The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

"British agent Alec Leamas refuses to come in from the cold war during the 1960s, choosing to face another mission, which may prove to be his final one." (Summary from IMDB)

Fantastic Cold War spy movie with a dazzling amount of twists and double crossings. Heartbreaking. I've loved the book for ages, and always think of the end of the story every time I hear David Bowie's "Heroes". The kind of twisty, flip-floppy movie that makes you realize that by the time you are doing things as bad as your enemy, you are as bad as them yourself- much like Paradise Now, in fact.

It was a great Unicorn Chaser to that ridiculous zombie thing.

I Am Legend

After seeing 3 incredible, wonderful movies, I just had to round out the weekend by watching something absolutely rotten, didn't I?

This was dreadful, manipulative, sentimental, unadulterated crap.

A kind of zombie virus has wiped out ost of the population, and one dude, played earnestly and with good effort by Will Smith, is living in NYC trying to find a cure, while fighting the zombies by night.

And so on.

Not worth my time, I can tell you that much.

Paradise Now

"Two childhood friends are recruited for a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv." (summary from IMDB)


One of the most intense movies I've ever seen, I think. I am still kind of reeling after watching it. Powerful look at the Palestine/Israel conflict. While I was watching it, a few times I couldn't even really process what was going on. I must look into why water filters were such a big deal. Really thought provoking, emotionally intense movie.

Sicko

"A documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry to other nations, and HMO horror stories." (summary from IMDB)

Wow- Michael Moore takes on health insurance. Some very powerful scenes, but mostly it made me wish I lived in France. And that the damned government would take care of the 9/11 rescue workers. And that America wasn't so screwed.

Winged Migration

"Documentary on the migratory patterns of birds, shot over the course of three years on all seven continents." (summary from IMDB)

Unbelievably beautiful documentary about migrating birds. Absolutely incredible footage, haunting soundtrack, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

The Saturdays, by Elizabeth Enright

Lovely, warm story of 4 children who pool their allowances so that every fouth Saturday, one of them can go do something splendid.

Randi goes to see an art exhibit, Mona gets her hair bobbed, Rush goes to see the opera, and Tim goes to the circus, in an episodical book- great for reading to a child, I imagine.

A lonely old neighbor turns out to be full of exciting stories and to serve tea with petit fours, and all in all it's kind of a lovely and dreamy book. Before I make it sound too dementedly sappy, let me say too that while reading it I was all lulled along, and thinking how much easier this world seemed, peaceful and trustworthy and safe, and then boom

"What was it like when the world was peaceful, Cuffy?"

"Ah," said Cuffy, coming up again. "It seemed like a lovely world; anyway on top where it showed. But it didn't last long. First there was a long, bad, war, and then peace like the ham in a sandwich, and now a long, bad bad war again."

Confessions of a Backup Dancer, by Tucker Shaw

This was (predictably) pretty bad, but it was interesting for one major reason- the protagonist was definitely kind of dumb, which is so refreshing after reading YA book after YA book where the protagonists have all these hidden depths and motivations, and in their diaries/letters/blogs/whatever use startlingly good vocabulary words and even their friends often end up being bright and articulate behind their shells. This girl, Kelly, the dancer, really just wanted to dance and help her brother, who, although he ended up being surprisingly bright and articulate under his troubled shell, still didn't turn around and be all strivey and complicated, he wanted to go be a forest ranger and fight fires. It was just different.

I imagine that writers, being writers, have a hard time creating inarticulate voices, and that's just what this Kelly was- a kinda dumb girl who thought about her hair and looked around and danced and when she didn't like her strippery costumes, it was because the boob tape itched or something, not because of any (even buried or inarticulate) gender politics, and who never questioned why Darcy (Brittney Spears, y'all) was a better selling pop star than her rival, the vocally talented but skanky Pashmina (Christina Aguilera, FTW).

I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, by Amy Sedaris

Not funny, not amusing, not cool, not kitchy enough to be interesting, etc etc etc. FAIL.

See post below for a really fantastic how-to book with more flair than freakin' Sedaris will ever have.

Inventive Jewelry-Making, Ramona Solberg

Wow there was some strange, dare I say, fugly stuff in this book. It's from 1972, but that doesn't explain everything. I am tempted to do something I have never done before, to try to share the total weirdness of what was in this book. It was truly gratifyingly batsh*t.

Yup- I have to do it. I am going to take a picture of a page. There is no other way that I can startle you as much as Ramona startled me.

Yup. It really is a porno angel out of "inedible baker's clay". Rather, it is an "Angel pendant of inedible baker's clay by Vernon Koenig. In collection of Mrs. Spencer Mosely."

Really.

And while that was certainly the highlight of the book for sheer freakiness, other suggested projects were nearly as strange, such as an "Upper Arm Bracelet of Pasta", which was made using a tin can- "Tin can (tuna or small cat-food size), model-airplane glue (which I think Ramona might have used a little too much, if you know what I mean), and spaghetti.

There were others. Oh, there were many. In fact, this might have been one of the most entertaining damn books I've read in ages. I read spots off this book, I am tempted to quote it in everyday conversation, I wish I owned it, for it's pure, heartfelt sincerity. Unfortunately, this gem is out of print. Can't imagine why.

The Willoughbys, Lois Lowry

Very disappointed in this.

It was totally Lemony Snicket-y, and that's been so overdone.

Also, it gave away the ending to Little Women.

Shame on you, Lois Lowry. You're better than this.

Confessions of a Hollywood Star, by Dyan Sheldon

The third in the Lola Cep series. It was ok.

I read Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and My Perfect Life, too.

Pippi Goes On Board, by Astrid Lindgren

Indie Girl, by Kavita Daswani

A lovely, fun, but thoughtful story.

April 1, 2008
By
Alexandra Henshel - See all my reviews I very much enjoyed Indie Girl, and found the simple story of a girl who wanted to win a summer apprenticeship to a "West Coast Anna Wintour" had a surprising depth. Indira soon finds that Aarylin, her glamourous magazine editor boss, is only using her, and she must find the strength to deal with the loss of a hero, and the realization that hard work and talent don't always lead to success- that sometimes, life is unfair. Indie was a delightful heroine.

guess what- books!

Children's books
Betsy's Winterhouse by Carolyn Hayward

Adult Books
A Highland Christmas by M.C. Beaton

Bad Kitty and Kitty Kitty, by Michele Jaffe

Bad Kitty , Michelle Jaffe

Kitty Kitty, by Michele Jaffe, is a riotous sequel to the fantastic "Bad Kitty". Jas is in Venice, where her father is writing the definitive history of soap, and she is trying to keep out of Trouble. Of course, Trouble finds Jas, and the murder of a friend leads her into an exciting and dangerous mystery. Jas's loyal and long-suffering friends Polly, Roxy, and Tom make appearances, as do the Evil Henches, and Jaffe's laugh out loud writing shines through this romp. From delicious gelatos to kitchy tourist shops selling glassware, Venice is alive and very much a character in the book, which is a treat in itself. Jas's misadventures make for highly enjoyable reading, and the talented Jaffe serves her fans well with this book.

Just Listen, Sarah Dessen

More suburban teen rape melodrama (why the hell are so many of these freaking books about the same freaking thing?) but better done than most.

Good playlists at least.

Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood, by Jennifer Traig

Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood

by Jennifer Traig

This was laugh out loud funny. Great. Loved the sister rearranging the wooden SANTA blocks to spell SATAN. Good stuff.

March 18

Children's books

The Borrowers Afield by Mary Norton - I love the Borrowers so much. Wonderful to read about them again. (re-read)

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (re-read)
The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh (re-read)

YA books
Bittersweet Sixteen by Carrie Karasyov and Jill Kargman
Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White
It Had To Be You: The Gossip Girl Prequel by Cecily von Zeigesar

Adult Fiction
Death of a Glutton by M.C. Beaton
Death of a Prankster by M.C. Beaton
Travels With My Aunt by Graham Greene
Malpractice in Maggody by Joan Hess (re-read)
The Clocks by Agatha Christie (re-read)


Adult Non-Fiction
Bill Bryson's African Diary by Bill Bryson
Coal River by Michael Shnayerson
Creating Wire and Beaded Jewelry by Linda Jones, Gillian Haslam, and Jacqui Hurst
Wire & Bead Celtic Jewelry: 35 Quick and Stylish Projects by Linda Jones


Movies ( a thrilling new feature!)
Network
The Family Stone
The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio
Girl With A Pearl Earring

World Made By Hand, by James Howard Kunstler

Rash, by Pete Hautman

Pretty fantastic YA book. In 2074, Bo is considered dangerous because he calls another guy names for hitting on his girlfriend, and skips his daily dose of anti-agitation tablets, and wants to run long distance without all the protective gear mandated by the Child Satefy Act of 2033- well, it goes byond your standard dystopia and into where gov't legislation crosses the line from protection to imprisonment. Cool extra characters come in the form of Gramps, who brews his own beer and remembers when football was legal, and Rhino , a buddy at the McDonalds prison camp Bo ends up at. Add in the world's last polar bears, a sadistic prison guard, and an AI impersonating a lawyer, and you have a pretty great read.

YA 19