Review: The most recent in Barr’s’ 25
year run of Anna Pidgeon books. Anna, the National Park Service Ranger, finds herself
temporarily assigned to Acadia National Park, where all kinds of mayhem ensues.
I have liked these books for a long time, but this felt a bit repetitive and the
characters did not seem fully developed. Barr, who is really an NPS ranger,
again goes back to some of the same characters in many of her books, and her sense
of place is always wonderful, but this one seemed a bit over the top for me. Still,
who doesn’t want to spend a virtual week musing over the great Maine north
woods.
Notable People: Francis
McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May Directed
by: Chloe Zhao
Title:
Nomadland
Review: A formidable, quiet and beautiful
film from the brilliant director Zhao, with the incomparable McDormand as the
60ish woman who has lost her husband, job and place……picking up roots and criss
crossing the country in her van…. communing with a bunch of similarly situated/minded
people. As she says, she’s not homeless, she’s’ houseless. McDormand is a national
treasure, and this film only solidifies her legacy…. she says very little, but
her soul is ablaze for us all to see. Not much action here, but a serene beauty
that will make you think about what the nomadic life in America is like…. which
will have some appeal to many of us. The cinematography is spectacular, very nice
and subtle score and the acting is superb…mostly from all real life Nomads…not actors.
A very soothing film that can be watched commercial free on Hulu or in the theater….
if you’re ready to put your Hazmat suit on, and brave that experience.
Review:
Penny’s sixth
installment in the fabled Gamache series is the best yet. Back to the tiny, magical
village of Three Pines- for yet another bizarre murder. But these books are as much
philosophy an history as mystery. Personally, I can’t get enough Gamache…an all-time
character. And, these booms are not just nice, nice…. they go to very dark human
places, before resurfacing. Gamache is a manifestation of the great Maigret of
Simenon lore, and Penny pays homage with several references to the beloved Parisian
detective in this one. You got to love all things Quebecois right about now.
Notable People: Suranne Jones, Sophie Rundle Created by; Sally Wainwright
Title: Gentleman Jack
Review: Jones is a Tour de Force in this lush period piece set
in 1832 in Halifax, Scotland in the story of Ann Lister’s and her dangerous and
remarkable liaisons with other woman in the staid Victoria era. This is classic
BBC fare but tackles a tricky subject, for the times, in a thoughtful and, at
times, quite witty, manner. Good character development, wonderful cinematography
and costumes and captures the essence of the times. Season two is in production
and should be out soon.
Review: The
second in Baldacci’s Amos Decker series, in which Memory Man Decker (who has perfect
photographic recall as a result of football hit in first NFL game that altered his
brain) joins the FBI as special civilian and pursues a forty-year-old case to
free a man from being executed. Along the way, it tackles church bombings in Alabama
and Mississippi in the late 6os and the general state of racism and politics in
the South. Well written book that drifted to un- believability at times, but
has very strong characters, led by the eccentric and formidable Decker, who you
just wanna give a hug.
Review: This top notch thriller is the
fifth in the masterful Chief Inspector Gamache series, that is all things Quebec.
The complicated yarn delves deep into the Quebecois psyche, with a story linked
to Samuel de Champlain, the father of Quebec, and the long fight for Francophile
separatism. Along the way, there are terrorist attacks, decades and centuries old
murders and the wonderful cast of characters Penny continues to evolve. Most of
the he book takes place in the old walled Quebec City, a delight of its own, as
Gamache takes up residence with his mentor amidst his own crisis of faith. A perfect
book for cold winter day and nights.
Notable People: Hugh
Laurie, Helen McCrory, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Created by; David Hare
Title: Roadkill
Review: PBS miniseries on Masterpiece, starring the durable
Laurie (late of “House”) as a British Deputy Minister in all kinds of sneaky
trouble. Classic dramatic Masterpiece production, as only the Brits can do it,
with McCrory (Peaky Blinders) doing a great turn as the Prime Minister, and
Knudsen, fresh off her triumph in “Borgen”, as the mistress. Lots of darkness in
a very polite way, with some surprising end game. A one shot, four-episode miniseries,
that ended a bit abruptly for my taste.
Notable People: Kingsley
Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom, Jr., Directed by: Regina King
Title:
One Night in Miami
Review: Everyone has seen the publicity
for this film adaptation of Kemp Powers stage play of the same name. Cassius Clay,
Jim Brown, Sm Cooke and Malcom X spend a night together in a hotel room in Miami
after Clay defeated Sonny Liston for the heavyweight boxing world championship.
Intense, brooding, riveting- the film is very much like watching a stage play. Goree
is striking in his channeling of the great Ali/Clay. The direction and dialog
are top notch. Very heady, very potent, very timely examination of race in this
country-not a lot of physical action. Does well at capturing the feel of the
times.
Review: Standalone novel from prolific author
who often collaborates with James Patterson. This one took me by surprise and knocked
me off my feet. Seventeen-year-old Pino Lella is living the life in Milan in
1943, when the Nazis invade and change everything. He becomes a smuggler of
Jews across the border to neutral Switzerland, by mountain climbing and skiing in
impossible conditions, and then becomes a driver for the Nazi General who is
the architect of Italy’s occupation and devastation…. from which he becomes a valuable
spy for the Italian resistance and the Allies. The book follows the trajectory of
the war in Italy for its last two years until the Nazi surrender. Filled with rich
and real historical characters, death-defying treks over the Alps and a moving love
story. This is one you will not want to end.
Our
feelings of strength, while we all stay oppressed.
The truth
remains…. quite overdue.” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….”
Confusin’ at Best” ………………Ferlin’ Norris
The cars are getting packed……the house is getting
stored up……the backs are achin’……the animals are going nuts with the activity …….
Time has come today……. Time………off tomorrow morning for the Heartland return….
little darlin’……it’s been a long and lonely winter……………………. after another 2-3
feet of snow this week in the mountain Snowbelt, hoping for a slightly greener
pastures……so this short one is it for a while………………………
Got in one last drive/ride/hike last Sunday ……trudging
and slip sliding through a snow covered dirt road….and then on to Honeypie for the
exotic sausages……we had another 18 inches the night before, which simply adds
to the biggest ongoing pile of snow I’ve ever seen……it’s no wonder people wear
chains on their boots here………………
The Snow Queen finally got out on the slopes on Thursday……in
sun and balmy 25 degrees (generally shorts and flip glop weather in the Greens)……she
rounded up all borrowed equipment, and headed over to the next ridge at Okemo……got in three runs…and came home exhausted,
sore and with a sprained thumb…..ah, the sporting life……did not cost a fortune
as she was gifted a daily VIP pass from our friend who works at local giant, GE…….but
the price list for skiing??????……is this one of the ultimate forms of white
privilege?????……Holy cow….
When we sold our Subaru, we took off the
crossbars on the roof rack…imagining they were standard and would simply fit
the roof rack on the new car…..NOT…..shamefully procrastinated checking until a
few days ago, to learn they did not fit…..which would mean traveling back without
the usual car top carrier……would not be that hard without three animals roaming
loose through the car and schlepping all their gear……so had to spend three last
minute hours in piles of snow and 15 degree temps (still can’t get into the
snow blocked barn/garage) jury rigging the cross bars to fit the roof rack on the
new Jeep……which, despite frostbitten toes and fingers, we managed to do together,
without calling the police for a domestic……………………..
So…this is my requiem for a mountain Covid
winter……..had one last dinner on the ground at the Jewish Pig Farmer and the Empress
of Death Farm……lucked out for eating outside around the fire pit, with 35 and
light snow….fine dining weather , even for standing around in three feet of snow…..and
the JPF went whole hog (no pun) on an Indian (dots) feast…..the entertainment
for the day consisted of watching them burn a three by three plastic tub’s worth
of herbal delight from their bumper crop……I could not stop trying to estimate street
value as they fed the fire…and wondered why the neighboring farmers kept drifting
by to take a whiff……apparently surplus bud burnin’ is a thing in Vermont….
So……its’ off to packin, haulin’ and loadin’……have
to fit in a run to see The Dumpmaster, who said he will forever curse our
trash, if I don’t bring “the little lady” by before we leave…. apparently he remains
our principle mountain obligation……so will be back somewhere on the other side….
Until then, remain vigilant, stay safe, wear you
mask, love the ones you’re with….and stay in touch….
