Wednesday, June 22, 2011

What We're Reading: Laurie


Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

All is not well in the seven kingdoms. The Hand of the King, Lord Jon Arryn, has been murdered which has led to much upheaval in the realm.
Martin's characters are deep and interesting, and the story is an expertly woven tale filled with intrigue, action, wit, romance and intelligence. Once you begin reading this medieval fantasy it will be impossible to put down. Absolutely fantastic.

Books in the A Song Of Ice And Fire Series:
A Game Of Thrones
A Clash Of Kings
A Storm Of Swords
A Feast For Crows
A Dance With Dragons (July 12 release date)









Tuesday, June 21, 2011

What We're Reading: Edward



In the Shadow of the Cypress



by Thomas Steinbeck



The Monterey coast of california is the setting for this novel that covers events almost 100 years apart. In 1906, the Chinese community in the area was forced to give up a precious artifact. The ship transporting the artifact to San francisco's Chinatown explodes and sinks. Recently a scientist discovered the remains of the sunken ship. Will the artifact be found? Various parties begin to claim the undiscovered treasure. With his roots in the community, does the scientist go with the scientific or the cultural solution? The author is the son of John Steinbeck.

What We're Reading Now: Cathy



The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared by Alice Ozma





Alice and her father - who is an elementary school librarian - made a pact when she was 9 years old that he would read aloud to her for 100 nights. When they finished that, they decided to continue The Streak for 1,000 nights. It finally turned into 3,218 nights of reading, ending on her first day of college. In between we see the changes in her life as Alice grows up: her parents' divorce, learning to drive, going to prom, dealing with school. The bond between the father and daughter is very strong and you almost forget there is a sister in the household. She includes a list of the books they read - the ones that they remember.

Monday, June 20, 2011

What We're Reading: Jan

Conversations with Scorsese by Richard Schickel with Martin Scorsese


It’s a joy to read but hard to put a label on Conversations with Scorsese. It’s an autobiographical study of director (Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed) Martin Scorsese’s life. It's also his family history (with photographs), and a study of Italian culture - specifically his neighborhood in New York. These personal revelations are interwoven with Scorcese's deep knowledge of American and foreign film classics and an analysis of his style and technique that he's applied to his own cinema creations. As a sickly youngster Scorsese saw movies of all kinds and can today name many director's works that have influenced his own. His youthful interest in film was technical too. He studied how camera angles could make the viewer “feel” differently about a film and would draw out his own imaginary film sets - much as he still draws them today. This wealth of Scorsese information is mined by the wonderfully informed interview style of esteemed film critic Richard Schickel. Schickel met the director at the beginning of his career and has watched and critiqued his creations through the years. The book is a one-to-one discussion between two film devotees and covers film history as well as the Scorsese film catalog.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

What We're Reading: Cathy



The Brothers of Baker Street by Michael Robertson



Two brothers, Reggie and Nigel Heath, who are lawyers, set up their offices at 221B Baker Street. Part of the terms of their lease is that they answer the letters that arrive addressed to Sherlock Holmes. Most of the letters get a form letter in reply but one of them seems to relate to a case that Reggie is working on - the Black Cab murders. The case is getting a lot of attention because if Londoners can't trust a Black Cab to get them home, who can they trust? Reggie has other problems too. His girlfriend, actress Laura Rankin, seems to be getting engaged to a rich newspaper publisher, Nigel has gone off to California, and he has no other cases pending - and then he gets arrested. This is the sequel to The Brothers of Baker Street.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

What We're Watching: Laurie


Somewhere written and directed by Sofia Coppola. Starring Stephen Dorff and Elle Fanning.

Johnny Marco (Dorff) has a successful acting career. He drives a Ferrari and lives at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood. Marco has plenty of things to distract him and numb his pain. Johnny realizes that his life may not be as glamorous as it appears to the outside world when he has to take on the unexpected responsibility of caring for his adolescent daughter Cleo (Fanning). Living with Cleo opens Johnny's eyes as he realizes he is in desperate need of making some serious changes in his life. DVD FIC Somewhere. Rated R.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

What We're Reading: Edward



Athena Project



by Brad Thor



When a terrorist attack in Rome kills twenty Americans, Gretchen, Julie, Megan, and Alex are sent to track down the arms dealer who provided the explosives. The members of Brad Thor's Athena Project are SEAL Team Six in high heels. They can get closer to their targets than their male counterparts. Meanwhile another American agent in South America discovers the ruins of a Nazi project gone wrong. The terrorists are also trying to access the secret government installation underneath the Denver airport. Who knew? The intersection of these plot lines will amaze you!

Great beach read!