Director Lee Daniels and actress Gabourey Sidibe

Rolling Stone has named Precious the top film of the year.

The Lee Daniels-directed film, which is produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, stars Mo’Nique, Gabourey Sidibe, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and Lenny Kravitz.

Precious is based on Sapphire’s novel Push and will arrive in UK cinemas on January 29th.

Dr. Gregory House, fantastically portrayed by actor Hugh Laurie, is a brilliant diagnostician who loves the far-out challenges of the medical puzzles he must solve in order to save lives. House solves the strange, often rather gross, cases that other doctors simply can’t understand.

House isn’t alone in this quest. He is teamed with other young aspiring doctors who often balk at his antics but appreciate the opportunity to work alongside such a unique mind. House’s good (and possibly only) friend Dr. James Wilson has to help and stand up for House on a regular basis, while trying to get him to face a few harsh truths. Their relationship makes for good television viewing.

House must also deal with his boss, Lisa Cuddy who, while often opposing House’s unconventional methods, must admit that he is the best doctor on her staff. When a patient’s life hangs in the balance, House will do anything, including breaking the law, taking risks other doctors would not take. His methods may be controversial but his results speak for themselves.

The library has all five seasons on this fantastic show. House’s fifth season is somewhat darker when compared to the previous seasons but all the more fascinating and the writing is consistently funny and sharp. Among the vast array of medical dramas spread across the channels – House stands on top of the list for me!

Under the Blood-Red Sun by Graham Salisbury

In this story, author Graham Salisbury captures the panic, confusion, and terror during the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese in 1941, told from the perspective of Tomi, a young Japanese boy. Tomi’s father and then his grandfather are arrested out of a mistaken fear that they may be collaborators. Tomi struggles first to make sense of the situation, and then to gather his inner strength. It is  a story that contrasts fear-inspired cruelty with the compassion and loyalty of true friendship.

Under the Blood-Red Sun is well-liked by middle school boys.  There is plenty of dramatic action and a significant event in American history is brought vividly to life with realistic descriptions and highly believable characters.

Gaby

Out Stealing Horses has been on my tbr list for ages, so I was happy when it was chosen as the December read for my book club. I was also surprised because the woman who chose generally dislikes translations and this novel was translated from the original Norwegian. Anyway, I settled in and finished the book (one of the few in the group who actually did) and even after discussing it – I am not sure how I feel about the book.

The story concerns 67 year old Trond Sander who is living in isolation after the death of his second wife. The novel moves seamlessly between Trond’s every day concerns (getting his driveway plowed and stacking wood) and his memories of his youth. The summer he was 15 he and his father had left Trond’s mother and sister in Oslo and come to a cottage quike like the one Trond is currently inhabiting. It was there that Trond’s world was knocked off-kilter – not only by a tragedy that occurred in his friend Jon’s family, but also by events in his own life.

It took my a while to settle into this book. It’s a quiet novel and while the writing is quite powerful (particularly Pettersen’s descriptions of the natural world), I found the long sentences strangely difficult…too many commas or something. Still, I eventually stopped wanting to add full stops and gave myself over to Trond’s remarkable childhood recollections.

I’m not sure this book will appeal to everyone and so it’s not one that I can whole-heartedly recommend. That said – I do think it achieves something quite remarkable. As Trond’s story unfolds we learn a universal truth – sometimes there are no satisfactory explanations for life’s mysteries.

Ready Steady Book Review

The Independent on Books Review

NY Times Review

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart

Frankie Landau-Banks just wants to be let in. As a sophomore at a prestigious East Coast boarding school, she is very happy that a really popular senior thinks she is adorable. But he and his buddies have the camaraderie, the intellectual repartee, and the bonding that appears to be creating a potential springboard for their future lives. That’s where Frankie wants to be, but her boyfriend cannot imagine including her. Smart, philosophical, and highly creative, Frankie wants both to be arm candy and also to be, not only included, but the leader of the pack. She will have to choose, and though the going gets rough, she will choose and she will eventually be happy with her choice.

Author E. Lockhart writes books for teenage girls that helpfully explain boys to them and that  also encourage girls to not become dependent on boys for their own identity. She does this in a very entertaining and light-hearted fashion–her books are page-turners. well-written, entertaining, and helpful. The Disreputable History of Franki-Landau-Banks won the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature and was a finalist for the National Book Award. It is a pleasure to recommend it for teenage girls–the content is even appropriate for middle school girls, though high school girls will probably find it more interesting.

Gaby

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Written and Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy
Starring Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones and Kelly McDonald

Before No Country For Old Men, many people had believed that the Coen Brothers did not have another good movie left in them, after a long series of less-than-stellar comedies, but, with a little help from acclaimed novelist Cormac McCarthy, they created a tale of menace and danger that would go on to be one of the biggest films of the year. For those who have been living under a rock, No Country For Old Men tells the story of a man who finds a suitcase full of money, but soon finds himself pursued by a very violent, and indestructable, criminal, who will stop at anything to get his money back. It’s a bleak, depressing movie, with moments of shocking violence and plenty of tension, leaving the audience breathless for much of its run. It features a fantastic performance by Javier Bardem, and re-introduced Josh Brolin to the world, all while telling an engaging and shocking story. The ending may have been widely debated in cinema circles, and it remains one of the most well-respected movies of the past few years.

I can already hear the screams of “too low” ringing from the bleachers. No Country for Old Men is a great film, with an absolutely amazing performance from Bardem and some brilliant direction from the Coen Brothers, but in the end, there were simply 48 movies I enjoyed more, so be sure to stay tuned to find out just what those movies are.

Were you always picked last for kickball?

Got a letter in high school for… chess?

It’s time to claim that trophy you’ve always wanted, by outshining everyone with the Ugliest Christmas Sweater at that holiday party.

Let’s hope they are giving out these babies at yours:

Hosting a party of your own and need creative awards? Get yours from DinnTrophy.com

Still looking for that perfect Ugly Christmas Sweater? Get yours from TheUglySweaterShop.com

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas Winner of the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for Best Novel 2009, this book is certainly an interesting and at times very hard read. It’s unusually told from the points of view of eight people at a barbecue. At this barbecue a man slaps a child who is not his own. This event has a shocking ricochet effect on this group of people, mostly friends, all directly or indirectly influenced by the ‘slap’. They are all forced to question their own families, their way they live, their expectations, beliefs and desires. I found that I would agree then disagree with each person’s point of view, changing my mind at every chance. (but that’s not really unusual for me!) As the novel is told from different perspectives I remained interested and eager to find out how each character responded to the incident, the ‘slap’.

However, I can’t say that I enjoyed this novel and I have a strong dislike to the bad language – very untasteful language in fact. It was not necessary at all! I actually repulsed me by the middle of the book but I tried to glaze over these words. If reading this novel please try to ignore the bad language as there is a remarkable story within and it’s written by a talented Australian author. (I’ve heard that it is going to be made into a television series which is due to hit Australian TV screens in late 2010)

It’s a nostalgia trip again this coming Wednesday when we screen HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA (1971) at MadAboutMovies. That cult film.  You probably have the DVD at home but Zeenat Aman in Dum Maro Dum just has to be seen with friends. Over a drink. Starring Dev Anand, Zeenat Aman. Free for MadAboutMovies members. $20 for non members.

December 2, 2009, Wednesday. 7.30pm at Screening Room, 12 Ann Siang Road

Have you got your MadAboutMovies membership card? Call +65 2211694 ext 2.

The University of Iowa actually offers a course on popular Hindi Cinema. Prof Philip  Lutgendorf of the Department of Asian Languages and Literature has written a detailed background and summary of the film that you can check out. http://www.uiowa.edu/~incinema/HareRama.html

SPECIAL EVENT: TEA WITH FAROOQUE SHAIKH, NOV 20, 2009, FRIDAY.

We, collectively, fell in love with FAROOQUE SHAIKH (again!), this time for his sheer felicity with language and his utter humility. It was an intimate evening at The Esplanade with the actor fielding diverse questions on his life, his works, his persona. When asked about working with Satyajit Ray, the self-effacing Farooque Shaikh said his role in Shatranj Ke Khilari was so brief it was over in a blink! He then went on to talk about the genius of Ray – how he had every nuance, every micro detail of the film worked out in his head and what a complete auteur he was, handling every aspect of filmmaking, from the script, the music, the costumes, the camera, everything. “Which was both a good thing and a bad thing,” he added. “Ray worked everything out to a mathematical perfection. He gave the actor an equation, but spelt out the answer. So it was 2+?=4. You could put nothing there but 2. So there was little elbow room for an actor but you knew that the end result would be perfect.” Farooque added that this irked some of the creative people who worked with him like his brilliant cameraman.” (referring of course to Subrata Mitra).

Inspired by his visit, MAM members watched Sai Paranjpye’s delightful comedy CHASHME BUDDOOR on Saturday, November 21.

NOVEMBER 11, WEDNESDAY. Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s evergreen comedy GOLMAAL.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s niece joined MAM members to talk about her uncle and what it was like watching him at work.

NOVEMBER 4, WEDNESDAY, MANORAMA SIX FEET UNDER

OCTOBER 28, WEDNESDAY, KHAMOSH PANI. Samiha Sumer’s award-winning film was screened.

MADABOUTMOVIES kicked off on October 21 with RAMCHAND PAKISTANI, the powerful film based on a true story about a boy who inadvertently crosses the border between Pakistan and India and the ordeal that his family suffers. This award-winning film by Mehreen Jabbar stars Nandita Das.

Author:  Alison Bechdel

Title:  Fun Home: a family tragicomic

Genre:  Gay/Lesbian

Publication Date:  2006

Number of Pages:  240

Geographical Setting:  Beech Creek, Pennsylvania

Time Period: 1960 – 1980

Series (If applicable): N/A

Plot Summary: A non-fiction account of the author’s life that describes growing up living in Beech Creek, Pennsylvania with her closeted homosexual father, a distant mother and two brothers.  The family ran the local funeral parlor part time and her father was also an English teacher at the local high school. Her father is killed in an accident that may or may not have been a suicide. The book talks about what it was like to grow up in a family like this as well as the author’s realization that she, too, is gay.  She also works through her relationship with her father in hindsight as she learns the facts of his life and also in relation to the accident and his death.  The story is told in a graphic novel format.

Subject Headings:  Bechdel, Alison, 1960- — Comic books, strips, etc., Father and daughter — Comic books, strips, etc., Closet gay — Comic books, strips, etc., Lesbian teenagers — Coming out — Comic books, strips, etc., Brothers — Comic books, strips, etc., English language teachers — Comic books, strips, etc., Gay men — Comic books, strips, etc., Undertakers and undertaking — Comic books, strips, etc., Parent and child — Comic books, strips, etc., Children of divorced parents — Comic books, strips, etc., Funeral homes — Comic books, strips, etc., Teacher-student relationships — Comic books, strips, etc., Divorce — Comic books, strips, etc., Death — Comic books, strips, etc., Historic preservation — Comic books, strips, etc., Cartoonists — United States — Comic books, strips, etc., Autobiographical comic books, strips, etc., Autobiographies (Adult literature) Comic books, strips, etc., Graphic novels (Nonfiction)

Appeal:  Non-fiction, Memoir, Graphic Novel, Graphic, Gay/Lesbian, Intellectual, Literary, Realistic, Frank, Humorous, Ironic, Books, Authors, Past, Childhood, Sad, Fast paced, Emotional, Historical, Award Winner, Accessible, Artistic, Relatable, Discovery, Father/Daughter, Mother/Daughter, Family, Relationships, Coming Out.

Three terms that best describe this book: Intellectual, Literary, Relatable.

Similar Authors and Works (why are they similar?):

3 Non-fiction

Loving Ourselves: The Gay and Lesbian Guide to Self-Esteem by Dr. Kimeron Hardin – This book talks about self-esteem and self-worth for those in the gay community.  Written by a licensed clinical psychologist.

The Way Out: The Gay Man’s Guide to Freedom No Matter if You’re in Denial, Closeted, Half In, Half Out, Just Out or Been Around the Block by Chris Nutter – A book to help men deal with their homosexuality and to be a more authentic person living a true and authentic life.

The Other Side of the Closet: The Coming-Out Crisis for Straight Spouses and Families, Revised and Expanded Edition by Amity Pierce Buxton – Insights and coping strategies for straight spouses and their families to cope with a homosexual partner and parent.

3 Fiction

My Heartbeat by Garret Freyman-Weyr – The story of a young girl, Ellen, who has a crush on her brother’s best friend, James.  When some kids at school ask her if her brother and his friend are in love, she doesn’t understand, but wants to find out what was meant.  When she asks her brother, Link about this, he refuses to discuss it.  James and Link have a falling out because of the secrets they share and Ellen, who loves them both, tries to help them repair their friendship and learn and understand the truth.

Lessons by Kim Pritekel – A girl goes off to college more so to escape her controlling parents than to choose a course of study.  She doesn’t really know herself yet. She finds friendship and maybe love with her Psych 101 TA who used to be her childhood babysitter.

David Inside Out by Lee Bantle – The story of David whose friend comes out to him but he doesn’t want to seem “gay by association” even though he has the same feelings.  The coming of age story of a boy trying to deal with his homosexuality.

Name:  Chris S.

In the Bleak Midwinter. Millers Kill, NY.  Put together a female priest, a cop, a baby on a doorstep, and MURDER.  The suspect list is mounting as fast as the list of suspects.  First book in the Clare Fergusson mystery series. A Malice Domestic book award winner.

Susan K, staff

from Playbill.com:

Two-time Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington will star in the 2010 Broadway revival of late playwright August Wilson’s Fences, according to the New York Times.

Washington, who also appeared in the 2005 revival of Julius Caesar and the 1988 comedy Checkmates, will portray former baseball player Troy Maxson, a role which earned veteran actor James Earl Jones his second Tony Award.

The New York Times reports that Kenny Leon is in negotiations to direct. The project, which is produced by Carol Shorenstein Hays and Scott Rudin, had previously announced Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks as director.

Fences will begin rehearsals this February with an April 2010 opening, Variety is reporting. Denzel has signed on for a 14-week run through mid-July.

Leon, who is the artistic director of Atlanta’s True Colors Theatre, has staged the Broadway productions of A Raisin in the Sun, as well as August Wilson’sRadio Golf and Gem of the Ocean, the latter of which was produced by Hays

Washington garnered Academy Awards for his performances in “Training Day” and “Glory.” He also earned Academy Award nominations for his work in “The Hurricane,” “Malcolm X” and “Freedom.”

Fences, Wilson’s 1950-60’s Pittsburgh-set drama, follows the struggle of a former Negro League baseball player who now finds himself working as a garbage collector.

The original staging of Fences earned a Tony Award for Best Play as well as a Best Leading Actor award for James Earl Jones, Best Featured Actress for Mary Alice, Best Direction for Lloyd Richards and the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The late Wilson penned a ten-play cycle that documents a different decade in the history of African-American culture during the twentieth century, beginning with Gem of the Ocean (set in the 1900s) through Broadway’s recent Radio Golf (set in the 1990s). The majority of Wilson’s plays are set in the Pittsburgh Hills District where he was born and raised.

In addition to earning the Tony Award for Fences, Wilson was also honored with a Tony for The Piano Lesson. All of Wilson’s plays were Tony-nominated for Best Play, with the exception of Jitney, which played Off-Broadway and won an Olivier for its London production. Wilson is the first African-American playwright to have a Broadway theatre in his name. Mr. Wilson died of liver cancer in October 2005, shortly after finishing rewrites on what would be his last play, Radio Golf, the final chapter in his ten-play legacy

Rating: 5/5

Rumpelstiltskin is not an evil little creature intent on taking a woman’s firstborn child in exchange for her life. He’s actually a sweet man who is vertically challenged and wants nothing more than to be a father…if only a woman would marry him!

In this new spin on the classic Rumpelstiltskin tale, Meredith is offered marriage to the king in exchange for a certain amount of gold, which she must spin from straw overnight or the king will take her life. When Rumpelstiltskin shows up with an offer, she’d rather marry him!

Years later, their daughter goes to shop in town with her father’s golden coins. The king recognizes the gold and puts her in the same predicament as her mother. No little man comes to her rescue, but with cunning and compassion she escapes death and teaches the king a valuable lesson.

This is a beautifully illustrated story that keeps you wondering what will happen next. Topics include fatherhood, independence, empathy, charity and the value of work.

This story is a step in the right direction, where characters are not constricted to the gender box and are free to work for what they want with compassion and intelligence. I highly recommend it for all ages.

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Days before his release from prison, Shadow learns that his wife has been killed in an accident. On the plane ride back home for the funeral, he meets the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday, who offers Shadow a job. Shadow accepts but soon discovers that Mr. Wednesday is far more dangerous than he could ever have imagined and Shadow is now caught in up a war for the very soul of America.

This epic novel combines Mythology, Americana, Fantasy and a classic “road novel” into a story that is like none I’ve ever read. This was the second Gaiman novel I’d ever read (after discovering the hilarious Good Omens, co-written with Terry Pratchett) and I kept reading almost everything I could find by this very talented, popular and critically-acclaimed author.  It’s one of those books that grabs you and won’t let go, the kind that you don’t want to put down, yet you don’t want to it to end, either.  In fact, when I began our Science Fiction & Fantasy book club, this was our debut selection and a great introduction for those not used to reading Fantasy novels.  One of my favorite things about it was trying to identify all of the different mythological deities throughout the story (some are well known but many are not).

This book was winner of the Hugo, Nebula, Locus & Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel in 2002.  If you like it you’ll likely love Anansi Boys also by Gaiman, and you’ll probably enjoy his Sandman graphic novels, Alan Moore’s Promethea series of graphic novels as well as The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

Click here to find this book in our catalog.

Sheree Fitch tells all at the first Kid Lit Cafe

Thanks to the great crowd that showed up for the first Kid Lit Cafe last night. Thanks, too, to Nancy MacDonald for welcoming us to the Coburg Coffee House, to Gilles Plante for videotaping the event and, of course, to the incomparable Sheree Fitch for being such a charming – and candid – guest. (My promise to everyone in the back – next time we’ll be miked for sound.) I’ll eventually have pictures and the schedule for more events up here and at kidlitcafe.wordpress.com

One of my most high-profile portraits is now a part of an award-winning campaign!

A little more than a year ago, I photographed New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning for the American Heart Association’s “What Moves U” billboard campaign. Then, on Oct. 9, 2009, at the Jersey Shore Public Relations & Advertising Association 35th Annual JASPER Awards (honoring excellence in New Jersey’s public relations, marketing, advertising, design and communications industry), the campaign received a Silver JASPER award. (The campaign consisted of 31 billboards throughout New Jersey, each featuring my portrait and encouraging children to be active.)
 
I remember this shoot quite clearly. It was August 2008, and I had approximately 10 minutes to make the photo that’s on the billboard (seen above). Eli was in the middle of training camp in Albany, N.Y., and he was coming off a Super Bowl victory.

I had set up a makeshift studio outside of UAlbany’s cafeteria so that Eli could step in and have his picture made before running off to lunch. A white backdrop was taped to a brick wall and lightstands with strobes and umbrellas were held in place with sandbags. It was not a very pretty or high-tech setup! Instead, it was simply intended to get the job done quickly.

 
I knew exactly what photos we needed, and I had sketched out the scenarios the night before. I also asked one of the Giants’ PR people to stand in for Eli once I had the backdrop and lights set up. This way, I didn’t have to test anything when Eli arrived.
 
The quarterback had just finished up the day’s first practice and he clearly wanted to get the shoot finished in a hurry. I tried a joke (OK, we all know that my jokes stink!) and Eli gave me a look that said, “Let’s just get this done.” So, that’s what we did. I gave some posing directions, got the pictures I needed, and called it a day. We all walked away happy.
 
In fact, the Giants were thrilled. They said that the portraits of Eli were some of the best and most flattering they’d seen. That made me feel like – despite the fact that the actual shooting took only 10 minutes (plus all the planning and setup and breakdown time) – I’d put in a good day’s work. The JASPER Award confirms that! Yay!

 The comic legal thriller for teens, Quid Pro Quo, will soon be available in Korea. It’s currently available in France under the title Sur la Liste des Suspects. Rageot, the French publisher has also picked up the rights to Res Judicata.

Yowza Animation, Inc has recently optioned Quid pro Quo with the intention of producing a live-action television series based on the comic legal thriller for kids.

Rating: 5/5

Awards (1971/1972): Caldecott Honor Book; American Library Association Notable Children’s Book; School Library Journal’s Best Books of the Year; Child Study Association Books of the Year

This informative book is about so much more than learning to count to ten in Kiswahili (which we learn from the book is the correct way to refer to the language, instead of “Swahili”).

Muriel Feelings and her husband, Tom Feelings, did a beautiful job of depicting life in East Africa. Each new number is accompanied by a double-spread black and white painting and a sentence providing many insights: from the types of instruments played to facts about the Nile River.

The book invites readers to engage with each page by learning to pronounce the Kiswahili numbers and getting just enough information about East African life to inspire curiosity to find out more.

If you are looking for a good book to get children ages 4-8  interested in other cultures and learning new languages, as well as acquire counting skills, I highly recommend this book.

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Hi everyone!

A while back, I read the book Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything in It, by Sundee Frazier and loved it so much I immediately blogged about it here. Now I’m excited to get my hands on her new book, coming out in June 2010, titled: The Other Half of My Heart — “The relationship between biracial twin sisters is tested when they go to the South to visit their black grandmother and compete in a pageant for African American girls” (taken from Mrs. Frazier’s site).

Though the release date is far away, she was kind enough to post a SNEAK PEAK (yay!) in the quarterly journal of the arts Hunger Mountain, published online by Vermont College of Fine Arts.

The excerpt will only be up until October, so don’t wait until it’s too late! Read it here.
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