Staff Picks

Writings and Drawings by James Thurber [Book]

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Thurber’s comic genius pervades this compilation of his short stories, essays and cartoons. It’s full of treasures like The night the bed fell, The catbird seat, The secret life of Walter Mitty, and the ever-current Fables for our time. His wit ranges from deadpan to farcical, from whimsical to satirical. His command of the American language is elegant and hilarious, his drawings without equal. The only drawback to this Library of America omnibus is that it doesn’t include everything and once addicted, you’ll have to go back to the shelves for more.

Ginger Geezer: The Life of Vivian Stanshall by Lucian Randall and Chris Welch [Book]

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Rise Up Singing [Book]

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Songs of our fathers by Andy Statman and David Grisman [Music CD]

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This is a wonderfully joyful, sorrowful, simple, virtuosic, and just plain fun recording. Statman and Grisman, together with their very talented band (which includes Edgar Meyer on bass!) play traditional and original acoustic Jewish music with strong klezmer roots. Statman is a fine clarinetist, and both Statman and Grisman are masters of the mandolin; it’s a treat to hear them play!

How To Wreck A Nice Beach by Dave Tompkins [Book]

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The vocoder is one of the strangest devices in the music world. One only has to listen to the recent trend of “Auto-Tune” (an offspring of the vocoder) to begin the mystification process! Dave Tompkins leads us through the invention of this vocal transmission synthesizer and its initial uses. We learn that Winston Churchill and later John F. Kennedy spoke into early modules before the vocoder was even considered to be used as a musical instrument. Tompkins gives us plenty of military, political, scientific and Cold War history side by side with the then nascent hip-hop and electro movements with tales of the Jonzun Crew, Roger Troutman and Kraftwerk to name a few. What a read!

French Milk by Lucy Knisley [Graphic Novel]

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French Milk is a travelogue, photo journal and graphic novel rolled into one deliciously exciting book. Lucy Knisley illustrates and writes about six-week stay she and her mother had in Paris in 2007. Sightseeing, love interests, her parents and baguettes are all discussed with a great deal of candidness and humor.

Room by Emma Donoghue [Book]

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Jack, a delightful, endearing 5 year old, narrates this unique and compelling novel that I could not put down until the last page. He describes the daily life and activities that are shared with his mother within the confines of an 11′ x 11′ room which is the only world that he has known. We soon learn that “Ma,” whose goal is to keep Jack safe, is a prisoner whose kidnapper makes late nightly visits while Jack is sleeping in a wardrobe. We are spared any descriptive shocking details of her experience because Jack tells the story from an innocent child’s perspective. His 5 year old voice is totally convincing as it portrays a lovable, intelligent boy who is happy in the secure environment that his mother provides where he has fun, plays, learns, and is entertained. All is cozy in room until things begin to change, and Ma realizes that they must get Outside.

This is the story of a mother and child’s love as well as one of abduction. It is an absorbing and spellbinding read, with moments of humor and tenderness. It stays in my mind, and Jack is unforgettable.

Across Asia on a bicycle by Thomas Gaskell Allen, Jr. and William Lewis Sachtleben. [Book]

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After graduating from George Washington University in 1890, Thomas Allen and William Sachtleben, two American students wishing to expand upon their education with practical experience, decided to travel around the world. Wishing to meet the people along their route, instead of being insulated from them as they would have been had they traveled by more customary means, the two young men chose the newly invented “saftey bicycle” as their primary method of transport. This book tells the story of the most exciting portion of their travels, their journey across Asia, taking the seldom used northern route from Turkey, through Persia (now Iran) and through western China. (The safer and more used path would have led them south through India.)

This book is fascinating as much for what it reveals about the attitudes of these two Americans as it is for what it reveals about the people they met upon there way. It provides an interesting glimpse at the attitudes and politics of the time, and, of course, it is also a great adventure story.

Jeeves & Wooster [DVD]

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Starring the incomparable comedic duo of Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, this British TV series is an adaptation of P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves stories. The actors embody the upper-class goofball and his omniscient valet perfectly, and the free-flowing wit and rampant silliness are irresistible. Fry’s eyebrows say it all.

The Shanghai Tunnel [Book]

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Newman, known for her historical accuracy introduces a new character into 1860s Portland Oregon, in this departure from her Catherine LaVendeur series. Emily Stratton, the daughter of missionaries in China, is in San Francisco when her ship-captain husband dies. She accompanies his body back to the young town of Portland, and tries to make a home there. When she investigates her husband’s suspect business practices, someone wants her to stop. She must find out who to save her new life and her son. Will appeal to readers of Dianne Day and Laurie R. King.

Alfie [DVD]

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Lewis Gilbert’s 1966 masterpiece drama/comedy stars Michael Caine in the title role. Alfie is a street smart character who is here only to enjoy life and often has little consideration for others. He moves quickly from partner to partner (sometimes in seedy arrangements), but is eventually forced to come to terms with his reckless behavior, lack of income and aging body. Alfie sports an interesting storytelling model: either to have a quick laugh or explain how he’s feeling at any given time, Caine often breaks the fourth wall to converse with the viewer.

With supporting characters played by Shelly Winters, Jane Asher and Denholm Elliott, clever comedic dialog, twists and turns to the tragic and a swinging jazz score by Sonny Rollins, Alfie remains one of the richest films to ever grace the screen.

Chaos and Creation in the Backyard by Paul McCartney [Music CD]

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Upon George Martin’s suggestion, Sir Paul teamed up with producer Nigel Godrich (see his work with Beck & Radiohead) for this incredible 2005 studio album. Chaos and Creation… served as a return to form for McCartney. The album begins with “Fine Line”, a straight ahead piano driven, maraca laden rock number. He later weaves into “Jenny Wren” which recalls certain arrangement elements from the White Album’s “Black Bird”. Then, the word “peradventure” is plucked from his Charles Dickens readings on the airy “English Tea”. Essentially, what we are presented with is classic McCartney accompanied by interesting loops courtesy of the brain of Nigel Godrich: a recording both modern and vintage.