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My Passion for Design by Barbra Streisand - First I saw Barbra on Oprah, and she was pretty cool, so I checked out the book thinking I'd look at the pictures and take it back right away. Turns out, this reads like a journal of the years that Barbra put into creating a certain world on her oceanfront property in California. She is a passionate artist, and her perfectionism touched and inspired me. I still don't love the particular style of the homes, but I loved reading Barbra's decorating back story. She loves to decorate her homes, and has a specific philosophy and rules that she follows to get those rooms looking fabulous.
My favorite quote from Barbra is about how male and female perfectionists are perceived, especially by men who work for them.
"A man is commanding, a woman is demanding, a man is forceful, a woman is pushy, a man is a perfectionist, a woman is a pain in the ass. It's so unfair!"
Barbra also decorates in mostly monochromatic schemes, and she dresses to match and compliment her interiors. I LOVE this. The monochromatic schemes are peaceful and calming, ensuring a warm and inviting home for oneself and one's guests. (That last part was me - I used to decorate this way, and as I redo my home, I'm going back to it). I've got a long way to go, but have started on Peter's room, and progress is afoot.
Country Strong - I kind of wanted to see this movie at the theater a few months ago, but never had that empty afternoon on an overcast but not too cold or rainy day. It's too easy to wait for movies to come out on dvd, and then to watch them in the comfort of home on my own time with my own popcorn. I've been loving Gwyneth ever since she played a substitute teacher on Glee, and so I really liked this movie. She plays a country singer coming out of rehab before she's quite ready, in order to go straight back to performing. Her manager husband is behind this idea, and agrees that her sponsor, who is also a country singer, (good looking, good smile and good musician) can come on the road with them. The husband also insists that a pretty young thing who can sing also come on the road with them as the opening act. The acting was good, the music was great, and the story held up.
The Bay of Noon by Shirley Hazzard - Just because I didn't love this little novel doesn't mean that someone else might not love it. I thought to abandon it, but there was something about it that kept me going. What was it? About halfway through, I looked at the original publishing date, because there was something off about this detailed oh so English wordy writing. Yup! I was right! Originally published in 1970! Knowing that somehow made it better. This is the story of Jenny, a young Englishwoman living in post war Naples, Italy (post World War II for anyone who might not deduce the same). She is very verbal, to the point of annoyance, but there is something about the time and circumstance and descriptions of the people and their doings. Something. Here's an example of the writing: "The shifts of reason I have described, the moods and incidents that shaded or illumined our four lives, occupied a tiny fraction, only, of the many hours and days given over to my work on that report - hours and days during which I, along with others, converted sheaves and rolls and heavy piles of paper from a foreign language into a form of English that was in it's way more alien to us." If you want to read sentences like that, some of which include conversations, then this might be the read for you. Otherwise, I'll probably not pick up another Shirley Hazzard book.
Unless by Carol Shields - I liked the cover, so read this little novel, but didn't love it. As a matter of fact, I raced through the last half just to see what happened. Carol Shields is a thoughtful and feminine author, and to quote her, she wanted to write about "mothers and daughters, about writers and readers, and about men and women". Which she did. I would add that she wrote about a family, a home, and a life. The cover photo is of Carol as a little girl in Oak Park, IL. I think my enjoyment of this novel might have been greater had I read the "About the Author" at the back of the book first. But maybe not. There's a lot of rumination here, so for me it was so-so. So on to something new tonight!
Swallow by Sefi Atta - I thought that Swallow was a bird, and a sweet and simple title for a story about a young Nigerian woman. Instead it's a rather harsh title for a beautifully written story about what it's like to live in the city, and to wonder about your future. In Nigeria, in Africa. Practical Tolani tells her story with a straightforward, seemingly unemotional voice, yet this story is full emotion. Her impractical roommate Rose, her boyfriend Sanwo, their friend Johnny Walker, Tolani's mother the cloth dyer and her father the drummer, her independent aunt Iya Alaro, Mr. Salako at the bank, Mrs. Durojaiye, Mama Chidi, OC, and Godwin round out a tale told in the present and about the past. This is a beautiful book that can be judged by its beautiful cover. Could an e-reader even come close to the experience of turning each of these pages? I don't think so. Borrow or buy, and if you must, e-read Swallow. I'm going to google Sefi Atta now, and reserve her other books.
Without Limits - Last night we watched another movie about Steve Prefontaine, the runner. It's the same story with a similar vibe, but different truths. Donald Sutherland played the Oregon coach, Bill Bowerman, and I must say that I forgot that he was Donald Sutherland and not Bowerman. Pre is played by Billy Crudup and he's still an upstart, but the portrayal is a bit warmer. We loved it.
The Tourist - As I recall, the reviews were luke warm on this one, but I thought it was a very pretty movie. I fell asleep about half way through, but didn't miss much when I rewound the last 10 minutes and watched to find out what happened. It's a slow mover, but as I said, very pretty to watch. Angelina Jolie is striking in every scene, and the scenery of Venezia is wonderful.
Nothing too new or exciting around here today. I did some walking, voted, and got into the basement for some straightening and freecycling. There's more to go, but at least I can see my way around now. It's a downer and a mess down there, but I'm finally motivated to really purge. We met a really nice freecycler who picked up a couple of CDs and a tchotchke. A couple of years ago, I got a glass grinding machine from her, and it turns out that she is a glass mosaic artist. She offered to help Steve (teach him how, actually) rebuild/repair the leaded glass window in our front door. It's a three section window, and one of them has been in disrepair from the day we bought the house in July of 1991. So, if this happens, and it's a big IF, it only took 20 years to get that repair completed. I'll believe it when I see it. Completed. Taking it apart and working on it doesn't count, because with Steve, that process could take another 5 years! You can't see the damage and disrepair in my photo, but take my word for the fact that the glass shakes, but never breaks whenever this door is opened and closed.
It's the window on the right:
Wanting by Richard Flanagan - For every shower, a rainbow.....by which I mean that the last book I read was not good, and this book is this:
Wanting is a beautifully written novel taking place in the mid 1800s in England and Tasmania, specifically Flinders Island, and Wybalena Island. It's actually two stories with common themes. The author says that the book is ultimately
"...a meditation on desire - the cost of its denial, the centrality and force of its power in human affairs." (p.256)
For me the book was about death, and love. Death
"....that every death of those you love is the death also of so many shared memories and understanding, of a now irretrievable part of your own life;...."(p.90)
and Love
"It occurred to her that perhaps one only exists in those who love you....Had she said no to love, that day she looked down into the courtyard?.....And if you turn away from love, did it mean you no longer existed?....." (p.240).
I knew I liked this book, but what I liked best was the sensation of falling in love with the story more and more as it progressed. Usually a story catches you somewhere in the first half, and you'll coast on that to the end. Even if it's a page-turner, it's a coast, your feelings don't really fall deeper, even if they intensify. With Wanting, I kept falling deeper into the stories and characters. It's a great sensation and it added a new dimension to the emotion and enjoyment that comes from reading.
If you're going to read Wanting, do a quick Google Map Search and a quick Wiki search about Tasmania, (Van Diemen's Land) Flinders Island, and Wybalena, so you'll know where you are on the earth and in history.
I wish this were the cover art, and if you read the book, you'll know why: 
Prefontaine - This is a movie based on the true story of Steve Prefontaine, one America's best distance runners who ran for Oregon in the late 1960s/early 70s. Although actors play most of the major roles, real life footage is woven into the film. The visuals of Bill Bowerman making shoes are priceless, and Bowerman (Oregon's head track coach and also founder of Nike) plays a major role in this story. It's a good movie for runners and those who love them.
