COOL, CALM & CONTENTIOUS * BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

Cool, Calm & Contentious by Merrill Markoe - I love books by comedy writers.  Merrill Markoe writes about growing up, college, "dating", guys, dogs and other stuff.  She makes the best observations and even gives some advice.  I needed a book like this when I was twenty. This was the perfect followup to The Art of Racing in the Rain, because she writes about conversations with her dogs, who aren't as smart as Enzo, but who definitely have a viewpoint.  Funny and enjoyable.  I think I want to read the rest of her books.Behind the Candelabra - Michael Douglas plays Liberace and Matt Damon plays his lover, Scott, in this sparkly don't miss HBO movie. The movie is surreal in terms of these actors playing these roles; and then the story, the acting and the Liberace lifestyle are all over the top.  It's a great, albeit strange story, and it feels a bit voyeuristic to watch.  Which is what probably makes it so compelling.  The clothes!  The diamonds!  The cars!  The pianos!  The decorating! Who doesn't love Liberace?  And P.S., how about Rob Lowe?

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN * THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREENE

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein - Finally.  The best book I've read in a long long time, and I recommend it to anyone.  First and foremost, like all the best stories, this one is about love, enduring and unconditional love.  It's also about a dog, a race car driver and race car driving, and those elements come together to get our hero through some very tough times.  Enzo is the narrator, and he tells his story with exceptional detail and emotional intelligence.  The funny thing is, I'm not a dog person, and race car driving is really loud and repetitious, and Seattle, although beautiful, is rainy and overcast.  With all that being true, this is still the best book.  


The Odd Life of Timothy Greene - Somehow I just had to see this movie with the great trailers.  It's a sweet movie about a sweet couple and the sweet boy who appears in their lives just when they need him most.  It's all good, but not as good as some of the Oscar contenders, because I was able to doze off, wake up and still follow the story.  It didn't need a special rental night of its own; this would have been a good one to watch on an airplane or on the iPad.  

BOY 30529 A MEMOIR

Boy 30529 A Memoir by Felix Weinberg - This is the true account of a Czech survivor of the Nazi Concentration Camps.  Felix's wrote his story 60 years after the fact, and his recollections are amazing.  He covers not only his experience, but he also philosophizes in a simple way about what happened.  There was a small discussion about fictionalized accounts versus true life stories, and on that he and I agree.  Fictionalized accounts can be very uncomfortable.  I'm still upset about "Sandcastle Girls", especially the casual title given to a book set against the background of very real and tragic history.  That said, it's a free country, and writers are free to write whatever they want.  I recommend Felix Weinberg's experiences as good reading and good history and wish it could be a book that Peter's class would study in high school english or history.  Nothing can replace the truth of eye witness survivors to history.  Notwithstanding the fact that it's difficult material, it is warmly, wonderfully and thoughtfully written. 

LOVE WATER MEMORY

Love Water Memory by Jennie Shortridge - This is a story about amnesia and how a person might change when all of a sudden they snap and they have no past.  Think about it.  No past.  In an amnesia story, we pull for the person and hope that they can find their memories and move forward.  The fear is always about whether the protagonist and the reader can handle the memories that have caused the block.  Love Water Memory is a warmly written story with an uncomfortable twist and it's good reading.  Plus, don't you love the cover?

THE GREAT GATSBY * THOUSAND PIECES OF GOLD

The Great Gatsby - I'd been seeing the reviews on Gatsby, not reading them of course, but noting the 2 1/2 stars it's garnered from the "professionals".   Just forget that.  These snarky reviewers who give away movies and stand in judgement baffle me.  Peter read The Great Gatsby earlier this year for school, and he and his class liked it and really delved in.  We decided on 3D since I'd never seen a 3D movie;  it was fantastic!  I don't know where to begin.  Tobey Maguire is Nick Carroway   Think Cider House Rules rather than Spiderman.  His friend Leonardo DiCaprio plays Gatsby with more personality and aplomb than any who have gone before.  The mysterious gajillionaire doesn't partake in the shenanegans of the wild parties he hosts at his mansion with the sole purpose of attracting his long lost love to the mansion and back into his arms.  (now there's a run-on sentence! - I feel like italicizing today)  3D is really great.  From the Valley of the Ashes to the opulence of Long Island to the eyes of TJ Eckleburg, you'll have to see for yourself what happens.  


Thousand Pieces of Gold by Ruthanne Lum McCunn - This is the biography of a girl born in China to peasant farmers in the mid 1800s.  She lived her difficult life with dignity and strength and generosity, and when you think of all she survived it doesn't seem possible.  Her name was Polly Bemis, and she lived in Idaho, but she was born Lalu Nathoy.  It's a look into what life was like in those years and for those people, and it was a rare Chinese woman who accomplished what Polly did during difficult times.  Really good.

I, RHODA * SURVIVOR

I, Rhoda A Memoir by Valerie Harper - Valerie Harper is the actress who played Mary Richards' friend and neighbor Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  As she quotes her friend Nicole Barth on the original three female characters on the show, "Mary is who you wish you were.  Rhoda is who you probably are.  And Phyllis is who you're afraid you'll become".    The book is an autobiography of Valerie's life, and it's as sweet as can be.  She went on to star in her own sitcom and to act in countless TV movies and shows.  She seems to be a genuinely lovely person, and someone you'd like to have as a friend.  I love a Hollywood book as much as the next person, but this one is too nice to be typical.  Which is refreshing.  So if you're a fan, read and enjoy.   

Survivor - After 13 years, one of my favorite TV shows is still Survivor.  I never miss it, and on last night's finale, one of my absolute favorite Survivors won the million bucks.  Cochran had previously played as a Harvard Law School student and ultimate Survivor fan.  He didn't last long that season - he was unseasoned - and by his own description, nerdy and insecure.  This time around, still a bit self-deprecating, but more self aware, he played a masterful game.  He was up against some powerful favorites and group of hard core fans.  He's now 26 years old and knows who he is and was able to play the game with intelligence and, in a crazy way, kindness.  He rarely put anyone down, but didn't shy away from giving his opinions.  It was a great season and the ultimate fan played as a favorite and won.  Perfect.  
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout - No.  Just no. In a minute I was annoyed by the characters, the things they thought and said and everything about what the story was going to be.  I was annoyed by Olive Kitteridge for the same reasons but finished it.  This time I wasn't going to waste my time.  No.  

THREE WISHES

Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty - Three sisters celebrate their 34th birthday with personality and drama.  It's light reading about lifestyles and serious choices, which makes the reading somewhat un-light after all!   Still there is something engaging and chatty about this author's voice that I find very relaxing.  The sisters are Cat, Lyn and Gemma, and their relationship is complicated but loyal as they struggle with the modern day concerns being 30 something in the big city.   

COURABETHES

Courabethes - These are Steve's favorite cookies.  His Yia Yia used to send him a shoebox of them at college, and Steve would unwrap his shoebox, sit down and eat the entire box.  I make them from my grandmother's recipe.  My tweak is to make them very small.  Bite size so that you can pop one in your mouth without getting powdered sugar all over everything.  Very neat.  

Here's the recipe.  I can just hear my grandmother saying that the reason you put whiskey in them is to cut the sweetness.  And she'd make a cutting motion with her right index finger across her left index finger.  

                                         Sophia's Courabethes

1/2 pound Sweet Butter   (Unsalted)

1 1/2 teaspoons Crisco  (shortening)

1 small beaten egg yolk

1/2 jigger whiskey

6 Tablespoons Confectioner's Sugar

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1/4 tsp. Baking Powder

2 - 2 1/2 cups Flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream the butter and Crisco.  Add whiskey, egg yolk, vanilla, sugar and baking powder.  

Gradually sift in the flour until you have a soft dough.  Don't overbeat, but combine well.  

Form dough into 1" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly.  

Bake 15-20 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned. 

Cool and sift confectioner's sugar over the tops.

Enjoy!  

This is the first post I've written from my iPad.  I wanted to post a picture of the cookies, but there doesn't seem to be a convenient way to do so, so I'll have to add it later.  To see a picture now, go to my Pinterest page.  It's under Greek Stuff.  This link might get you there:   http://pinterest.com/pin/535787686889247949/

DARK PLACES

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn - Best Gillian Flynn book so far.  I could say ever, but she's only written three books, and I think there are going to be many more.  Dark Places is about a family mystery and there's something smooth about the way this story moves the reader through all the events that lead to finally, an answer.  It takes place from three different viewpoints and in two different time frames.  The characters have a humbleness and innocence that is revealed in their thoughts and actions, even when their thoughts and actions lead to bad results.  They are doing their best against all sorts of odds, just getting up every day and slogging through.   Finally, I have to mention that in searching for the cover art just now, there are not only a few different covers for this Dark Places, but there are many many books entitled Dark Places.  And they all look much darker than this was!  This wasn't all that dark a book for me.  I was too engrossed to be horrified by the horrifying stuff and dark themes.....just passed right over the bad stuff to get to the parts about the people and the story of what happened. 

THE GILDER * GELATO * VEEP

The Gilder by Kathryn Kay -  This is a nicely written novel about Marina, single mom of a 15 year old daughter who wants to know more about her father.  It takes us back to Marina's early 20s when she moved to Florence Italy to learn to be a gilder.  I wish it had included a map of Florence, because since I read late at night, I was too lazy to pull one up online or actually find my paper map.  It's a great book for anyone who has a special connection to that city.  Because she mentions so many of the churches, squares, streets and neighborhoods, have the map in hand first, so you can trace Marina, Thomas and Sarah's steps as you read the book.  When Via dei Neri was mentioned near the end, I thought about that fabulous gelato place in the middle of that street, with the chocolate rum hazelnut flavor that was out of this world.  I think I paired it with a black licorice flavor.  Bellissimo!

Gelateria dei Neri - When we returned from Florence in September 2009, there were a few opinion pieces on the Gelato of Florence, mostly touting the larger slicker gelato places in the touristy areas.  There was nothing about the Geleteria dei Neri which I had identified as the best gelato of the trip.  I found my gelato post which was tacked on to the post about shopping for Linens in Florence, (this is one of my most read posts ever) but I wrote it before I had tried the Gelateria dei Neri.  Funny, I mention that I'm going to be going back to it, though.  I of course, did go back, either wrote about it or not (I can't quite figure that out - it might be a labeling issue).  However, now it even has a Facebook page! 

VEEP - This HBO series is in it's second season, and it's not only my favorite half hour show, but also the funniest thing on TV.  I know, I know, it's not TV, it's HBO.  Julia absolutely nails it.  There's no more to say.  Just watch it.  If you like comedy.  You never know what she's going to say or do next.  Everything about this show is just funny, although just now in Season 2, Episode 3, near the end, there was a little twist.  Selena is human after all.