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Under the Greenwood Tree Movie Review

Set in the Dorset village of Mellstock during the 1840s, Under the Greenwood Tree focuses on a new arrival to the village, Miss Fancy Day. Miss Day, an educated beauty who has travelled to the village to take care of her ailing father and to be the new schoolmistress, is met with a lot of curiosity. She becomes the talk of the square, and three suitors step forward to ask for her hand in marriage. There is the wealthy landowner who promises silk dresses and live in maid service, the intelligent and educated Vicar who promises her the world, literally, … Continue reading →

Family Movie Night: Heidi

It is harder and harder these days for me to find good entertainment for my kids that doesn’t have the affect of making them grow up too fast. Even a recent G-rated show had a couple of characters in it that, well, got busy. Although the action was never shown, it was certainly implied. Yikes. So for family movie nights, we tend to go back in time to movie classics, even those not yet in color. For example, there is Miracle on 34th Street, which, believe it or not, was a very controversial movie banned by the Catholic church for … Continue reading →

Movies Week in Review July 14th – 19th

It’s sure been a busy summer, and a hot one, too! Are you looking for a great flick to enjoy while sitting with your family in front of a fan, taking time just to be together in the midst of all the rush? Maybe we can help you out. We started the week with a review of “Courage Mountain,” a film which is supposedly the continuation of the story of “Heidi.” Heidi is now fifteen and decides to attend boarding school, but as World War I ignites, she and her classmates are stranded in Italy . . . until Peter … Continue reading →

Uppity Women of Shakespearean Times

Soldiers, spies, businesswomen, lobbyists, those Shakespearean women really knew how to live. Outspoken and daring, all while keeping their heads during a time when women could be flogged for speaking harshly to their husbands, or in the case of King Henry VIII, loose their heads for not producing an heir, the women portrayed in this book are proud, passionate or just trying to make a living. Uppity Women of Shakespearean Times is one of a series of books about groundbreaking women of history that really got lost in the shuffle. You won’t find the famous, at least not today, but … Continue reading →

Magic Kingdom for Sale–Sold! (Magic Kingdom of Landover) by Terry Brooks

If you enjoyed books like Harry Potter and the Hunger Games, then be prepared to go old school with Terry Brooks and the Magic Kingdom of Landover series. If you haven’t yet discovered this series, you are in for a treat. Ben Holiday is your average successful lawyer, who invests everything he has in his work and drinks too much. A loner, he spends most of his time trying to forget the tragedy of losing his wife an unborn child. So when he spots an unusual ad in a holiday catalogue. One magic kingdom for sale, complete with knights, maidens, … Continue reading →

Charlotte Collins: A Continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

I’m not usually a big fan of continuation novels where someone takes a expertly crafted classic and then jumps off of the story to one of their own, never quite reaching the level of the previous novel, a glaring comparison that tends to grate on one’s nerves or is just plain bad. Jane Austen seems to inspire many such sequels, prequels and alternate reality stories. There are a whole slew of Mr. Darcy’s daughters, sons and relations that get into all sorts of regional romance trouble. One of the most famous is the tongue-in-cheek zombie versions, which I confess that … Continue reading →

JK Rowling is Writing a New Book

Harry Potter fans over the age of twelve take note: JK Rowling is writing a new book aimed at adults, but will fans eager anticipate it? Yesterday morning, the Harry potter author announced that she has an agreement with Little, Brown for her very first adult novel. Everything is still hush hush about the title, the release date or any details about the book, but supposedly, more details will be announced later this year. Rumors abound about the type of book that JK Rowling is writing. Ian Rankin, a writer and neighbor of JK Rowling tweeted that perhaps the new … Continue reading →

The Buccaneers Miniseries Review

Fortunes rise and fortunes fall. Four young American Women, living in the world of 1870s England find themselves sailing the treacherous waters of the social world of the well to do. Will they break themselves against the reefs or sail successfully to shore, loaded down with treasure? The Buccaneers, a 1995 BBC miniseries is based on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel by the same name. Wharton, who grew up in the elite circles of 19th century society, a contemporary of the Astons and the Vanderbilts, knew all about the pressures of marriage and position that might befall a young American, whose … Continue reading →

What To Do, What To See This Week/End – April 20-25, 2010

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If you live in the Chicago area, you might want to head over to 77 East Randolph Street tonight for a maternity style event that will knock your panel pants off. Career fashionista Amy Tara Koch, who has two children of her own and is the trend reporter for NBC, will be hosting Fashion Focus Chicago’s “Bump It Up: Transform Your Pregnancy into the Ultimate Style Statement,” inspired by the book of the same name. It starts at 6pm and it is FREE. Learn how to inexpensively create beautiful maternity outfits without spending a fortune. There will also be makeup … Continue reading →

Grace is Gone (2007)

Last night I stayed up late to watch “Grace is Gone.” I have to say, it’s been awhile since a film touched me so very deeply. John Cusack brilliantly portrays Stanley Phillips, a man who wanted to serve in the military so badly, he cheated on the vision test so he could get into the Army. When his doctor on base discovers that his eyesight is terrible, he kicks Stanley out, but Stanley has already met Grace, a beautiful cadet, and they are married. They have two daughters, Heidi and Dawn, and they’ve built a life together. When Grace is … Continue reading →