A Cineaste’s Bookshelf
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REVIEW: THE BOOKSHOP & others by Penelope Fitzgerald
It’s okay if you haven’t heard of Penelope Fitzgerald. I hadn’t either. I’m an English major who loves British literature and I didn’t even recognize the name, let alone seen any of her stuff. I am not a “cut-and-paster” but I think she needs a little introduction. This is from the book’s author bio. Penelope… Read More »
ACCENT: THE FORGERS by Bradford Morrow
One of my favorite authors is back with a new mystery novel — and it centers around books. The (unreliable?) narrator, Will, is a master forger. He specialized in faking inscriptions and small pieces of ephemera by classic authors. Then he got caught. Having paid his debt to society, Will has promised to… Read More »
BOOKS for November
Daylight savings has abandoned us to the wet and chilly days that creep into early evenings… MIDNIGHT PLAN OF THE REPO MAN by W. Bruce Cameron In the vein of Elmore Leonard and John Kennedy Toole, Cameron brings us the voice of Ruddy McCann. He is the quintessential has-been — former football sensation turned… Read More »
Books for Bathtub Gin Drinkers
Two books devoted to that volatile and endlessly fascinating era… Bohemians, Bootleggers, Flappers & Swells Edited by Graydon Carter Drawing from the best of the Vanity Fair archive, this selection of essays, poems, stories and columns from the early days are a looking glass into the era. Beginning with the days of WWI and into the… Read More »
ACCENT: THE MONOGRAM MURDERS by Sophie Hannah
It’s no easy feat to write a “new” Agatha Christie book with the beloved Hercule Poirot. One can almost hear him making a snide comment about it himself. Purists are hoping for failure. Fans are hoping they won’t be disappointed. And on the face of it, Sophie Hannah isn’t necessarily an obvious choice. She’s known… Read More »
BOOKS for October
OCTOBER The crows above the forest call; Tomorrow they may form and go. O hushed October morning mild, Begin the hours of this day slow. Make the day seem to us less brief. Hearts not averse to being beguiled, Beguile us in the way you know. from “October” by Robert Frost … Read More »
REVIEW: THE ART OF THE ENGLISH MURDER by Lucy Worsley
Lucy has the best job in England. She is curator for the Historic Royal Palaces, which means she has access to some of the coolest artifacts in the UK. She began her career by studying history, then becoming an inspector of historic homes for English Heritage. In addition to her impressive academic resume, she… Read More »
ACCENT: JUST MY TYPO by Drummond Moir
There is something endearing and disarming about typos. The idea that even the professionals can make a mistake helps us all relax about our own weaknesses. And it’s usually good for a laugh. Drummond Moir has assembled a book of real misprints and careless keystrokes. Some are blatantly obvious but others are more subtle… Read More »
ACCENT: A Little Russian Collection
Gregory Maguire, best known for his Wicked books, is back with another revisionist fairy tale. This time, he weaves together classic Russian elements — Baba Yaga, Faberge eggs, endless train tracks, snow laden countryside — in this middle grade novel. Elena is a young girl who lives in a dying country town. There is no… Read More »
Peering Anew at My Own World - INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL SIMS
I had the great honor to interview writer and editor Michael Sims about his newest book, The Phantom Coach and pick his brain about growing up in rural Tennessee, the (super)natural and what the ghost stories of our time will be like. Did that disconnection from what some might call “civilization” imbue you with an affinity… Read More »
SUMMER OF CHRISTIE: After the Funeral
Alright, we are wrapping up the Summer of Christie and Sophie Hannah’s new Poirot mystery The Monogram Murders is just around the corner. I’d like to thank Book Club Girl for hosting our discussions and to Kaitlin at William Morrow for sending us books and asking great questions. 1.) From the beginning, there is tension among the surviving… Read More »
Books for September
Somehow, it is already September. Soon, clocks will turn back and afternoons will turn into night even sooner. Throw blankets will become part of the household wardrobe and a warm mug of tea a necessity. Here are some titles to help you ignore the dying of the light. DR. MüTTER’S MARVELS BY Cristin O’Keefe… Read More »
REVIEW: THE PHANTOM COACH by Michael Sims
Michael Sims has once again curated a fascinating and perhaps unexpected collection of stories for the Victorian reader. None of these stories rely on scare tactics as such. They are unsettling. They get into your head and rattle around, like a ghost clinking its chains. They are all the more unnerving, just as ghostly movies are… Read More »
SUMMER OF CHRISTIE: Dead Man's Folly - Part 2
So, who caught the premiere of DEAD MAN’S FOLLY with David Suchet last night? It was great fun and am so glad to see Poirot once again. As part of the Summer of Christie, and gearing up for Sophie Hannah’s MONOGRAM MURDERS, several of us are blogging about some of Christie’s best work. What follows are the… Read More »
BOOKS for August
I can’t believe August is already here! I feel like I just watched the fireworks for the new year. Down here in the South, the days are long and humid. High noon is spent hiding inside from the worst of the heat and waiting for the cool of the evening. A mint julep, a book,… Read More »