Friday Forgotten Book: FINAL CURTAIN (1947) by Ngaio Marsh

I'm not posting forgotten books regularly anymore - I simply have run out of steam, possibly because I've forgotten any forgotten books I've read in the past. But occasionally, when I do stumble across one, accidentally or otherwise, I'll be writing about it - kind of on an irregular basis. In the meantime, don't forget to keep checking in at Patti Abbott's blog to see what forgotten (or overlooked) books other readers are talking about - most of...

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Review: ISLAND OF BONES by Imogen Robertson

For reasons I can't figure out, probably something or other having to do with publishing business absurdities,  ISLAND OF BONES, the third book in the British series was published here AFTER the fourth book, CIRCLE OF SHADOWS. I refuse to read this series out of order (though you, of course, are free to do so) and so I've waited almost six months (probably longer) for ISLAND OF BONES to become available to me.(And I'm glad I waited. Now I can...

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Saturday Salon: 10 Female Portraits I'd Love to Own

Gianni Strino (b.1953) - 'Ingrid' I love her expression of pique.Portrait of Iris Tree by Augustus John (1878 - 1961)Spectacular portrait of Isabella Stewart Gardner in Venice by Anders Zorn (1860 - 1920)Contemporary artist Karien DerooFlora Priestly 1889 by John Singer Sargent (1856 - 1925)A gorgeous portrait of Raquel Meller by Joaquin Sorolla (1863 - 1923)'A Girl' by Frederick Leighton (1830 - 1896)'Flapper' by Margaret Preston (1875 - 1963)Girl...

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Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Norman RockwellJust wanted to wish everyone a very wonderful day tomorrow even if you're not officially celebrating Thanksgiving D...

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Forgotten (or Overlooked) Films Tuesday: SEVEN DAYS IN MAY starring Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster and Fredric March

Since this has been such a politically charged month (and someone stole my Obama sign from the lawn) I've been watching a political film or two because, obviously, I can't get enough of political chicanery in high places.My post is part of the on-going Tuesday meme hosted by Todd Mason over at his blog, Sweet Freedom. Don't forget to check in and see what other films, television, etc. other bloggers are posting about today.SEVEN DAYS IN MAY (1964)...

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Review: THE MOONSTONE by Wilkie Collins

Hold on to your hats, here we go.This is a large read, a luxurious read to snuggle down with on a cold winter's day (if we're ever going to get another of those here in the northeast), a great thumping Victorian melodrama mystery - my great big second helping of Wilkie Collins in two years.THE MOONSTONE (1868) is the story of a missing jewel (the moonstone is a diamond not...uh, a moonstone - it's just called The Moonstone) and the two thwarted and...

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Saturday Salon: 10 Male Portraits I Would Love to Own

'Portrait of a Young Man' -  Flemish Master Peter Paul Rubens 1577 - 1640What I love about this painting, besides the flawless technique, is the eyes. That look in those eyes make the sitter come alive even after so many centuries. It's a very modern-seeming look.Self-portrait by American painter Alexander Stern 1904 - 1994When I first saw this painting I thought, aha! that's Saul Panzer in the flesh. (For the uninitiated, Saul is the best operative...

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Tuesday's Overlooked Films: EAST OF EDEN (1955) starring James Dean, Julie Harris and Raymond Massey

Tuesday is Overlooked Films (and other A/V material) Day - used to be Forgotten Films Day but it's changed. Either/or, it remains the day we talk about films overlooked or forgotten or otherwise ignored. For all the pertinent links, please check out Todd Mason's blog, Sweet Freedom.EAST OF EDEN, a film directed by Elia Kazan (based on the novel by John Steinbeck) and starring James Dean, Julie Harris and Raymond Massey, was a hit in its day. A film...

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The Amazon List

Thanks to Pop Culture Nerd's Twitter notice I checked out the Amazon List of 100 Best Books of 2012 and found I'd only read one of them (Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.). Yikes. Literary-wise I am obviously languishing in the shadows of the mainstream...or at least, the Amazon mainstream. Well, it won't be the first time or even the last. Obviously I'm just not a 'mainstream' kind of gal.How many have you read? Will you make me hang...

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Review: SPEAK OUT BEFORE YOU DIE by Jacqueline T. Lynch

Jacqueline is, as many of you know, a fellow movie-maven blogger (Another Old Movie Blog) as well as a writer and, by the way, a great person. If you love vintage movies, Jacqueline's blog is a must-read.SPEAK OUT BEFORE YOU DIE is the second book in the Double V series begun with CADMIUM YELLOW, BLOOD RED which introduced the two protagonists, richy-rich divorcee Juliet Van Allen and ex-con and man of all trades, Elmer Vartanian. (When was the last...

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Sunday Salon: Veteran's Day

Artist: J.C. Leyendecker 1918Artist: Norman Rockwell 1919Artist: J.C. Leyendecker 1918Artist: Ski Weld 1941Artist: Norman RockwellArtist: Norman RockwellArtist: Thomas Hart BentonTuskegee Airmen - no artist attributionArtist: Dame Laura KnightArtist: N.C. WyethArtist: McClelland Barclay - killed in action in 1942Artist: McClelland BarclayArtist: McClelland BarclayArtist: McClelland Barclay Artist: John Falter  Artist: Mead SchafferArtist:...

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