Now on DVD: Everybody's Fine

Everybody's Fine starring Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, and Kate Beckinsale is about a family struggling to stay together after their mother dies and their father is left alone. Robert De Niro plays the patriarch of the family who was a typical 1960s father who focused on his career in order to make money for the family of six. His wife held the connection to their four children and the family's confidante. However, when she dies, De Niro is lost and tries to rekindle his relationship with his children. When he plans a family gathering, all of the children find a way to get out of the reunion. De Niro is distraught that his family is no longer connected as they once were and he decides to take to the road to visit each of his children. His first stop is to his son David who is an artist living in New York City. When David does not answer his father's calls, De Niro decides to move on to his daughter's house where he finds that nothing is as it seems and certainly not as hunky-dory as he had been told. He faces the same situation with his following two children before he returns home even more lost than when he left. Each child blows off their father to the point that he believes they may never be a strong family again. Yet, when tragedy strikes, his children come together to support each other and himself.

This film was touching in all of the ways a good movie should be. It never received any hype when it was in theaters and moved quickly to DVD. I think that this is terrible because I found a great deal more in the film than I found in many of the other movies that came out in 2009. De Niro is fantastic in the role as the lost father helplessly trying to bring his family together. His children's disinterest in him is honest and heartbreaking. It made me want to call my dad and thank him for being a fantastic father. Though the story was heart aching at times, it was truthful and documented a real period in people's lives when children become parents and distance themselves from their own parents for a variety of reasons. Overall, the film is sad and touching with little bits of humor. Hopefully, its DVD release will inspire the public to give it its due.

-DLP

Art Review: Omi International Arts Center

While on Spring Break, I visited the Omi International Arts Center which is located in Hudson, New York. The arts center includes a sculpture park that measures 100 acres with an additional 400 acres that are undeveloped. Also on the site is a museum with a cafe and a gallery. The sculptures at the park range from the interesting to the bizarre. There is a permanent installation of giant head sculptures, a line of enlarged thumb tacks the size of one's leg, a white bed enclosed in plastic, and a white sculpture that bears resemblance to a snow dune. The 100 acres of sculptures range from a hilly area to a woods area in which certain sculptures, such as a giant piece of metal with bullet holes in it, are situated.

We visited the sculpture park on a muddy day and some of the installations were still under snow. However, it did not detract from the interesting sculptures that dot the 100 acres. As a lover of art, I found that some of the pieces were a bit too odd for my taste such as chain link fence that was made into a dome and a "garden" of clear PCB pipe. The advantage to this park is that you can actually touch (and climb if no one is watching) on the pieces.

For those who are not interested in the arts, this is still a great destination because the 400 acres is a fantastic area in which one can mosey. The land includes hills, a woods area, and a small creek. There are various benches set up along the way where patrons can sit and ponder. Overall, it is a great place to visit for art lovers and non.

-DLP

Book Review: Not My Daughter

In 2008, 17 girls at Gloucester High School in Massachusetts became pregnant which people believed was actually a pregnancy pact made between these teens. Though evidence proved that there was no such pregnancy pact, the issue fascinated the nation and is the focus of Barbara Delinsky's Not My Daughter.

In the novel, high school student Lily chooses to become pregnant as do two of her best friends. It is soon discovered that the pregnancies were not a fluke but instead were planned by the teens. To make matters worse, Lily's mother, Susan, is the principal of the high school in which these girls attend. In addition, Lily's mother is also a single mom who was impregnated out of wedlock and raised Lily on her own. As the truth comes out about the pregnancy pact, Lily's mother is targeted as the villain in this small town in Maine. Though she is incredibly perplexed and angry with her daughter, Susan is supportive and stands behind her daughter. The same cannot be said of the other mother's whose daughters chose to become pregnant. The mother of Lily's friend Mary Kate already has a number of children that she is raising in a small house with her husband. Jessica, the final girl to join the pact, has a mother who prides herself on her image and is the least accepting of her daughter. While all of the mothers are best friends, their feelings towards their daughters' decisions clash and threaten to jeopardize their relationship with each other.

The majority of the story concerns Susan and Lily, their relationship as mother and daughter and their connection to the community. When Susan first arrived in the small Maine town, she was fleeing from her parents who cast her out of their home after learning that she was pregnant. By working extremely hard, she was able to get a college education and the town went out on a limb to hire her as their high school principal. In addition, Susan and her three best friends started their own knitting company that was under the auspices of the town's largest company (which in many ways runs the small town). When word of the pregnancies gets out, not only is Susan's job in jeopardy but so is the knitting company. The town that had once welcomed her and her daughter has now turned its back on both women.

Overall, this is a story about love and understanding. It not only raises the issue of teen pregnancy but also brings to light the resulting drama that unfolds when such a pact is made. It is a novel about friendship both between the high school girls and between their mothers. I found the characters to be extremely realistic and multi-dimensional. Most interesting, is that each girl who decided to get pregnant was an honor roll student who was destined for college. Such smarts made each mother wonder why her daughter decided to take this path. Therefore, the title becomes very important as each mother and even each member of the town declares that such an act could never be committed by "my" daughter. Though the ending seemed a bit forced and tied everything a bit too neatly for my taste, the true gem of this story are the relationships that the women create and how they change when they are put under pressure. It was a light read that I was able to race through in about two days but I savored just about every moment of it.

-DLP

Book Review: Dispatches from the Edge

What a treat it is to find a memoir that tells of one person's life while touching your own. I have always been in awe of Anderson Cooper's beauty and strength during traumatic events. It was not until I read his memoir that I discovered that the root of this strength is his rootlessness. In my mind, he has gone from being a reporter to a hero.

Unlike other memoirs, Cooper does not praise himself anymore than he berates himself. His book is written like how he tells the news, straight and to the point. However, there is a depth and a sentimentality within him that is rarely noticed. His writing is exquisite as well as his ability to weave his personal development through his travels as a correspondent.

I can't think of a single person who would be disappointed after reading this memoir.

-DLP

Book Review: 98 Reasons for Being

Clare Dudman's 98 Reasons for Being is overall an excellent read. I found the characters to be extremely dynamic and multidimensional. The story was also at times heartbreaking as well as uplifting. Yet, it was the writing style that made this book exceptional to read. There were sections of narration that were interrupted by case studies performed by the psychiatrist as well as the thoughts inside the main character's mind. Though I would not go as far to say that it is postmodern, the way that the story is presented is certainly nontraditional.

Basically, it is the story of a Jewish girl who is brought into a mental institution because she refuses to talk. Through her treatment, she encourages the doctor and other patients to open up and free themselves from their own demons. Of course, not all are saved and there are numerous characters that can be deemed as "not good". Still, the complexities of the characters makes them seem more real than the paper on which they are described.

I do have to say that I think this novel is for a very special audience. I loaned my copy to a couple of people and they did not like it because the writing style is very different. While I thought that her writing style was enthralling, dynamic, and fresh, others thought that it made the story convoluted and hard to get into. I can understand their point of view but I would still give this novel a shot because it is well worth it!!

-DLP

Now on DVD: Up in the Air

Though I originally had no interest in seeing Up in the Air when it first came out, its numerous Oscar nominations made me rethink my point of view and I decided to rent the movie to see if there is finally one George Clooney movie that I liked. I went into this movie thinking that it would be just another Clooney movie that showed how snarky he can be without having any substance. I was greatly surprised!

The plot of the film is very simple, Clooney plays a man whose job it is to fire people. His company is hired by another company that wants to downsize but does not have the heart to let the people go themselves. Instead, Clooney flies in to personally fire each person that the company has decided to let go. While others view his job as rat-like, he honestly enjoys his career. He is not sadistic nor does he take pleasure in people's unemployment, but he loves to constantly be on the road. Clooney's character boasts that he is well on his way to reaching 1 million miles after which he will be given a plaque, a special flyers card, and the chance to have a conversation with a pilot. It is a great achievement for any constant flyer for only 6 other people have ever reached 1 million miles. Because he flies constantly, Clooney has no home and lives out of a residential hotel when he is "home". This doesn't bother him though because he enjoys the travel life of different hotels and restaurants each night.

His entire life gets thrown off course when a new college graduate is hired by his company and she develops a way to do their work remotely. Instead of flying to each agency to lay off people in person, she has created Skype-like software that allows Clooney's company to fire people from their desk at the home office. Before this program can be implemented, Clooney challenges the young woman to join him on the road so she can see how difficult and sensitive his work is. Their time together is touching and humorous in a completely sincere and not cliched way.

While on his travels, Clooney meets his female counter-part in Vera Farmiga. Though both have sworn that they will never marry and only enjoy having a relationship when they are in the same hotel, Clooney starts to think about giving up his traveling life and settling down. Of course, none of these female relationships are what they seem and nothing goes according in plan.

I thought that this movie was incredibly interesting and quite tender without being sappy or annoying. I had an inkling where the film was going to take me but I still enjoyed "the ride". In this struggling economy and extremely high unemployment rates, I found this movie to be incredibly timely and poignant. I enjoyed Clooney's character as well as his acting which is something that I have been unable to say in the past. The female supporting roles were equally powerful and I was very impressed by Anna Kendrick's performance. Though some viewers thought that it lagged at times, I disagree with that perception. Some parts were certainly not as dramatic at others, but I completely enjoyed the entire film and highly recommend it!

-DLP

Now on DVD: 2012

I was first introduced to disaster films when I was in college and immediately fell in love! From Danger: Volcano in New York to Dragon Wars to The Day After Tomorrow, I was hooked on apocalyptic movies for good. When I first saw a trailer for 2012, I was honestly scared. I had heard about the Mayan calendar and knew that some people believed that the world will end in two years but I just thought that it was a revival of the Y2K nuts and by 2013 we would have a Family Guy episode mocking the event just like we did in 2001. However, the trailer for the movie actually frightened me and I refused to see it for fear I would have some sort of attack in the theater. When it came out on DVD a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't help myself. The disaster lover in me needed to watch John Cusack get washed away by a giant tidal wave that pushed an air craft carrier onto the White House lawn. After the movie was over, the credits rolled and I had realized that I had fallen asleep twice, I thought that 2012 was even worse than Komodo vs. Cobra and not nearly as compelling.

2012 follows the same formula as most disaster movies, dead beat divorced dad realizes that the world is going to end and wants to save his children and ex-wife who are more shocked that he has come back into their lives than they are by the extinction of the human race in less than 2 hours (movie time). Cusack plays a writer who has written a book about the apocalypse that no one has read and those who did hated it...oh, won't they be mad when it all comes true and they only read the SparkNotes version! The first disaster occurs when Los Angeles is ripped apart by an earthquake and falls into the ocean and the nation is shocked (hasn't the discovery channel been telling us that for decades?). Cusack, kids, and ex-wifey all escape and try to outrun the apocalypse by flying to Las Vegas (because of course Las Vegas will survive the apocalypse...it's like a cockroach) and eventually China where the government is housing giant "arks" that will only hold a certain amount of people but can assure that those people will survive the disaster. Of course they meet all kinds of international people on their journeys all of whom are walking stereotypes.

The movie runs over two hours for an event that could be summarized in one sentence: only science fiction authors and wealthy Americans can defeat big waves. The most irritating aspect of the film is that the acting wasn't good but it wasn't terrible therefore it was difficult to make fun of! It was also disturbing that everyone's favorite characters die and dumb daddy dead beat lives with the promise to his children of being a better father. Personally, I was not invested in the daddy-kiddie relationship and therefore did not care about his future role model status.

Some of the graphics were cool but not scary. Yet even this did not sustain my attention for though I didn't miss a second of The Gathering, I fell asleep twice during 2012 and knew that I hadn't missed anything. So I guess the moral for the future is that when 2012 actually comes, I'll probably sleep right through that as well!

-DLP

1001 Challenge: Plot Against America

With the month winding down, I thought that it was time to write about my March read for the 1001 Challenge. I chose to read Philp Roth's The Plot Against America. I have had it sitting on my bookshelf for an embarrassingly long period of time and finally decided that this challenge would be the thing to make me finally read it. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed.

The story in The Plot Against America revolves around a "what if" event or what's called an alternative history. In the story, FDR is up for reelection in 1940 but loses to the famous pilot Charles Lindbergh. After the election, antisemitism runs even more rampant than it hard previously. The reader sees all of this through the eyes of a young Jewish boy named Philip Roth and his family which consists of his brother, mother, father, and cousin all of whom live in New Jersey. When Roth's aunt begins a relationship with a rabbi who works for Lindberg, the family becomes divided. The familial situaton worsens when Roth's brother, Sandy is recruited by the government to travel to a rural section of the country to learn how to live like an "average American". This is a program that was spearheaded by Roth's aunt and is open to only Jewish children. Roth's father believes that it is a trap and when Sandy returns from his trip a Lindbergh sympathizer, the entire family is in an uproar. At the same time, Roth's cousin who lives with the family in New Jersey decides to move to Canada where he can join the army and fight against the Nazis. However, he is severely wounded and looses a leg in combat. When he returns to the family house, tensions rise as he butts heads with Sandy. While the family's personal issues boil, so does that of the entire country. Lindbergh's isolationist views leads him to side wit the Germans against England and the country's previous allies. Tensions in the Roth family and the country as a whole continue to rise until the book reaches a violent climax.

When I read over my description of the novel, I am shocked by how much action there seems to be in the book. However, I did not feel this way when I was reading it. I kept waiting patiently for something to happen and oftentimes thought about putting the book down for good! Once the climax was finally reached, it seemed a bit lame and expected. The idea behind the story is fascinating but Roth's novel is sluggish and dull more times than not. Though it was believable, I thought that he could have pushed it a bit more which would have added more drama without feeling unrealistic. In a country that has rioted numerous times and has a history of being segregated on certain issues regarding religion, I felt that there was more material there that Roth could have tapped into. I supposed the most interesting aspect of the story is that Roth used his own name which made the novel feel almost like a memoir. In fact, there are certain parts that Roth even states are factual (or at least close to fact) such as his experiences growing up Jewish in New Jersey and the antisemitism that existed in the country during that time. Though this was interesting, it wasn't enough to keep my interest and I found myself putting the book down numerous times to read something else only to go back to it begrudgingly. Overall, fantastic idea...dull follow through.

-DLP

What's for dinner?

What better enhances our cultural lives than a great meal?

In this section, we will publish a few different restaurant recommendations in and around Boston each week.

Brookline Family Restaurant

Despite the nondescript name, this restaurant is bursting with an excellent and delicious menu. Specializing in Turkish food, Brookline Family Restaurant has something for everyone – vegetarian dishes, meat dishes, sandwiches, hot meals and large portions. I almost always have leftovers for lunch the next day. The food is excellent, while the service is a little slow, but always busy around dinnertime. Take out is also an option. Located at 305 Washington Street in Brookline Village, Brookline Family Restaurant is within walking distance of the Brookline Village T station on the D line.

Zen 320

Zen 320 boasts half price sushi everyday of the week. While I am no sushi aficionado, I found the sushi fresh and quite tasty. The service is kind and attentive. The menu also includes dishes like chicken teriyaki and beef dumplings. Zen 320 is located at 320 Washington Street in Brookline. If you are looking for a quiet place to try out sushi without a huge financial commitment, try it out!

Elephant Walk

This restaurant boasts the slightly exotic (at least to my tastes) blend of French Cambodian cuisine. The menu is varied and offers the opportunity to try a new variety of cuisine with some familiar ingredients. After my meal I was a certified member of the clean plate club. Even though I was stuffed, I simply had to have one more bite – it was delicious! The ambiance is warm, yet a little formal. The server was courteous and helpful in selecting a dish. I strongly recommend Elephant Walk. The meal was more expensive than I like spend for a casual dinner, but the quality of food was definitely worth it. On a weekday evening it was not crowded and we were seated right away, but I can see it being crowded on the weekend. Elephant Walk has a few locations in the Boston area – Boston, Cambridge and Waltham. For more information, check here:

http://www.elephantwalk.com

Check back for more restaurant suggestions in and around Boston!

- KER

Adult Literacy in the Digital Age

I recently attended a panel discussion at the Boston Athenaeum in their Civic Discourse Series on Literacy and Democracy titled "Adult Literacy in the Digital Age." I was expecting to hear about the effect of e-readers and technology on literacy and all the implications that follow - how adults look for jobs, relate to peers, search for information and absorb information in general. However, I listened to a discussion of adult literacy and education on a broader scale as it pertains to education facilities in Boston. Of the three participants, two were very passionate about advocating for a better and more accessible education system, but one speaker, Dr. Linda Nathan stood out above the others. Not only is Nathan an incredible speaker, presenting her ideas clearly and concisely while making a compelling argument, but she is dynamic to hear speak. While the other panelists discussed important and relevant issues - resources at adult literacy centers or community colleges, Dr. Linda Nathan made the urgency of the issues in education clear. While all the panelists are advocates for more equal opportunities in learning and striving towards a higher national literacy level, they each focused on their independent sectors. What is profound about each person's point of view and experiences is that in working with individuals who desire to learn or have found the proper motivation, is how far students can go when given the chance. It seems so clear and easy, yet our current public education system has so many barriers in place, like teaching to a standardized test, rather than developing a students abilities and interests as a constructive member of society.

- KER

Now Playing: Becky Shaw

A couple of weeks ago I attend the opening night of The Huntington Theatre's production of Becky Shaw, Gina Gionfriddo's contemporary, sassy drama that explores familiar relationships as well as those with strangers and our obligations to society. The play features characters who produce hilariously sarcastic witticisms while battling their inner demons and simply trying to figure out life. The Huntington's tagline highlights "the blind date gone bad," but really I saw this play as a feature on how we relate to other humans and choose the relationships in our lives.

The caustic Max, while disenfranchised with communal participation in society (he's more of an "every man for himself" kind of guy), is fiercely loyal to the family in which he was adopted at a young age. So loyal, in fact, that he is in love with his pseudo sister. Too bad she is married to a crunchy-feely hippie fellow who is so crunchy feely that he is drawn to any desperate woman who appears to be suicidal. The title character enters as a damaged woman in her 30s, struggling to get her life on track. She is Max's date for the evening. Sound like a recipe for disaster? It is. Max is not interested in commitment and Becky Shaw is looking for a way out of the gutter. Told through hilarious one liners and situations, perfectly parodying the dilemmas faced by the modern privileged class and sprinkled with perspective by an aging woman suffering from distress, Becky Shaw, is a play of our time. While delightful and perfectly indicative of our time, this play captures a moment in our culture that may not relate well for future generations. The dialogue is fast and snappy, like our sitcoms and movies with a cynical edge, yet does a lasting message cut through all the snark? I am not convinced that Becky Shaw will last through the ages, but I thoroughly enjoyed my evening at the Huntington. If you enjoy snarky, cynical characters and mocking our society, go, enjoy all that Becky Shaw has to offer, after all we are the best and intended audience.

- KER

Movie Review: Very Young Girls

On Monday the rompers attended a screening at Simmons College of the Showtime expose Very Young Girls. This heartbreaking film explores human trafficking of young women in America through interviews with young women who led "the life," footage filmed by two pimps and documentary style segments about the mentoring program, GEMS (Girls Education and Mentoring Services). The first half of the film focuses on how some of the young women entered into the world of human trafficking, which includes talking head interviews as well as visits to the streets the girls used to work. This section includes footage provided by two pimps, who filmed some of their work in hopes of creating a cable tv show based on their lives. The second half of the film follows some of the young women through the rehabilitation program, GEMS, which works to help girls find a better life through continuing their eduction and finding employment. Many of the girls "relapse" into the life several times before they are able to break free of the abusive cycle and truly desire a better life.

Very Young Girls provides a great deal of insight into how the human trafficking industry works and how the cycle begins for many young women. Some of girls featured in the film spoke of abusive, neglected, or violent home lives while others mentioned escaping a group home or taking the subway to the wrong stop. Regardless of the situation, significantly older men preyed upon vulnerable young girls, feeding their inherent need for love and guidance, drawing the girls in with promises of love, only to hinge that love upon economic necessity. In an interview one girl spoke of "love as I know it," which became entangled with sex and money, rather than unconditional affection. The girls' relationship to their pimps takes the form of Stockholm's Syndrome with severe emotional attachment as the girls know no other life.

The issues presented in Very Young Girls are compelling and important. While overall the film is strong and presents the crux of the human trafficking problem quite well, a few elements could use further clarification. Much of the footage provided by the two pimps is difficult to understand because the sound quality is so poor, as are the images. If the editors had provided closed captioning for this portion and perhaps provided clearer links between the girls in the pimps' car and those in the interviews. A few minor changes would have increased the clarity of the film and all the facets of the situation it attempts to present. It is a shame that this film is not more widely screened or discussed as the issue of human trafficking in the US is a huge, yet widely ignored problem.

- KER

Movie Review: Hauntings

Tonight I borrowed Hauntings from the library which was produced by The History Channel. I have recently watched other movies produced by The History Channel and loved them! I think that they're a reputable network that has varied tastes in their documentaries. However, I was disappointed by this specific film. A couple of years ago I watched the Unsolved Mysteries' series on ghosts and completely fell in love! So I had high hopes for this documentary and it fell DRASTICALLY short.

The film is broken up into three different ghost stories that are told by those who experienced it. Paranormal specialists are then interviewed about the validity of the accounts. Lastly, scholars and skeptics are interviewed to give the other side of the story. Though this was enlightening, it did not give me the chills that I wanted. I found the stories to be weak and boring (not to mention that EVERY single woman had terrible hair!!). The paranormal professionals are wacky and seem unreliable and out of touch while the skeptics look more put together and reliable. Overall, a disappointment. I think I am going to watch the Unsolved Mystery series on ghosts instead.

-DLP

Gallery Review: Tomb 10A

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to see the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston's exhibit on Tomb 10A. For decades myself and my family were members of the MFA but discontinued our membership last year because we felt that the majority of their exhibits catered to the mainstream Monet and Van Gogh lovers and did not push the envelope. After seeing Tomb 10A, I have to rethink our lapsed membership.

The history of the exhibit begins in 1915 when archeologists from the MFA were sent to Egypt to excavate the tomb of governor Djehutynakht. When the excavation occurred, it became clear that tomb robbers had preceded the archeologists. In 2009, excavators returned to the site to do some more digging. Tomb 10A, on exhibit until June 27th, is the culmination of these two excavations. Though there are aspects of the exhibit that are similar to other ancient Egypt exhibits, the MFA sets themselves apart by creating a chronology to the exhibit and ushering visitors from a basic introduction to Djehutynakhtto items found in the tomb, the coffin found within Djehutynakht's, a mummified head of either Djehutynakht or his wife, and the history of the excavation in general.

The coffins (seen above) are one of the two most interesting aspects of this exhibit. Djehutynakht's coffin was in fact multiple coffins within each other. Each coffin was hand painted with hieroglyphics and other symbols that were to help its inhabitants in the next life. In one of the coffins were the sandals worn by Djehutynakht when he was entombed that were thought to be of use to him in the afterlife. My other favorite part of the exhibit were the model boats that were found within the tomb (right). There were over 50 model boats that were found the purpose of which were to carry Djehutynakht down the river into the next life.

Other patrons were attracted to the mummified head and its history after its excavation which included a trip to the MGH where a cat scan was taken in order to help solve the mystery of to whom it belonged. There are still no answers.

The aspect of the exhibit that set this apart of others of its kind was the arrangement of the exhibit. In addition, the MFA found a way to show visitors the items that would have been in the tomb had it not be raided before 1915. The curators brought artifacts from the MFA's permanent collection to show the kinds of items that the raiders had taken but otherwise would have been found in the tomb. I also thought that knowing the history of the exhibit and Tomb 10A in general was extremely interesting and helpful in understanding the material. Personally, I thought that this would a fabulous exhibit and would recommend it to anyone in the area!

-DLP

Audiobooks

Dani suggested I try listening to audio books and over the past couple of weeks I have. I listened to Arthur Phillips' Angelica and immediately hunted for my favorite audio book of all time, The Princess Bride. It so happens that The Princess Bride is also (and has been for many years) my favorite book and movie. I used to listen to the audio book when I was a child sleeping over at a relative's house. Rob Reiner's soothing voice lulled me to sleep as he recounted a story I knew so well. I remember listening to it on my walkman and occasionally waking when the tape clicked its end. I always fell asleep somewhere in the middle of the tape, but simply turned it over to hear more because I loved the way he told the story, nevermind the chronology.

I started listening to the audio book last night and all the wonderful memories of my childhood came rushing back. In the introduction, William Goldman writes that this book changed his life - it caused his love of reading. While I already loved to read by the time I first read The Princess Bride, it certainly had an impact on my life, if only as a marker along the way and a signifier of pleasant memories - the aunt and uncle who introduced me to the movie, how my mother checked the book out of the library, but I read it in three days instead or how I encouraged my high school book club to read it and found kindred spirits. Like when I was a little girl listening to the audio book while I fell asleep, I listened to The Princess Bride on my ipod shuffle today (it did just that - shuffle the book) and the chronology of events mattered not. I was awash in memories, delighting in the story as it came together in pieces. At first I tried to page through the snippets and piece the story together, but then I just let it play and was surprised every few minutes as the plot sharply changed. I know the story so well that I filled in the gaps just fine.

This experience leaves me on the fence about audio books. I loved listening to a story while commuting, but like trying to read when exhausted and lulled by the train, I felt sleepy at times and missed parts of the story. At the same time, the audio book engaged me when I couldn't find a seat on the train and thus did not have to awkwardly stare into a stranger's lap. I could just listen. Yet, I felt disengaged from the text. I never went back and skimmed a section I might have missed, simply forged ahead. However, I truly enjoyed listening to a favorite story while I made dinner. I think audio books have a place in my life, I just need to work out where.

- KER

What's Cookin, Good Lookin?

Nothing enriches our lives more than excellent food. So many wonderful recipes are found in carefully compiled cookbooks, which in the digital age, often feel obsolete (at least to me). I admit, I am a google hound. If someone mentions in passing "isn't the origins of the term 'banana republic' kind of mean or something?" I am the first to pull up my web browser and find an answer. When my betrothed mentioned he'd like to add some spices to brown rice my immediate answer was "why don't you google it?" I have countless stained printouts of recipes that range from buttercream frosting to stuffed peppers. Sometimes I just keep my trusty laptop open on the kitchen table to my chosen recipe. Despite my google fever, particularly when it comes to how to cook the food I have, I refer to some really fantastic cookbooks.

I cook a lot of vegetable heavy meals, trying to be light on oil and salt. One of my favorites is Marie Simmons' The Amazing World of Rice. I have not properly explored all the recipes that this book has to offer, but her section on rice salads is a godsend. After a long day at work, at a loss for what to make, I can easily flip this open because so many of the ingredients are on hand - chickpeas, tomato, a few spices, some chicken. I frequently try to plan meals for the week, so I have some idea of what to buy and in glancing through this book I have been inspired to try new spices or pick up a salmon steak to go with my sushi rice salad with cucumber and toasted sesame seeds. Even when not following a recipe, I've been inspired to use ideas from one recipe - like roasted chickpeas and add them to an entirely different meal.

My other favorite cookbook is Myra Goodman's Food to Live By, in the vegetable and healthy cooking theme, I selected this book because it focused on organic cooking. Even though I will substitute fresh foods for frozen, the emphasis on fruits and vegetables in cooking appealed to me. I've tried recipes from a few different chapters in this book - like the raspberry corn muffins (delicious! make them right now!), stir-fry, garlicky green beans and spaghetti with tomatoes, zucchini and basil. The photos in this book are fantastic and convincing. I tried out the spaghetti recipes because the photo featured ingredients I had on hand and it turned out great. Additionally, Goodman includes full page features about different varieties of tomato and squash, etc to familiarize readers with all the culinary possibilities. I am quite interested to check out a farmer's market this summer with my new found knowledge of produce.

While a google search provides quick and easy results for culinary inquiries, cookbooks still stand the test of time for overall kitchen learning.

- KER

Book Review: Backing Into Forward

Jules Feiffer’s memoir Backing into Forward is the story of a young Jewish boy in New York who is able to harness his storytelling and illustrating talent in order to produce some of the best comics from the1940s to the present. Before he was ever published, or even entered high school, he used his drawing skills to help survive and find a place for himself. Despite the fact that he was not a jock, he was still able to gain the acceptance of the popular crowd through his illustrations. The popular boys and girls would come to Jules and ask for drawings of teachers, sports stars, and celebrities. Even at this age, people noticed his extraordinary talent. Perhaps, he got his talent from his mother who made fashion sketches the sale of which helped keep the family afloat during hard economic times. Feiffer’s sister also played a part in his intellectual development. Four years his senior, Mimi befriended many liberal students of the time who brought radical ideas into the Feiffer household. Even more important, Mimi’s progressive friends were interested in Feiffer’s comics and saw his potential though he was barely 13 years old.

At the age of 16, Feiffer secured an internship working for the comic/graphic novel legend Will Eisner. Eisner, and others in his studio, taught Feiffer as much about growing a tough skin as about writing comics. Feiffer eventually left Eisner’s studio in order to follow his girlfriend across the country to Berkley, California in a journey reminiscent of On the Road. In 1951, Feiffer was drafted into the army where he faked a mental breakdown and thought that he was going insane. Though he had some of the worst experiences of his life while in the service, it was during this time that he came up with the idea for his comic Munro. The years from his adolescences to his discharge from the army was the formative time in his life that truly made him an artist. During this time, he found his voice and personality which his work clearly exudes. After his time in the military, Feiffer moved to Greenwich Village were all of the action was during that time. He rubbed noses with journalists, comedians, singers, intellectuals, and artists. The rest of his story follows that of the American Dream in which he became famous, married, settled down and started a family.

I enjoyed parts of Feiffer’s memoir a great deal but cannot say that I was overall impressed. At 440 pages, I felt that his memoir was far too long. Though Feiffer led an incredibly interesting life and has a great story to tell, it could be cut down by at least 100 pages. His time hitch-hiking across the country is by far my favorite part of the book because it has the most color and personality. The chapters in which he describes working for Eisner are also interesting. Perhaps it is because I am a huge Eisner fan, but I found Feiffer’s views and experiences with Eisner to be quite telling about both men. Though Feiffer’s young adult life as a Jew in New York was interesting, it was a tale that I have heard hundreds of times before in various other novels and memoirs. There is no denying that Feiffer’s humor makes the memoir readable and livens up some of the dull chapters. However, his memoir still lagged at points that not even his humor could save. What sets this work apart from other memoirs, is that Feiffer has included some of his comics and interspersed them throughout the book. Therefore, the reader can see how his technique has changed and matured over time. This is extremely helpful in understanding his growth as an artist.

Overall, I would only recommend this memoir to die-hard graphic novel and/or Feiffer fans. Today, readers expect a great deal from someone’s memoir. The market has been bombarded with memoirs of all kinds that chronicle everything from a person’s spiritual enlightenment, to a year of reading the encyclopedia, to graphic/comic book memoirs. While Feiffer’s memoir might have won rave reviews a couple of years ago, there is nothing astonishing about it that would set it apart from the already excessive amount of literature published in this genre.

(Note this book is not on sale until March 16th)

-DLP

From the Vault: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

I can now categorically state that Woody Allen has joined the list of directors that I wish had never picked up a camera (this list also includes Steven Spielberg and James Cameron). I have tried for years to see what Woody Allen brings to the table and why he has such a large fan base. Now, I am done trying to find an answer! Vicky Cristina Barcelona is my last attempt to see the virtues in this director.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is about two friends who decide to take a vacation to Barcelona. Vicky is a straight laced academic who is engaged to an equally straight laced man. She wants to spend the majority of her time in libraries and research repositories working on her thesis in Catalana identity. Cristina is basically the antithesis of Vicky in that she is fun loving and free-wheeling. The way that she is introduced makes me appear like a loose woman who is lost in life. Cristina has come to Barcelona to find herself. What both women find is an attractive Spanish artist who woos both women, even though Vicky tries to resist. Though Vicky believes herself in love with the artist, she refuses to continue a relationship with him. Instead, Cristina takes up with him and eventually moves into his villa. The movie really gets interesting when the artist's wife tries to kill herself and must move in with Cristina and the artist in order to protect her. Of course, drama ensues.

Though the movie is filled with strong performances, I still found it to be boring and the plot hackneyed. Some reviews state that the movie was created so that Allen could watch Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz make out. I believe that that is a true assessment. Overall, I was underwhelmed and do not recommend this film to anyone except hardcore Woody Allen fans.

-DLP

From the Vault: Water Lilies

I have always enjoyed foreign films because they often broach topics that American movies do not dare touch! It is for this reason that I chose the French film Water Lilies which is about the sexual awakening of three adolescent girls. The main character, Marie, is a young girl filled with sexual angst who knows that there is something different about her but is not ready to discover that aspect of herself. Marie's best friend, Anne, is going through her own anxiety when she falls for a popular boy that she believes she will never be able to be with because she is not accepted by the popular crowd. Anne's frustrations are only exacerbated when she discovers that Marie has worked her way into the popular crowd by befriending the captain of the girls' swim team, Floraine. However, Marie soon realizes that she wants more than just friendship from Floraine.

There is a lot of ground covered in this movie that doesn't even run a full hour and a half. While each girl views her sexuality differently, each is in conflict with herself. Though none of the characters are likable, the viewer can still relate to those anxious years on the brink of one's sexual awakening. In addition, each girl embodies a different stereotype that we have of adolescent girls experimenting with their sexuality. There is the gay girl who has yet to come out to herself, the nerdy girl who yearns for the jock, and the popular girl who wants more than the one night stands that she has grown accustomed to. Though the film reinforces these stereotypes, it does not come off as cliched or jaded. Overall, it was exactly what I wanted from a foreign film: insight and interesting issues that America believes are too controversial for their silver screen.

-DLP

Theater Review: How I Learned to Drive

Last month, the Boston University Theater put on a production of Paula Vogel's How I Learned to Drive. This play has been my favorite contemporary play since I first read it about four years ago. It tells the story of Lil' Bit and her relationship with her uncle Uncle Peck which begins when she is very young and continues until she is in college. Though she is clearly a victim of molestation, the story is much deeper than that of a victim and her perpetrator. Vogel lets to audience into Lil' Bit's dysfunctional family in which her grandfather is over-sexed and her grandmother is at the beckon call of his sexual urges. In addition, Lil' Bit's mother gives her advice on sex and men that is misguided due to her own failing as a wife. The only family member that Lil' Bit can turn to is her uncle who loves her as more than a niece. The two begin a relationship before Lil' Bit even reached puberty. Though Lil' Bit knows that the relationship is wrong, Uncle Peck is her only advocate and support.

The play is told through various scenes that are not chronological. Vogel chose to do this in order to question the audience about at what point does their relationship become inappropriate. She wanted the audience to view a scene and think "is this wrong" and then escalate to a more graphic scene in order to raise the question "now is it wrong". With each scene, Vogel is asking the audience when does the relationship cross the line. While there is not a great deal of action, it is one of the most thought-provoking plays. I cannot give it enough praise!!

The production done by the Boston University Theater is exactly how I had imagined it when I first read the play. Vogel's stage direction states that music from the 1960s should be played and though I always tried to envision how this would affect the play it wasn't until I saw the production that I realized what an asset is to the play. The rebellious music from that time just fuels the angst in the play and in the audience. The actors and actresses were extremely strong despite the difficulty of the play's subject. All of the roles, with the exception of Uncle Peck and Lil' Bit, are double casted which is extremely impressive and works beautifully. I could rave about this production for many posts to come, but I will not bore you with every aspect that I loved. Instead, I ask all readers to take a chance of this play whether you read it yourself and see a production of it; I believe it is an extremely important play to which everyone should be exposed.

-DLP

Graphic Novel Challenge: When the Wind Blows

Though we still have over half of a month to go, I have already finished one graphic novel for the month of March. I was so impressed with Raymond Briggs' Ethel & Ernest from last month that I decided to read his other graphic novel When the Wind Blows which is also in the 500 Essential Graphic Novels. Unlike his other graphic novel, When the Wind Blows is not as uplifting or heartfelt. Instead, Briggs tells the story of a happily married couple and how they are effected by nuclear war. The couple survived the Blitz in London during WWII and therefore have very interesting reactions to the Cold War. While the husband is extremely trusting of the government and creates a plan in case nuclear war occurs, his wife is less trusting and believes that no such atrocity will occur. When a nuclear warhead is dropped on England, the couple must try their best to survive.

Being that the graphic novel was written in 1982, it seems a bit dated to the contemporary reader. Still, it is incredibly interesting to read a graphic novel that was written during the Cold War about the Cold War. All of the anxieties and fear feel extremely raw and despite it being almost twenty years later, those feelings still affect the reader. While the subject matter is extremely depressing, Briggs does give his characters a sense of humor that creates a bit of comic relief but the impending doom is still hanging over the tale. As is true with Snowman and Ethel & Ernest, the graphics are gorgeous and look almost like watercolors. Overall, I think that this is an excellent read and in many ways better than Ethel & Ernest.

-DLP

Graphic Novel Challenge: Ethel & Ernest

As my second graphic novel for this month, I chose Raymond Brigg's Ethel & Ernest which is a true story about his parents' relationship from their first meeting in the 1920s to both of their deaths in the 1970s. I chose this graphic novel because it was written and illustrated by the author of The Snowman which I read as a child. The Snowman was a story told entirely through pictures and was without any words. It is for this reason that I decided to read this graphic novel because I was curious how he would handle an adult story. Though Briggs does not tell of their entire lives together, he gives the reader glimpses into their lives and covers such issues as their courtship, marriage, children, World War II and the birth of modernity. Through the couples' fighting and making up, Briggs shows an average marriage with all of its ups and downs. He includes humor into the story when he tells of his parents' response to television, a man walking on the moon, and other cultural changes that they faced. Though the tale is simple, it is quaint and touching.

The drawings are perhaps Brigg's greatest asset. They are simple and similar to that in The Snowman which are very colorful and appear almost like watercolors. In many ways, that are just as childlike as those in his former child's tale. I was put off by this at first and thought that his illustrations might not be mature enough to carry an adult story. However, I think that he did a fantastic job by using his technique to reveal the child in both of his parents and how they never relinquished their youthful courtship for each other. Through war and despair, they endured and the reader feels a connection to their connection with each other.

-DLP