Book Review: Two Cents Plain

As I have started before, there has been a surge in graphic memoirs in the past few years. Some have excelled while there have certainly been some who have failed. Martin Lemelman's memoir "Two Cents Plain" falls somewhere in the middle.

Lemelman focuses on his childhood growing up in Brooklyn and the changes that the community undergoes from the 1950s to the 1960s. Additionally, he details his relationship with his parents and their experiences as Holocaust survivors in America. The story is bittersweet for both Lemelman and his parents as Lemelman tries to find the silver lining in a childhood filled with rats, quarrels, and antisemitism.

The graphics are exceptional and consist of photographs, sketches and collages. Unlike other graphic novels, I found the Lemelman was able to seamlessly incorporate the narrative and the illustrations. I even lent the book to a non-graphic novel reader who devoured it in one sitting. She had grown up in the Brooklyn during the same time and agreed with many of Lemelman's remembrances. Additionally, she found the book accessible and even lent it to her 83 year old mother who adored it despite never having read a graphic novel before.

Personally, I was not as enthralled or engaged as I have been with other graphic memoirs. At times, I felt that the characters were a bit one dimensional and didn't leave a lasting impression on me. Still, I would recommend this book as the illustrations are excellent and the story is certainly worth reading.

-DLP

Book Review: The Birth House

This February I am going to Quebec City with my family. Though I have been to Canada before, I don't remember much about it. Of course as an avid reader, I must read a lot of Canadian literature before going. I find that a nation's literature tells a great deal more about the people and culture than any tour guide can. It is for this reason I have devoted myself to reading as much CanLit as possible in the next month and a half.

I started my marathon with The Birth House by Ami Mckay. I chose this novel because it was nominated (and perhaps won) an award for best debut fiction. I love to try new authors, so I thought this would be a great fit for me. From the first page, I was hooked!

Mckay writes a story of a young woman, Dora, who is the only daughter in a long line of sons. When he family can not longer support her, she lives with Mrs. B, the midwife in the community. Dora learns Mrs. B's ways which include the folklore and traditions of midwifery. Both of their worlds are shaken when a young doctor moves into the area and opens a hospital for women. The affluent members of the community embrace the new doctor and his contemporary practices and in turn ostracize Mrs. B and Dora. Husbands in the town begin to favor the doctor over Mrs. B who they believe to be a witch. However, women still call upon Dora and Mrs. B for their expertise and calming methods. The skills that Dora learns under Mrs. B forever changes her life and her view of women.

 The first two parts of this novel focus on Dora's development as a midwife and woman. These parts are captivating and I often found myself incapable of putting it down. Mckay intersperses diary entries and news articles and letters throughout the narrative. I found this to be a bit distracting at first but her technique grew on me. I was also impressed with how she was able to discuss issues of women's rights without making the novel a feminist tome. Sadly, the third and final part of the novel did not live up to the previous two sections. In the third part, it seemed that Mckay tried to tackle too many issues ranging from life in Boston during and after WWI to the Spanish Influenza to Babe Ruth and the Great Molasses Flood. Due to this, the final part focused less on the development of the characters and more on a cursory look at these historic events. It is for this reason that the novel seemed to fizzle out and lose the explosive power that it had the first two parts. Still, I would recommend this novel as the first two parts greatly make up for the slightly stale taste of the final part.

I am anxious to read what Mckay writes next as I think she has the potential to be a fantastic writer!

-DLP

Book Review: Blankets

Blankets tells the story of the author's, Craig Thompson, first love. However, it is not your typical romantic comedy. Thompson is very forthcoming as he explores his relationship with his brother and his battle with religion. His parents are abusive and oftentimes lock him and his brother in a cubby hole if they misbehave. They are born again Christians and try to push their faith on Thompson with limited success. While Thompson tries to adhere to his parents' rules, he finds that he cannot do so while also remaining true to himself. It is not until he meets Raina that he finds acceptance as she loves him for who he truly is.

Thompson clearly handles some difficult issues in this graphic novel but he does so without being preachy or oppressive. Instead, he begs to reader to ask themselves the same questions that he had to grapple with. Though this graphic novel is a bit hefty, it is not overwhelming. One of the issues with graphic novels is that they are either too short and leave the reader wanting more or they're so long and cumbersome that one can barely slug through. Neither of these are a problem for Thompson who reveals just enough to keep the reader intrigued and gain a fuller understanding of him without feeling as if this memoir is a "tell all". The artwork is beautiful and integrated perfectly into the story. I would even go as far as to recommend this to non-graphic novel readers.

-DLP

Book Review: Mrs. Somebody Somebody

I heard about this book from a podcast that I listen to and put it on my "to be read" list because I was planning on visiting Lowell over the summer. Growing up in New England, I know a bit about the manufacturing history of Massachusetts and remember reading "Lyddie" when I was in middle school. However, I had shied away from reading any other literature that focused on factory or mill work. Yet, this short story collection blew me away! I would recommend it to any and every one.

The stories begin in the late 1940s with a woman who is working in the mills in Lowell, Massachusetts. Her story is typical of such tales in which one women desires to find a man and a better life outside of the mills while another woman wants to work for better conditions in the mill. Though this story has been told numerous times before, Tracy Winn does not let the tale grow stale. The rest of the stories span from the 1940s to the present. Each gives a snapshot of the town as it changes over time.

Additionally, Winn expertly weaves all ten stories together. Characters that were briefly mentioned in one story can be the focus of an entire story later in the collection. Of course there were tales that were more interesting than others, but I never felt that the collection was unbalanced. I found that each character showed Lowell through a different lens that was telling about the town during that specific time period. Basically, I couldn't put it down!

I think that it is very safe to say that Tracy Winn is an author to watch. "Mrs. Somebody Somebody" is already being compared to "Olive Kitteridge" in which the town is the true focus of the collection. I agree with this comparison as the reader is able to see the town's growth as well as that of the characters. However, I would even go further and state that it is similar to Sherwood Anderson's "Winesburg, Ohio". Like "Winesburg, Ohio", I believe "Mrs. Somebody Somebody" will become a classic and I greatly look forward to Winn's future writings.

-DLP

Books 'n things 'n stuff

My fellow romper has put me shame these last few months! So many posts and reviews! In my defense I made the betrothed my spouse, so I had a few things going on (my fellow romper was an amazing best lady, if anyone out there is interested.) The best book I read whilst preparing to make the betrothed my spouse? Ariel Meadows Stallings' Offbeat Bride. I loved it so much I've already passed it along to a recently engaged coworker.

Why was it sooooo helpful? Because Stallings' message is: BE YOU. Her book and website encourage knowing thyself, being true to it, being true to your partner and the relationship you have with the aforementioned partner. Seriously, it is one of the only outlets for brides who don't like formulas!

So I didn't have tons of time to post and then my job changed dramatically and I had to work ALL. THE. TIME. The dust is settling (even though it's holiday times now) and I have a HUGE backlog of things to blog. We'll see if I manage to ever catch up or just start fresh.

- KER

Book Review: With the Voice of Angels

In With the Voice of Angels opera singer Bradley Garvin crafts a murder mystery within the text of an opera house. Contrasting the elaborate and often absurdly high drama/high stakes of the opera with the life and death stakes of organized crime, Garvin creates a world in which the good guys are truly good and the bad guys are exceptionally bad. Using common harbingers of character - generosity, love and humanity abound for all the good guys while the bad guys are all guys who are either cowardly or violent and all are greedy. There is no gray area in Garvin's novel - one is either corrupt and morally defunct or one is righteous and self-sacrificing. Garvin uses his extensive background as an opera singer to his benefit as he sets the scene on the opening night of Tosca. Pucccini's classic, filled with passionate love and betrayals, serves as the ideal backdrop for the dirty dealings of the novel's villains.

Set at the fictional Chicago Grande Opera - a company recently requiring monetary rescuing - the story focuses on rising opera star Enzo Santi, the crime he witnesses and the perpetrators who need him to never speak of said crime. Santi as witness complicates the perfect crime housed within the bowels of the opera house, creating seemingly insurmountable challenges for those pesky bad guys. The bad guys subsequently complicate Santi's life. Luckily for Santi he loooooooves his wife A LOT and she loooooooooves him back A LOT. Additionally, one of Santi's old friends is a private detective, who has a long time friend who gets off on setting up elaborate surveillance equipment to perfectly capture activities of the underworld. While those in power at the opera house and the police may turn a blind eye, Santi has a rag tag team of indefatigable misfits, who wish to lay down life and limb against an enormous criminal network. Perhaps Garvin's intent was to exploit the melodramatic elements of operatic storytelling in his own work as With the Voice of Angels has more than one operatic quality.

Garvin fills his novel with the twists and turns required of such complex criminal happenings. His style emphasizes heavy description - from the lavishly rebuilt opera house to the frequent chase/fight scenes necessitated by the plot. At times I wished for less description and more clarity regarding the complicated criminal network, however, Garvin holds out with quite a few surprises in the final moments. While there is a clear delineation of good and bad in this novel, there were many moments when my heart sank and I worried that the bad guys had outsmarted the good guys once and for all! At the outset I was certain only good would triumph, but Garvin had me guessing.  With a strong background in the setting and a clear passion for life imitating his art, Garvin demonstrates potential offstage.

- KER

In Theaters: Social Network

The last time I was in the movie theater I saw a preview for The Social Network and immediately put its opening date in my calendar. Now it's opening weekend and I already rushed to my nearest screening to see the movie about the website that has defined my generation. For those of you reading this out there...drop your computers, turn off your Blackberries, silence your iPhones and run to your nearest theater to see this film. Whether the story presented in the movie is 100% truthful, who knows. And honestly, who cares!

As some may know, Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook during his sophmore year at Harvard University with the help of his best friend Eduardo Saverin (you can look them up on facebook.com). The movie presents Zuckerberg as being a loner with few friends who wants desperately to be a part of the Pheonix Club on campus. When the popular crew team twins, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, approach Zuckerberg about making a social connection website for Harvard students, Zuckerberg jumps at the opportunity. Zuckerberg enlists the financial help of Saverin and begins to build thefacebook based on the Winklevoss' idea. Thefacebook becomes an instant success and Zuckerberg is rocketed into stardom. Soon he is entertaining the likes of Sean Paker, Napster founder, and before long is the target of multiple lawsuits.

Of course we all know the success of Facebook and the great drama that surrounds its founders. Still, I was never fully aware of its development and the possible corruption in its founding. The movie portrays Zuckerberg as emotion-less and obsessed with being noticed by the "in" crowd even if it means sacrificing his only friends. The film bounces between his legal battles and the history of Facebook which took a bit of getting used to but I think that it worked. The acting is excellent and though Zuckerberg doesn't come off as being such a great guy, the movie does solicit some sympathy for him.

I think that this is an important movie not just because the script is tight, the acting is excellent, and the subject matter is timely, but also because the influence that Facebook (and Zuckerberg) have had on society is tremendous. Six years ago, no one would ever have thought that the word "friend" could be turned into a noun or that one could experience someone else's party or vacation by sitting on their own couch hundreds of miles away. Now someone can "friend" another person or be "defriended" and pictures can be uploaded to facebook so that people you're not even friends with can comment on pictures of your birthday. It's a kind of revolution that we still don't fully understand and possibly won't for many years. Still, this film reminds us that Facebook is just another website and therefore just another business laden with growing pains and legal troubles. While it did, for a second, make me want to deactivate my facebook (my sentiments were shared by my friend who went to see the film with me) I don't think that's the point of the film. Its message is not anti-facebook but merely proves that it is not God's gift to man. Instead, it was created as a means to distract Zuckerberg from his breakup with his girlfriend and which in turn has helped to distract over 150 million from around the world.

-DLP

In Theaters: Easy A

I first heard about Easy A from Entertainment Weekly, which didn't give it that great of a grade. But when Saturday night rolled around and I didn't have anything to do, I thought why not spend a night at the movie theater. Easy A was the only thing at the theater that didn't involve talking owls, animated dogs, a murderer, or Betty White so it won by default. Yet after seeing it, I think this movie stands on its own and doesn't need to be someone's default.

The story follows a high school student named Olive who isn't the most popular girl in school but isn't really looking to be the talk of the school. When the weekend comes, her best friend invites her to go camping but Olive just wants to spend the weekend at home. Olive decides to lie to her friend and tells her that she has a date that weekend. At school on Monday, Olive's best friend pesters Olive about her imaginary date until Olive says that they had sex. Word gets around school and suddenly Olive is the talk of the high school. One of Olive's friends hears about the rumor which Olive confesses is not true. However, her friend does not care for he is being bullied about being gay and wants to prove to the school that he's not. So he and Olive attend a popular party where they secure and room and pretend to have sex so that entire party can hear. The next day at school the rumors about the boy's sexuality are cast aside while Olive becomes the main attraction. Olive continues to have fake sex with numerous boys in school so that it will help their reputation. Yet, the backlash causes Olive to become ostracized as she finds that though she believes she is helping these boys, she is not being true to herself.

First let me get out of the way my complaints with the film, which are few:
1. the plot is a bit contrived
2. the acting is not exceptional
3. the connection between the students reading The Scarlett Letter and Olive's being ostracized (to the point of wearing a scarlet A) is about a subtle as an anvil falling on one's head

But many tween movies are criticized for the same problems in script and acting, so I don't want to elaborate more on it here. Still, the good in this film completely outweighs the bad. These are a few of the things that I think separate this film from other asinine dopey chick flix:
1. this is NOT (thank god) a coming of age tale
2. there is little romance and some good comedy
3. it is not self righteous in its message

I think that the message of this film is very good and not something that you see everyday. Most teen films are about falling in love with the person you thought you hated (when does that ever really happen?) or being led astray by the glitter and false happiness of popularity. However, this movie is about how doing something that seems altruistic can actually come back to hurt you and others. It's about helping others while never losing your sense of self. And who doesn't like a couple chuckles while learning a solid life lesson? I certainly do!

-DLP

Book Review: Sweet Land Stories

When Homer & Langley was first published, I scooped it up. Sadly, I was not blown away like I had wished to be. So when someone recommended Doctorow's Sweet Land Stories, I put it at the bottom of my "to be read" pile. While on vacation, I ran out of things to read (which NEVER happens to me) and with great trepidation I picked up Sweet Land Stories. From the first sentence in the first story, I couldn't put it down! Since finishing it, I have told just about anyone who will listen how wonderful this little book is. Clocking it at a little over 150 pages, this collection of stories packs a punch that many extensive novels can't even accomplish.

Each tale has a hint of mystery about it. However, these are not by any means mystery or thriller tales. Instead, Doctorow creates intriguing situations that the reader just falls into and doesn't want to leave. Still, the point of his stories is not to find out what happened to so-and-so but to watch how different people from a variety of backgrounds handle certain situations. In the first time, we are presented with a boy and his mother who must flee the city for reasons unknown and start again in the country. The reader begins reading in an attempt to figure out what they're running from, but soon becomes caught up in the characters themselves and how certain events change them as people. Similarly, the second tale "Baby Wilson" is about a woman who steals a baby from the hospital and runs away with her boyfriend in hopes of raising the boy as their own. The reader becomes enthralled with the chase but it becomes clear that the real drama lies within the boyfriend who loves his girlfriend but believes her to be mentally unstable.

This is just a sampling from the five tales that Doctorow presents but all of the stories are masterfully written. Some of the stories run longer than others, but Doctorow never wastes a word! His descriptions are poetic are enthralling. His characters are flawed, not particularly likable, but harshly real. Unlike other collections of stories, Doctorow does not give the reader the complete story. Instead, he just gives a glimpse into a certain moment in time. However, these moments are so poignant that the reader never feels of if he/she has been gypped. His characters are as complex as if they were in a 500 page tome. There is not a single piece of criticism that I have for this book. It is simply extraordinary.

-DLP

Book Review: Bee Season

I recently read Myla Goldberg's Bee Season on the train between Boston and New York. Goldberg's story of a young girl who aspires to spelling greatness after years of mediocrity pulled me in deep. I felt compelled by the characters, curious about their secrets and dark pasts, searching for the skeletons. The more I read, the more I felt Goldberg hinted at some dark force underlying the Naumann family, one barely held together by ritual.

Goldberg brings to life four members of the Naumann family - Saul (slightly distant father figure with intellectual aspirations beyond his role as Cantor at the local synagogue), Miriam (detached, meticulous mother figure, highly intelligent, breadwinner), Aaron (eldest child, a son, socially awkward, yearning to belong), and Eliza (average elementary school girl who discovers her talent for spelling and passion for words). As the members of this family move through Goldberg's story, they drift away from each other toward their search for meaning, religion and order. In their own way, the Naumann's all hope for the same end, but choose vastly different means and due to the distant, pre-existing relationships between them, drift so very far away from each other. The parallels in each member's life as their searches take on a religious quality demonstrates our universal search for meaning. Beyond that, Goldberg's novel was disappointing. As I mentioned earlier, I felt the text foreshadowed more. More what? I'm not sure. Maybe more answers, more in-depth explanations of why each sought the path they did, but when I finished Bee Season I thought "that's nice" and flipped through the Star magazine my hubs bought me at Penn Station.

Later, I continued to ponder why I stopped enjoying Bee Season. And then it dawned on me. It is the perfect story for a made for tv movie. Family drama. Religion. Search for self. Theft. Spelling. Hello, Lifetime. This conclusion made even more sense when I remembered that Elizabeth Strout, author of Amy and Isabelle was quoted praising Bee Season on the back cover. Amy and Isabelle is the same genre! Two prime Lifetime movies! A quick google search informs me that a film version of Bee Season was released in 2005, starring Richard Gere. IMDB reports the tagline as "

Words may define us, but it's love that connects us," which is utterly ridiculous. The spelling bee business was merely a lens through which to observe a family falling apart at the seams. Furthermore, words and spelling played a small role in the overarching family drama. This is no Akeelah and the Bee, a heartwarming tale starring Laurence Fishburne. I know it was heartwarming because I cried when I watched it. That movie had focus - surprise, this girl can spell! Bee Season lacks focus as a novel - it is called Bee Season, but it is really a family drama - so I cannot imagine it gained focus as a movie. Anyway, even though Bee Season made it to the big screen (I assume this because I do not believe a movie with Richard Gere went direct to DVD, that just seems wrong), I relegate it to the status of decent Lifetime movie material. Cute read for the train ride, but the end is skim-able.

- KER

Now on DVD: Couples Retreat

My second movie on my movie marathon night was Couples Retreat and if there is any movie that's worse than Hot Tub Time Machine...it's Couples Retreat!

When Jason Smith calls his friends together for a powerpoint presentation, they think that he's just trying to sell them something. However, Jason and his wife Cynthia are actually announcing that their marriage is failing and they're planning to get a divorce. Before they finalize it, they are planning to attend a couples' retreat on a Caribbean island and they want all of their friends to join them. At first, they all resist but eventually decide that a vacation on  beautiful island might not be that bad even if they do have to talk about their feelings once a day. Unfortunately for them, their "vacation" becomes a bonding experience as they all attend yoga classes, steam baths, and therapy sessions. Through all of this it becomes clear that Jason and Cynthia are not the only couple with problems.

I think my disappointment with this movie came from the fact that it's not funny enough to be a comedy but it's not powerful enough to be a drama. Some of the issues that the couples face are very real and at times the film was even insightful, yet this was undermined by its weak attempts at humor. I can honestly say that I didn't laugh, chuckle, or smirk even once! Sadly, I would have to say to pass on this film because though I loved the cast...I couldn't even push myself to like it.

-DLP

Now on DVD: Hot Tub Time Machine

This past weekend I had a movie night and loaded up on comedies that I hadn't gotten a chance to see in the theater. Usually, Summer is a movie-lull month in which few good movies are brought to the theater and even fewer find their way to the shelves at Blockbusters. However, Hot Tub Time Machine caught my glance from across the store and I pounced at the opportunity to watch John Cusak, Rob Corddry, and Craig Robinson poke fun at each other and the year 1986. Within a half an hour, I was bored and disappointed.

Cusak, Corddry and Robinson are all friends who have somehow gone astray in their personal lives and their friendship with each other. When Corddry tries to commit suicide, Cusak and Robinson come to see him in the hospital where the gang starts to reminisce about the time that they spent at a ski lodge in 1986. The three decide to return to the lodge to do some much needed bonding and bring Duke along for the ride. The four men start drinking and soon find themselves partying in the hot tub. As the title states, the hot tub transports the men to 1986 which just happens to be the year that Duke was born. They make a pact to relive the night exactly as they had 24 years ago so that they can return to the present. Of course things don't always go as planned and hilarity ensues.

Unfortunately, I found very little hilarity in this film. I chuckled a few times at the period clothing, fear of Russia and communism, and the music. But those were the only jokes that I found even remotely humorous. Otherwise, it was just your typical "American Pie", "Euro Trip" romp which is fun for the first while but I couldn't help but feel that many of the jokes are now old hat. I was expecting more and found this film virtually laugh-free.

-DLP

Book Review: Thumb Flagging

This spring I came across a copy of Jerome Peterson's Thumb Flagging, described as "The lure of the open road and the undeniable wanderlust of the heart have overtaken the life of young, kindhearted Jay Patterson." A book about hitchhiking and free spirits, I thought "why not? I liked On the Road."

Thumb Flagging certainly portrays the freedom of the open road when traveling with nothing but a sleeping bag and a few food provisions. Jay and his friend Willy practice the art of thumb flagging, while skipping out on work and generally attempting to be zen. Jay becomes Willy's student, studying such crafts of chatting with strangers and picking a good ride. This 'buddy' premise is cute and has potential, but unfortunately I found the writing shallow and far from compelling. As I read, I could never find the rhythm of the novel that would completely absorb me in Jay and Willy's world. Instead, I constantly wondered when the adventure would end.

Honestly, I thought this book was self published due to what I view as poor editing. The narrative structure shifts without warning and frequently the author changes tense within a paragraph. These mistakes demonstrate a clear need for a re-read by a careful eye or a more developed writing style. If those shifts were intentional, I failed to see how they furthered the storytelling arc. Additionally, the simplistic characters, with no real depth, left me feeling bored.

I felt frustrated by my boredom because Jay is a young man trying to find his way in the world. On one hand, Jay's search for self should ring true. I am young person figuring out my place in the world, but I could not relate to Jay. Perhaps others can. Maybe the disconnect for me was the time of the novel. I'm guessing this novel is based on life in the 1970s, but here Peterson remains vague, which led me to believe there should be a universal quality to Jay's story. There are major differences in the ways we grow into ourselves. Jay's style of wandering aimlessly missed for me. Why can't he reflect on his selfhood and keep going to work time? What about healthcare? What about paying rent? Jay seemed frivolous, not artistic or even interesting. I am a realist. I read to meet new characters and engage in new worlds. I am willing to accept a story as representative of time and place, but Thumb Flagging failed to pull me into its world. I have a hard time letting go the realities and responsibilities of my daily life. I don't want to read exclusively about people like myself, but I expect to be intrigued, interested and curious about the characters I read about and I never felt that curiosity for Jay.

Be your own judge.
http://thumbflagging.blogspot.com/

- KER

Book Review: One Thousand White Women

I am always up for speculative historical fiction in which an author takes an event that didn't happen but writes a book about if it did happen. This is the premise for Roth's Plot Against America in which he asks what if Charles Lindbergh had been elected president. Well in Jim Fergus' One Thousand White Women, Fergus tells the reader of how a Cheyenne chief asked the US government for one thousand white women so that the Americans and Cheyenne could bear children together for the purpose of peace and assimilation. The US government turned them down by Fergus' novel explains what could have happened if they had taken the chief up on the deal.

The novel is written as a diary by Mary Dodd who was committed to an insane asylum by her parents because she had two children out of wedlock. When she is given the chance to leave the asylum and start a new life as a bride to a "savage", she jumps at the opportunity. The women who also took the government up on their offer include an impoverished Southern belle, two Irish criminals, a prude, a freed slave and many more. None of them know what to expect from their new lives and many are terrified when they meet their betrothed. Yet, being wed to a "savage" is not the hardest thing these women will have to overcome.

First of all, the reviews for this book are harshly divided. People either absolutely loved it and would include it on their list of books they would take to a deserted island. While others wish it could be part of a book burning party. However, I have to say that I am somewhere in between. This is far from a favorite for me and I would have to say that I am a bit leery about recommending it to my friends because I think they would find the characters to be shallow, the plot to be insipid, and the overall message to be muddled. Still, that's no reason to get out your lighter fluid. The way I would describe this novel is a western for women filled with the adventure of a John Wayne movie and just about equal in character development.

With such a diverse cast of characters I thought I would find one that was intriguing. But alas...they were nothing but cliches and offensive ones at that. I wasn't as repulsed by the characters as some other reviewers but I didn't find them in any way enlightening. I think that it would make a great book club book (and it has) because people are so divided and feel passionately about it.

Lastly, what made me actually dislike the book had nothing to do with the novel itself but all to do with the author. After reading the novel, I looked at some of the reviews on Amazon.com and found that almost every review that gave Fergus 1 star was subject to aggressive comments by Fergus himself. Though I believe authors should be allowed to defend their work, I also think that discourse and negative reviews do not deter readers but instead inspire people to read a novel that could create such reactions (cough cough...Twilight...). Unfortunately, Fergus has muddied the waters with his own comments. This has only further alienated readers who didn't like his novel and I am almost certain that they will never read another one of his novels and might even bad-mouth him to others.

-DLP

Now on DVD: Last Station

Excellence! That is the only word I could think of when I finished watching this film. I had heard from friends that it was depressing and so I had shied away until it came out on DVD but I really shouldn't have because this movie has everything that a fantastic movie should: great actors, a wonderful story, superb screenwriting, and interesting characters (amongst other things).

Christopher Plummer plays Leo Tolstoy who is at the end of his life and at odds with himself, the ideologies that he created, his family, and followers. Helen Mirren pulls out an exceptional performance as Tolstoy's wife, former muse, confidante, and eventual nemesis. However, this movie is not just about the dissolution of a marriage (though that is certainly an excellent piece). It's also about Tolstoy's legacy and those who will fight tooth and nail to preserve it even if it means casting aside his wife. James McAvoy is called in to be a secretary to Tolstoy. Yet it soon becomes clear that he was actually hired to be a spy for Tolstoy's aid who is trying to change the writer's will so that Tolstoy's wife will receive none of the royalties to her husband's own works. As it becomes clear that Tolstoy is in his last days, those around him scramble to secure their needs before the great artist is laid to rest.

It was only when the credits finally rolled that I realized I hadn't breathed in over two hours. Each scene was magnificent in every possible way from the acting to the cinematography. The script was so tight that I don't think I could find a single loose end to complain about. Mirren's portrayal of Tolstoy's jilted wife was filled with such complexity that I found myself in total awe of her performance. McAvoy's character development was to be believed! His ability to go from a naive writer who worshiped the master Tolstoy to a realistic and forgiving man who acknowledged his heroes faults and successes was brilliantly nuanced. Of course the film would have been quite different had Plummer not made such a remarkable performance. He allowed the contradictions within Tolstoy's character to truly show without making him appear insincere or fickle. Truly an excellent film and one that I hope will last for years to come!

-DLP

Now on DVD: The Joneses

I watched this film while I was home sick (which is when I get to watch most movies) and have to say that I was pleasantly surprised! It was limited to only limited theaters and went quickly to DVD which made me a bit leery. However, I found this movie to be quite timely and a fantastic idea overall.

The film follows Kate and Steve Jones as they move into a new town with "their children" Jen and Mick. The family assimilates easily into the upper class neighborhood and they instantly make friends. Well, perhaps friends is to strong a word for Kate, Steve, Jen, and Mick are not a real family. It is quickly revealed to the viewer that they are in fact a "unit" or "cell" that moves into a neighborhood to hawk luxury merchandise to their "friends" (or rather the people around them). Jen and Mick play the part of the popular high school students who everyone wants to be like while their "parents" play the couple that everyone loves and admires. Together the unit's sales skyrocket until things take a more sinister turn and their wheeling and dealing finally catches up with them.

I thought that the acting was wonderful. There were times that the script seemed a bit fluffy but overall the film was very affective. I found the concept enthralling and though I think that were some ways to make the film better it still held my attention and exposed how keeping up with the Joneses is detrimental to all involved. Certainly worth a viewing!

-DLP

Book Review: A Walk in the Woods

To be honest, I picked up this book at a library sale but never had any intention of reading it. I love Bill Bryson and have read some of his other work but a book about his hiking the Appalachian Trail is something I would NEVER read! Strangely enough, I was bored one hot summer day and cracked it open only to find myself completely enthralled and racing through it as if it was a thriller. In other words, I loved it. So I supposed I have to say, Bryson may know my reading tastes better than myself!

The book starts with Bryson getting the idea that he should walk the Appalachian Trail as a way to reacquaint himself with his homeland. For twenty years, he had lived with his wife and four children in England. In 1995, they all moved back to the states and settled in New Hampshire (Bryson and his family have since moved BACK to the UK). Always an avid lover of nature but never much of a hiker, Bryson decides he'll hike from the southern most spot on the AT (Appalachian Trail) to Mount Katahdin in Maine. As is usual with Bryson, he reads all about the subject and focuses a great deal on bear stories, deaths out on the trail, and the sordid history of the trail itself. He spends copious amounts of money on his gear and plans out an extremely optimistic hiking schedule. As the date gets closer, he worries about doing the journey on his own until his old childhood friend from Des Moines, Iowa calls and asks if he can come along. The two were hiking buddies years before and the experience had almost ruined their friendship, however, Bryson jumps at the thought of having company. Bryson chronicles their hiking and adds in chapters on the history of the trail, the history of the National Parks Service, even the history of some of the towns that they stop in. He really does a thorough job and in until 300 pages, it flies by!

I have to say that I learned much more in this book than I ever thought possible. When the historic chapters came up, I often thought about skipping them but found myself just as engrossed as I was in the chapters detailing Katz and Bryson's odd couple-esque hiking trip. Bryson's reflections on the importance and significance of the AT in his life as well as in that of America is extremely well articulated. I have to say that it's the complete package! Bryson's humor always makes me chuckle but this book proves that he can also handle serious matters with great insight and understanding. It's excellent as far as I am concerned and certainly a read that anyone can enjoy (and how often can you say that about a book?!)

-DLP

Now on DVD: the Runaways

While home sick the other day, I rented The Runaways and have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the film. I had read about it in Entertainment Weekly and was so excited only to have my dreams destroyed when the reviews came out and so many people ranted about how shallow and stilted the performances were. But when you're alone on a couch for a full day without enough brain power to read...well you have to watch something! And let me tell you, The Runaways is perfection compared to some other sick-days selections from the past (Dr. T and the Women...Mr. Wrong...). I have to say that it could even stand for itself on a perfectly healthy day!

The Runaways tells the story of the girl rock band from the 1970s of the same name. Of course it touches upon the turbulent friendship between Joan Jett and Cherie Currie as well as the relationship between the group and Kim Fowley. Like most movies based on a true story, there isn't much plot to describe. However, the movie raises a lot of issues that are perfect for discussion.

First of all, I must say that this is the best role Kristen Stewart has ever had. I can honestly say that it was wonderful to see her in this movie. I was not as impressed with Dakota Fanning's performance which I found to be stilted at times. Overall I thought that she did a good job, but her connection to the character seemed to go in waves where sometimes she was completely in tune only to lose the spark soon after. Still, Stewart (and Michael Shannon) were more than able to carry the movie when Fanning faltered.

Second, all the reviewers who bashed the movie for not being realistic or not including one scene or another...well, I have to remind you all that this is a movie. It's also under two hours and unlike the film audiences in the 1930s and 1940s, no one is going to sit through a 4 hour epic that includes every guitar chord that they ever played. Also, this is a movie about rock legends not about Joan Larkin and Cherie Currie. I know that this is a tough concept for people to get but Walk the Line is about Johnny Cash the legend not J. R. Cash from Arkansas who listened to a lot of Irish music as a kid. In other news, Bob Dylan is not actually a woman which is how he was portrayed in a section of I'm Not There. The reason being that the movie was depicting the many aspects of Bob Dylan the legend not Robert Zimmerman the Jewish born-again Christian. Therefore, there is no need to compare the fingerprints of Stewart and Jett or Fanning and Currie because they're not going to match! Instead, a viewer might want to focus more on the message of the movie which is really a cry for younger people to listen to the Runaways and respect their work. Also it's a reminder to those who grew up listening to Joan Jett but for whatever reason sold off their cassette tapes at various yard sales, to come back to the artist and her roots.

Third (and my main point), if this movie inspires one person to listen to The Runaways then the film was a success! And don't worry, those whose interest was piqued by the film will go on to read "Neon Angel" and know the hard facts.

-DLP

Book Review: Language of Secrets

A couple of months ago I read the novel Language of Secrets and never blogged about it because I had such conflicting feelings about the book. I picked it up because I was in the middle of my semester in graduate school and needed something compelling to take me away from my books and studies when I needed some down time. This novel did just that but sadly little more.

The story begins when Justin realizes that his son is 3 years old and has never met Justin's parents or sisters. With the original support of his wife, Justin goes on a hunt to find his family remembers and reconnect. He hears that his father was in a nursing home but when he contacts the home he finds that his father has since died. However, there is a box of his father's belongings that has yet to be picked up by the family. Justin retrieves the items and brings them to his sister's house where he believes they will make a good conversation starter. Oddly, when he arrives at his sister's house she has no idea who he is and when he states his name she becomes extremely upset and orders him away. Justin then visits his parents' graves to find that there is a third stone next to their two that bears his name! This sends Justin on an epic search for truth that takes him deep into his past to uncover secrets that threaten not only his memories of his past family but also that of his present and future.

This novel did what I wanted it to do: it enveloped me into the story. I was completely engrossed from the first page and had difficulties putting it down. The first half of the story seemed well-written and with great purpose. Yet after the halfway mark things started to get a bit hairy and the prose become stilted as the story took twists and turns that asked the reader to suspend his/her preconceptions. I do not mean that this is a science fiction novel in any way! I just mean to say that Justin's eventual findings are something more akin to an episode of General Hospital or Passions which left me disappointed.

-DLP

Book Review: The Frozen Thames

Last night I finished the delightful novel, The Frozen Thames and just had to blog about it immediately! of course it was past 1am when I finished it, so it had to wait until now.

The Frozen Thames tells the story of the 40 times that the river Thames has frozen from the 12th century to the 20th century. The book is very short and compact, numbering only 181 pages some of which are illustrations. However, the stories are extremely vivid and deserve a second or even third reading. Each year has a different story which ranges from two to 6 pages depending. The characters are different in each (though I believe there is one overlap) and vary in age, social class, gender, and even species. I have to state that these passages are not exactly stories but tiny glimpses into certain people's (or animals') lives. A few of the stories have nothing to do with the river besides a brief mention of its freezing and instead focus on the unbearable cold. Some of the most interesting sections are those that tell of the fairs that were thrown on the river.

What makes this novel so extraordinary, is Humphreys' amazing descriptions and writing style. Her prose are smooth and there is not a single word wasted. The reader can actually feel the frigid air pour off the page. There is no time to feel a connection towards that characters, but that is not her purpose. The reason for her writing is to have the reader form a bond with the freezing of the river and to ice in general. Her author's note states that there may be a time when there is no more naturally produced ice and people will forget what a frozen pond looks like. She has certainly succeeded in her goal because I doubt there is a single reader of this novel who will be able to forget it or the frozen Thames.

-DLP

1001 Challenge: Never Let Me Go

I know it's only the 7th but can you say over achiever? Actually, I picked up Never Let Me Go without even knowing that it was in the 1001 BYMRBYD (check out that acronym!). I was in the theater seeing The Kids are All Right and there was a preview for the film version of this book. Now according to my code that I described in a previous post, I had to move this novel to the top of my "to be read" pile. Once again, I am impressed by this selection but not blown away.

The novel begins with Kathy reminiscing about her time at Hailsham which the reader soon realizes is a boarding school. Kathy brings the reader through her childhood at the school where she met friends, is educated by slightly odd teachers, and prepares for the next stage in her live. As Kathy gets older, she becomes more perceptive of the oddities at Hailsham and begins to question what is really ahead for the school's students. Suddenly, school traditions such as "the sale" (in which students sell their work to each other) takes on a completely different meaning as the students realize the Madame of the school is purchasing their work for her own "Gallery". Eventually, they realize that their lives are predetermined and Hailsham is just schooling them on becoming "carers" and "donors".

In the first chapter, Kathy mentions that she's a carer for those who are donors. It is clear that the donor is a person who donates their organs and their carer is just that, a person who cares for the donor. The narration then seems to follow Kathy's train of thought. I was nervous because this is usually an interesting though confusing narration style. However, her train of thought stays on the logical tracks and moves fairly chronologically. Whatever preconceptions I had of this narrative style, flew out the window as I devoured page after page without looking up for hours. As I was reading, I thought the ideas in the novel were incredible and though I had heard of such a scenario in a book before it still felt fresh and new. Yet, once I finished it and started to think about the great issue in the book it started to seem a bit hackneyed. The writing is beautiful and reminiscent of Margaret Atwood but nothing extraordinary. Once again, I have to wonder why this specific book was included in 1001 while others were kept out. But it's all subjective!

-DLP

Now in Theaters: The Kids are All Right

I have waited MONTHS for this movie to come out. I read about it first in Entertainment Weekly which said, very early on, that it could get an Oscar nomination and might be one of the best movies of the summer. Well, I trust my Entertainment Weekly and went it came to my local theater, I was there! (Of course at a matinee show so I could save some money).

The Kids are All Right features an all star cast of Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, and Mark Ruffalo. Moore and Bening are married with two children when their daughter turns 18 and is convinced by her brother to contact the sperm donor that their parents used. Of course this disrupts the balance of the family, and rifts that none of them knew existed suddenly put the family on the verge of breaking.

Entertainment Weekly was right, this movie is fantastic! Besides the fact that the two parents in the film are women, there is nothing about this movie that is specifically "lesbian". Really, the movie is about families and marriage. Though Ruffalo, the sperm donor, is the catalyst the drama that he causes is not contingent upon that. He could have easily been a step-father, first husband, formally-distant uncle, older boyfriend, etc. and his intrusion on the family would have had the same affect. Similarly, Moore and Beining could have been a heterosexual couple and the message of the movie would have been the same. Basically, I am asking you to take a chance on this movie. It is truly excellent and a far better bet than Cats & Dogs and the Sorcerer's Apprentice (some of the other offerings out this summer).

-DLP

Book Review: Commencement

Ever summer needs a summer read. Something that's light, fun, and easy to fly through! For me this summer, that was Courtney Sullivan's Commencement which follows the lives of four college friends from Smith College.

Celia, April, Sally, and Bree are all thrown into a dorm together their freshman year at Smith. None of them like each other, at first sight. Sally seems stuck up and distant, April is the over-the-top feminist rebel, Celia is slightly judgmental and conventional, and Bree is the epitome of Southern belle (complete with engagement to her childhood sweetheart). Yet, being stuck on a floor together means that they must turn to each other in times of need...and there are times of need! Sally comes to school still mourning over the death of her mother; April finds herself carried away by radical feminists who border on violent; Bree must battle with pleasing her parents or following her heart; and Celia just watches. The reader watches as these girls fall in and out of love, find their calling in life or miss it, and test their friendships with each other.

The novel is predictable but that's not why I kept reading. I flew through this book because I was interested in the choices that these women made. Maybe it's because I am around their age and understand their anxieties over entering the real world, but I think it's more than that. I think that reader older and younger than myself would also enjoy this book because it's about the power of friendship and unconditional love. I could rip apart the banalities that plague the plot and characters or describe how one can guess the ending in the first 50 pages...but I won't. This is a summer read and because of that there should be lowered expectations. This is not the next great American novel but it certainly goes well with some sand and a beach chair.

-DLP

Book Review: Shutter Island

I have many codes by which I live, but the most important to me is to "never see a movie before reading the book" (if there is a book of course). That is why I was so disappointed in myself when Shutter Island was in theaters and I had yet to crack it open. Sadly, it took me this long to get around to it but I am glad that I finally did! I had read Dennis Lehane's Mystic River and absolutely fell in love with the movie, so I knew I was in good hands. Though I almost never read thrillers or mysteries, I have a soft spot for Lehane's psychological thrillers and Shutter Island does not disappoint!

The reader meets U. S Marshal Teddy Daniels while on a boat to Shutter Island, an island located off of Boston Harbor on which there is a hospital for the criminally insane. Also on the boat, is his partner Charlie Aul both of whom are sent to the island to investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solando. Solando is a patient who was sent to the hospital because she drown her three children and then sat them around the dinner table until a neighbor discovered the scene. Teddy and Charlie have never met before but they immediately hit it off and become fast friends. Teddy is clearly the serious leader while Charlie is much more happy-go-lucky and pleased to be the follower. As Teddy and Charlie spend a couple of days on the island, Teddy begins to think that nothing is as it seems and that they may possibly never get off the island again. Teddy must also confront his own past and the death of his wife before it is too late.

As with Mystic River, the most enthralling aspect of this story are the relationships between characters. Though there is a good mystery and some great drama, Lehane draws such vivid characters that the reader is completely absorbed. Of course there are chases, codes that must be broken, and blind alleys all of which make you fly through the novel. Yet, the true heart is with the people in the story. I was sad when the novel was over, but felt that it was complete. Now it's time for me to sit down and watch the movie and possibly pick up the new graphic novel!

-DLP

Book Review: Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

When I first heard about this book, I was so excited! I thought that it would take the aspects of Like Water for Chocolate that I liked and leave all of the odd magical elements behind. Sadly, I was wrong. The one word that pops into my head when I think of this novel is WEIRD.

The novel follows Rose Edelstein starting when she is nine and eats a piece of lemon cake that her mother prepared for her birthday. However, she tastes something in the lemon cake that she never has before. She tastes sadness, anger, and loneliness, all of the emotions that her mother was feeling when she baked the cake. During dinner that night, Rose can't help but gag when she tastes the chicken her mother prepared and tastes all of the same feelings. At first, Rose is terrified of her "special skill" and enlists the help of her brother's best friend who is a science whiz. However, he only reaffirms that she can taste people's deepest emotions, feelings that they may not even be aware of. As she gets older, she discovers that factory made food is the only food that she can tolerate because there are no emotions cooked into it. While Rose is discovering and fine tuning her special skill, her brother is also trying to harness his own. Unfortunately, no one (not even Rose) understands these skills or how one can use them safely without endangering their own happiness or even their lives.

When I started this novel, I couldn't put it down! The idea that a girl can taste a person's emotions in the food that they make was so revolutionary to me. There were so many directions that this book could go in that I found myself bringing it along with me everywhere (even to my best friend's wedding) to sneak in a page or two. Yet, around the middle of the novel it seemed to take an odd turn when it stopped focusing on Rose's abilities and started introducing those of her brother. However, I felt that the author never delved deeply enough into her brother's character to make it that interested in him or his struggles.

After finishing the book, I still don't completely understand his "skill" and have to say that I lost interest once the book changed its focus to his struggles. Though I thought there were plenty of directions this novel could take, it didn't take any and instead took on an almost science fiction twist that left me dissatisfied and disappointed.

-DLP

Book Review: Poisoner's Handbook

I grabbed this audiobook on the fly because I had nothing to listen to while driving. Honestly, I was attracted to the brightly colored cover and thought that if it was just okay for the first disc or two I would be happy. But I found that after I flew through all of the discs I still wanted more!

The beauty of Blum's book is that it tells so many stories at once without ever confusing the reader. The book is laid out in chapters in which each one covers a different drug/poison from carbon monoxide to radium and almost everything in between. She doesn't trace the history of this poisons but instead just focuses on their rise in usage during the Prohibition. Without being too scientific, she describes how each poison is made and how it interacts with the body. The most interesting aspect are the stories that she brings together from primary sources on scandalous murders and everyday crimes. Into this, she weaves the story of forensic medicine and highlights the work of medical examiner Dr. Charles Norris and NYC's first toxicologist Alexander Gettler. Each drug gives these two men a new opportunity to hone their skills and show the world the need for forensics.

Personally, I am picky when it comes to non-fiction. Though I wouldn't say that I am a predominately novel reader, I do tend to pick up a work of fiction quicker than a work of non-fiction. So when I stumbled on this book, I immediately had to run out and buy my own copy. I put the CDs onto my computer and made all of the family members listen. I love how this book reads like a suspense novel and is full of intrigue, murder, and mayhem. Yet the best part is that it's all true!! My advice to you, reader, is to pick up a copy for yourself and before you know it you'll be immersed in the insane world of poisons. Even better, you'll have tons of great stories (that few others know) to tell at the next cocktail party!

-DLP

Now in Theaters: A Solitary Man

I went last week to the movies because it was just too hot to be outside! My mom and I narrowed our choices down to Winter's Bone and A Solitary Man both of which received very good reviews. We decided on A Solitary Man because the cast is exceptional!

The film follows Michael Douglas as he comes to grips, or doesn't, with his age and the fact that his personal life as passed him by. The movie begins with Douglas receiving the news that he needs some test performed on his heart because his doctor has some concerns. Time then flashes forward six years, where Douglas is now divorced with a daughter in her early 30s (played expertly by Jenna Fischer), a grandson who is five, and a girlfriend (Mary Louise Parker) who he is using for her father's power. Hints are dropped that Douglas was involved in some sort of scam that caused him to lose his extremely profitable business and threw him into a scandal that destroyed his reputation. The rising action begins when Douglas must escort his girlfriend's daughter to his alma mater for the weekend. While in Boston, Douglas makes a terrible decision that threatens to unravel whatever life he has left.

Though this film received little attention, I thought that it was absolutely excellent and worth an Oscar nomination (being that they're handing them out willy nilly now). Susan Saradon plays Douglas' ex and does so expertly with just the perfect amount of anger, pity, and old love. Douglas plays the philandering 60+ year old who still thinks he's 20 perfectly. The end of the movie leaves people guessing, but can also be used as a conversation starter and had me thinking about the film long after I left the theater.

So when the next heat wave hits, I recommend that everyone run to the air conditioner movie theater and check out this feature!

-DLP

Book Review: The Five Lost Days

First off, I need to say that I was given this book in a member giveaway through Librarything.com where authors can give their books to members of the website in exchange for a review. Out of all of the member giveaways that I have read, The Five Lost Days is by far the best!

The reader first meets producer Michael Burns as he is traveling through the mountains of Belize with his film crew to shoot of documentary on the last living Maya healer. While Burns' crew complains about the weather and their accommodations, Burns is completely in his element. From the very start, the motley team meets some quirky natives who help guide them to the house where two Americans live. Frank and Kelly, are a married couple who moved to Belize years ago for work. Kelly works for a pharmaceutical company, trying to find new herbs that can be used in medicines. While Frank, is caught up in the violent war that is spilling into Belize from Guatemala. When Burns arrives with his cameras and lights, Kelly is more than willing to help while Frank is suspicious of the crew's intentions. Problems arise when the crew arrives at Kelly and Frank's only to find that they lost their film somewhere along the way. One of Burns' crew members breaks off from the group to go find the footage only to discover that the country is riddled with much more violence than anyone thought. It is not long before Burns and his remaining crew members find themselves at odds with the people and the unforgiving jungle. Suddenly, what began as a five day film shoot for a documentary becomes a fit for their lives.

There are several things with which I think Petrick did an excellent job. The first was how at the beginning of each chapter, there was a sketch of an herb, its name, and its healing power. I found this to be fascinating and found myself looking forward to this short passages. Second, I loved Petrick's description of the jungle and overall landscape. I felt as if it was its own character that had a back story, feelings, desires, and complicated relationships. There are few novels that I have read that have made me feel so connected to the jungle. Lastly, I thought that Petrick did a very good job in establishing these characters. I am usually leery of any novel that has more than two main characters, mainly because I can never keep more than five characters straight. However, Petrick has SEVEN main characters all of whom were wonderfully developed and very distinct from each other (even I could keep keep track).

Though I thought that Petrick did a very good job, I did have some concerns about the novel. At times, I felt as if the book was pulling me in too many directions. In one chapter, I would be introduced to a possible love triangle between Burns, Frank, and Kelly only to be thrown into a violent confrontation between a boy soldier and one of Burns' crew members. When I had come to grips with that situation, I would be hurled into the mind of the Maya healer and his loneliness only to be shot into Burns' struggle with commitment to his current girlfriend. Each of these stories were interesting, but at times they distracted me and I completed the book without really knowing what the purpose was. Sometimes it seems like a book about the hardships of producing a film, only to shift and be about the atrocities of war or how a marriage can change over a period of time without anyone noticing. Yet, my major concern was over the ending of the novel and the fact that it didn't have one. All of these great plot points keep barreling at the reader only to have the novel just stop without truly ending. I hope this is because Petrick is writing a sequel, but if not...maybe he should think about it because he has enough good material here for a series!

-DLP

Book Review: Superfreakonomics

After writing the review for Freakonomics, I thought that I would take a stab at the authors' new book Superfreakonomics which is heralded by numerous critics as being better than the original. Better than the original? I couldn't remember a time when a sequel was better than the original, so I knew I had to read it. Well, sadly, these critics were misleading for (as is typical) the original still outshone the sequel.

In the first Freakonomics, Levitt and Dunbar received great acclaim for challenging previously accepted reasons for drop in crime rate and the importance of reading to one's child. They turned such correlations on their head for many laymen readers. However, Superfreakonomics does none of that. In many ways, it falls right into the patterns that Levitt and Dunbar worked so hard in their first book to refute. Their research does not seem fresh and their perspective is not different from the mainstream. Such issues as how TV has changed the lives of Indian women and eating less red meat cuts greenhouse gas emissions are old news. This would all be fine if the book was written five years ago when we knew less about greenhouse gases and global warming, but it was written last year and already tastes a bit stale. One chapter focused on what kind of cancer responds best to chemotherapy. Though this is interesting, I didn't believe it deserved an entire chapter. Instead, it seemed to be material for a short magazine article. Unfortunately, that's how much of this book came off. That the information was not revolutionary and did not make my mind explode the way that their former book had. In addition, this book has faced a great deal more controversy over some of the evidence used in the global warming chapter. Honestly, I didn't think there was anything that out of the ordinary that needed disputing. Overall, I thought that it had grown a bit hackneyed and the research had lost the edge that good ol' Freakonomics has. I guess the "rogue" economist is rouge no more.

-DLP

Book Review: Freakonomics

When Freakonomics first came out almost six years ago, I thought that it was an interesting idea but nothing that would ever find its way onto my bookshelf. As an English literature fanatic, I could not see myself wasting time reading about economics. Luckily, a friend of mine read it and said that it wasn't so much about economics but how things are related to each other. Though this didn't win me over, he continued by saying that the authors use pop culture issues to help support their claims and that the writing is quite humorous at times. I borrowed the book and when I ran out of other things to read, I cracked it open. I was AMAZED! This book was far more than economics meets pop culture.

Levitt and Dubner draw in the reader from the beginning of the introduction where they touch upon from the issues that they will discuss later in greater depth. They breeze over the similarities between sumo wrestlers and teachers, they gloss over how abortion has lowered crime rates, and nonchalantly mention that maybe your Realtor isn't getting you the best deal. Each chapter covers a different one of these issues from why drug dealers have to live with their mother's to how the name of a child could have an affect on their later successes. Though the correlations that they draw are fascinating, none of them are outside the realm of possibility.

I was  captivate by this book like I never thought I would be. Some of the conclusions that they came to seemed a bit obvious. For the most part, reading the book made me feel like I was cracking a giant code. Of course there has been some dispute over the findings, but I didn't think that the actual numbers that they used were that important. I believe that the most important aspect of the book is that it makes you rethink any and all correlations. Since reading Freakonomics, I think about cause and effect very differently and I am no longer satisfied with the adage that X must cause Y. Instead, I follow Levitt and Dubner's example in thinking that maybe there is a third variable to which X and Y are responding. Maybe the world should be open to the possibility of there being a Z.

-DLP

Now on DVD: It's Complicated

I LOVE Meryl Streep. No really, I love her almost as much as I love Jon Krasinski. So when I heard that a movie was coming out with both of them along with Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, I just about bought a countdown calendar. Though I missed it in the theaters, I ordered it straight onto my computer the first day it was put on DVD. I had high hopes, some of which led to letdowns, but overall I thought the movie was unbelievably cute.

Meryl Streep plays a divorcee, Jane, who is a happily single woman who owns her own successful bakery. Though she is a mother to three children, her brood has almost entirely left the nest. While at her youngest son's graduation from college, she bumps into her ex-husband (Alec Baldwin). The two have been divorced for 10 years but the chemistry between the two of them is still there. That night, the two unexpectedly have dinner together where Baldwin opens up that his new marriage is failing. Jane and Baldwin begin to have an affair which Jane believes is casual while Baldwin thinks it could be the cure to their failed marriage together. Enter into the mix, Steve Martin who plays Jane's architect who is helping her plan a renovation to her house. Martin is also divorced and he and Jane start a relationship. Of course, is is not your usual romantic rhombus because Jane and Baldwin have children. Jane is left to decide between taking a second stab at an already once-failed marriage or stepping outside her comfort zone and dating a new man.

There are as many laughs in this film as there are tender moments. Though critics differed between praise and annoyance, no one can deny the charm and charisma that these actors (and their characters) have. Perhaps the most enchanting aspect of this film, is that it is real! Families nowadays, are no longer a mom, dad, sister, brother, and dog. It's Complicated not only acknowledges these changes, but is able to make us laugh about them. Of course, it is not a deep movie with a strong message but it's not supposed to be. It's fun, light, and brings humor to today's "complicated" families and relationships.

-DLP

In Theaters: Grown Ups

Last week, I went to see Grown Ups because I had seen the billboards of young Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, etc. and had been completely enchanted! I read the reviews and knew that it was supposed to be bad, but with such comics sharing the lead...how could it be that bad?! This is me eating crow because the critics were right. It wasn't that the movie was bad bad it's just that I expected more comedy out of these comedians.

The movie opens with the five best friends winning their elementary school basketball game. It then flashes forward 30+ years to their coach's funeral where they all come together once again. Though they have kept in touch, they are clearly no longer close. Adam Sandler is an agent who is married to a designer and has two boys who are beyond obnoxious. Chris Rock is married to Maya Rudolph and is a stay at home dad though most of his troubles come from his cantankerous mother-in-law. Kevin James is married and has two annoying children one of whom is 4 years old and still breast feeding. Rob Schneider has had 5 failed marriages and tumultuous relationship with his three daughters. For his 6th marriage, he has chosen Gloria who is 30 years older than him and the butt end of many jokes. Lastly, is David Spade who is the stereotypical aging bachelor chasing tail that is arguably too young for him. After the funeral, Sandler tells his old buddies that he has rented the coach's old lake house for the week and everyone decides to stay as well. Their first night, the boys (& co.) bump into their old elementary school rivals who challenge them to a final game. In the meantime, the friends catch up and make fun of each other's lives.

This would sound like a nice summer flick where you watch actual old buddies (on and off screen) catch up in a big lake house. Being that all of them, with the exception of James, were friends from SNL, I thought that there would be a lot more chemistry between them. Even James starred in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry alongside Sandler with some backup from other SNL alums. Yet, it felt like everyone was reading off their lines and the camaraderie was packaged (and past the expiration date). Simply put, there was something lacking. It could have been that the plot was nothing special, or even just nothing. The big clincher was whether the men would beat their old rivals from ELEMENTARY school! Personally, I don't even remember much of elementary school besides eating paste and making necklaces out of macaroni.  I thought that the diverse, and problematic, family situations would bring either legitimate drama or some good laughs to the screen. I was wrong on both counts! I have never sat through a less funny movie. Oh, I chuckled a couple of times, but Scarlett O'Hara gave me more laughs than this crew of top rate comedians. In the end, nothing was really resolved in anyone's lives. Some of the quirks in each family were straightened out, but there was little growth.

Overall, I was disappointed. Though I am not an avid Sandler/Team SNL fan to begin with, I was enchanted by the prospect of old friends coming together to exchange jokes and stories. None of that can really be found here. If you're looking for drama set in the Summer, try Beaches. If you want comedy set in the summer, watch Dawson's Creek.

-DLP

1001 Challenge: Less Than Zero

A couple of week ago, Bret Easton Ellis' sequel to Less than Zero hit bookshelves across the country to the delight of Ellis' fans and many critics. While I enjoyed the film American Psycho, I had never read anything by Ellis and was disappointed that I hadn't done so. But with the sequel coming out, I felt that it was time! I have read numerous books on sex, drugs, and disobedient teens so I had limited expectations for this novel. Overall, I thought that the novel was decent (and certainly impressive that he was only 20 when he wrote it) though had grown a bit stale with age. I can understand it’s inclusion in the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die because it completely optimized the time, culture, and lifestyle of the 1980s. Many have gone as far as to describe it as the Catcher in the Rye of the generation x-ers. I believe such a comment is a great overstatement, for though it was good and an accurate depiction of the time, I doubt that high school students will be reading it in another 25 years (or even now).

The novel follows Clay on his return home to LA for Christmas break after being away at college in Vermont. Before moving to Vermont, Clay was a spoiled rich boy whose idea of a good time was drinking, drugging, and getting laid by either men or women. Though he had a steady girlfriend, neither of them were exclusive. When Clay returns to this group of friends, who stayed in the area to go to college, he realizes that his fast and hard living is not as fulfilling as it had been. He tries to grapple with his broken family life, heal the rift and poor feelings with his girlfriend, and save his best friend from physically and emotionally killing himself. Yet, things do not go as planned and flashbacks to a happier time in his childhood make him wonder if this life in LA is what’s best for him.

Clay is part of the MTV generation who are narcissistic and self-destructive to the extreme. Therefore, the majority of the characters are not likable. In fact, I found myself having difficulty even finishing the book because I was so appalled by their behavior. When I first picked up the book, I thought that I would be ale to fly through the 224 pages. However, the subject matter and disgusting characters made me put down the book more than I would have liked. Though it was interesting, the novel does not seem to have stood the test of time. When it was released, rich kids were pissed that their once secret habits were suddenly out in the open. Yet as time passed, the 1980s became publicly known as the age of heroin, MTV, cocaine, poor parenting, and vanity. Thus making this novel proof of the values during that time but lacking in bringing any new insights to the table.

Reviews state that Imperial Bedrooms will show the characters where they are today and update the reader on each of their lives. Personally, despite some positive reviews, I am no longer interested in these characters. I did not find them to be dynamic and over the past couple of days I have almost forgotten them entirely. Overall, it’s worth I read if you have the interest and ability to appreciate it for the time in which it was written.

-DLP

Now on DVD: Alice in Wonderful

When I heard that Time Burton was pairing up again with Johnny Depp, I was more than thrilled. I think those two are the dynamic duo of my generation and when you toss in Helen Bonham Carter (as Burton typically does), I just about squeal with delight. With the economy the way it is, I didn't have the $10.50 to go see Alice in Wonderland when it came out but rest assured that I rented it the second it made it to DVD. I had such high hopes and though I read the reviews which were all not that flattering, I still held out for my cinematic Holy Trinity. Unfortunately, it failed to reach my expectations.

I was raised, as many in my generation were, on the Alice in Wonderland Disney cartoon from 1951 (perhaps because all of our parents were raised on the same cartoon when they were young). I've watched the TV show from the 1990s, seen the made for TV movies, and all of the remakes. Though I have never read the book (though I plan to as part of the 1001 Book challenge), I believe myself to be quite familiar with the story and its characters. I was hoping that Burton, in his usual manner, would show a different interpretation of the novel that we have all been saturated with since we could focus our eyes on a TV screen. Sadly, he didn't. Though there were some aspects that were not presented in some of the other adaptations, I felt that the majority of the story was the same and I was bored. I don't think that I need to rehash the story of Alice in Wonderland (girl falls down rabbit hole and finds herself in another world where things are extremely confusing at first and yet perfectly logical upon reflection and simply fantastic as quotes on facebook/myspace profiles) because we are all familiar with the characters and plot points. As usual, Johnny Depp's performance was phenomenal as was Carter's and Anne Hathaway's. The animation and backdrops were exceptional and created a sinister and creepy atmosphere that some of the other adaptations have not. Still, this did not change the fact that the story had been done before...many many tireless times.

On the other hand (though I just spent two paragraphs berating the film), I do believe that people should watch it even if it is on mute. The reason being that the effects are so fantastic that any kind of description would not do it justice. I constantly wanted to freeze frame the movie and print the images on the screen onto posters. Despite the fact that it didn't live up to my expectations, I know that I will find myself picking up a copy once it reaches the discount bins at Blockbuster.

-DLP

Book Review: The Quickening

Later this month, Michelle Hoover's The Quickening hits book racks and library carts and will hopefully will the praise from reviewers that it deserves! The basis of this book is easy to explain but its charm and beauty are extremely difficult to describe. All I can say, is that it reminded me of Willa Cather at her best but kept me on the edge of my seat. In just over 200 pages, I felt that there wasn't a single word wasted. The only advice I can give to you is: READ IT!

The novel starts in the early 1900s and follows Mary Morrow and Enidina Current as they live, work, and raise their families on two nearby farms. Mary is delicate, judgmental, and not particularly able to take the blame for her own actions. Though one would think that this would make her an unlikable character, it instead makes her easy to relate to at times and very real. Enidina Current was born to work the hard land. She is strongly built, strong willed, and extremely hard working. When she moves to the farm with her husband, she is thrilled with the prospect of living off of the land in a secluded area. She is not there a day before Mary comes over and "befriend" her. The two never quite have a friendship but they feel a kinship due to their similar situations. However, the tumultuous 1920s and 1930s push both women to their breaking point. Family and farm matters only further complicate their relationship which evolves from mutual respect and kinship to distrust and hate.

As with many excellent novels, there is no single climax. The story unfolds much as life does with ups and downs some of which can be foreseen while others wreck havoc for years in the future. The story is told in alternating voices between the two women. I was nervous about this aspect because I find such a technique to be kitschy when not done right. Yet, Hoover is able to master this device in a way that hasn't been done in years if not decades. Though there are some mysteries throughout the novel that keep you intrigued, I realized at the conclusion that the answers to all of these questions were sprinkled throughout the book. It is for this reason that I caution readers to notice each word. While other books allow for the occasional skipping of pages without much loss of plot, this novel captivates the reader and insists that he/she reads every sentence carefully. I honestly believe that this novel will become a classic of our time, which is saying a lot for a debut author!

-DLP

In Theaters: Toy Story 3

When I first saw the preview for this movie, I was extremely excited that there would be another Toy Story movie. As a baby of the eighties, I grew up with Andy, Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang. While I enjoyed the movies, I never joined the pop culture cults who worshiped the films. That is way I was so surprised when I found myself at the movie theater, an hour early, on opening weekend, to see Toy Story 3. To be honest, I went because there was nothing else to see and I needed a movie theater fix. With the slim pickins out there, it was either Get Me to the Greek (no way) or Sex and the City 2 (absolutely not). So, when I settled in to my seat with my overpriced Diet Coke, I was expecting a basic plot, some chuckles, and at least one crying child in the audience. Boy was I wrong...

The plot for Toy Story 3 flashes forward 11 years from the previous film. Andy is now 17 and is getting ready to leave for college. Before he goes, he has to decide which toys he is bringing with him, which are going in the attic, and which are headed for the trash. The usual gang of toys, minus Bo Peep and some other classics that didn't make the cut for #3, feel bittersweet about this event. While they want to go with Andy, they also crave the attention that they once got when he was a child. In other words, they miss being played with. Andy goes through the toys and chooses Woody to bring to college and puts the rest in a trash bag to go into the attic. The plot starts escalating when Andy's mom confuses the trash bag of toys for trash and puts them out on the curb. As the trailers show, the toys spend some time in a daycare which is run by an evil red/purple bear who smells like strawberries. The ending came as a surprise to me, though I am sure it won't to others, and left me extremely touched with wet cheeks.

The animation is what we have grown accustomed to from Disney and Pixar though I thought it wasn't as engrossing as UP from last year. I should also state that I saw Toy Story 3 in old fashioned 2-D, so my observations on the animation are limited. Still, the true beauty of this film is the story not only the one in this 1 hour and 59 minutes but the entire story from the first film to this one. Within the first ten minutes, I was already teary up as the opening scene showed clips from Toy Story set to the ever-familiar "You've Got a Friend in Me". The characters were just as enchanting as I remembered and seemed to have really come into their own (as much as an animated piggy bank can...).

Unlike other Pixar films that are geared towards children but have adult humor, I felt that this film was much more geared towards my age group who grew up with the story and the toys. Of course there was some child humor, some good action scenes, and a lot of suspense, but the overall story was much more advanced than in the previous films. In many ways, it was similar to that of UP both of which focused on loss and the difficult crossroads in life. For those unfortunate people out there who have not seen the first two films, do not despair! I went with a friend who had never heard of Toy Story until last night, and she loved the movie almost as much as I did.

If I were to write a letter to Pixar right now it would go a little something like this "Dear Gods of Animation, You did it again! Keep up the fantastic work. And get cracking on Finding Nemo 2. Your humble and devoted servant, Dani"