This, That and the Other Thing ~ Reviews

Have some recommendations for you! Books, Movies, Websites –

This, That and the Other Thing!

BOOKS 

In general, I have been reading books for review, library books, and personal books of favorite authors that are re-reads. Do YOU reread? My husband rarely does, I do, frequently.Mostly mysteries. Some favorite authors I frequently reread include:

Jacqueline Winspear – the Maisie Dobbs Series ( an ongoing series, just read the latest, which was fabulous)

Sarah Addison Allen – Four books out now, all different, all delicious! She puts out about one book a year, but has been battling breast cancer, so her output might go down a bit) These aren’t really mysteries – but they defy exact categorizing!

Barbara Cleverly – Joe Sandilands Series (she has two series – haven’t started reading the other one yet – but highly recommend this one!) Another ongoing series, new book out later this year.

Dana Stabenow – Kate Shugak Series – takes place in Alaska (Dana is Alaskan) Yet another one book a year author – her latest was phenomenal!

Amanda Cross – The Kate Fansler Series (the pen name of Carolyn Heilbrun – 1926-2003 Wiki Entry) I also loved her non-fiction, particularly The Last Gift of Time: Life Beyond Sixty (1997)

Laurie R. King – The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes Series (she has another series – the Kate Martinelli Series – but I am not a big fan of those, for some reason…) New book in the Russell series out very soon.

Susan Wittig Albert – one of the most prolific and delightful writers around today. Her best known series is the China Bayles herbal mysteries, but she has several others, equally entrancing, plus a series that she wrote with her husband, Bill, under the nom de plume Robin Paige) Latest book in the China Bayles series out plus new books in other series. Susan writes wonderful non-fiction as well, writer’s guides, and remarkable personal memoirs.

Susanna Kearsley – Intelligent mysteries with a romantic twist – not quite Gothic or Romantic Suspense, but rather cleverly written books with historical twists that are attention grabbers!

I frequently reread Agatha Christie, (I prefer the lesser known amateur sleuths Tommy and Tuppence over Poirot, or even Miss Marple!) Rex Stout (when I was a teen and discovered Nero Wolfe, I wanted to marry Archie Goodwin!) and Sherlock Holmes (spooky, mind-bending and provocative, even after a century!) – just for the sheer pleasure of reading once more the late greats who defined and established the mystery genre.

Some authors I have recently found and recommend:

Forensic Anthropologist mysteries – British – Elly Griffiths is the author – two books out so far, new one due this year. Jennifer Lee Carroll, mystery series revolving around Shakespeare – two books out so far, new one due this year. Robin Pilcher (Rosamunde Pilcher’s son) family based novels, well written and charming.

MOVIES

Recently watched movies, starred * to *****

Adam Resurrected  *** 2008 Jeff Goldblum. A rather bizarre yet moving story that is based in 1962, at a center for treatment of trauma and emotional illness of Holocaust survivors. Jeff Goldblum plays a former performer who escaped the gas chamber, and eventually finds wellness and redemption.

The King’s Speech ***** 2010 Colin Firth. A wonderfully moving and charming Academy Award winner. The story of the struggles of King George the VI (Elizabeth the II’s father) with a speech impediment shows a remarkable insight to the monarchy and the treatment of stuttering.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part I ***** Ensemble Cast. Yes, I am an unabashed Harry Potter Fan. Read (own) the books, watched (own) the movies, I am continually amazed at both Jo Rawlings remarkable writing talents and the dedicated and top-notch quality of the movies.

Eli Stone – ***** 2007, 2008 The TV series (2 years) Don’t know how we missed this when it was on – but it is great. Both seasons are out on DVD. Eli is a lawyer who has visions – apparently induced by a brain aneurism. He sees George Michael performing in his living room (GREAT acting by George Michael off and on in season one!) dance numbers at his law office and other quirky things that lead his to accept certain cases.

The Tourist – **** 2010 clever thriller with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. Some lack of chemistry between them, but the movie is great and fast-paced.

Me and Orson Welles **** 2008 Zac Ephron. Behind the scenes with Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and Orson Welles’ production thereof. Claire Danes and Christian McKay liven the cast.

WEBSITES

These are websites I have discovered while either looking for something else, or by clicking a link and discovering a great place to visit!

If you love to check on the cast, background and details of movies, I highly recommend www.imdb.com You can look up moves, actors, directors etc. An interactive site where you can post on message boards.

Need to meet a friend? Gotta find a halfway point? Try www.meetways.com Simply type in your location and theirs, with an option to designate restaurants or other meeting places. Click, and voila – a place between both of your locations will be provided, along with distance and mapping. Easy and intuitive to use.

Tired of the hassles of e-bay or similar auction services? Try this one – its fun, its different and it is free. The concept is that you are “giving” things away for points, which can be spent on other available auctions. You list, you bid, and pay for shipping, and sometimes not even that! www.listia.com.

Want to swap books? Two of the best sites out there are www.paperbackswap.com and www.bookmooch.com I belong to both, and they both have advantages and disadvantages.  Check them out yourself and decide. Great community happening on PBS, whereas BM is more laid back and easy-going.

Want to buy books online, but avoid big box type vendors? Try www.powells.com, an indie bookstore with a viable online presence. You can even sell books directly to them! Another one I love is www.betterworldbooks.com – a bookstore with a fantastic green perspective and free shipping worldwide.

That’s it for now – let me know if you find a broken link – or if you find one of these links makes your life more enjoyable!