1. What are you currently reading? Dead Center by David Rosenfelt. I love these Andy Carpenter mysteries! Andy is a defense attorney in Patterson, NJ. The love of his life, former cop Laurie Collins, has moved back home to the midwest to follow her dream of being a police chief. She invited Andy to go with her, he sadly refused, and now he's heart broken. He may be depressed, but this book is anything but depressing. Andy trying to date again after many, many years is very funny.
Since this is a murder mystery, someone's got to get dead. The unlucky souls lived in Findlay, WI. A suspect was arrested by Chief Laurie Collins. But here's the hitch: in her heart, she doesn't believe he did it. She turns to her ex, Andy, for help, and we're off!
Andy is smart, but not brilliant (this is no Poirot or Nero Wolfe). He's not capable of derring do (his interest in athletics is limited to drinking beer and eating wings with the game on). He's not even exceptionally brave. But he's a funny man with a solid moral compass who loves his dog, Tara. And his girlfriend, Laurie. I'm not very deep into this but I know two things: 1) Andy will make smile and 2) he and Laurie will get back together somehow.
2. What did you just finish reading? Girls on Film by Alicia Malone. A host on the TCM (Turner Classic Movies) cable channel, Alicia Malone takes us on a tour of her life, her career, and the classic movies that influenced her. And I loved every moment!
Marilyn Monroe to Elizabeth Taylor to Ingrid Bergman to Drew Barrymore ... these women and their onscreen personae helped teach Alicia what the world expected of women, and of her. (And of me!) She points out that almost all classic movies and most contemporary cinema is made by men. Most film criticism is written by men. So even though many of the famous female stars were influential and had agency, they didn't completely control the narrative.
This is heady, eye-opening stuff. But in Alicia's hands, it's also entertaining and easy to understand. Her passion for the subject is real, and the personal stories of how these movies effected her personal and career choices bring the material to life. If you're interested in pop culture and its impact, this book is for you.
3. What will you read next? Non-fiction.
