The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
I write this through bleary eyes. I stayed up way too late the last two nights, watching the entire first season of a wonderful new series on Amazon TV.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
I knew nothing about it other than it was set in 1950’s New York City.
Count me in — love the 50’s, adore NYC.
Well, turns out I stumbled onto a real treat – some of the best television around.
Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan from House of Cards), is a cheery 1958 New York City woman who has everything she’s ever wanted–the perfect husband, two kids, and an elegant Upper West Side apartment perfect for hosting Yom Kippur dinner — until her life implodes. Her husband leaves her for his secretary, but what hurts Midge more than the affair, is that his chosen secretary is extraordinarily dim-witted – the ultimate betrayal.
While trying to put her life back together, Midge cultivates her natural gift for making people laugh (the series opens with her giving her own funny speech at her wedding).
Ms.Brosnahan sparkles in the pilot’s early scenes, as the very image of a perfect housewife; tirelessly making brisket, doing calisthenics to keep her bridal figure, and in a wonderful scene — getting up before the alarm to fix her hair and makeup, then crawling back to bed so her husband sees her all pretty – when he wakes up.
Until her husband leaves — then the real Midge begins to emerge, no longer hiding behind the happy homemaker, or the pre-dawn lipstick — she is snarky, funny and whip-smart.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is about her struggle to break into the world of standup comedy (obviously all-male) , while now living with her parents and holding down a job in a department store.
She makes friends with the legendary Lenny Bruce and finds an acidic, but endearing, manager. Throughout it all, Midge remains exuberant – and that’s the best thing about this series — Midge’s delightful combination of Upper East Side privilege stirred up with a bit of street smart and a raunchily funny sense of humor.
Her first stand-up act is accidental and performed while drunk on kosher wine — and is one of the best monologues I ever watched — both brutally honest and ferociously funny.
Midge’s confessional comedy style is a homage to the early women comics, such as Joan Rivers, who first broke into the male dominated stand-up comedy circuit.
There’s a great cast of wonderful characters. Her father is played by Tony Shalob, there’s her prickly manager (again some wonderful dialogue there), and even Jane Lynch has a wonderful cameo role.
I’ll stop now, you’ll just have to watch for yourself.
The show was written and created by Amy Sherman-Palladino who also created the Gilmore Girls series — which I never watched, but now may have to do so, if the writing and dialogue are as stellar as Mrs. Maisel.
So, if you have Amazon TV – I highly recommend this show, but no need to binge watch as I did– you can watch it one episode at a time -but only if you’re made of stronger stuff and, unlike me, able to turn it off.
NPR did a quick segment on the series Here
Fair warning: There is profanity and some very dirty (but very funny) jokes – oh get over yourselves – Just watch it.
Us by David Nicholls
You can rest assured Book Barmy followers, we’re done with dark thrillers for awhile.
Time for something completely different.
I read another book by Mr. Nicholls (One Day) a long time ago and was not enthralled. I found it one-dimensional and it often trespassed into a sticky-sweet romance.
So, when one of my favorite booktubers, Wilde Reads raved about Us by Mr. Nicholls I was skeptical, but in dire need of a break from dark thrillers – I borrowed it from the library for our recent trip down south.
Douglas and Connie, a British couple have planned a vacation through Europe, but it’s nearly called off when Connie wakes up and says “I think I want to leave you.”
Douglas forges ahead and cajoles his wife to enjoy one last hurrah with their teenage son, who is soon off to college. And thus begins a bittersweet and awkward journey through Europe.
The past and present are told in many short chapters. The family is on a forced march through Europe following Douglas’s precise itinerary, carefully laid out in numerous spread sheets.
Douglas and Connie’s past relationship is slowly revealed — how they met and fell in love, despite being complete opposites. Connie is an uninhibited artist, while Douglas is an introverted biochemist – they marry, inhabit a bohemian London apartment, have a child. We see Douglas struggle with Connie’s artistic and unconventional upbringing of their son, and watch as Connie gives up her art and they move out of London to a larger house with a garden. All seems to be going well – or is it?
These are real people — Douglas, well-meaning but suffering from a lack of spontaneity; Connie, beautiful, charming, and artistic — and their son, Albie, a typical teenager filled with scorn for adult conservatism.
The dynamic between Douglas and Connie is funny and genuinely touching.
’I was looking forward to us growing old together. Me and you, growing old and dying together.’
‘Douglas, who in their right mind would look forward to that?’”
So they’re off to Europe. There are painful scenes when Douglas is trying desperately to ensure everyone is having a good time, but these are contrasted with laugh out loud funny incidents, such as when it turns out Douglas has mistakenly booked the three of them into a questionable hotel in Amsterdam…
“Dad”, asked Albie “have you booked us into a sex hotel?” and they began to laugh. It’s not a sex hotel, it’s boutique, I insisted. “Douglas”, said Connie, “tapping the print of the bound Japanese lady, is that a half hitch or a bowline?” I did not answer, through it was a bowline.
What I most enjoyed about Us was the subtle, bittersweet, and unflinchingly honest writing.
I think our marriage has run its course. I think I want to leave you. It was like trying to go about my business with an axe embedded in my skull.
I could especially relate to this, about Douglas’s ability to appreciate modern art
It’s not about what you liked and didn’t like, Connie would reply, it’s about what it made you feel. More often than not, it made me feel foolish and conventional.
And I had to nod in agreement with this about parties;
Because parties, dinner parties in particular, had always seemed to be a pitiless form of gladiatorial combat, with laurel garlands bestowed to the most witty, successful and attractive, and the corpses of the defeated lying bleeding on the painted floorboards.
This is a cynical, bittersweet, yet loving portrait of a love — of a relationship. A reminder that not every couple can be happy, no matter how much they love each other. These are real and familiar characters; especially the befuddled Douglas, certain he can fix something unfixable if only he applied enough logic, pragmatism, and unfailing optimism.
Mr. Nicholls does not give us a happily ever after ending, no perfect tying up of loose ends. This is a civilized yet loving portrait of the slipping away of a marriage. Like Nora Ephron’s, “Heartburn”, this a funny and touching novel about a situation which, I’m certain, living through would not be at all funny.
The Blackhouse by Peter May
I sat up and paid attention when The New York Times Book Review (Marilyn Stasio) raved: “Peter May is a writer I’d follow to the ends of the earth.” So, of course I added this author to my TBR list.
The Blackhouse was the final in a string of thrillers I read in a row –and, it turns out, I saved the best for last.
The Blackhouse is the first in a trilogy based in the Scottish Hebrides and featuring Edinburgh cop, Fin Macleod. Finn is sent to his childhood home on Lewis where a grisly murder on the isolated island seems to be a copy of a murder he has been investigating in Edinburgh.
Our detective is somewhat relieved to leave Edinburgh, as he grieves over the death of his young son, while half-heartily trying to prevent his marriage from crumbling.
But first a few warnings:
If you’re at all squeamish, you’ll have to tiptoe through; 1) a full and grisly autopsy, and 2) an honored, traditional, but gruesome, gannet hunt on a small island.
If you’re expecting a standard police procedural set in the unconventional Outer Hebrides, you’re happily in for more than you bargained for ~~ this thriller has depth and power.
Now that you have read the Book Barmy safety warnings, fasten your seatbelts, because you are in for a great mystery read.
Mr. May is an extraordinary writer, able to take us seamlessly between two narratives. Masterfully moving from first person to develop Fin’s story growing up on Lewis, and then the third person to tell the current day story– Fin’s broken and disillusioned adult childhood friends, the crime, and its resolution.
Mr. May has a gift for developing his characters, all of which are remarkable, but Fin is an especially likeable hero. Having the grand experience of staying in the Outer Hebrides many years ago, I can attest that he also gives the reader unbelievably lovely descriptions of the harsh life in the Outer Hebrides — 
bleak, windy, and yet starkly beautiful.
The plot is a compelling mix of retribution, revelations, and intrigue. The Blackhouse uses the traditional guga bird (gannet) harvest not only as a pivotal plot point, but also showcases its cultural role in the lives of the island community. Gory certainly, but informative.
High accolades for what turns out to be not only a tightly plotted thriller, but an insightful treatise on growing up, moving away, then coming home — one you thought you’d moved beyond.
From the introduction:
Three things that come without asking: fear, love and jealousy. A Gaelic proverb
And thank you Mr. May for an absolute stunner of an ending.
There are two more in the Lewis series, guess who found both at the recent library book sale – score!
An advanced readers copy was provided by Quercus via Netgalley
A Diverse Trip ~~ Week One
Husband and I have been away ~~ down in Southern California. Two very diverse areas — and two very different weeks.
First stop, Palm Springs.
We try to go to the wonderful Palm Springs Tennis Club every couple of years. Here, Husband has the time of his life playing tennis, taking tennis clinics and finding doubles matches — he played every day.
So what did I do while Husband perfected his serve? Of course, I got to read in the warm and dry desert air. This was the view from our little patio.
But I also explored the neighborhoods both on foot and using the resort bicycles. Palm Springs folks have a different take on home design.
I even found the estate where Elvis and Priscilla spent their honeymoon.
Desert gardens are quite tempting – plant a few cactus, maybe a palm tree or two, rake the gravel and phew you’re done…
We did do some other things while there. We have always wanted to tour Sunnylands, often called the West Coast Camp David, but the tours are small and sell out quickly. So we planned ahead and bought tickets the first day they went on sale and had a marvelous tour of the Annenberg’s retreat where they hosted presidents and digniaries for many years. Click on the link above for more information. Here are some photos. Are you bored yet?
Well never mind, just a few more photos and we’ll move on.
We took a couple of long bike rides up into the hills to see even more impressive desert homes and villas. (By the way, the bikes were land cruiser type and sort of like steering wheelbarrows.)
Then we drove over to Desert Hot Springs where we got to soak in naturally warm and sulfur free hot spring pools. They ranged from warm, to nicely medium, to yikes this is hot. We tried them all. Even got the senior discount to use the pools. From the look on Husband’s face, I think this is the hot pool.
Thus ends our first week.
Next stop – well, that will be the next post.
Page Habit
I’ve been hearing about special interest book subscription services ~~ where you sign up, pay a monthly subscription fee, and receive a surprise book box each month. Much like a book of the month club, except you don’t choose the book, the service does.
Hmmm, I thought — Just the perfect monthly fix for this book addict lover.
Surprise, Surprise… I signed up for such a service, namely PageHabit and have received two deliveries. Such delight, to get a box in the mail without knowing what’s inside (except that’s it sure be a book of some sort).
I can’t contain my excitement when the box arrives on my doorstep…
(even better when Husband is out and I can sneak it in the house without the ritual – hey here’s a package for you, what did you get – say whaaa more books – really?).*
My first sign up was for Mystery and once opened, there’s all sorts of nifty book nerd lover surprises. (Click to make larger)
In the first photo you see a few tchotchkes — a fox coaster, a patch relating to time travel (the book’s subject) and a pin. There’s a letter from the author of the book — but best of all (third photo) the book itself is annotated with lots and lots of post-its with the author’s reflections and insights as you read along.
Now really, how cool is that?
PageHabit lets you switch genres at the click of a button, so for October, I switched to Literary Fiction, and that box revealed two (!) books and the following fun stuff.
The second photo shows the swag this month — a library card pillow case (I know who knew?) a Halloween key chain, a cool bookmark, and (another?) fox coaster.
Again, there’s a letter from the author and here’s a close-up of one of the author annotations in the book.
Also, each month, there is also a little booklet, containing a short story commissioned by PageHabit just for that mailing. I’m keeping them in my bag for when I’m stuck in some long line or waiting in the car outside Home Depot (it happens fairly regularly for some reason).
But the best rationalization bit is, that with every mailing, PageHabit partners with a different organization around the world and supports their efforts in spreading literacy throughout their community. These donations help support building schools, public libraries, and community centers to ensure that every child has access to books.
You can match your PageHabit subscription to your favorite genre, there’s also Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Science Fiction, and many more.
So far, PageHabit has done itself proud – no duplicates to my book warehouse library.
I’ve got my eye on Historical Fiction for January… and the beat goes on…
The subscription is sort of expensive, so I may move to a quarterly subscription but for the near future, I’ll raid my piggy bank.
Brown packages, surprise books, fun swag, and author notes – –
Priceless.
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* I’m being mean, Husband is actually very tolerant of my book habit collecting and never grumbles ~~ too much.
Dear Fahrenheit 451, by Annie Spence
I needed a break from reading three dark thrillers in a row (just finishing my last one – really good, but more on that later.)
So I slipped over into the warm comfort of this book.
Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks
A Librarian’s Love Letters and the Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life
Ms. Spence is a young librarian and both her reading taste and vernacular reflect fresh, edgy thinking. This makes for a very different sort of book about books. No guilt-inducing, preaching on the books you ought to have read (I’m looking at you Clifton Fadiman). Instead, Dear Fahrenheit 451 is comprised of breezy takes (or letters) on the books the author has read, owns, loathes, comes across, culled from the library stacks, or had patrons request.
Ms. Spence’s casual writing voice is scattered with cursing and some sex. There’s a letter to a book called The One Hour Orgasm which you’ll just have to read for yourselves, I blush — anyway suffice it to say, this book never gets boring.
Ms. Spence’s love of books and what they mean shines through. But she also reflects on the often unspoken truism that readers can, and will, fall out with a book, there are indeed books that become irrelevant, books that leave us angry, annoyed, or the worst offense of all – a book that leaves us flat.
Here’s some of my favorite snippets:
Dear Fifty Shades of Grey,
You made me say “erotica” to an old lady. I’m going to hate you forever for that…
Dear Miss Marple Series,
You guyssssss! I just want to thank you for being there for me. Everybody loves you. Seriously, everybody. I mean people who like mysteries – Doy. But also, did you know that truckers love you? You guys on audio are like a gateway drug to reading for truckers. Also, kids who read way above their grade level and are bored with everything in the children’s section. …and teens with helicopter parents who want to make sure they aren’t reading novels with sex in them (as a rule, murder in a book is A-okay with these folks).
Dear Pictorial Anatomy of the Cat,
I don’t know how you got here. Without your book jacket on – which is who knows where – one might have assume you were some sort of mythical fairy tale about kitties. But in reality your insides …are about insides. But don’t get me wrong. I thought you lateral view of the abdominal viscera was neat. But, can I say something? You’re creeping people out. You go on and on about the cutaneous maximums. This is a public library. So…Go’way Now, Annie
Dear Another Saturday Night of Wild and Reckless Abandon: A Cathy Collection,
I had to give (my friend) a little lesson on Cathy, Cathy. Because when you’re not talking about dating insecurities and how to eat feelings, you were one of the first to address the contradictions of the women who’s trying to “have it all”. You discuss the wage gap, mansplaining, and sexual harassment. You try to explain fluid gender roles in a way Cathy’s own mom might understand. Yeah, Cathy has a messy room and frets over her terrible hair. She’s trying to figure it out. That’s what makes her so lovable. I’m proud to put you right by my Gloria Steinem essays and Bad Feminist. You may be a collection of cartoons, but you’re part of the sisterhood. You’re my favorite 80’s woman.
So, aach on girl, Tiny heart, Annie
Towards the end, Ms. Spence also give us ‘special subject’ essays such as
“Excuses to tell your friends so you can stay home with your books
“Falling Down the Rabbit Hole-books that lead to more books”
“He’s Just Not That Into Literacy: Turning Your Lover into a Reader”
There’s a wonderfully funny letter to a Fancy Bookshelf at a Party I Wasn’t Technically Invited To, where, while hiding by the bookshelves, she snarks on the styled books, knickknacks and art — not to mention, the hostess.
Ms. Spence dedicates a letter to book group discussions, which she often overhears at coffee shops or the library, and has to resist the urge to break in saying — ‘OMG, you’re missing the whole point of the book –step aside and let a professional take over’.
The final epilogue is a endearing shout out to the importance of librarians and libraries. Dear Fahrenheit 451 would be a perfect gift for any librarian, library workers or book-lovers on your list. It’s a little early for the holidays, but at the very least add it to your own TBR list. I know you have one.
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Dear Fahrenheit 451
I read you in small doses which proved most enjoyable. Equally enjoyable was the long list of books added to my TBR list thanks to you and your charming, and approachable author. We have much to talk about, hey let’s meet for a glass of wine. I’ll be the one in the corner with a book ~~ BookBarmy.
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A digital review copy was provided by Flatiron Books via Netgalley.
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