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June 29, 2006
All right. Our Cirque de Cinema
pick is totally predictable but honestly it is a universal favorite and we refuse to be apologetic about it.
This being said, we offer up Yankee Doodle Dandy the 1942 classic starring James Cagney as George M. Cohan. While famous for his gangster roles, Cagney always considered himself a "song and dance man" and his passion for the craft is very evident in this film. In fact, it was Oscar worthy, earning him the Best Actor award in 1942!
Made during the first days of World War II (actually, news of Pearl Harbor came during filming), it is unabashedly patriotic and a nice piece of Americana.
Happy 4th!
Posted by JenniferD at 02:26 PM
June 26, 2006
There is nothing I enjoy more
than sitting around with my friends and hearing about the latest in questionable behavior being exhibited among my fellow human beings.
Unless of course I can read about it! Club Life: The Games Golfers Play by John Steinbreder is full of wonderful anecdotes from the world of country clubs or specifically the golfing aspect of them. John not only tackles his own club, but clubs he has had the good fortune to visit during his career as a sports writer.
Amongst my favorites? The middle-aged man weeping and moaning about the turns his life has taken, "I got fired. I crashed the Mercedes, and then my wife left me. But things are looking up. I have a new job and Mummy died."
This is a great fun read and you don't have to be a golfer or a club member to enjoy this one.
Stay dry!
Posted by JenniferD at 02:29 PM
June 22, 2006
Even though the U.S. has lost to Ghana
and is out of the running for the World Cup, some of us Desketeers are still in the throes of World Cup Madness.
So, our Cirque de Cinema pick of the week is the original Fever Pitch starring Colin Firth.
Paul is a teacher and rabid soccer fan living in the UK. When he meets Sarah their relationship developes along the same lines as the fortunes and misfortunes of his favorite team, the Arsenals. When the time comes for the National Championship, Arsenal finally has a chance to end its 18 year losing streak. Will Paul and Sarah be able to overcome their relationship's losing streak as well?
The fab Nick Hornby (a Front Desk Fave) , who was also responsible for About A Boy wrote the screenplay.
Though currently undecided, we think we may have to root for Brazil.
Happy Weekend!
Posted by JenniferD at 02:38 PM | Comments (2)
June 19, 2006
On Saturday,
while I was working what we shall term, "My Job Not Here" one of my favorite readers was bemoaning the fact that there was "nothing good to read". I realized it had been a while since the Desketeers talked books. So here is a listing of some of the things that have caught my fancy over the last couple of weeks.
Elements of Style, by Wendy Wasserstein is a wonderful comedy of manners set in post 9-11 Manhattan. It makes me very sad that this will be her only novel as Wasserstein died of cancer last year.
For good, trashy dish Ava Gardner: Love is Nothing is just fun. Nothing more than that. Perfect for beach reading and a wonderful guilty pleasure.
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman examines modern family dynamics with great style and honesty. When Emelia marries Jack she also inherits a five year old step-son. A relationship that becomes further complicated when their infant daughter dies of SIDS. This has some terrific writing.
Halfway House is the first novel from Katherine Noel. A pitch perfect portrayal of what happens when a family member literally goes off the deep end. When the Voorster's daughter has a break down due to being bi-polar, it effects each family member in a different way.
On the lighter side, Gatsby's Girl is the latest offering from Caroline Preston. This fictional biography of the first of F. Scott's Fitzgerald's muses is a lot of fun and the writing is just good enough that you don't feel like you are reading pure trash. In fact, it spurred one of my friends to re-read the whole Fitzgerald canon.
Eva Rice is the daughter of lyricist Tim Rice, but I think, based on her first novel, that she will be known in her own right. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets is a wonderful story about two young girls in post World War II London.
Still Life with Chickens by Catherine Goldhammer tells how six little chicks helped a newly single mom and her young daughter adjust to their new situation.
But my favorite summer read this far has to be the very sentimental Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. At the height of the Great Depression, Jacob, who is about to finish Cornell vet school, learns of the death of his parents. In the throes of grief he runs away and joins the circus where he finds a new family and a new lease on life.
A little lite. A little dark. There are some great things out there to accompany you to the beach, poolside, mountains, wherever you happen to summer!
Happy reading!
Posted by JenniferD at 11:51 AM
June 15, 2006
Father's Day is Sunday
and it is time for our Cirque de Cinema pick of the week!
Adolescence is never easy but when your father is "The Great Santini" it can be downright brutal.
Marine Air Pilot Bull Meecham (Robert Duvall) takes out his peace time frustration on his adoring wife (Blythe Danner) and his children, most notably his eldest son, Ben (Michael O' Keefe). When the family is transferred to Beaufort, North Carolina the racial politics of the time (1962) make Ben question his father's authority and values. And no one, but no one questions The Great Santini.
The performances in this 1979 movie are amazing and will have you cheering Ben on in his quest for independence.
Happy Father's Day!
Posted by JenniferD at 02:30 PM
June 07, 2006
Beaches and Books!
Just in time to stock your beach bag, it is time for our Summer Book Sale! Starting Saturday morning when we open at 9 there will be an amazing array of hard and soft covered books, paperbacks, audio books, DVDs, and videos.
On Saturday and Sunday hard and soft covered books are priced at $1.00 or 3 for $2.00. Paperbacks are $.25 or 5 for $1.00. Audio books are $1.00 each, and DVDs are $5.00.
On Monday all items are 1/2 price. Tuesday $1.00 a bag and Wednesday is our famous fill a bag for free day!
Now if only the sun would come out so we could actually go to the beach.......
Posted by JenniferD at 04:31 PM
June 02, 2006
"He's an importer,....an extremely powerful importer."
What an understatement!
Our Cirque de Cinema pick of the week is The Freshman the 1990 comedy starring Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick.
Broderick plays Clark Kellogg a first year film student at NYU. After his belongings are stolen, he is made an "offer that he can't refuse" by Carmine "Jimmy the Toucan" Sabatini (Brando). What follows is a hilarious situation that involves a certain Dining Club and rare and exotic animals. And of course, there is always Bert Park's amazing rendition of Bob Dylan's "Maggie's Farm".
This one is worth watching if only for the joy of watching Brando mock himself and his long and illustious career!
Happy Weekend and Bon Apetite!
Posted by JenniferD at 11:39 AM