Hi. I hope everyone is doing well. I’ve been busy with various projects lately so I have been off the blog for a while. Now I’m back to check in and see what people are reading. I look forward to stopping by everyone’s blogs to see what’s up. Spring is trying to take hold here though we had some snow on Monday, which surprised my geraniums and petunias waiting patiently to be planted. Gardening should be better on the weekend when temps are forecasted to be in the mid-60s.
Meanwhile look at these two beauties at left: Willow and Stella, photographed by my husband on a walk a couple weeks ago. They are big loves and are particularly looking forward to swimming season to chase their balls in the river.
In book news, I see that Joshua Cohen’s novel The Netanyahus won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction this past week. I am embarrassed to say I don’t know his novels so it seems like a surprise to me, but various fans of his works say he’s a brilliant author. As for what The Netanyahus is about The New York Times says it: “imagines Benzion Netanyahu, academic and father of the Israeli prime minister, arriving to interview for a job at a fictional New York college (modeled on Cornell) in the late 1950s.” Apparently it’s based on a true event that’s written as a satirical comedy, exploring Jewish identity and campus politics. I’m curious to try Cohen’s writing out. Have you read him?
Meanwhile on the TV lately, we watched the 6-part spy series Slow Horses on Apple TV+, which we liked quite a bit. It’s about a group of British intelligence agents who try to solve a case and includes a rough looking Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas among others.
We’re also several episodes into the 10-part series The First Lady on Showtime that touches on the lives of Eleanor Roosevelt (played by Gillian Anderson), Betty Ford (Michelle Pfeiffer), and Michelle Obama (Viola Davis). The show got pummeled with bad reviews in the press, but we’re sort of liking it regardless, though it seems to jump around too quickly between the three storylines and has some awkward transitions. Still we can’t turn away from it now.
Lastly we’re almost done with Season 1 of Julia on HBO Max about the life of Julia Child and how she established her TV show The French Chief, which aired from 1963 to 1973. It’s enjoyable and light but also shows what a pioneer Julia was, persevering despite the sexism of her day. And Sarah Lancashire, the British actress who plays (American) Julia, does a wonderful job as the iconic chef. The series has just been renewed for a second season.
And now I’ll leave you with reviews of a couple novels that I finished lately.
Bright Burning Things by Lisa Harding / HarperVia / 336 pages / 2021
What It’s About (courtesy Publishers Weekly): Sonya, a single mother, and former London stage actress, finds her life in Dublin derailed by disappointment and alcoholism that puts her at risk of losing the 4-year-old son she adores.
My Thoughts: Whoa. This story about addiction is pretty intense and the main character Sonya is someone whose neck I sometimes wanted to ring … particularly at the beginning of the book when she blacks out after drinking too much and her 4-year-old son Tommy and their dog are nowhere to be found when she wakes up. Sonya also has severe temper problems with others and is capable of lashing out at any moment. Despite all that, there’s a sense that she’s not a total lost cause but has a long road ahead of her through rehab and recovery in order to show that she can care for her boy again.
I ended up rating the novel 5 stars on Goodreads not because Sonya’s likable or even redeemable as it goes along, but more because it’s quite a tour de force and the writing is awesome and felt quite real. It simmers along compellingly, and the audiobook read by the author is quite a performance. Harding puts a lot into it (and at the beginning I thought the audio speed was on high but it was just Harding on a tear) and she seems to embody Sonya completely. Sonya, despite her flaws, is quite bright and witty and you come to learn how much she really loves her boy Tommy and their big black dog Herbie. I came to root for them all — especially Sonya along the darkened way.
Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry / Penguin / 240 pages / 2016
What It’s About (courtesy Kirkus Reviews): After she discovers her sister brutally murdered, a woman’s search for answers becomes as much about understanding the sibling she’s lost as finding the killer.
My Thoughts: I read Berry’s second novel Northern Spy last year so I wanted to go back to see about her first one, and it’s quite a weaved web and crime novel. Both novels are about sisters. And in this one a young woman named Nora finds her murdered sister Rachel and dog at her home in a grisly scene in the British countryside, and becomes obsessed with finding her killer. Along the way you get a good sense of how disheveled Nora is becoming as she analyzes her sister’s past and what might have happened to her.
There’s a sense too that the sisters had a more complex relationship than at first you think. Nora loved her but there were also tensions between them. So what happened? And did Nora have anything to do with it? You’ll have to read till the very end to find out. The psychological tensions in this one are fairly good and perhaps I liked it a tad more than her second novel Northern Spy. But in both you can tell that author Flynn Berry is good at exploring sisterly bonds and the currents — both dark and good — underneath.
That’s all for now. What about you have you read these novels or seen these TV shows, and if so, what did you think?
Willow and Stella are so cute! And I haven’t read any of these books, but I’m intrigued by Under the Harrow. I think I would like that one. 🙂
Hi Lark: thanks these dogs are so fun. I think you’d like Under the Harrow … and I’d be curious what you think. Have a nice weekend.
You live in such a beautiful area and those dogs must be such fun!
I’m glad you enjoyed Slow Horses. With Covid this week, I haven’t been able to read so I’ve been watching quite a bit of Netflix so that’s been kind of nice since I don’t do that very much.
Enjoy your weekend!
Oh no Helen, I didn’t realize you got Covid. I hope it’s a mild case. Did you get it from your travels? I will stop by your site to see what’s up.
These dogs are a lot of fun and they keep me pretty active.
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Now that I’ve read Under the Hallow, I’m revisiting your post. I agree that she left me guessing up until the end.
What a cute photo of the pups! I was pretty surprised to see The Netanyahus won the Pulitzer, too… can’t remember the last time I’d never even heard of the winner. Not sure whether I’ll read it or not.
Lately we’ve been considering dropping Netflix… all the shows I want to watch seem to be on other services. Glad to know The First Lady may not be quite as bad as the critics are making it out to be. At least we have Stanley Tucci on CNN.
Just picked up Emily Henry’s new novel, Book Lovers, at the library and look forward to spending time with it this weekend.
Yeah JoAnn: we dropped Netflix many months ago b/c there was nothing too much we wanted to see. We get most of the other stuff. Check out The First Lady if you get a chance. I think it’s Showtime. It jumps around a bit much but I like the actresses. And I had not heard of Joshua Cohen at all either. Weird! I feel like a slacker. Not sure the premise of his novel sounds that appealing but I wonder how funny it is?? Enjoy your Henry novel. & weekend.
I’ve yet to watch Julia…thank you for the reminder that this sounds like something I would love.
During the pandemic, I’ve found myself turning away from serious fiction in favor of lighter reads; I just couldn’t take any more Reality, I think. Now that I’m closer to resuming a more-normal life, I think I need to get back to some serious fiction. Bright Burning Things sounds like a good candidate.
Yeah Deb, if you can find Julia … I think on HBO Max … then definitely check it out. It’s a fun show, light and nice.
And luckily the Lisa Harding novel has enough hope to it. The main protagonist is a bit of a piece of work – so she takes some getting used to, but I was impressed by Harding writing. Have a great weekend.
Stella and Willow are always a treat here; they seem to be having fun. I thought The Netanyahus was nonfiction, I guess not. When I saw the poster of The First Lady, I thought Michelle Pfiffer was embodying Laura Bush. Bright Burning Things sounds like heavy read (subject-wise, I mean). Last week I finished reading the sci-fi/fantasy novella In Calabria; now I’m reading the memoir When Breath Becomes Air, both as part of the Kindle Spring Challenge, which has led me on tangents for a moment.
Hey Carmen. Glad you stopped by. & Thanks Stella & Willow send their regards. I recall reading When Breath Becomes Air … a sad memoir … what stayed with me was the Afterword I think by his wife. It cut to the heart.
And I don’t think I knew what I was getting into when I picked up Bright Burning Things. It’s sort of intense but then also good. But the main character! She’s a bit maniac perhaps.
I had to laugh when you said Michelle Pfeiffer as Laura Bush. Funny. She’s not far off as Betty Ford. The critics seem to like her performance best of the three. Happy reading to you. Keep it going!
I love those cute puppies of yours! I bet they’re excited for summer. Look forward to seeing more of those two.
I’m actually just about to plant a few flowers myself. We have hit low 70s this weekend! It was fun picking them out. Love spring for the flowers.
Slow Horses was a lot of fun. I look forward to the next season.
Under the Harrow looks good. I’ll have to check it out soon.
Hey Heather, great hearing from you. Planting time … feels good. These dogs are full on and ready to go. I’ll stop by soon and see what’s up with you there. Cheers. Happy reading.
Love the picture of Stella and Willow and, can already imagine them having so much fun this summer in the river. I love NYRB and have had very good luck with ones I’ve chosen but, The Netanyahus doesn’t have a huge appeal with me right now. Bright Burning Things sounds like my kind of read and I do own Under the Harrow – TBR. Have a great Sunday and week.
Thanks Diane, these dogs are funny. I think you might like Bright Burning Things. I was impressed by it and the character is quite a doozy. Spring is looking up here. I hope all is well there. Have a great week. Happy reading.
The Netanyahus intrigues me because it came from nowhere to win the Pulitzer, and also because I have read the elder Netanyahu’s books about the history of the Spanish Inquisition and would like to know more about him. He was all about Israeli politics, which I assume is part of the book (but I don’t really know).
best…mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hey Mae: I agree I had not even heard of Cohen’s novel and here it wins, wow. You might get to it before I do, so I’ll be curious what you think of it. I usually like satirical comedies. Have a great week.
Love Julia! We are enjoying the First Lady. Haven’t read any Cohen so went to library to add to wish list. Definitely want to read Bright Burning Things.
Thank you so much!
Hey Jackie, thx for stopping by. Love your input. Good to know you’re liking The First Lady series and Julia too. I need to try a Cohen book sometime. Have a great week. & Happy reading.
I love Julia Child! I’ll have to see if I have HBO Max. I know I have regular HBO.
Hmm AJ: I’m curious if you have HBO – maybe that means you have Max too? I think so. In Canada it’s a bit crazy to know if we get things. The Julia series is pretty light and fun … but pushes back against the sexism & racism of the times. Check it out ! …. Cheers.
May is always a busy month! With yard work, gardening, company, weddings, showers – all good things – I am left with less time to read and blog.
I especially like the sound of Slow Horses and will have to check that out.
The dogs are adorable and look so happy. It has been great to get out for walks. Enjoy your week!
Thanks Gretchen. Great hearing from you. Yeah the dogs are quite happy. And spring here is just about to be glorious, woohoo. I agree with you things are much busier now with everything — so my blog time is down too.
If you like a good spy series, I think you’ll like Slow Horses. I hope to stop by your site soon. Cheers.
I’ve got to admit, I’m not familiar with any of these. But I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Hey Mark: thanks for stopping by. The books might be a bit obscure perhaps. Happy reading with your books.
Haven’t seen any of the shows or read any of the authors you mention. The crime novel looks good though.
Hi Harvee: the crime novel has some suspense to it about the sisters, though it seems more psychological than anything. I thought it was pretty good. Have a great week. & happy reading.
I also read Northern Spy by Flynn Berry and it made me want all her books. I read A Double Life and Under the Harrow, liked them all.
Love your dogs!
Hey thanks Tina. The dogs are fun. Good to hear you liked Flynn Berry’s books too. Now I’ll have to check out A Double Life — that one it seems slipped by me.
Her books often seem quite psychological right? Happy reading to you.
That’s a cute picture of your dogs.
I am not familiar with Joshua Cohen and his books sound good, but I’m not sure my mind would be able to wrap itself around them. My brain doesn’t GET humor and I’m not sure about humor mixed with intelligence…that sounds very intimidating. Let us know what you think!
P.S. I loved Julia and look forward to Season 2.
Hey Jinjer – good to hear from you. Yeah the dogs – are funny girls.
I admit the Cohen novel is not calling to me immediately, but I hope it has some humor to it – once I get to it.
Glad you liked Julia too. It quite an enjoyable series and I don’t have to think too hard about it. Hope all is well with you. Have a great week.
I tried to talk my book club into selecting the new Pulitzer prize winner for an upcoming selection. They were having none of it. Just as well. Our library doesn’t even have a copy of it yet. I ordered it up on Audible so I should read it soon. The weather around here sure is wet. But that makes the grass so green. Are in on the west side of BC or Eastern side? I don’t recall. M sunday Salon post
Hi Anne: thx for stopping by. Yeah I’m in Alberta – right above Montana so it is fairly dry compared to BC.
I’ll be curious what you think of the Cohen book if you get to it. No one I know has read it yet. I hope all is well with you. Have a great week.
We watched and enjoyed “Slow Horses” and I am looking forward to watching “Julia” because I think the world can always use more Julia Child. And I also read and quite enjoyed Flynn Berry’s Northern Spy. I would be up for reading more of her work.
Hi Dorothy, glad you liked Slow Horses — I thought it was pretty entertaining too. I think you will like Julia though it’s not a documentary type show, but it probably adheres to her life in general.
Berry’s novels seem quite psychological. I think I will skip her book A Double Life which I missed in 2018 … and look for her next one. Both Northern Spy & Under the Harrow were pretty good.
Have a great week.
We are camping for a few weeks, but I just got a decent cell signal and thought I’d check in on my favorite blogs. The weather here (La Pine, OR) was gorgeous yesterday with temps in the upper 60s and lots of sunshine. Tomorrow night we drop down to 28 with a possibility of snow showers!
Thanks for the review on The First Ladies. Sounds like it’s a decent show, but not outstanding. I may skip it, but do want to watch Julia.
Bright Burning Things sounds intense, but I still might give it a try. Rare to have a good audio book read by the author, but I’ll try a sample before downloading. ‘
I read Under the Harrow in 2017 and gave it 4/5 stars. From my post, “It kept me guessing (and second-guessing) all the way to the end. I also remember that it was very creepy in the opening pages and the atmospheric setting added to the tension.” I’d like to try both Northern Spy and A Double Life.
Hey thanks Lesley, so nice of you to stop by when you’re out camping, wow! I never seem to get cell service while out in the woods. It sounds gorgeous where you are and I hope you take a lot of photos for us to see! We are having some strong gusty winds here.
You might like Bright Burning Things on audio though the author reads it quite fast at first. It took me a while to get used to it. & I think you’re right about Under the Harrow — I wasn’t sure what would happen & it was pretty creepy. I’m curious what Flynn Berry will do next. Have a great trip! And I look forward to hearing about it when you return. Cheers.