The decade 2000-2009 wasn’t an especially great time musically so you can’t blame this compilation CD because it isn’t better. The compilers didn’t have much to work with.

But there’s plenty of ear-worm material here. Shaggy’s “Wasn’t Me” can still be heard currently in Cheeto’s TV and Discover Card commercials. When Britney Spears was “freed,” there was an explosion of “Oops!…I Did It Again.” “Just Dance” is my favorite Lady Gaga song.

“Since U Been Gone” made Kelly Clarkson a star, but now she’s selling Wayfair furniture. Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” riled the Religious Right back in the day before Homosexual Weddings were deemed legal by the Supreme Court (who may just rescind that ruling after squashing Roe v. Wade).

Do you remember these songs? Any favorites here? GRADE: B

Tracklist:

1. Oops!… I Did It Again – Britney Spears
2. I Kissed A Girl – Katy Perry
3. Just Dance – Lady Gaga feat. Colby O’Donnis
4. Bye Bye Bye – *NSYNC
5. I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyes Peas
6. SexyBack – Justin Timberlake
7. Low – Flo Rida feat. T-Pain
8. Survivor – Destiny’s Child
9. Family Affair – Mary J. Blige
10. Thong Song – Sisqo
11. It Wasn’t Me (feat. Ricardo Ducent) – Shaggy
12. U Got It Bad – Usher
13. This Love – Maroon 5
14. Party In The USA – Miley Cyrus
15. Since U Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson
16. Kryptonite – 3 Doors Down
17. The Reason – Hoobastank
18. Hanging By A Moment – Lifehouse
19. How To Save A Life – The Fray

I’m a fan of tall tales and stories with magic in them. The Girl Who Dreamed Only Geese features fabulous paintings and B&W illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon. The stories blend life in the far North with intelligent animals and sometimes desperate people.

My favorite story in The Girl Who Dreamed Only Geese is “The Man Who Married a Seagull.” As you might suspect, a female seagull turns into a human woman. But magical events threaten to turn her in back into a seagull. Her husband has to find a way to avoid that to save his wife.

I’m also fond of “The Wolverine’s Secret.” No, this is not the Hugh Jackman superhero, but an actual tricky wolverine with magical powers. The wolverine manages to steal the Sun and the Moon.

If you’re in the mood for stories that will take you far, far from your comfort zone, give The Girl Who Dreamed Only Geese a try. GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION: Laughter in the Kitchen — xi

The day puffins netted Hid-Well — 1

Noah hunts a wooly mammoth — 17

Why the rude visitor was flung by walrus –31

Uteritsoq and the duckbill dolls — 45

The wolverine’s secret — 59

The girl who watched in the nighttime — 71

The man who married a seagull — 87

Home among the giants — 101

How the narwhal got its tusk — 113

The girl who dreamed only geese — 129

STORY NOTES: 143

Back in 2011, I saw Matthew McConaughey play Mickey Haller, defense attorney with a weakness for riding around in Lincolns. I’m sure McConaughey and his backers were hoping for a hit movie that would become a franchise where McConaughey could make another Lincoln Lawyer movie every other year and extend his career–and make money for all involved.

That didn’t happen. But, now in 2022, the Lincoln lawyer is back, this time as a series on Netflix. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo plays a troubled Los Angeles lawyer who has two beautiful ex-wives and a former drug addiction that still haunts him. When a lawyer is assassinated, Mickey Haller discovers the lawyer left his entire law practice to him. And, the prime asset in the bunch is the case of the Silicon Valley billionaire techie who’s charged with killing his wife and her lover, a yoga instructor.

This Netflix series, 10 episodes, is based on Michael Connelly’s 2008 crime novel, The Brass Verdict. The series, created for television by David E. Kelley and developed by Ted Humphrey, shows Mickey Haller under pressure in several cases to make sense of the mess the murdered lawyer left him.

I like Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller very much. I also like Neve Campbell as Maggie McPherson, Mickey’s first wife and a criminal prosecutor. And, Becki Newton as Lorna Crain, Mickey’s second wife and his legal aide, lights up the screen.

This series features a couple of exceptional minor characters: Jazz Raycole as Izzy Letts, a former addict and client of Mickey, now working as his personal driver and Angus Sampson as Cisco, Mickey’s friend, former biker, and private investigator.

I’m halfway through the series, but I’m hoping to binge the remaining episodes in a few days. Don’t miss this one! GRADE: A

David Mamet, a playwright who won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony nominations for his plays Glengarry Glen Ross (1984) and Speed-the-Plow (1988), has turned into a Grumpy Old Man. Most of the essays in Recessional: The Death of Free Speech and the Cost of a Free Lunch complain about something: equality, wearing face masks, Higher Education, the Left, etc.

However, within these essays are nuggets of interest. Here’s one: “…the only works I have found helpful in writing drama: Aristotle’s Poetics, Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces, Opie’s Lore and Language of Schoolchildren, and, be it what it may, [Bruno Bettelheim’s] The Uses of Enchantment.” (p. 63)

I especially liked Mamet’s analysis of Time Travel stories. Mamet has been an actor, playwright, and director of movies. His analysis of TV shows is also revealing: “The extent of television shows is essential undifferentiated. Not only are all the cop shows interchangeable, they interchangeable with the medical shows. (Swap out the shoot-outs and the ER scenes–the action sequences–and they are all just bad narrative about offscreen characters.)” (p. 158)

My favorite chapter in Recessional is “Humility” where Mamet writes about the authors he loves…and the ones he doesn’t. Here’s a sample: “I am particularly fond of twentieth-century genre writers. They have brought me a great deal of happiness over the decades. I name Frederick Forsyth, Patrick O’Brian, George V. Higgins, and John le Carre. I’ve read all their books many times, because they are infinitely re-readable… I can reread my beloved Trollope’s forty-seven novels again and again…” (p. 174)

If you can put up with Mamet’s crankiness and conservative perspectives, the insights into Broadway, movies, actors, writers, and television are worth the hassle. GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction 1

The Fountain Pen 5

Cause and Effect 11

Reds, Pinks, and Goo-Goos 17

What’s in a Name 23

Pippa Passes 29

King Kong 33

Some (Mainly) Musical Revelations 37

Two Hangings 41

Various Discoveries 45

Farther Along; or, The Accident Chain 51

On the Passivity of Jews 55

Bruno Bettelheim and the Broke-Down Cowboy: Two American Stories 61

Attention Must Be Paid 67

Experts and Oligarchs 71

Slave Lessons 75

Belinda Raguesto Returns from Switzerland 81

Hamlet and Oedipus Meet the Zombies 89

A Message from Schpershevski 95

Chelm; or, No Arrest for the Wicked 101

Some Linguistic Curiosities 105

The Nazis Got Your Mom 113

Demotic, a Confession 119

Grief and Wisdom 127

Time Travel 133

Moby Dick 139

Real Live 143

Rainy Day Fun for Shut-Ins: Xmas 2020 147

Give My Regrets to Broadway 155

Broadway 159

Gags 167

Humility 173

Max the Hamster 177

Disons le Mot 183

Art, Time, and the Madness of the Old 189

Tug-of-Peace 193

The Awl Through the Ear 197

Goodnight, Irene 203

Recessional 209

Acknowledgments 215

Index 217

A few weeks ago when Diane and I visited Diane’s sister, Carol, in Ohio, Diane got to use Carol’s new Shark hand vacuum cleaner. We have a Black & Decker handvac that we’re not fond of: it’s noisy, it’s clunky, and the filters are expensive.

Diane loved using the Shark handvac so when we returned home, Diane discovered she had a 30% off coupon for Kohl’s and $10 in Kohl’s Cash. Diane purchased the Shark handvac which retailed for $139 and after the discount and Kohl’s Cash we had our new Shark handvac for $94.

I’ve used the Shark handvac and I’m impressed with its power, its sleek design, and its light-weight feel. If you’re in need of a new handvac, I highly recommend the Shark handvac. GRADE: A

Julian Fellowes, the mastermind behind the Downton Abbey series, decides to juggle the massive cast of 39 characters in Downton Abbey: A New Era by running two parallel plots. The first plot is Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) confronting the problem of a leaky roof at Downtown Abbey with the solution offered by a film crew who want to shoot their new movie on site–and will pay handsomely for the privilege. Fellowes “borrows” from Singin’ in the Rain when the silent film morphs into a talkie.

The second track involves what the Dowager Countess Violet Grantham (Maggie Smith) did 50 years ago with the Marquis de Montmirail that caused the Marquis to leave a fabulous villa in Southern France to Violet after his death. Lord and Lady Grantham (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern) with a posse of family members, travel to France to investigate.

I confess, my eyes misted up a couple of time during this movie. Julian Fellowes knows how to use his gifted cast to move an audience. The sold-out AMC theater where Diane and I watched Downton Abbey: A New Era sniffled right with me during those dramatic moments.

If you’re a Downton Abbey fan, you’ll love Downton Abbey: A New Era. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will walk out of the theater filled with enjoyment of an old fashioned movie. GRADE: A

When I first started reading Science Fiction in the late 1950s, my favorite SF writers were Robert A. Heinlein, Poul Anderson, and Andre Norton.

In the early 1960s, I was mowing lawns to make some spending money. And I spent some of it on Andre Norton ACE Books paperbacks. I later discovered that Andre Norton was actually Alice Mary Norton!

I enjoyed all the Andre Norton SF books I read. Storm Over Warlock with the iconic EMSH cover might be my favorite. But I read all the Andre Norton books I could get my hands on.

BAEN Books published Crosstime in 2008. It brings together two alternative Earths novels: The Crossroads of Time (1956) and Quest Crosstime (1965).

I first read The Crossroads of Time as part of ACE Double (D-164) that had Mankind on the Run by Gordon R. Dickson on the other side. Years later, I read the hardcover version of Quest Crosstime published by Viking Press.

If you’re in the mood for classic action and adventure in the old fashioned SF mode, CROSSTIME delivers! GRADE: B+

Track Listing

Prime 17 Ultimate Classic Rock (2007) may not be the Ultimate and some of these songs may not be classics, but there’s a lot to like on this CD. There seems to be a little something here for almost every taste in rock music.

The Velvet Underground rubs shoulders with Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. Classics like “Smoke on the Water,” “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” (short version), and “Slow Ride” still sound great.

I was also amused by this CD’s logo: 17 ORIGINAL RECORDINGS — 8 TOP 10 HITS! I would have thought all these songs hit the Top 10 but apparently not. Do you remember these songs? Any favorites here? GRADE: B+

			Title/Composer	Performer	Time
		1	Smoke on the Water Ritchie Blackmore / Ian Gillan / Roger Glover / Jon Lord / Ian Paice	Deep Purple	05:42
		2	Urgent	Foreigner	04:22
		3	What You Need Michael Hutchence	INXS	03:36
		4	I Wanna Be Sedated Douglas Colvin / Jeffrey Hyman	Ramones	02:31
		5	We’re Not Gonna Take It Dee Snider	Twisted Sister	03:42
		6	Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Paul Rodgers	Bad Company	03:19
		7	Roundabout	Yes	03:28
		8	Black Water Patrick Simmons	The Doobie Brothers	04:18
		9	In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida Doug Ingle	Iron Butterfly	02:54
		10	School’s Out Michael Bruce / Alice Cooper	Alice Cooper	03:31
		11	Rock & Roll Lou Reed	The Velvet Underground	04:45
		12	Medley: Devil with a Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly	Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels	03:31
		13	Slow Ride Lonesome Dave Peverett	Foghat	03:59
		14	First I Look at the Purse	J. Geils Band	03:54
		15	Kick out the Jams Karen Kambestad	MC5	02:46
		16	Round and Round William D. Pearch	Ratt	04:26
		17	You Keep Me Hangin’ On	Vanilla Fudge	02:59

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Langston Hughes was best known for his poetry, but he also wrote short stories. The Ways of White Folks (1933) shows the troubled aspects of blacks and whites interacting in daily life.

In “Cora Unashamed,” a black servant for a white family overcomes the death of her infant child by helping raise the white infant daughter of her employer. Years later, when the white daughter becomes pregnant, Cora is at the center of action.

I found “Home” the most striking story in this collection. A gifted black musician, who finds success in Europe, returns to his home town of Hopkinsville, Missouri to visit his mother. He finds a culture of hate and violence.

A young black boy discovers in “One Christmas Eve” what Santa Claus is all about. Langston Hughes captures the cruelty of every day life as black folk try to live with white folk in an uneasy truce. Powerful stories! GRADE: A

1   Cora Unashamed — 3
2   Slave on the Block — 19
3   Home — 33
4   Passing — 51
5   A Good Job Gone — 57
6   Rejuvenation Through Joy — 69
7   The Blues I’m Playing — 99
8   Red-Headed Baby — 125
9   Poor Little Black Fellow — 133
10 Little Dog — 161
11 Berry — 177
12 Mother and Child — 189
13 One Christmas Eve — 199
14 Father and Son. — 207

Diane, Katie, and I saw Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations on Broadway in 2016 (you can read my review here). The touring company for this version of Ain’t Too Proud projected high energy and the sold out show we attended at Shea’s Performing Arts Center celebrated the great music we grew up with in the Sixties.

The Temptations morphed into the R&B superstar group through constant touring and recording hit songs. The voice that put The Temptations sound into the stratosphere of record sales, air play on the radio, and TV appearances was David Ruffin (played by Elijah Ahmad Lewis). But, of course, Ruffin’s demons plague the group despite his incredible voice and his ability to do splits during a song performance.

The musical is based on the biography of Otis Wilson (played by Marcus Paul James) who is the last surviving member of the original group. Otis narrates the action as The Temptations move up the charts and become Motown Records biggest group, eclipsing The Supremes.

But, despite the fame and fortune, one by one the members of The Temptations succumb to alcohol, drugs, and physical aliments. Yet, with all the singers who came and went, the music stayed compelling. If Ain’t Too Proud shows up in your neighborhood, I highly recommend it! Are you a fan of The Temptations? GRADE: A

MUSICAL NUMBERS:

Act I: “The Way You Do The Things You Do” “Runaway Child, Running Wild” “Gloria” “In The Still Of The Night”/”Speedo” “Shout” “I Want A Love I Can See” “My Girl” “Get Ready” Supremes Medley: “You Can’t Hurry Love”/”Come See About Me”/”Baby Love””Since I Lost My Baby “ “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” “Don’t Look Back”/”You’re My Everything” “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” “(I Know) I’m Losing You””I Wish It Would Rain” “I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)”

Act II “I Can’t Get Next To You” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” “War” “Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today)” “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” “Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)” “For Once In My Life” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”, Pt. 1 “Cloud Nine” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”, Pt. 2 “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” “I Can’t Get Next To You”