Category Archives: Top Picks

Ahhh summer, my favorite time of year. Being so far north here, the days stay light till quite late and are warm. June usually brings a fair amount of rain to these parts, but it’s been much drier than normal this spring so we will see. Already there’s been a problem with wildfires, which is worrisome. At left is a photo from our recent bike ride through the local mountains.

For those who attended Book Expo 2015 in New York City this past week, I hope you had a great time and will dish on what happened there. I’m thinking of going next year when Book Expo hits Chicago, May 11-13. Mark your calendars. It should be great.

In books coming out in June, I haven’t been exactly sure what I want to sink my teeth into. There’s new ones by horror authors Stephen King ( “Finders and Keepers” ), Paul Tremblay (“A Head Full of Ghosts”), and Sarah Lotz ( “Day Four” ), if that’s your cup of tea. There’s also a notable spy thriller from Jason Matthews (“Palace of Treason”), his second with CIA agent Nate Nash. But what about “Tiny Little Thing” the latest from popular author Beatriz Williams? People loved her novel “A Hundred Summers” and this one could be a perfect beach read. Right?

I also have my eye on Jami Attenberg’s “Saint Mazie” which is set during the Jazz Age at The Venice, New York’s famed movie theater. Attenberg last wrote “The Middlesteins,” which drew quite a bit of attention, and this one is getting high praise too. Then there’s Fredrik Backman’s new novel that comes after his big success with “A Man Called Ove,” which is apparently terrific. His second novel “My Grandmother Sent Me to Tell You She’s Sorry” is about a precocious seven year old whose grandmother leaves her some letters upon her death that sends the girl on a journey into a world of the grandmother’s fairy tales. It sounds like a touching and warm tale, though I’m still hoping to read Backman’s novel “Ove” first.

But perhaps the two June books I’m most curious about are Mia Alvar’s short-story collection “In the Country” and British author Sarah Hall’s novel “The Wolf Border.” I don’t often read short story collections, but the high praise about Alvar’s book has caught my attention. Its stories apparently are about people who’ve been displaced by the Filipino diaspora as seen through the eyes of expats living in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. According to Knopf: Alvar’s debut: “explores the universal experiences of loss, displacement, and the longing to connect across borders both real and imagined.” I’d like to see if this one is as good as critics say.

As for Sarah Hall’s “The Wolf Border,” it’s about a zoologist Rachel Caine who is called to spearhead a controversial scheme to reintroduce the Grey Wolf to the English countryside. As she contends with the modern-day realities of the return of the wolf, her own regeneration is unexpectedly sparked. Booklist calls “The Wolf Border” : “An absorbing portrait of a woman and her conflicted relationships with family, homeland, and identity,” and the Economist says it’s a “compelling, psychological drama.” I’ve heard much about Sarah Hall’s writing so count me in for this one.

As for movies out in June, there’s the usual splatter of summer fare with the action-adventure “Jurassic World,” the animated “Inside Out” and the comedies “Spy” and “Ted 2.” And fans of the TV series “Entourage” can look forward to a film version with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold. But my pick this month is “Love & Mercy,” the biographical film about Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys fame. I’ve heard it’s innovative and interesting, and for anyone who likes the music of the 1960s, it should be an entertaining look back at the man who created “Good Vibrations” among other songs.

Lastly in albums for June, there’s new ones coming out by Of Monsters and Men and the Indigo Girls that should be worth checking out. My pick is the new one by British band Florence and the Machine, which is called “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.” The band played two singles from it on Saturday Night Live on May 9, which sounded pretty cool.

How about you — which books, movies, or albums out this month are you most looking forward to? Continue reading →

Today in honor of Independent Bookstore Day in the U.S., or what is called Authors for Indies Day in Canada, my hub and I visited our closest independent bookstore (Owl’s Nest Books) and ended up buying three books a piece (what a splurge). None of which are the ones I was looking for when I went in there. I didn’t see those instead I saw these: I got Lily King’s novel “Euphoria,” David McCullough’s new biography on “The Wright Brothers” and a novel called “Wolf Winter” by Cecilia Ekback, who was at the store for Indies Day and signed a copy for me. “Wolf Winter” seems to be a murder mystery set in Swedish Lapland in the 1700s. It looks good and has been compared to Hannah Kent’s bestselling novel “Burial Rites” so we’ll see.

I try to support the local indie bookstores when I can and also my local library. In my twenties, I worked at a couple of good indie bookstores — namely Explore Booksellers in Colorado and the University Book Store in Seattle, Washington, which shaped my existence. I still recall being gripped by Pat Conroy’s “The Prince of Tides” in the employee lunch lounge there, LOL. I’m so glad both bookstores are still alive. It’s not easy I’m sure with everything online or on e-readers. Do you have a favorite independent bookstore you visit where you live?

Meanwhile, it’s the beginning of May and I’ve been checking over new releases this month. As I mentioned above, I picked up a copy of David McCullough’s just-released biography on “The Wright Brothers,” which I plan to tear into. Although I know snippets about the Wright family and that they were the first to fly a motor-powered airplane in 1903, I’m curious to read the brothers’ whole story. With a last name like Wright — no relation unfortunately — I need to get to the bottom of these flyers at Kitty Hawk once and for all.

I’m also looking at Kate Atkinson’s novel “A God in Ruins,” which is the follow-up companion to her bestselling 2013 novel “Life After Life.” Granted, I’m one of the few who didn’t read “Life After Life” yet, but I think her second one might perhaps interest me more. In the first one, I wasn’t totally sold on reading about Ursula’s continual lives and bleak deaths as a storyline but reading about how her brother Teddy comes to grips with his post-War life and with a modern world and family — does capture my imagination a bit. So I’ve put my name on a list for it at the library. I’m #50 out of 45 copies! How about you, are you into this?

In movies out this month, I can’t say I’m a big fan of fantasy-action blockbusters. So I will have to bypass “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” (sorry action fans), though I have watched the old Mad Max films with Mel Gibson on TV. Those contain some classic moments. If an old Mad Max is on when I’m flicking around stations, I’ll always stop and watch Mel battle the motorcycle gangs. Don’t you?

And usually I like Cameron Crowe’s films — such as “Jerry Maguire” and “Almost Famous” — but the trailer for his upcoming movie “Aloha” didn’t capture my interest too much (despite Bradley Cooper being in it), sigh. So I’ll go with the period drama “Far From the Madding Crowd” this month as my movie pick; it’s adapted from the 1874 Thomas Hardy novel and is a story about a headstrong woman who attracts three very different suitors. Nothing wrong with that! Her name is Bathsheba Everdene, which as a name for this role seems almost too good to be true, LOL. As for a sleeper gem this month, I’ll pick the Blythe Danner movie “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” which looks a bit fun as a movie about a widow and former songstress who gets a new lease on life.

Lastly for albums out this month, I’m curious about the Mumford & Sons third studio album coming out called “Wilder Mind.” Though I’m not too keen on the British band’s harder rock songs, I do like their more folksy slower stuff. I’m also interested to listen to “Loyalty” the new album from The Weather Station, which is the name Canadian songwriter Tamara Lindeman sings under. She is a singer-songwriter who plays some beautiful songs and folk music. Check out her tunes if you get a chance.

That’s it for now. In books this week, I reviewed Mary Morony’s moving debut novel “Apron Strings,” a story about growing up in a dysfunctional family in the South in the late 1950s. For more on it, see the review below.

How about you — which books, movies, or albums out this month are you most looking forward to? Continue reading →

It’s hard to believe: March is over and done with. Now on to April and the transition to spring. As I will be away this weekend in Victoria, B.C., I am posting this early and wishing everybody a very Happy Easter! Perhaps some of you will be watching the Final Four college basketball finale, or maybe even the Miami Open if you follow tennis. Others will be at church and then maybe hiding or eating Easter eggs. Whatever it is, enjoy this lovely time of year!

March was a fairly good reading month for me so I hope to continue that into April. Next up is a novel I’m reading for my book club called “The Girl Who Was Saturday Night” by Heather O’Neill. So far, all I know about it is that the story is set in Montreal about a sister and brother who are twins who are trying to outrun the notoriety of their folk singer father. Booklist calls it “a marvelously intriguing novel of a family in dissolution.” Hmm. I better get going on it quickly as we are meeting to discuss it soon.

As for April, there’s a few big-name authors with books coming out this month, notably Toni Morrison will be releasing her 11th novel called “God Help the Child,” which apparently is “about the way childhood trauma shapes and misshapes the life of the adult.” Also there’s books coming out by Jon Krakauer, Larry Kramer, Matthew Pearl, Per Petterson, and Lisa Genova among others.

After weeding through the April list, I’ve narrowed my sights on three novels that I probably can’t resist. First off, I must check out Ann Packer’s new novel “The Children’s Crusade,” which examines the bonds of a Northern California family over many years. I’ve heard so many good things about Packer’s 2002 novel “The Dive From Clausen’s Pier” that I need to find out firsthand if Ann Packer is the real deal, which I’m sure she is.

Next off, I’m curious about the novel “The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which deals with the fall of Saigon and its aftermath in 1975. So many seem to have high regards for this debut. Author Maxine Hong Kingston calls it “a novel of literary, historical, and political importance” and T.C. Boyle says it’s “destined to become a classic and redefine the way we think about the Vietnam War and what it means to win and to lose.” Judging from the stream of other praise-worthy comments, I’m going need to find a copy.

Also I don’t think I can pass up the upcoming novel by Jane Smiley called “Early Warning,” which is the second novel in a trilogy that will span a century about the Langdon family from Iowa. I received the first book “Some Luck” for Christmas and I haven’t delved into it just yet, but plan to soon. The trilogy has been getting generally favorable reviews, but I won’t know for sure until I crack the spine, so to speak. Admittedly, I haven’t read Smiley since her award-winning 1991 novel “A Thousand Acres,” but goodness was that a killer.

As for movies in April, I’d like to see Noah Baumbach’s latest comedy-drama “While We’re Young,” which stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as a middle-age married couple whose lives are disrupted when they start hanging out with a young couple who enters their lives. It looks quite funny though officially it came out last weekend in March so it’s not really an April film, but I still need to see it. I liked Baumbach’s quirky other indie films “The Squid and the Whale” from 2005 and “Greenberg” from 2010. Have you seen these offbeat ones?

Other than that, I know they’ve advertised the heck out of the movie “Woman in Gold” as the trailer has been everywhere for months. It does look like an interesting story about a Jewish refugee who comes to sue the Austrian government to recover Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece painting that she believes belongs to her family. It stars Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds, too. Though I’m surprised to see the movie’s rotten-tomato ratio isn’t too good, so I might wait to see it on pay-per-view.

In the meantime, I’m thinking the teeny-bopper romance movie “The Longest Ride” will probably win the box office in April. It’s another Nicholas Sparks’ novel adapted for the big screen, none of them I’ve seen or been really interested in — too much melodrama and drippiness. Instead, I’ll pick the film “Clouds of Sils Maria,” with Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart, about an older actress who apparently is going through a crisis. I don’t know too much about it, but it seems to be getting some positive buzz. And judging by the trailer and the actresses in it, it could be an entertaining drama.

As for albums, there’s a lot of good ones coming out in May, but for April not as many notable ones. Still I’m looking to check out the new album from the Canadian indie band the Great Lake Swimmers called “A Forest of Arms,” and I’ll select the Alabama Shakes album “Sound & Color” for my pick this month. It includes the single “Don’t Wanna Fight,” which the Shakes performed quite coolly on Saturday Night Live recently.

So that’s what I see for April releases. How about you — which books, movies, or albums out this month are you most looking forward to?

Continue reading →

The Hub and I have been in Palm Springs this week enjoying a little spring break before heading back to the real world and winter. Ahh it’s nice to feel the sun and wear short selves again. Hooray for the desert. We’ve been doing some hiking, biking, and reading by the pool (of course), and taking time off from the TV and computer, which feels nice. Though my reading hasn’t been great of late as I put two books down after the first twenty-five pages or so. Argh I hate when that happens. First I set aside Asali Solomon’s 2015 novel “Disgruntled” and then Marilynne Robinson’s 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Gilead,” which I know many people love. For whatever reason I couldn’t focus on either of these books or they just didn’t capture me. Now I’m mid-way through Sean Michael’s 2014 Giller prize-winning novel “Us Conductors” and liking it but not loving it so far. What I could use right about now is a book that’s killer enticing.

For books coming out in March, I really thought that would mean racing through Kazuo Ishiguro’s latest novel “The Buried Giant” and Erik Larson’s nonfiction book “Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania.” Both authors’ books I have loved in the past and both have been perhaps the most highly anticipated books of the year.

Set in 6th century Britain, “The Buried Giant” follows the story of an elderly couple who undergo an illuminating journey to find the son they have not seen in years. It’s said to include themes about lost memories, love, revenge, and war. While “Dead Wake” explores the devastating sinking of the luxury ocean liner, the Lusitania, by a German U-boat in 1915.

Both seem fascinating and I was so ready to pounce, but apparently these latest works out this month have been receiving some tepid reviews. How surprising. Both authors are masters, are they not? I still plan to read both books, but so far the feedback has made me put them a bit lower on my reading pile — on the back burner for now. If you already jumped to read these, what did you think?

Meanwhile I’m curious to check out Christian Kiefer’s second novel “The Animals” about a man who manages a wildlife sanctuary in rural Idaho, caring for injured animals that are unable to survive in the wild. All is well apparently until his past comes back to haunt him; a friend is released from prison and returns to avenge the aftermath of a crime that involved the two of them. Publishers Weekly calls it a “mesmerizing literary thriller” and author Edan Lepucki says it’s a “startling and beautiful novel about friendship, grief, and the urge to start over.” Hmm, count me in.

As for movies out this month, I probably won’t dash out to the theater for any of them (I’m still coming off my Oscar splurge). The second installment of Veronica Roth’s young adult dystopian series “Insurgent” is likely to be the biggest blockbuster of the month, though Disney’s latest “Cinderella,” by director Kenneth Branagh, hopes to rain on that parade. I like Shailene Woodley but I can’t exactly see me watching “Insurgent.” I did read Roth’s first book “Divergent” but haven’t followed through with the two remaining books. Are you a big fan of the series and do you plan to see the movie? Meanwhile, I’m surprised by how much advertising has been thrown at “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” Holy smokes they’ve really tried to ramp up this follow-up, but seeing the first Marigold Hotel movie was likely enough for me.

Lastly in albums out this month, there’s some big new releases from Noel Gallagher, Death Cab for Cutie, and Modest Mouse, which I’m geared up to check out. So far I’ve heard songs from them here and there but still need to hear more of them. I’m also game for new albums by Mark Knopfler and Brandi Carlile. Carlile’s latest “The Firewatcher’s Daughter” will be my pick for the month. Enjoy.

What about you — which books, movies, or albums are you most looking forward to this month? And do you plan to take a spring getaway trip? Continue reading →

Surely it’s amazing news this week to learn that Harper Lee, the author of the 1960 classic “To Kill a Mockingbird,” had a long-lost second novel stashed away, which was re-discovered and now will be published on July 14. Lee apparently wrote the novel “Go Set a Watchman” in the mid-1950s before she wrote “Mockingbird.” In it, the character Scout, now an adult, returns to Maycomb, Alabama from New York, 20 years after the events in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and reminisces with her father Atticus Finch.

Of course, some critics are worried that this new novel won’t live up to her classic or will somehow debase it, but I for one welcome it. If Harper Lee is indeed okay with releasing it, which some have questioned because of her health after a 2007 stroke, then I see no harm in it. I’m sure it will be valuable in learning more about Lee’s creative process and how “Mockingbird” came to be. And I’m excited that Scout and Atticus have more to say. I plan to reread “To Kill a Mockingbird” before July so when the new book comes out, I’ll be ready to dive in. As of right now, there’s no book cover for the new book just yet, drats.

Meanwhile I’ve been checking out which February releases I want to delve into. For books, there’s quite a few heavyweight authors with new novels out this month, notably: Anne Tyler, Nick Hornby, Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket, and John Boyne. Despite these talented veterans, my book picks for February releases are all from debut novelists. Hard to believe but true.

First off, Tom Cooper’s novel “The Marauders” looks to be a winner. It’s set on the Louisiana bayous after the BP oil spill and chronicles the misadventures of some wacky denizens of a dying fishing village. Stephen King says it’s “rollicking, angry, eye-popping, and fall-on-the-floor funny” and “so damned good you won’t believe it’s a first novel.” O Magazine calls it a “finger-lickin’-good Louisiana swamp noir.” So I might have to wade into its muck … so to speak.

Another new release gaining attention is “My Sunshine Away” by M.O. Walsh. It’s a coming-of-age story set in a quiet Louisiana neighborhood touched by violence. According to Amazon, the narrator was fourteen the year that a crime against the girl he loved changed him irrevocably. Southern authors Kathryn Stockett and Anne Rice are strongly touting this book, with Rice saying “it’s about love, obsession, and pain. Such a beautiful book. … I can’t praise it enough.”

I’m also curious about another coming-of-age novel “Disgruntled” by Asali Solomon. It’s about an African American girl growing up in Philadelphia in the eighties and nineties who’s a perpetual outsider and battles the “shame of being alive.” Stephen Cha of the L.A. Times calls it “entertaining and thought-provoking” and Publisher’s Weekly says the narrator’s “incisive commentary is both arresting and painful.” Perhaps “Disgruntled” is just the book I need to more diversify my reading experiences.

Switching gears, “Green on Blue” by Elliot Ackerman looks to be another unflinching war novel that likely shouldn’t be missed. It’s about two Afghan brothers, Pashtuns, who become orphans and get caught up in the deadly conflict. Author Khaled Hosseini says Ackerman has “spun a morally complex tale of revenge, loyalty, and brotherly love,” while others are touting the author’s enormous empathy. So just when I thought I was done with war novels, I’m being drawn back in.

For brighter fare, I’ve been eyeing Carrie Snyder’s novel “Girl Runner,” which came out in Canada in August but is just coming out now in the States. It’s about a former Olympic female athlete from the 1920’s who at age 104 reflects on her childhood and life from a nursing home. It “weaves together the past and present narratives of an uncompromising woman’s life,” says Dani Couture in the Globe and Mail. With a memorable heroine, the novel might just be the perfect escape especially if you’re a runner.

As for February movies, I’ll be skipping over “Fifty Shades of Grey” though I’m sure it’ll make a dent at the box office from fans of E.L. James’s 2011 erotic romance novel. The movie’s being released next weekend in time for Valentine’s Day, weird eh? I didn’t read it so I’m not curious to see how “Christian” and “Anastasia” translate to the big screen. Instead I might catch the *slightly* more (LOL) wholesome Disney production about a true story — “McFarland, USA,” which stars Kevin Costner as a cross-country coach in a small town in California who transforms a team of Hispanic athletes into championship contenders.

“McFarland” should be half-way decent, but my real pick this month is the action thriller “’71,” which is about a British soldier who is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the deadly streets of Belfast in 1971. Jack O’Connell, who also starred in “Unbroken,” plays the soldier who’s being pursued by killers of the IRA among others. He’s an actor to watch and this film seems highly suspenseful.

As for albums out this month, I plan to check out “Tomorrow Is My Turn,” the debut solo album by North Carolina singer Rhiannon Giddens. It’s an album full of covers, consisting of songs made famous by Patsy Cline, Odetta, Dolly Parton, and Nina Simone. Giddens has an enticing voice and delivery and is definitely up and coming.

What about you — which books, movies, or albums are you most looking forward to this month?
Continue reading →

It’s been a sad, sobering week after the news coming out of France. I stand in solidarity with the people and cartoonists of Paris after the horrific attacks. Vive la liberté and freedom of speech and the press.

Meanwhile I’ve been looking over what new releases are coming out this month and have picked three novels that are in my crosshairs so to speak and that I hope will be good.

The first is Canadian Michael Crummey’s novel “Sweetland,” which came out in Canada in August and is coming out now in the States. I’ve heard it characterized as a quiet, mournful novel about a dying island community in Newfoundland and one man’s determination to try to save it. I want to read it especially since it’s apparently from one of Canada’s strongest novelists writing these days, and I live here now. So bring on more CanLit for me in 2015.

Also John Vaillant, a U.S.-born-but-living-in-Vancouver, B.C. author, has his highly anticipated debut novel coming out this month called “The Jaguar’s Children.” It’s a survival story about a young man trapped in a truck packed with other illegal migrants and abandoned during a border crossing. I’m interested to read it after Valliant wrote the popular nonfiction book “The Tiger” in 2010. He’s also doing a book reading and signing of “The Jaguar’s Children” in my town on Jan. 19 so I plan to go. The book’s supposed to be gripping and the narrative tension-filled. So we will see.

Lastly in books for January, I’m curious about Stewart O’Nan’s latest novel “West of Sunset” about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s troubled last years in Hollywood. I’m usually very leery of novels about real literary or famous figures from history, but Fitzgerald is one author whose books I’ve admired and someone I’d like to hear more about. Though readers on Amazon seem to be all over the map on whether “West of Sunset” is any good. Some say the novel’s “lifeless” and others say it’s “heartbreaking and beautiful.” Hmm, so which is it? And does O’Nan really mistakenly refer to the San Gabriel mountains as the Sierras within the book? One Amazon reader noted this in her critique. I remain interested in it and will just have to find out for myself.

Meanwhile in film releases this month, plenty of notable ones are coming out. Of course, there’s “Selma,” “American Sniper,” and “Still Alice” — all of which I hope to see. I know considerable controversy is swirling around the movie “Selma” as various sources are saying its portrayal of President Lyndon Johnson’s actions and relations toward Martin Luther King are erroneous. Also MLK’s estate did not give permission to use King’s exact speeches (apparently Spielberg is using those for another project) so the speeches were re-written for the film. Despite these discrepancies, I’m still interested in seeing the film “Selma,” which is a place I visited once many years ago.

For albums out in January, I’m interested to check out those by Justin Townes Earle, Ryan Bingham, and the indie folk group The Decemberists. I’ll choose The Decemberists’ “What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World” for my pick this month — as the Portland, Oregon group had much success with its 2011 album “The King Is Dead” so I’ll be curious about the follow-up.

What about you — which books, movies, or albums are you most looking forward to this month?
Continue reading →

Well, here it is November now and most bloggers are trying to get through their reading lists before the end of the year. I’m sure it’ll be a mad scramble for some like me. I’ll be keeping mainly to books I’ve already lined up, which makes it good that there’s not a huge amount of literary fiction that comes out in November or December. Though there are a few notable books out this month to mention.

First off, Denis Johnson’s dark novel “The Laughing Monsters” has caught my eye. I’ve not read him before and I’m thinking I should. His latest is about a rogue intelligence agent who is drawn back to reunite with an old friend in Sierre Leone, where they once made a lot of money during the country’s civil war. Now the two hope to make more on a journey to the Uganda-Congo borderlands. The novel sounds quite harrowing and fast moving, which I’d be game for, though I’m wondering when I’ll make time for it. Have you read this author before?

I’m also a bit curious about reading Canadian author Miriam Toews whose latest novel “All My Puny Sorrows” is coming out in the U.S. later this month. I heard her do a reading of it at our city’s book festival in October and it sounded like a tough, very sad book, drawn from Toews’s own life. It’s about two sisters, raised in a Mennonite household, one who becomes an international concert pianist who has a desire to end her own life and the other who’s an author trying to keep her sister alive. Suicide doesn’t exactly make for a happy subject matter, but apparently Toews puts a lot of life and humor into the book and is a great writer to boot. If I don’t read this one, I’ll definitely read another of hers soon.

Lastly in books this month, I’d like to dive into the nonfiction book “Lives in Ruins: Archaeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble” by Marilyn Johnson. I took a lot of anthropology and archaeology classes in college so this one I think is right up my alley. Amazon describes the book as an “entertaining look at the lives of contemporary archaeologists as they sweat under the sun for clues to the puzzle of our past.” It delves into what drives archaeologists while the author follows them around to digs in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and Machu Picchu. It sounds interesting, so count me in.

Next up, movie releases are heating up this month. I hope to see Christopher Nolan’s new film “Interstellar” this weekend. It’s about a group of space explorers and that’s about as much as I know because the movie has been shrouded in secrecy till its opening day. But apparently it’s 2 hours and 49 minutes long, so take that into account if you’re going to see it. Nolan is known for three of the Batman films and “Inception,” which I didn’t care for too much. But I’m curious about “Interstellar,” which stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain.

Who knows if I’ll go to “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” movie. I’m sort of tiring of the HG franchise (after the two prior books and movies), even though I’m reading Suzanne Collins’s third book in the trilogy right now. My husband rolls his eyes at the TV ads for the movie, thinking it all very teenage-y and dumb-looking. He might have a point, but can I really miss it at this point after seeing the other two? I’m not sure why they cut “Mockingjay” into two movies other than for money. I’m hoping it won’t cause them to drag as I know I’ll probably wind up there.

What I really want to see is “The Imitation Game” at the end of the month. The story seems fascinating about the British mathematician who helped break the Nazis’ Enigma code during WWII. Everyone has been talking about this film for awhile, and with Benedict Cumberbatch as the lead character I think it’ll be really good. Maybe it’ll be Oscar material. I plan to catch it on its opening weekend.

As for albums coming out this month I plan to check out Wilco’s “What’s Your 20? Essential Tracks 1994-2014,” which marks the band’s 20th anniversary. I also plan to listen to “My Favourite Faded Fantasy” by Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice.

What about you — which books, movies, or albums are you most looking forward to this month?
Continue reading →

Well, the “Gone Girl” movie last weekend was quite good. It’s dark and follows the novel closely; the ending doesn’t stray. I was impressed by the whole Gillian Flynn / David Fincher adaptation of it. It’s done well. What did I expect — from a director with such a resume — a muck of it? But I won’t talk about the movie too much because it would spoil it for others. Suffice it to say Rosamund Pike won me over as “Amy,” and Ben Affleck was believable as the dubious “Nick.” Neil Patrick Harris seemed a different choice for me as crazy Desi — haven’t seen him in a role like that before, but Tyler Perry is excellent as attorney Tanner Bolt. Even Carrie Coon as Nick’s twin sister does a good job. Check out “Gone Girl” if you haven’t already seen it and let me know what you think. Does it live up to your expectations and the novel of it?

So far “Gone Girl’s” my movie pick for October, but there are some other interesting ones coming out (see list at left). Robert Downey Jr. is in the new drama “The Judge” with Robert Duvall, and Brad Pitt is in the WWII film “The Fury” about an Allied army sergeant who commands a tank crew to go behind enemy lines. I’m sure I’ll likely see those sometime. But I’m also a bit curious about seeing the movie adaptation of S.J. Watson’s 2011 bestseller “Before I Go to Sleep,” which stars Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman (once again together). The movie of it comes out on Halloween, which gives me time to read the novel first. I’m not sure how I missed it when it came out, but it sounds like a good thriller worth racing through.

Meanwhile in novel releases this month (see list at right), there’s a few I have my eye on. First off, Marilynne Robinson, who has “Lila” coming out, is a giant of a writer and I have read only one of hers, “Housekeeping” from 1980. I have not read her more famous novels “Gilead” from 2004 or “Home” from 2008, which are about an elderly pastor and his family in a small town in Iowa, but I know I should rectify the situation ASAP. Her new novel “Lila” revisits the characters and setting of “Gilead” and “Home,” so I think I should start with those first. What about you have you read her novels? Many say “Gilead” is one of their favorite books of all time. Hmm, I must get on it.

I’m also a bit curious about Jane Smiley’s new novel “Some Luck,” which is the first book in a trilogy about the life and times of a family on a farm in Iowa. (What is it about Iowa?!) “Some Luck” starts in 1920 and takes the family through the 1950s. You might recall Smiley’s other novel set on a farm in Iowa — “A Thousand Acres” from 1991. Oh my, was that book potent, it almost killed me. But will this new trilogy be as dark or as good? Hmm we will see.

I’d also love to gobble up British author David Nicholl’s new novel “Us, ” which Amazon says is “the story of a man trying to rescue his relationship with the woman he loves, and learning how to get closer to a son who’s always felt like a stranger.” I didn’t read his previous novel “One Day” but I saw part of the 2011 movie adaptation of it on TV once, with Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. As for “Us,” it’s supposed to be both funny and moving and authors Jojo Moyes and S.J. Watson both say they loved it. So count me in.

As for honourable mentions, Marlon James’s sprawling new novel “A Brief History of Seven Killings” looks like a humdinger of a wild ride. Weighing in at 704 pages, the novel explores the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in Jamaica in 1976 with a wide array of characters that are assassins, journalists and drug dealers. It’s about Jamaica and the drug wars from a tumultuous period. I’m not a big reader of really thick novels, but the more I hear about this one, the more I’m thinking I should take the dive. Author Marlon James sounds like a hugely talented, ambitious and creative writer; one that shouldn’t be missed.

Lastly in albums out this month (see list at bottom right), there’s quite a few big names with new releases coming out. There’s Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift, Jackson Browne, and Cat Stevens among others. Right now, I’m taking a different tact and enjoying Frazey Ford’s new solo album called “Indian Ocean.” You might recall Ford from her days singing with the Be Good Tanyas. I didn’t know others played this Canadian folk group until I heard their music at my yoga studio one day while in the States.

What about you — which books, movies, or albums out this month are you most looking forward to? Continue reading →

September is always a great month for new releases, and wow there’s some big names with new fiction out this month. With Margaret Atwood, Joyce Carol Oates, Paul Theroux, and Hilary Mantel all having short story collections coming out, you know it’s an extraordinary month. I’m curious about these and initially chose 10 books from the list at the right that I’m interested in but then forced myself to cut that to six to highlight here.

First off, I rarely ever miss reading a new Ian McEwan book (“Atonement” is still my favorite of his). So I’ll likely pick up his new one “The Children Act” about a judge who must decide the fate of a 17-year-old boy who is refusing for religious reasons the medical treatment that could save his life. His devout parents share in his wishes. In the end, the judge’s ruling will have huge consequences for both the boy and her. It seems this plot of refusing medical treatment because of religious faith has been done quite a bit before, but I don’t know if it’s been done before by a writer as good as McEwan. So I’m drawn to his book despite perhaps its familiar topic.

I also don’t think I can resist the new novel “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel because of all the positive buzz it’s been receiving. Heck, I didn’t think I could stomach another dystopian, survival story, but if it’s as compelling as many are saying then I’d be missing out by not checking it out. Apparently the novel’s about a roving Shakespeare troupe that strives for more than mere survival after the apocalypse hits. Author Ann Patchett says “Station Eleven” is “so compelling, so fearlessly imagined, that I wouldn’t have put it down for anything.” And Entertainment Weekly calls it the “most-buzzed about novel of the season.” Hmm.

Another one that has received much praise and interests me is Laird Hunt’s new novel “Neverhome.” It’s about a farmer’s wife who decides to don the uniform of a Union soldier in the Civil War and fight. Apparently she is a remarkable narrator of the story with a powerful voice. Author Kevin Powers says “Neverhome took me on a journey so thoroughly engrossed that there were times the pages seemed to turn themselves.” So count me in on this one.

Next up, I’m curious about Margaret Atwood’s new collection of nine tales “Stone Mattress.” I can’t say I’m a huge Atwood nut (I know her fans are legion) though I think I’ve read five of her books, but I’m drawn to this collection because it’s mostly received good buzz. When Atwood’s on her game, her books can be truly playful enterprises. Similarly I must say I’m also interested in Hilary Mantel’s new short story collection “The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher.” Wow I thought Mantel was consumed by Thomas Cromwell and the court of Henry VIII, but I’m delighted to she has some contemporary stories coming out at the end of the month. I’m intrigued to find out what she’s written about in this new endeavor.

Lastly, I’m not sure I can pass up Garth Stein’s new novel “A Sudden Light” because I found his previous novel “The Art of Racing in the Rain” an endearing, compassionate heart-tugger. This one is about a 14-year-old boy who goes to stay at his grandfather’s mansion overlooking Puget Sound and finds the house haunted. BookPage calls “A Sudden Light” the best of many genres: a ghost story, a love story, historical fiction …. a truly killer read.” So I’ll have to check it out as well.

As for movies in September (see list at left), I’m sorry to see that the new comedy “This Is Where I Leave You” was pretty much panned by critics at the New York Times and Washington Post. What a bummer. I’m reading Jonathan Tropper’s book now, from which the movie comes, and had high hopes that it would be quite amusing. I will wait for it then on pay-per-view. But perhaps if it’s a love story you’re looking for you might check out “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” with James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain, who are usually quite good, or if you want to see a thriller perhaps “The Two Faces of January” at the end of the month will be entertaining. It’s by the same author, Patricia Highsmith, who wrote “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” Gosh was that turned into a creepy movie. Remember?

In albums for this month (see list at bottom right), there’s a bunch of big releases. I’m already listening to U2’s “Songs of Innocence,” which is a definite must-get. I’m so glad it was made free on iTunes. I also want to check out Lucinda William’s new album “Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone” because I’m a huge fan of her music and songwriting. I’m curious too about Ryan Adams’s new album and Justin Townes Earle’s. There’s so much good music this month … and as usual so little time.

What about you — which books, movies, or albums out this month are you most looking forward to? Continue reading →