The Story of Edgar Sawtell - David Wroblewski

My mom has been recommending this book to me for ages - largely because the author is a friend of hers. I knew she loved the book and thought it was terrific, but as I didn't pick it up right away I had no idea her friend would wow the publishing world and be a runaway bestseller in his first attempt at bat, sitting high on the NY Times bestseller list, gaining lots of great reviews as a great summer read, and even making Oprah's book club.

I really enjoyed David Wroblewski's The Story of Edgar Sawtell, and I enjoyed even more having the time to read it. It's a big book, and therefore not practical for schleping on travel and in my purse for zipping about town, but I took it with me on a 3 day weekend and read it in the train to and fro, along with lovely chunks of the day with a cup of tea...

I'm a dog person, and maybe you have to be to really like this book. But the characters are great, the story keeps moving, and the writing style is clean and punchy. Definitely a good read.

Dogtown & Z Boys

There are very few movies that aren't worth 99c and Dogtown and Z Boys, while outside of my usual choices, was one of those value deals where the 99c rental on iTunes seemed like a great bargain after watching this amusing documentary that introduced me to a snapshot of time and pop culture in an amusing way.

There is nothing magic about the movie making, but the subject was interesting even to the uninitiated, and the fact that it's a grown up Z Boy making the movie made it kind of sentimental and touching.

Tartuffe - theatre

We went to see Moliere's Tartuffe at the Theatre de l'Odeon tonight. It was really good, and the theater was a real gem, old and ornate, great seats, and very enjoyable. It helps that I've already seen and read this play, but the production was good and the evening emotional and wonderful.

Entre les murs

Yesterday we went to see the Cannes palme d'or winner, "entre les murs' (title in English will be "the class")

It's based on a book written by a teacher about the kids in his class, and played by real people, almost a documentary but it's loosely scripted and incorporates a "dramatic event". The kids are his real students not professional actors, with lots of improvising. It was not a GREAT film but it was good, and gave me a glimpse into the French school system and in particular the disadvantaged youth. Most of the situation could have applied to any country's immigrant neighborhoods.

I enjoyed the movie, and it was the first time we went w A to see a 'grown up' film. He was very cute during the movie, clearly in shock in seeing kids in school treating a teacher so differently than how he lives school in his small experience in a well-to-do neighborhood.

Deconstrucing Harry

We watched Deconstructing Harry this week. It was excellent, one of the best of the Woody Allen films starring Woody Allen in both of our views. We laughed out loud multiple times, and just found the whole film original and great.

I really needed a laugh and I got one.

Donnie Brasco

I watched Donnie Brasco on my iPhone, in smallish bits, as breaks from working too much over the weekend.

I'd actually never heard of this mob flick with Al Pacino & a really adorable Johnny Depp, I must have been sleeping when it hit theatres in 1997, but I was awake when it rented for 99c on iTunes.

I liked the movie, although having recently done most of the Sopranos season and then having seen Gommorah, it was definitely in the Sopranos vein.

An entertaining film - not great, and it hasn't stayed with me very well in the days since, but it gave me the break I needed...