Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty

I just finished reading Diane Keaton's new book called Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty.  I've been a big fan of Diane Keaton for as long as I can remember. I loved her early Woody Allen films (especially "Love and Death", "Manhattan" and "Annie Hall" which I own on DVD) and she continues to make movies I want to see. I haven't read her first memoir yet called Then Again but I really enjoyed this one.


The thing that is great about Diane is she is so true to herself, doesn't follow trends and is unique and funny. She writes well and I highly recommend this book.


Here are some of my favorite quotes -


She is a fan of Cary Grant and this is a quote of his that she likes - "I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be, and I finally became that person."


"And every day for the last few years I have a little chat with myself. 'Okay, Diane... your hands still wash your face. You can still feel hot water. See's Candies peanut brittle is still your favorite dessert. The wild parrots on the telephone wire outside your bathroom still sing to you every morning, and just like them, you're still a live animal. Be grateful for what you have, you big jerk.'"


"Maybe my smile could help me make it through the day. Maybe I could stop being so aggravated if I wore a smile."  Later she quotes Charlie Chaplin and his "You'll find that life is still worthwhile if you just smile."


I enjoyed reading Diane's thoughts about some of the men in her life such as Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson. She's had quite an interesting life.

Mastering the Art of French Eating

I recently read a wonderful book called Mastering the Art of French Eating: Lessons in Food and Love from a Year in Paris by Ann Mah. I loved this book! It really made me want to return to Paris someday. I enjoyed the way Ann described the various dishes that she learned to make and that she included the recipes at the end of each chapter. If you plan to travel to France or even just in your dreams, this book is for you!

Also, Ann has a great website - check out www.annmah.net.

A Disappointing Book

I recently read Ali in Wonderland: And Other Tall Tales by Ali Wentworth.  As an avid Seinfeld fan, I knew Ali Wentworth as Schmoopie in the well known "Soup Nazi" episode. Parenthetically, I might add that following foot surgery in 2004, I felt compelled to tell the nurses and my podiatrist the plot of the episode since I had seen it the night before. Who knows what kind of anesthesia they used but it was a doozy! Ali also appears in the hilarious, classic cult film, "Office Space." So I was expecting her book to be very funny, especially since Jerry Seinfeld himself is quoted as saying, "Everything that comes out of Ali Wentworth's mouth is funny!" on the book jacket.

Sadly, I found her book to be mildly amusing at best. I don't think I've ever been so mislead by the comments on a book jacket, which includes raves by Gwyneth Paltrow and Chelsea Handler. I didn't laugh out loud once and basically just kept reading with the hope that it would suddenly become funny, not because I was enjoying it. I'm glad I got it from the library and didn't shell out any money for it.

The Joy of Books

Hope you enjoy this video about the joy of books as much as I did!

http://youtu.be/SKVcQnyEIT8



And here are some new photos from AMC to remind you that Mad Men starts soon -

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kings of Madison Avenue: the Unofficial Guide to Mad Men

I just finished reading Kings of Madison Avenue: the Unofficial Guide to Mad Men by Jesse McLean.  I really liked this book but I think you have to be a big Mad Men fan to truly enjoy it.  However, if you've never seen the show and are a history buff, there are tons of historical details regarding events that took place in the 1960's.

This book only covers the first 2 seasons of the show and it's been on for 5 seasons now.  I've been a huge fan from the start, so this book was right up my alley.  It includes cast bios of Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, John Slattery, Vincent Kartheiser, Christina Hendricks, January Jones and Robert Morse.  I knew a lot of the info about these actors already but there were some things I didn't know.

I also liked the recommended reading and viewing sections of the book, such as "The Apartment" and "Lover Come Back; plus The Feminine Mystique and Sex and The Single Girl. The author describes how Matthew Weiner (the series creator) was influenced by those books and movies. 

I really liked this book but I think you have to be a big Mad Men fan to truly enjoy it.  However, if you've never seen the show and are a history buff, there are tons of historical details regarding events that took place in the 1960's.

This book only covers the first 2 seasons of the show and it's been on for 5 seasons now.  I've been a huge fan from the start, so this book was right up my alley.  It includes cast bios of Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, John Slattery, Vincent Kartheiser, Christina Hendricks, January Jones and Robert Morse.  I knew a lot of the info about these actors already but there were some things I didn't know.

I also liked the recommended reading and viewing sections of the book, such as "The Apartment" and "Lover Come Back; plus The Feminine Mystique and Sex and the Single Girl.  The author describes how Matthew Weiner (the series creator) was influenced by those books and movies.

Roger Sterling's critique of the movie "The Apartment" - "Oh, please.  A white elevator operator?  And a girl at that?  I want to work at that place."  If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it!

Some quotes from the book -

"It's Don Draper's World and we just live in it."

"Happiness is the smell of a new car.. a billboard at the side of the road screaming that everything you're doing is okay...that you are okay."

Don Draper - "I have a life and it only goes in one direction... forward."

This book includes cocktails of note that the Mad Men would be drinking. Recipes are included at the end of each section.  At the end of the book, the author gives his suggestions on "How to party like the Mad Men" and an itinerary for touring the locations highlighted in the show.

Other trivia -

Jon Hamm won the Golden Globe for Best Lead Actor but has never won the Emmy for Best Actor - incredible!  He really deserves to win every award he is nominated for! 
 
John Slattery who plays Roger Sterling so brilliantly, has stated that he has a fairly cynical sense of humor.  He directed at least one episode of the series so far.  Christina Hendricks (Joan) on Slattery: "He's got such a sense of humor and charm...that while he's saying these horrible things you can't keep your eyes off him."

Joan shows Peggy the latest in office technology, the IBM Selectric, "so easy a woman can use it."

Burt Cooper is influenced by Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged - I think he gave a copy of the book to Don to read.
 
Quote from Bobbie Barrett - "This is America.  Pick a job and then become the person who does it."

Roger Sterling's philosophy - "Do I need to remind you of the finite nature of life?"  Like the song says, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think.

Quote from Joan to Peggy, "In a couple of years, with the right moves, you'll be in the city with the rest of us.  Of course, if you really make the right moves, you'll be out in the country and you won't be going to work at all."

Quote from Don Draper - "It's your life.  You don't know how long it's going to be, but you know it's got a bad ending." And - "I have been watching my life, it's right there.  And I keep scratching at it trying to get into it... but I can't."

Creator Matt Weiner was influenced by Helen Gurley Brown's classic book, Sex and the Single Girl.  Her book lead to the popular TV shows, "That Girl" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."  Helen Gurley Brown left her hometown, moved to the big city and reinvented herself, just like Don Draper and Peggy Olson.

Quote from Vincent Kartheiser (Pete Campbell) - "Mad Men was one of those pilots where I read it and after I was done I wanted to read it again.  There was this swagger about the script that was different from so much I had read in the last few years.  I knew it was something I could do."

This book includes cocktails of note that the Mad Men would be drinking. Recipes are included at the end of each section.  At the end of the book, the author gives his suggestions on "How to party like the Mad Men" and an itinerary for touring the locations highlighted in the show. 

I recommend this book for Mad Men fans but maybe those who haven't watched the show yet will be inspired to watch after reading it. Every season is now on DVD and the cast has recently begun filming the 6th season.  I wish I didn't have to return this book to the library as it is a good resource.  Jesse McLean has not written another book covering seasons 3 - 5 or at least my library doesn't have it.

 

Mad Men cast at the New York Stock Exchange, 2012

 

Green Eggs and Ham

My friend Brad Simkulet from goodreads.com recorded his clever review of the Dr. Seuss classic Green Eggs and Ham.  Here is the recording for your listening pleasure -

http://soundcloud.com/bradsimkulet/green-eggs-ham-review-at

Say! I love Green Eggs and Ham.
I do! I love it Seuss-I-am.

So I will read it with Miloš
Or he will read it cause he's precoš.
And I will read it with my Të
And we will read it night and day.
And I will read it to my Scout
And she will love it, I have no doubt.
And I will read it in the rain.
And I will read it on the train.
And I will read it in my socks.
And I will read it with a fox.
And I will read it in the shower.
And I will read it every hour.
And I will read it doing dishes.
And I will read it with the fishes.
I will read it here or there.
Say! I will read it ANYWHERE!

I do so love Green Eggs and Ham.

Thank you. Thank you, Seuss-I-am.

Thanks Brad!

Some good books...

I just read a good memoir called Kiss Me Like a Stranger by the actor Gene Wilder.  I didn't know a lot about Gene's personal life other than his marriage to the late Gilda Radner.  It was fun to read about his time making two of my favorite movies from the 70's - Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles (although he didn't write as much about Blazing Saddles as I would have liked).  I didn't know that Gene had gone to the University of Iowa, which is my alma mater.  This memoir was written in 2006. It was a quick read and I do recommend it especially if you are a fan.

I am now in the middle of another memoir called But Enough About Me: How a Small Town Girl Went From Shag Carpet to the Red Carpet by Jancee Dunn.  This coming-of-age, funny memoir from 2007 is about a Jersey girl who was a writer for Rolling Stone magazine.  The parts where she talks about how to interview celebrities are especially fun.  I found this in the bargain book section and I'm glad I did since I've really been enjoying it.  I'm waiting for my copy of Fifty Shades of Grey to come in at the library.  Due to all the hype surrounding this book and the other two in the series, a lot of people have requested it from the library.

Mad Men Cookbook

There is an unofficial Mad Men cookbook called The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook: Dine like Draper and Drink like Sterling: Recipes to Satisfy a Mad Men Appetite written by Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin.

Here is the review from goodreads-

The appeal of AMC's award-winning period drama Mad Men, shortly to begin its fifth season, lies as much in its painstaking portrait of 1960s America as in the emotional lives of its characters. In The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook, Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin explore the show's culinary backdrop, from the food we see on the table at Sterling Cooper power lunches to the dishes Betty serves at Draper dinner parties. With more than 60 recipes, photos, and other images all drawn from the period in which Mad Men is set, The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook is perfect for appreciating the role food and drink play in the hit series or for throwing your own historically accurate Mad Men-inspired cocktail party.

* Find out why Betty might have chosen her "Around the World" dinner party theme; plus why Don’s Heineken ad campaign would have been so well-received by the public; and try a gazpacho from Spain, using a recipe Betty herself might have.

*Learn why Sardi’s, the restaurant where Bobbi Barret and Don celebrate selling her husband’s new pilot, was a likely location for post-TV deal celebration, and make Sardi's famous steak tartar for yourself.

Includes a color photo insert of 16 dishes, plus additional black and white photos and other images of bars, restaurants, and food advertisements from the 1960s.

Looks like it's worth checking out.  I wonder if my library has a copy.

New book...

I just started reading a new book by Katie Couric called The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons From Extraordinary Lives.  This is a great book, full of wonderful advice from a wide variety of people, including many actors (such as Meryl Streep, Jane Lynch, Larry David and Michael J. Fox) and others including Matt Lauer, Michelle Kwan and Stephen Colbert.  Many of the entries are actually graduation speeches that the participants were asked to give.  I'm about halfway through and it's a fast read, can't put it down sort of book.  I think everyone can relate to these moving essays.  If you see the book at your favorite bookstore, just glance through the titles of each entry and I'm sure you will want to purchase one!

A new great book...

I'm reading a great autobiography called Stories I Only Tell My Friends by actor Rob Lowe.  I'm always interests in the life stories of actors and he has had a very interesting life.  I also like the fact that he evidently wrote the whole book without a ghostwriter.  I'm on page 95 now and I'm really enjoying it! 

I'm also reading...

I've been reading Don't Sweat the Small Stuff for Women  which is one of the series of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff books written by Richard Carlson but this one is written by his wife Kristine.  It's full of good advice with short chapters.  It's probably nothing you haven't already read in other self-help books but it's good to be reminded not to take life too seriously!

Sadly, Richard Carlson died back in 2006.  I'm not sure what he died of but he was too young (born in 1961).

Current book...

I've been reading That's Another Story the autobiography of British actress Julie Walters.  I've really been enjoying reading about her life beginning with her childhood.  Julie starred in the movie Educating Rita with Michael Caine.  I didn't know it was a play first.  I'm just starting the chapter where she talks about it.  The movie is the funny and moving story of Rita, a working-class hairdresser who starts taking classes and begins to want more out of life.  Michael Caine plays Frank, her tutor with problems of his own. 

Getting back to the book, Julie is a great storyteller and I recommend her book highly!  And be sure and check out Educating Rita if you have missed it.

Pulitzer Prize winning books

Here is the list of the Pulitzer Prize awards for literature:

http://www.powells.com/awards/pulitzer-prize/?utm_source=specials&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spec_pulitzer_20110418&utm_content=Just%20announced%3A%20The%202011%20Pulitzer%20Prizes!%20Save%2030%25%20on%20this%20year's%20winners.&j=40033505&e=joylouiseng@gmail.com&l=724544_HTML&u=334889343&mid=48972&jb=0

Powell's Books is in Portland, OR and is one of my favorite bookstores.

Reading too many books!

I think I have checked out about 9 books from the library right now!  They all look so good but I need to read them in some kind of order.  I'm currently reading Michael J. Fox's latest book - Always Looking Up.  It's really great!  I will write a review when I'm finished.

Happy reading!

Rumpole of the Bailey

You may have heard of the British TV series Rumpole of the Bailey starring Leo McKern.  It's about a British barrister from London who defends all manner of clients and never pleads guilty.  Rumpole is such a fun and interesting character that a series of books followed the show which was created by John Mortimer, who was an actual barrister.  I haven't read any of the books yet but we did enjoy the first season of the TV series which takes place from 1978 and 1992.  Leo McKern is a great actor and Horace Rumpole is a fun character. He refers to himself as "the Old Bailey hack."  In the show Rumpole always refers to his wife as "She Who Must be Obeyed"!

The Old Bailey is the name of the the Central Criminal Court of England which is located in London.  It's called the Old Bailey because of the street on which it stands.  The public is allowed in to observe the trials which can be major criminal cases.  The judges still wear those powered wigs as shown in the Rumpole series. 

When we were in London we thought we would go to the Old Bailey to see if there were any interesting trials going on.  It took us awhile to find the place and when we arrived it was almost time for lunch so they said we should come back.  We didn't have a chance to do that but I did have my picture taken in front of the Old Bailey.

The Old Bailey

The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise by Julia Stuart

Here is my review:

I really enjoyed this charming and touching story set in the Tower of London. We were visiting there recently and took the guided tour. Our Beefeater guide was wonderfully entertaining and informative. I hadn't known that the Beefeaters and their families are required to live in the Tower.


Balthazar Jones and wife Hebe are stilling reeling from the unexpected death of their young son Milo. Balthazar is charged with opening and maintaining a new menagerie at the Tower with animals given to the Queen. Hebe works in the London Underground's Department of Lost Things and goes to great lengths to return lost items to their rightful owners. I was reminded of how fun it was to take the Tube (mind the gap!) around London.


One of my favorite lines was spoken to Hebe, "You haven't lost Milo completely, you know. I lost my sister when we were both very young.  We always carry a part of those we love tucked inside of us." 


I hope they make a movie based on this book. I would love to see these characters brought to life on the screen. There is even a wonderful Hollywood ending that is really heartwarming.  I look forward to the next book from Julia Stuart.

New book...

I picked up a new book at the library today.  It's called The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise and the author is Julia Stuart.  She is from England but now lives in Cairo.  I'm interested in this book because the setting is the Tower of London and we went there on our trip.  It was one of the highlights of our stay in London.  We really enjoyed the tour with a Beefeater guide and he was very informative and entertaining.  I didn't know that the Beefeaters all live at the Tower.  There was actually a lot I didn't know!  Here is a picture of me with our Beefeater!

Our Beefeater guide

Their official title is Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Member of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary.  You can see why "Beefeater" is so much easier!  Anyway, I'm looking forward to starting this book as it is billed as the next Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and Chocolat. 

Here is more information on Julia Stuart -

http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/33124/Julia_Stuart/index.aspx

I bought an adorable Beefeater bear and a little pin with a Beefeater on it.  I always make a stop at the gift shop! :)

Tower Guard

Jackson at the Tower of London

Just started reading...

The other day when we went to the gym I found a book that someone had left behind.  It's called Pop Goes the Weasel by James Patterson.  I have read quite of few of Patterson's thrillers before and always enjoy them.  This is one in the series of Alex Cross books, the detective/psychologist who is on the trail of a serial killer in Washington D.C.  Here is Patterson's website with an excerpt from the book:

http://www.jamespatterson.com/books_popGoesTheWeasel.php

This book has short chapters and is a quick read.  I'm about a third of the way through it already.