Hi all. My husband and I arrived back home in Canada this week after our long road trip from California. We stopped in Idaho on the way home to visit and ski/snowshoe with my sister and brother-in-law, which was fun. You might recall their dog Sadie is the younger half-sister of our dog Stella, so it’s nice to see them all together. The girls had a good time. Now I’m quickly trying to adapt to the colder temperatures as this weekend is in the single digits here, argh. It feels a bit wild to be back and I’m still adjusting, unpacking, and wondering a bit where we are after our long while in California.
Meanwhile over the past months we’ve been taking in some movies that could be up for Oscar nominations, which apparently will be announced on Jan. 23, if they decide to have the Academy Awards amid the fires and destruction. So here below are the movies we’ve seen. I tried to place them in order of the ones that I liked best. (I’ll leave out TV series for now but might talk about them next time.)
*A Complete Unknown (5 stars! We loved this Bob Dylan bio film.)
*The Outrun (4 stars. Contemplative, a Scottish girl battles sobriety)
*The Return (4 stars, Homer’s Odyssey, both tough and compelling)
*Conclave (3.8 stars, weaved with intrigue inside the Vatican)
*Small Things Like These (3.4 stars, tale about the deeds of an Irish town’s convent)
*A Different Man (3.3 stars, a bit weird a story about a man with a disfigured face)
*Marie (movie) (3.3 stars, opera singer Marie Callas’s sad last week)
*Blitz (3.3 stars, the WWII bombing of London, full on)
*Juror #2 (3.3 stars, something felt a bit contrived but still worth a watch)
*Lee (3.3 biopic of WWII photographer Lee Miller played by Kate Winslet)
And here are other films we haven’t watch but might be on our list.
*A Real Pain
*The Brutalist
*Janet Planet
*His Three Daughters
*Nightbitch
*The Room Next Door
*September 5
*I’m Still Here (foreign, Brazil)
*All We Imagine as Light (foreign, India)
*Emilia Perez (foreign, musical, Mexico)
*Nickel Boys
*The Substance
*Wicked (musical)
What about you — have you seen any of these and what did you think? Admittedly I was sort of rooting for Timothee Chalamet to win Best Actor at the Golden Globes for his performance as Bob Dylan, but the field was pretty loaded and Adrien Brody won instead for The Brutalist. But it amazed me that Chalamet sang all the songs so convincingly in A Complete Unknown as well as the other actors in the film. Somewhere I read he had prepared for the role for like seven years, wow. Usually we are quite skeptical of biographical movies, so I didn’t expect much, but we both thought this one was fantastic.
And now I’ll leave you with a couple of reviews of books I finished lately.
Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Cespedes / Astra House / 288 pages /translated by Ann Goldstein 2023 / originally published 1952
Thanks to Kathy at the blog Reading Matters for her favorable review of this novel last June, which I hadn’t know about before. The book reminded me quite a bit of the atmosphere of Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend set in postwar Italy with its poverty and repression. Set in Rome, the novel’s protagonist is a 43-year-old Italian woman who buys and hides a notebook diary from her family of two teenage kids and her husband. As she begins to secretly write in it, she begins to observe things she hadn’t previously noticed … particularly how her long servitude to her family has squashed her own self.
This is a domestic story of a family that seems to be a bit on the brink … each member with stuff going on: the banker husband dreams of another career as a screenwriter; the daughter Mirella, a law student, falls for an older man; the idle son Riccardo gets a girl into a situation; and the mother (Valeria), a secretary, begins to have feelings for her boss.
The mother, who narrates the story, is a bit of a complex character — both sympathetic but also worth strangling at times too. Around and around she goes with her thoughts and indecision whether to do this or that. As she manages the notebook in secret, she begins to transform and fight a bit for her own space and self, becoming a bit meaner, while still trying to hold the family’s outward respectability together. She harangues her daughter about her relationship with a man at work, while she is thinking of a dalliance with her boss. You have to stay tuned to the end to see if the mother succeeds in gaining a bit of independence and what will happen.
At the beginning I thought the book, which I listened to as an audio narrated by Cassandra Campbell, was nonfiction — it sounded so factual, but then as it went along I realized it was a novel. Apparently the author, who wrote about women’s subjugation and was imprisoned for her anti-fascist activities in 1935, was an influence on Elena Ferrante. Forbidden Notebook captured me especially in the later stages when it begins a bit to unravel. And that ending … felt like the air being siphoned out of a room.
The Stalin Affair: The Impossible Alliance That Won the War by Giles Milton / Holt / 336 pages / 2024
This history kept us tuned in on the long road trip home as we listened to it as an audio, which was narrated by its British author. The book highlights the relations among the Big Three: Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt, which played out like a roller coaster of ups and downs and decided the world’s fate during WWII. Early in the war, Stalin was aligned with Hitler (as Germany and Russia invaded Poland) and probably would’ve remained so, except the Fuhrer decided to betray their alliance and invade the Soviet Union in June 1941. This upended things and soon Britain and the U.S. were supporting Russia with aid and supplies to wage war against the Nazis.
Churchill first met with Stalin in August 1942 but told him there’d be no allied invasion of Europe that year much to Stalin’s disapproval. Churchill and Stalin had very chilly relations at first, which later thawed and warmed but also at times seemed to hang precariously in the balance. Then Roosevelt met together with them at the Tehran Conference in Nov. 1943, where both Roosevelt and Churchill seemed to vie for Stalin’s favor, especially as Russia was turning the tide against Germany on the Eastern front. So much depended on the Big Three’s uneasy alliance to defeat Nazi Germany and their interpersonal relations seemed to play a large part of this, but unfortunately it didn’t last once the peace was signed in 1945 … as broken promises, hidden motives, and suspicions broke them apart.
Much of the book focuses on the various leaders’ meetings and conferences with the British Ambassador Archie Clark Kerr and American Ambassador Averell Harriman playing a large role in keeping the leaders and alliance on track time and again. Harriman, Roosevelt’s man in Moscow, thought Stalin was inscrutable and contradictory, but in some ways the most effective of the war leaders, while at the same time he was a murderous tyrant. And during the early part of the war when Harriman was in London, the book details Harriman’s secret affair with Churchill’s daughter-in-law Pamela, who was 28 years his junior and good friends with his own daughter Kathleen! (Neither Churchill or Kathleen led on whether they knew of this.)
Kathleen Harriman plays a pretty big part in the book as she accompanied her father to London during the Blitz and to living in Moscow and various meetings and conferences he had with Churchill and Stalin. Apparently it makes use of new papers and letters of Kathleen’s, which were given to the Library of Congress in 2022 and 2024 by her son. So with these additional documents and insights, fans of Erik Larson’s The Splendid and the Vile, might want to check it out.
In various ways, the book is a bit of a juicy tale full of intrigue, war, booze, affairs, and big personalities that held things together when the world’s fate hung in the balance. Along with such great reads as The Daughters of Yalta by Catherine Grace Katz, which I reviewed in 2022, and The Churchill Sisters by Rachel Trethewey, which I read in 2023, it provided a glimpse into the dangerous days during WWII and the interpersonal relations among various key players.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read any of these books mentioned, or seen these movies, and if so, what did you think?
Welcome home! That cold is a lot to deal with after California, though.
Hi Joy, thanks. And yes I agree! It’s freezing this weekend and I haven’t gone out! Stay warm.
I recently read a book with the same historic focus:
“The Strategists: Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt, Mussolini, and Hitler” by Phillips Payson O’Brien
That was a terrifying time in history. The world was really in jeopardy!
Interesting to hear about another book on the topic.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hi Mae, yeah I remember when you read that … and it’s quite a coincidence how similar it sounds to Giles Milton’s book. I will look up the O’Brien book. It really was a scary time — some of the personalities seemed larger than life and their relations seemed so important. Have a great week.
Thanks Susan for mentioning me and The Forbidden Notebook was on my top ten list for 2024. I just thought it was so well written and I love diaries, fiction or non fiction. That’s a great way to put it about the ending siphoning the air out of the room. I go back and forth on Valeria’s decision. And I have to read My Brilliant Friend.
Should they have the Oscar ceromony this year? I know some actors are saying no. My view is that if they are going to have the ceremony it shouldn’t happen in Los Angeles. Too many people have lost their homes and rebuilding should be the focus.
Hi Kathy, yeah I’m glad you let us know about the Forbidden Notebook. It really seems a precursor in some regards to Ferrante and is important in its content. It feels so suffocating! Their lives during that time. So repressed.
And good point about the Oscars. I’m a bit back & forth about it. I think they plan to highlight and thank the first responders & firefighters at the ceremony. And I would hope the whole glamour & length of it would be considerably pared down. Having it at another venue might work. If they have it all, it should be very mindful of what’s happened – which I’m hoping it will do. Cheers.
Welcome back, Susan! When I saw the picture of the dogs I thought maybe the extra one was a rescue, or Sadie. Nice to see them together again. I’ve seen only four movies in your list; I rented a pile and watched none before they expired. Both books sound fascinating, though for different reasons, obviously. We’re having a storm tomorrow and subzero windshields in the next few days. Hope your reading goes well. Happy reading!
Hi Carmen, thanks I knew you would remember Sadie — a very astute observation. It’s been a while since they’ve been together. If you see any more of these movies, let me know. I think when available here I’d like to see The Real Pain and The Brutalist next. Those are big ones.
Sorry to hear about your weather this week. Argh sounds so cold! I can relate this weekend (brrrr), but it should improve this week for us. Stay warm & happy reading!
Love the picture of the sunset. Or is it a sunrise? Either way it’s lovely. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks Dorothy, you’re right it is a sunset. I have an overabundance of sunset photos I’ve taken this past week. Many pink and orange skies. But definitely brisk out there, lol. Have a great week.
I’ve watched a few of the movies on your list – Blitz, Wicked, Conclave, Lee. Surely a coincidence that they all have one word titles!
Have a great week!
Hi Marg, good to know you’ve see those films. Funny too how many of them have one word titles. I hadn’t thought of it, but it seems quite a marketing ploy perhaps. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your week too.
I am so glad to hear that you are safely home. I bet the dogs are happy. And I love the photo of the dogs.
I want to read Forbidden Notebook, which I also first heard about at Kathy’s blog. I will be looking for a copy later in the year.
The Stalin Affair sounds like a good book, I like to read about World War II. I don’t read that much nonfiction though. Glen has read three other books by Giles Milton, and enjoyed them all, I think.
Hi Tracy, thanks. So glad to be back & done with driving but a bit frozen too. And it was fun to see the dogs interact & be together at my sister’s.
Forbidden Notebook … is quite a suffocating story. But worth reading to see how it all was back then (and might still be). The family is a bit on the brink. See what you think.
The Stalin Affair was good for me to learn more about the various leaders & ambassadors during WWII — though I agree I’m mostly a fiction reader too. Maybe your husband will get to this one sometime. I’ll be curious what he thinks of it. Have a great week … and happy reading.
Usually, I haven’t seen the nominated Oscar movies, but this year, I have potential. Conclave was pretty good, though I don’t think it should win if it’s nominated. I have yet to see Small Things Like These but I LOVED the book. I watched Juror #@ and for sure don’t think it should be nominated, but I did watch it.
Hi Helen, good to hear your thoughts on these movies. Yeah I thought Juror#2 would be better. Didn’t overly do much for me. We enjoyed Conclave too. See what you think of Small Things Like These — the book is still better but the movie packs a small quiet punch. I wish it expanded the story a bit more – along with the ending. I’ll be curious what the nominations will be on Jan. 23. Cheers!
The Forbidden Notebook reminded me of the power we have when we write down our words, even the powerless among us, who in the past were certainly we women. Even when we can’t actually do and say the things we want to do and say, writing gives us a space to think and dream and plan and hope.
Stalin is a character in history that intrigues me. It’s horrible to imagine what might have happened if he and Hitler had remained buddies. But for people like them, just like in a Risk game, it always comes down to You against Me, I think, and it never would have worked.
I haven’t seen a single movie on your list, but I’ve heard lots of good things about the Dylan movie.
Hi Deb, you make great points. The power of the Notebook and writing things down is like having one’s own space and it offered that woman in the novel so much she hadn’t known before. Like it can offer us all when we jot our thoughts down. I’m glad you pointed that out — so I don’t gloss over that point of the book.
The power of writing.
And it is scary to think about the alliance between Stalin & Hitler and if it had lasted longer. Luckily it seemed destined not to work. It is amazing how somehow Stalin did work for a few years with the West. Through a lot of hard work they were able to turn him to the Allies side. What differences were bridged!
And we were so pleasantly surprised by the Dylan movie. It wowed us. I’m glad to know you’ve heard good things. If you get a chance, see it. 🙂
Aw look at all those matching babies!!
I have not seen A Complete Unknown, but my cousin did and he said it is a must see. I am curious about Chalamet as Dylan!
Hi Erin, thanks, those dogs are so funny. And they look a bit alike right?
Glad to hear your cousin liked the Dylan movie. It is a must-see! It was so good. I hope you get to see it — and would be curious your reaction. I think Chalamet delivers! And definitely deserves an award for that. Enjoy your week.
Glad you made it safely home. Your movie list is helpful – the only one I have seen in the past year is Wicked, although I’d like to see Conclave. I got Hulu a month or so ago when there was a promotion but have not used it yet. I mostly watch sports on TV.
My mother heard the author of Daughters of Yalta speak and then loved the book (or maybe in the opposite order). I saw her on Zoom and meant to read it so this is a good reminder.
Hi Constance, thanks we got home in one piece after like 1,550+ miles, lol.
I am a sports watching junkie too so I can relate. Right now it’s the Australian Open tennis (I’m big on!) and the NFL playoffs (also big). I think you’re more of a basketball fan right? If you get a chance, see what you think of Conclave.
I am big fan of the author of Daughters of Yalta so find it really cool your mother heard her speak as well as you. She was getting a law degree (I think) and I begged her to write another book instead of becoming a lawyer, lol. So we will see what happens. There’s much info in her book and I think she relied much on the Sarah Churchill papers. I’d like to read Sarah Churchill’s memoir Keep On Dancing sometime. Cheers!
Beautiful sunset and gorgeous dog portrait. The girls look happy to be part of everything.
Yes, please do write up about your TV picks later, fi you are so inclined. I get my suggestions from fellow bloggers and immediately check the library.
The Dylan movie is one I would love to watch, I’ve a hold on The Outlook and did not know they made a movie of Small Things Like These. That was another brillant book by Keegan, in my opinion.
I see you gave Lee 3 stars, is it worth a watch? I love Kate Winslett and thought she was good in Mare of Easton. Plus that was filmed where I grew up. #homesick…haha
Glad Kathy wrote about The Forbidden Notebook. Will go visit her and add that book. Stay warm and we will chat later! Welcome home.
Hi Tina, thanks. The dogs seemed game for the photo, lol.
The Dylan movie was great on the big screen. Perfect for a matinee! You’d love it. Also the Lee movie is worth watching. Might be a bit better than I rated it. I did like the Mare of Easton. Did you grow up in Pennsylvania? Or am I getting where that was filmed wrong? The movie Small Things Like These is a quiet gut punch.
And Forbidden Notebook felt a bit like a slice of My Brilliant Friend which sort of surprised me. Not too happy a story …
We’re glad to be home but the winter is back. Enjoy your week.
Glad you made it home safely… the dogs all look so sweet and the sunset is beautiful! We haven’t done well with watching many movies this year, and I was also wondering if they were going to have the award ceremonies this year. The Forbidden Notebook is already on my list for this year, but I hadn’t heard about The Stalin Affair. That sounds really good… though Daughters of Yalta is still waiting on my kindle, too!
Hi JoAnn, thanks, it was quite a road trip home over 1,550 miles I think, argh. But we made it. Now it’s back to winter, sigh. The Stalin Affair is pretty good but I still think the Daughters of Yalta is (much) better. Though the Stalin Affair gave another glimpse of Kathy Harriman who was involved in many of the gatherings back then. The Forbidden Notebook is a bit bleak but see what you think. I listened to the audio narrated pretty well by Cassandra Campbell. You might try that version. Hope all is well there. Have a great week.
Pups on pillows!!!!! I can’t believe I haven’t seen a single movie on the list! I want to see the Bob Dylan movie. Looks goooooooooooooood. Forbidden Notebook sounds like a book for me so adding that to my TBR.
Hi Jinjer, the Bob Dylan movie is excellent — you’d like it I think. It’s a must-see, lol. And I’m not sure what you’d think of Forbidden Notebook since it winds around a bit and takes a bit of time to get going more — sort of a slow burn about a mother and family on the brink. See what you think. Hope life is going okay in L.A. and that they’ve made progress on the fires! I was rooting for the Rams today but they lost, sigh. Close but no cigar. Darn.
Happy to hear you made it home safely and had some fun with family along the way. The dogs seemed to enjoy your side trip, too! Those are some cute faces! The sunset looks gorgeous, but I’m sure the colder temps are a bit of a shock after being in Southern California.
I haven’t watched any movies in a while, but my husband and have been binging Downton Abby and alternately Schitt’s Creek when we need a break. I watched the first season of DA years ago, when it first came out and then never watched anymore. We picked it up from the start and just finished the 3rd season. It’s pretty addictive!
Hope you stay warm and have a wonderful week!
Hi Rachel, thanks – it is pretty brisk now that we are back home but the long drive went well and the dogs are happy. 🙂 Good to hear you are in deep with all the seasons of Downton Abbey. We watched & liked all the seasons over the years. Someday we’ll have to rewatch them. It is a very enjoyable series and the characters make it fun. There were 6 seasons total so keep it going, lol! It is addicting. Have a good week too.
Glad you arrived home safe and sound. Last Fall my cousin told me about the All Creatures Great and Small series, so I watched the original. Then she told me about the PBS remake, so I’ve been binge watching those.
Happy reading this week.
Hi Cheriee, thanks for stopping by. I’ll check out your site — always fun to find a new book blog person. I’ve heard that TV series is good. I remember reading the first book of it long ago but would like to either read the books again, or see the series. I’m a big animal person so it seems very appealing. Enjoy your week too.
I am glad you made it home safely, Susan! What a beautiful photo of the dogs all together. 🙂 I miss having a dog. I really want to see Nickel Boys, but don’t think I will get to see it in the theater. We loved the first Wicked movie. I keep seeing Nightbitch advertised and am curious about it. Forbidden Notebook sounds interesting. I like the way you described the ending and how it made you feel. I hope you have a great week, Susan. Keep warm!
Thanks Wendy, all is well. Quite a long drive home. But the dogs are happy and it’s mild now here this week. I haven’t see the Nickel Boys around anywhere, so the distribution doesn’t seem big. I’d like to see Nightbitch sometime — I read the book. I’ll probably wait for Wicked to stream since it’s a long one. Glad you liked it. Hope you have a great week.
I’m adding Forbidden Notebook to my TBR. I hope I get around to reading it before I forget why I added it to my list. This is a TBR problem for me. Ha!
Welcome home to cold temps. It is cold here, too. Below freezing every night so unusual in the Puget Sound area.
Hi Anne, Forbidden Notebook reminded me of Ferrante. I’m glad to have learned a bit about the author — she seemed an activist in her day and lived till 1997. It’s a bit of a suffocating story but well done. See what you think.
Luckily the weather has changed this week from the wind and feels mild now. Crazy. Hope you have a great week.
Single digits? I would perish. Seriously. I am cold when it’s 52. My threshold.
I am horrible with movie watching. I was a film major once before I changed majors so I am a bit interested in the movies that get nominated but I HATE going to the theater with all the disrespectful patrons and their phones and their giggling and other nonsense. I think you did very well with your movie watching. I think Hollywood should just go on with the awards. Hollywood itself didn’t burn down, came close, so celebrate that.
Hi Ti, good point about the awards. Maybe it’ll help more than it will hurt the situation. And celebrating movies & the arts post-inauguration might too. After it felt so bleak this week. Maybe you might like to stream some of these.
Luckily the single digits are over for now — as the wind blew in a mild front. I hear the winds have picked up there again — so I hope it’s not a lot worse. I can’t turn on the news this week — due to the regime change. But have a good week.
Great photo of the three “pups.” Did they go snowshoeing with you? I’ve only done that once, but really enjoyed it. Beautiful sunset. I love the sky in the wintertime, but not the cold temps. Long drive home, eh? We just drove 3 hours from home up to Astoria (OR) for a book event. Feels weird taking an overnight trip without the RV…
Glad to know that the Dylan film is good. We both want to watch it! My mom and I want to watch Small Things Like These since we just read the book for book group (my second reading of it).
Thanks Lesley, it was fun to have the dogs together. The guys took Willow and Sadie for a cross country ski and the girls went snowshoeing but Stella stayed in the car (a bit too old for uphills). It was nice though, and scenic there.
Sounds cool your drive to Astoria and the book event per your Insta post looked really good. Robert started a new work project so has been busy, but I know he liked Rod’s book. I hope he will write a good review on Amazon soon.
The Dylan film is really good, and Keegan film adaptation is pretty good but sort of quick. See what you think. Have a great week.
Lovely photo of the dogs! Hope you are enjoying being back home. I don’t watch many movies these days. Post lock-down my attention span only stretches to watch youtube videos. I’ve heard a lot of other people saying the same. Very strange. So unfortunately, I can’t give any input to the Oscars discussions.
Hi Stargazer, thanks the dogs had fun and we are sort of back in the groove of being home again. You might be too busy for movies there, but they are good escapes along with books, and audios, lol. Hope all is well and glad you are blogging again. Cheers.
You must be thrilled to be back on Canadian soil. You got out just in time.
I am always up for a character you want to strangle at times! I’ve not heard of this book, but you’ve made me curious.
Hi Catherine, great to have you visit here. I’ve been thinking of you — since we are sad compatriots in arms since the regime change. It’s been more than painful but I’m avoiding the coverage. Not sure being in Canada offers too much reprieve since most of our hubbub comes from down south but it is good not to be under that regime.
I think you might like Forbidden Notebook … a family study during repressive times! The woman is worth strangling at times, lol, but is a bit sympathetic too.
Keep to your reading!
I love that cute pic of the doggos all together!
I have seen Juror #2, which was OK and worth a watch but not super memorable.
I’ve heard so many good things about Complete Unknown! Definitely on my list. I have been so out of the loop with awards season this year. You’ve seen so many! A lot of those are also on the list.
Thanks for sharing those reviews. I hadn’t heard of Forbidden Notebook. I loved a Brilliant Friend and if this inspired her, I definitely need to check it out.
That book on Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill looks fantastic as well.
Hi Heather, thanks. The dogs were happy all together. And I think you will like A Complete Unknown! So good. I sort of wonder if you are doing the Park City / Sundance film festival online again? I might have to check that out. We still have plenty to see. Happy viewing. Have a great week.
I’m sure it feels good to be back home–cold though it is! No matter where I go or for how long, there is no place like home 🙂
I keep on wanting to watch more movies, but somehow I never take the time.
How did you see The Return? I was all geared up to go a movie theatre to see it, but I don’t know that it was ever in one near us. I found it streaming, but the impetus to watch it evaporated.
I do want to see the Bob Dylan biopic. I’m still on the fence about Marie–I love opera and hers is a compelling story, but I’m afraid it will just bum me out more than my soul in January can take.
The Stalin Affair is so appealing, but I have a copy of Daughters of Yalta that I have yet to read, so I need to tackle that one first. So many books…so little time, and spring is coming when my thoughts turn to the garden. Oh well. Thanks for another terrific post!
Hi Jane, Yes it’s always good to be back home. The older I get it seems the less I travel. Hmm.
Yeah we watched The Return via streaming. I liked it. I think you’d like The Return and A Complete Unknown a lot. Not sure about Marie.
I thought The Stalin Affair was good but The Daughters of Yalta was a bit better. So interesting. Plenty of time till spring but I’m about ready, ha. Have a great week.