-do list. This sounds like a charming cozy mystery and if it fulfills it's promise of Austen antics, I will look forward with pleasure to the next entry in this "Crimes with the Classics" series indeed:

This is a small book haul, to be sure, but a manageable one for the present. Of course, having books to carry around is a delightful burden for most readers as you can't possess everything you need to know at all times even with the internet available. Books allow you to travel where ever and when ever you please, particularly during bad weather days like this:

Wrapping up A Winter's Respite of reading

Having a two week long readathon,such as the one I just completed with Seasons of Reading and their A Winter's Respite one recently, turns out to be quite the literary blessing. My TBR had six books on it and I managed to finish four of them, which is not too shabby.

The first two books I covered in a prior post, so here's the second half. Liane Moriarty's Truly Madly Guilty is set,like her earlier bestsellers such as The Husband's Secret, in Australia and follows three families still reeling from the aftermath of an incident that took place at a backyard barbecue.

The hosts of that gathering, Vid and Tiffany, seem to be handling things well yet Tiffany notices that her pre-teen daughter Dakota is perhaps acting a little too well adjusted there. The main guests, Erika and Oliver, also appear to be doing well but Erika is concerned over a memory lapse that could connect the dots better about what happened.

 The guests who were affected the most are Clementine and Sam, who brought their two young girls to the party, which was originally meant to be a simple at-home visit.

 That last minute change in venue made the true purpose of that get-together a bit more awkward and ultimately resulted in straining their marriage to the breaking point.

The format of this book is similar to Moriarty's Big Little Lies, which is set to air soon on HBO as a limited series, yet the stakes are slightly different for this set of characters. However, she has a real knack for domestic dramas and a talent for adding solid layers of depth to her fictional folk which serves her well here. TMG is an engaging read that may not have as much sizzle to the steak as BLL did but still offers up plenty of flavorful punch:

The last book that I was able to finish for this readathon happened to be the first one I started, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. It's not a particularly long book but it is worth taking your time with.

Our leading man of the title is a retired widower living in the small English town of Edgecombe St. Mary, who when we first met him is in shock over the sudden death of his brother Bertie. He gets immediate comfort from Mrs. Ali, a widow who runs a local shop and shares his taste in reading.

While the Major is dealing with his relatives in order to claim what he considers to be his inheritance(a hunting rifle that was part of a matched set given to each brother by their late father), he keeps running into Mrs. Ali and winds up getting involved in her own struggles with her family, who want her to give up the shop in order to hand it over to a moody nephew.

Their ongoing relationship becomes the talk of the town, despite the polite chasteness of their connection and things come to a head at a country club dance that is rife with cultural insensitivity.

 In the end, it is up to Major Pettigrew to do what he likes least-make an open declaration of his feelings-to make everything work out for all concerned.

For a debut novel, Helen Simonson makes an outstanding first impression that marks her as a true professional. From her touches of gentle humor to the details of country village life, this book transports you right over to England with vivid emotions and stylish flair.

 Many have said that her writing style is very Jane Austen like and I do feel that's not just hype. If I was to select an Austen novel to pair this story with, Persuasion would suit the bill nicely. The hesitation dance of love that the Major and Mrs. Ali engage in during the course of the novel does follow in the same steps that Anne Eliot and Captain Wentworth first mapped out, right down to the last wonderful two-step of the heart:

I did get a start on the last couple of books on my readathon list, Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye(had to extend my library renewal for that) and Curtis Sittenfeld's American Wife, both of which I'll continue with,of course, along with my Series-ous Reading pick,which I hope to have a write-up for later this week.

Much thanks to Michelle Miller of Seasons of Reading for setting up another fun time for all of us to indulge in. It's really good to find bookish friends to share this dreary season with and perhaps make new ones as well:

A rallying cry to reading

One of the few bright spots in the news these days are reports of a renewed interest in reading, particularly certain classics that seem to reflect all too accurately upon our current state of affairs.

A book that has quickly climbed to the top of bestseller lists and has publishers scrambling to print copies as fast as they can lately is George Orwell's 1984, particularly now that the phrase "alternative facts" has entered our lexicon.

With so many new examples of doublespeak coming at us both online and off, it's almost no wonder that people are seeking some much needed clarity from this iconic novel about the long term effects of an intrusive dictatorship upon it's citizens, hoping to be far more successful than the book's leading man, Winston Smith, in his efforts to resist the grasp of Big Brother's minions:

Even before the results of the recent presidential election, readers were scrambling to get any edition they could of It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis. Publishers are also straining to keep up with the demand for this one.

 This 1935 novel(which was also adapted into a stage play and later, an inspiration for the 80's sci-fi series V) is not as well known as Lewis' other stories that highlighted social ills of his time such as Main Street and Elmer Gantry but with it's tale of an America run by manipulative politician turned dictator, ICHH has certainly stuck a nerve in the here and now.

It's also interesting to note that the hero of the novel is a journalist, Doremus Jessup, who uses his power of the press to thwart the growing danger of this new government. Particularly relevant to our current headlines since a sadly prominent White House staff member has recently declared  "the media" to be the big problem and that they need to "shut up". It's charming attitudes like this that are making people run to their bookstores and libraries looking for relevant reading:

Another book with a similar theme to ICHH that has been gaining new popularity is Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, which has become an Amazon Studios series now in it's second season.

PKD's vision of a world where Hitler and his allies won WWII is considered a hallmark of the science fiction sub-genre known as alternate history(which is basically a twisted version of It's A Wonderful Life). The book won the Hugo award in 1963 and even before the online series was regularly reprinted.

While the show has naturally revived interest in the source material, you really can't deny that our real world headlines are making both the book and the series feel incredibly current to the way we live now:

While we're seeing many forms of protest these days, it's good to note that reading is just as much of a formidable act of rebellion as any other. Choosing to be educated and knowledgeable about the world is your best weapon against ignorance and intolerance.

I'd also like to point out that novel reading during such times is important. Nonfiction is vital, of course, but fiction teaches people empathy, a skill that is in serious decline right now. Seeing things from another point of view and realizing our own flaws and preconceived notions about how others live is how we learn to advance as a civilization.

There are plenty of wonderful novels out there that can open your eyes and be thoughtful entertainment as well. Books such as A Gesture Life by Chang-rae Lee, The Absolutely True Adventures of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, The Mothers by Brit Bennett and so many more. Celebrating our freedom to read is a key part in dealing with what lies ahead as well as healing our emotional wounds together:

Rejoice,for Oscar season is upon us!

Well, we certainly needed a lift after the events of this past weekend and thankfully, pop culture has provided with the announcement of the nominees for the 89th Academy Awards, due to be presented on February 26.

There's plenty of applause out there for La La Land's large number of nominations(more on that in a moment) but to me and no doubt many others, the true belle of this cinematic ball is Hidden Figures, which is up for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer.

This is an end of the year release film that has been gaining a groundswell of support from movie goers and critics alike, hitting box offices highs that even had it beating Rogue One at one point. As thrilled as I am that Hidden Figures is a main contender here, I do wish that it was also being featured in more categories such as Taraji P. Henson for Best Actress and Best Score as well.

A film that brings to light the untold story of three African American women who were a vital component in our country winning the Space Race should be just as celebrated at the Oscars as we know a certain other film is going to be and while I haven't seen either movie yet, it's not hard to see which one is truly more inspiring:

Meanwhile, La La Land is making headlines for it's 14 nominations, including Best Actor and Actress for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and yes, All About Eve and Titanic had the same amount but that's no guarantee of success.

 Just ask the folks who put out The Turning Point and The Color Purple how well multiple nominations work out(they both had 11 and won nothing on their respective nights).

Look, I'm sure that La La Land is a nice enough film and musicals are one of my favorite genres. However, the hype machine is seriously working overtime on this one and if it sweeps the Oscars, fine but don't expect everyone to be over the moon for that:

By the way, La La Land, did you have to take up two of the slots in the Best Original Song category? Sorry but I did take a listen to "City of Stars" and "Audition" and forgive me for saying so but they do sound awfully alike.

I know how this category works, they like to mix up somber songs such as the Sting number from Jim, with more lighthearted fare from animated movies like Trolls(which is up for an award here). It's just that the La La Land songs aren't that lively and Moana could have had had one of those spots.

As much as "How Far I'll Go" is a lovely song that deserves it's nomination, it would have also been nice to have "You're Welcome" right along side it. Am I alone in wishing to see Dwayne Johnson singing the praises of his demigod character on Oscar night? I don't think so:

There are other nominations to be happy about, such as Moonlight and Arrival sharing eight each, including Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris in the Best Supporting categories, Viola Davis and Denzel Washington up for Fences and Zootopia being among the Best Animated Film contenders.

On the other hand, I find it highly amusing that Suicide Squad is up for both Oscar and Razzie honors(two for the Razzies, thanks to Jared Leto and Best Make-up and Hair for the Academy Awards). Suicide Squad wasn't as awesome as I had hoped yet it at least had a less mediocre iconic villain than DC's other major movie did.

 Speaking of which, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is sure to sweep the Golden Raspberry Awards this season, being that it's main competition is Zoolander 2, which shares eight nominations in the now infamous bad movie mockery festival.

It's one of the best aspects of Oscar time that movies, both good and bad, are celebrated together with some getting a bit more and less than they deserve from us all. Either way, movies still have much to offer world weary audiences on either side of the cinematic coin yet hopefully better than the epic fail of BvS:

A Winter's Respite Readathon Report

I've been taking part in Seasons of Reading's A Winter's Respite readathon this month and since it happens to be a two week deal, a progress report at this halfway point seemed right.

So far, I have completed two books on my TBR, the first being Emma Cline's The Girls. Evie Boyd was a lonely,bored teenager in the summer of 1969 who needed an emotional anchor during the turbulence of her parents' divorce.

Unfortunately, she found that in Suzanne Parker, a slightly older girl whose seemingly wild and carefree life was only a thin layer of icing over the rotting cake served up for a cult of personality. Said personality was Russell, a would-be singer and charismatic con artist planning on using his connection to a semi-popular musician to make it to the big time.


While Evie was dazzled enough by Russell's charms, her true interest in being part of the group was all about Suzanne. As things went from bad to worse and then to bloody violence, Evie was mostly a hanger-on but that brief bond she shared with Suzanne cast an overwhelming shadow over her whole life.

Yes, this story is loosely based on the infamous Manson murders but author Emma Cline is deftly able at creating her own original take on that by focusing on what even a temporary association with such a destructive group can leave behind in a person's heart and mind.

The core of the story is the twisted relationship with Evie and Suzanne, which reminds me in a way of the film Heavenly Creatures, a based on a true story tale about two girls who lead each other down a garden path of deadly damage. I don't know if Emma Cline has seen this movie but I do recommend it to anyone who has read The Girls as a thoughtful companion piece:

The other book that I finished was The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis; in fact, I spend the entirety of last Friday reading that one straight to the end. Considering what was going on that particular day, it was a very opportune time to read this.

The letters in question are written by a high ranking demon named Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, giving him advice on how to best tempt the first "patient"(human being) on his Junior Tempter roster. Most of that advice mocks the moral code of mortals and while it is set during a particular time frame(originally published in 1942), there are some key points that still ring true today.

For one, Screwtape points out to Wormwood that the sin of gluttony is not simply about overeating; calling too much attention to how little you wish to consume and insisting that others remake your dish over and over again until it is up to your standards is equally bad. How many versions have we seen of that over the years?


Most compelling is the speech included at the end of the book "Screwtape Proposes a Toast", written by popular demand in 1959.

As Screwtape is toasting a new graduating class of Tempters, he also outlines the plans that mortals are making to dumb down society by lowering educational standards which will make the devil's work all the more easier. It's downright scary just how prescient that satirical essay is.

Granted, the book is very Christian themed but I feel that many of the humorous insights that are made here can be readily applied to other faiths as well. If you only know C.S. Lewis as the man who wrote the Narnia series, this set of social satires will certainly be an eye opener.

 The Screwtape Letters have been adapted into numerous pop culture mediums, including stage, radio and even comic books.  With that in mind,I do wonder if the folks who created the TV show The Good Place read this book as a few of the characters certainly do have some of Screwtape's charms here:

As for the rest of my AWR reading, I've made a good start in Liane Moriarty's Truly, Madly, Guilty and thoroughly enjoying Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. Both of them are great but I am so adoring Major Pettigrew and hope that the author writes a follow-up to it.

Hopefully before the readathon ends, I will have tackled Curtis Sittenfeld's  American Wife and Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye(had to renew it until early February from the library but I know it will be worth it). There is still plenty of time to join in the fun and one of the participants,Bemused Bookworm, is holding a giveaway that you may want to check out.

One of the best things about a readathon like this is that you are given time to release your anxieties about the way we're living now and while you don't want to be too zoned out to know what year this is, having a good chunk of reading to do is a grand way to revive your spirits:

Tuning into the cinematic Queens of the Throne Age

I've noticed that here in America, despite all of our vested interest in democracy, we still find the whole kings and queens of England deal fascinating,particularly in pop culture.

 Granted, the British also share our taste for royal biopic fare as they produce plenty of it for our mutual viewing pleasure. This past Sunday was the PBS Masterpiece debut of  the miniseries Victoria, starring Jenna Colman as the young queen as she first takes the throne.

She is beset on many sides(including her own mother and a "family friend") as to how to rule but the one person who truly listens to her is Prime Minister Lord Melbourne(Rufus Sewell). As their professional relationship grows, rumors fly about as to how much influence the PM has over her, a theme that is revisited more than once in Queen Victoria's life:

While Victoria is more of a historical soap opera than a drama, it is well acted and entertaining enough to keep on watching. Plus, that persistent notion of Queen Victoria being easily swayed by the men in her life is worth exploring.

A fine example of that is the 1997 theatrical film Mrs. Brown(aka Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown in the UK), where a later in life Victoria is in deep mourning for her deceased Prince Albert. Both the government and her family wish her to take part in the world again but it's only through the friendship of royal groomsman John Brown that her spirits start to revive.

The bond between them causes much talk,hence the title nickname, and eventually a wedge is made between the queen and servant,which perhaps did not fully diminish their affections. It's s a stellar film and the one of the best performances by both Judi Dench and Billy Connolly which shows that while Queen Victoria did need someone to lean on, she wasn't the weaker for that, rather the reverse:

Of course, PBS's Victoria is being compared to the Netflix series The Crown, that is chronicling the life and times of the current Queen of England, Elizabeth the II.

The show has just won a couple of Golden Globes recently, with Best Actress going to leading lady Claire Foy and the entire program winning Best TV Series. I do plan to watch The Crown at some point but I do think it's a bit unfair to compare TC to Victoria. For one, being on a streaming service like Netflix allows for more storytelling boundaries to be stretched than something made for standard television.

Another even more compelling reason for the difference in dramatic direction is that Queen Elizabeth is still with us,thankfully, and that any biographical depiction of a living notable person tends to err on the side of the serious when it comes to screen. I'm sure that some artistic license has been taken  with both productions but Victoria has the advantage of being set in the far enough past unlike The Crown, which has to tread a little more carefully there:

My opinion on that may change once I watch season one of The Crown but it does seem to be par for the course with dramas about Elizabeth II. The movie that I think opened the door for this series is the 2006 film The Queen, where Helen Mirren played Her Majesty upon dealing with the untimely death of Princess Diana in the late 1990s.

Mirren's performance lead to an Oscar and then a stage adaptation entitled The Audience(which earned her a Tony). The film deftly displayed the dilemma for the queen as to how to balance the private pain of what happened with the appropriate public response, a struggle that even those not having a royal title can relate to and I suspect The Crown covers similar emotional ground:

In the end, part of the appeal for such queenly shows for Americans is, in my opinion, seeing what it would be like to have a woman in charge. While we probably will have to wait a bit longer to see such a shift in power in real life, that time will come for us,

What's important to remember,as many of these stories teach us, is that it is not gender or even bloodline that makes for a worthy ruler. It is the strength of character that such a person has and what he or she is willing to give up for the sake of their duty to others.

This display of character can also be seen in those whom that person chooses to ally themselves with and most importantly, their choice of advisors. Hopefully when we do find that true leading lady to lead us, her inner circle will be a true reflection of her character and perhaps even on the same level as the future queen of Westeros and her Hand will be: