Category Archives: Books

Broadway Harry

Posted on May 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

Potted Potter, the parody of the seven Harry Potter books now on Broadway, was tailor-made for kids.

It’s only 70-minutes long, is super high energy, and even features a quidditch match with audience participation.

No wonder I liked it so much.

Brits Dan Clarkson and Jeff Turner, who also wrote the show, bring all the characters to life with minimal props, costumes and staging. The humor is decidedly British as well, but Potter lovers — and the family and friends who they drag along — will find it easy to translate.

Obviously some plot points are skipped in such a short synopsis, but the ones that made the cut are treated with high hilarity. Favorites include Lord Voldemort, the dragons from book four, and the bigger-than-life quidditch snitch.

Dan and Jeff cracked up a few times during the show, but the reason was pretty obvious –

They are as wild about Harry as the audience.

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Posted in Books, Broadway, Comedy, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life

Tagged audience participation, books, British humor, Broadway, comedy, commentary, costume, Dan Clarkson, dragons, entertainment, golden snitch, Harry Potter books, Humor, Jeff Turner, life, Lord Voldemort, Manhattan, New York City, parody, Potted Potter, props, quidditch, staging, two-man show, wild about Harry

A dog’s life

Posted on May 9, 2012 | 3 Comments

We are smack dab in the middle of National Children’s Book Week…

What is your favorite?

My fav is The Poky Little Puppy, a children’s classic from Little Golden Books. And I’m not the only one who liked it. In 2001, it was the all-time best-selling hardcover children’s book in the United States, having sold nearly 15 million copies.

Of course, I didn’t know that back then.

I liked Poky because of his funny name and cute — if rather ginormous — head. I also liked his independence. In the story, he lags behind his brothers and sisters and ‘does his own thang.’ Sometimes it works to his advantage; other times it gets him into trouble.

Wow. Just call me Poky.

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Posted in Books, Children, Commentary, Education, Entertainment, Family, Humor, Life, Writing

Tagged big head, books, brothers, children, children's book, commentary, Dogs, education, entertainment, famiy, Humor, independence, life, Little Golden Books, National Children's Book Week, sisters, The Poky Little Puppy, writing

Let’s make a deal

Posted on April 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

I finished reading a great book today on the plane — a non-fiction, history book even.

I know, right?

“To Marry an English Lord” is the book that inspired Julian Fellowes to create the award-winning series Downton Abbey on PBS.

It tells the true story of the more than 100 American heiresses who traded money for marriage – and a nifty title in Britain — around the turn of the century.

Sound just like Lady Grantham, doesn’t it?

The real life stories, as told by Gail MacColl and Carol Wallace, are no less entertaining and compelling. Perhaps that’s why it doesn’t feel one bit like a high school history class.

I was even inspired to order The Glitter and the Gold, a first-hand account of American heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt, who married the ninth Duke of Marlborough in 1895. It’s considered to be one of the best accounts of the ‘aristocratic life.’

Sign me up.

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Posted in Books, Commentary, Entertainment, History, Humor, Life, Television, TV

Tagged American heiresses, books, Britain, Carol Wallace, commentary, Consuelo Vanderbilt, Downton Abbey, Duke of Marlborough, entertainment, Gail MacColl, history, Humor, Julian Fellowes, Lady Grantham, life, marry for money, noble title, non-fiction, PBS, Television, The Glitter and the Gold, To Marry an English Lord, turn-of-the-century, TV

Winds day

Posted on April 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

I had an early appointment downtown this morning. As I made my way from the subway station to the studio, the wind was blowing so hard, I was almost lifted off my feet. I thought…

“What a blustery day.”

I can thank Winnie the Pooh for that.

We all write for different reasons. Some to make a living. Some just hoping to entertain. And then there are the truly gifted who entertain and teach us something about ourselves. And their words live for generations.

A.A. Milne defines that category.

So, all you mothers out there who are reading Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day to your kids — imagine a day like today, decades later (no need to say how many, I hope) when your son or daughter will stand on a windy street corner and effortlessly recall these words.

And smile.

Gopher: If I was you, I’d think about skedaddlin’ out of here.
Winnie the Pooh: Why?
Gopher: ‘Cause it’s “Winds-day.”

– Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day

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Posted in Books, Children, Life, Weather, Writing

Tagged A.A. Milne, blown off my feet, blustery day, books, children, children's book, commentary, Gopher, life, Manhattan, studio, subway station, weather, wind, Winds-Day, Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, writing

Delicious

Posted on April 8, 2012 | 3 Comments

Happy Bunny Day!

If you’re hanging out at home with family and friends and looking for a ‘bunny of a film,’ I recommend Miss Potter, starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor.

It wasn’t a big box office hit in 2006, and I haven’t seen it on premium channels much, either. That’s why I bought the DVD.

I love it that much.

It tells the story of Beatrix Potter, the author of the beloved children’s book, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” and her quest for personal independence and publication at the turn of the century — no small achievement for a female in 1902.

She is assisted by rookie editor Norman Warne (McGregor), who publishes her books and becomes much more than a business colleague.

Their growing relationship is not happy news to everyone, and the movie tells the tale with old-world charm and romance, for which I am a sucker. I think you will like it, too. It is Easter, after all…

Enjoy the sweetness.

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Posted in Animals, Books, Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Movies

Tagged animals, Beatrix Potter, books, box office hit, bunnies, celebrities, children books, commentary, DVD, Easter, easter bunnies, entertainment, Ewan McGregor, family, friends, Humor, life, Miss Potter movie, Movies, Peter Rabbit, publisher, rabbits, Renee Zellweger, turn-of-the-century

Like the Dickens

Posted on January 26, 2012 | Leave a comment

While I was on a business trip in London a few years ago, a surprise snow blanketed the city. A colleague, looking out the window of our hotel room at the falling snow, quipped:

“It’s so Dickensian!”

And we had our catchphrase.

It did feel like we had stepped back in time, into one of the classic novels we had all read in school. The snow didn’t last, but the memory of that brief interlude has to this day.

Stateside in 2012, ‘Dickensian’ has an entirely different vibe.

StrangeBeautiful just launched their Dickensian Edition of nail colors, which is roughly 10 different shades…of black.

(Only true New Yorkers can discern the difference.)

Creator Jane Schub said her interpretation of Dickens for the collection was inspired by photography, literature, art, coal and broken shale.

Geez, Jane — did you even read the novels?

They have happy endings.

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Posted in Beauty, Books, Commentary, Humor, Life, Shopping, Travel

Tagged beauty, black nail polish, books, Charles Dickens, coal, commentary, Dickensian, Humor, Jane Schub, life, London, nail polish, New Yorkers, shale, shopping, snow storm, StrangeBeautiful, StrangeBeautiful Dickensian Edition, Travel

From page to screen

Posted on December 16, 2011 | 2 Comments

I can’t believe it.

I’m actually excited about the premiere of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

After slogging through that relentless tome of a book, believe you me, it’s nothing short of a miracle.

Several factors have come together to make me want to be one of the first folks in the theater.

1. Whereas most books are better than their on-screen interpretations, the Tattoo movie can’t miss. The English translation of Stieg Larsson’s bestseller was front-loaded with the most mind-numbing tedium imaginable before getting to the action that propelled readers through the rest of the book. Stieg even found a way to make the ending slow.

Based on director David Fincher’s reputation and the killer trailers I’ve seen to date, I think it’s safe to say he hasn’t adopted the author’s penchant for pokey pacing.

I’m also psyched to hear Tattoo’s musical score is the work of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who penned the brilliant, Oscar-winning score for The Social Network. In fact, the score for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has already been nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Of course, Tattoo has a great cast. And I’ve already mentioned the intense trailers. Some critics have even applauded the film for sticking closer to the book’s original plot line than the Swedish version did.

Closer to the book? I don’t want to know!

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Posted in Books, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Movies

Tagged Academy Award, action genre, Atticus Ross, author, books, commentary, English translation, entertainment, Golden Globe, Humor, life, movie director, movie premiere, movie theater, movie trailer, Movies, musical score, Oscar, Stieg Larrson, tedium, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network, tome, Trent Reznor

Feeling bookish

Posted on November 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

Facebook — a waste of time?

Maybe…but what an educational one!

While checking this morning’s newsfeed, I noticed a friend had shared a photo of street art in Mexico. Clicking on it for a better look took me to the Street Art Utopia community page, where I discovered the photo below of De Batavier in Lootstraat, Amsterdam.

De Batavier is a facade of books designed by artist Sanja Medic, ceramist P. Kemink and graphic designers Melle Hammer and Susanne Laws. The facade contains 250 ceramic books, the spines of which contain the names of actual works from 18th and 19th century Dutch writers and poets.

The installment was commissioned by Dutch housing organization De Alliantie and HVDN Architects.

I had never seen or heard of this building before today’s random search, but as a book lover, it really speaks to me. And if I hadn’t been goofing around on Facebook, I’m not sure I would have ever heard of it.

Let’s hear it for wasting time!

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Posted in Art, Books, Commentary, Design, Humor, Internet, Life, Travel

Tagged 18th century, 19th century, art, art installment, artist, ceramist, commentary, De Alliantie, De Batavier, design, Dutch housing organization, Dutch poet, Dutch writer, facade, facade of books, Facebook, Facebook community page, Facebook newsfeed, graphic designer, Humor, HVDN Architects, Internet, life, Lootstraat Amsterdam, Melle Hammer, Mexico, P. Kemink, Sanja Medic, street art, Susanne Laws, Travel, Urban Street Art community page

Chewed

Posted on October 2, 2011 | 2 Comments

When you look at these faces, what do you see?

Some might think trash ready for the garbage bin.

If you have a dog, you see much loved friends. Heck, you probably have some pretty similar toys lying around the house. That one stuffed animal (that’s really not ‘stuffed’ anymore) that your dog prefers over all the new ones you buy.

For my dog Rory, it’s Bear. I gave Bear to Rory on the day I brought him home almost 13 years ago. (He was a panda bear with a face and ears back then.) I’ve bought countless new toys over the years, but Rory has always loved Bear more…wanted to play with Bear first. I just kept stitching him up and shoving in more cotton.

Now he’s more ‘panda ball’ than panda bear.

Arne Svenson and Ron Warren have put together a collection about toys just like Bear — with far superior photography – in their book Chewed. Some great writers have contributed stories, too.