Recent Reading I just finished reading The Secretary: A Journey with Hillary Clinton from Beirut to the Heart of American Power by Kim Ghattas. It is a fascinating and nuanced account of American diplomacy as seen through the lens of a BBC correspondent. Ghattas, a native of Lebanon, was part of the press corps traveling …
Category Archives: Books
Booknote: Summer Reading
For some of us, summertime is an excuse to read something light or more frivolous than we usually would. For others, it’s an opportunity to devote time to delving into a serious tome, perhaps one that’s been languishing on the shelf. I view it as a chance to do both—indulge in lighter fare and stretch …
Tidy Tidbits: Film, Art & Vanessa
FILM I recommend Far from the Madding Crowd! Beautiful countryside, beautifully filmed, and Carey Mulligan is a lovely Bathsheba, intelligent, definite and almost elfin. And the men—Francis Troy has the required rakish dark hair and eyes, Boldwood (don’t you love Hardy’s choice of names!) is older, but not as sinister seeming as in the novel, …
Booknote: Shanghai Jazz & Montana Misery
WHAT I’VE READ RECENTLY Nicole Mones is an engaging writer. Her background includes running a textile business importing wool from China, something she did for 18 years which means she writes knowledgeably and convincingly about that society and its culture. Several years ago I read her novel, The Last Chinese Chef. I absolutely loved this book, …
