Set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, this first novel portrays gritty daily life in Belfast and its environs. The tension between neighboring Catholics and Protestants is often escalated by seemingly random acts of violence. Cushla, a young elementary school teacher, lives with her alcoholic mother and helps occasionally at the bar owned by her older brother Eammon. The bar has its regulars, Catholics, but sometimes a Protestant wanders in.
One evening, barrister Michael Agnew, notices Cushla and strikes up a conversation which leads to involvement and then an affair. Michael is not only Protestant, but also married and considerably older. Theirs is a tender love story marked by absence, evasion, and affection.
Kennedy straightforwardly captures the small details in the setting. I found the first part a bit slow, but then the book gained momentum as one tragic event led to another. Kennedy grew up near Belfast and was a chef for almost 30 years before becoming a writer. Trespasses was the A Post Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year 2022 and also shortlisted for several other awards. It’s the first read from my summer list.
LIVE THEATER
Man of La Mancha(Asolo Repertory Theatre)
Don Quixote & Sancho (SarasotaHeraldTribune.com)
This run of Man of La Mancha has ended, but it was the all-time best production the Chief Penguin and I have enjoyed at the Asolo. This is not faint praise as the overall caliber of Asolo productions is always extremely high. The staging, the setting in a contemporary prison, the intricate choreography of fight scenes, the voices and sounds of actors and musicians, and the music itself combined for an engrossing performance. We were entranced! And hearing The Impossible Dream sung and then sung again two more times, we were uplifted. This play was a gift for our complex, polarized times.
This documentary about Michael J. Fox is ultimately a testament to one man’s steadfastness in the face of illness. Michael J. Fox was a hot young TV star in the 1970’s who then branched out to movies. He was funny, brash, and always in motion. It seemed the world was his oyster, until. As many know, he got a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease at 29, but kept it a secret from all but a few for a few years.
The film traces his growing up years, his striving to achieve despite his short stature, his marriage to Tracy, and the births of his children. Interspersed with his history are interview segments with him today at 61. He speaks frankly about himself, his condition, and his career. It’s a thoughtfully made film with occasional flashes of wit. Highly recommended!
I have recently become acquainted with several series offered by Walter Presents. PBS Masterpiece is showing a few of them; I got curious about who and what Walter Presents is. It is a curated collection of international TV programs from different countries and in a variety of languages with English subtitles. Launched on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2016, it subsequently was offered in the U.S. and other countries. The man behind the selections is Walter Iuzzolino. Examples I’ve watched thus far include Astrid (French 2 seasons) and Murder in Sweden.
Detective Maria Wern works alongside Sebastian, another detective, on a small crime squad on the island of Gotland. Maria, a widow, is a complex person, hardworking, driven, and mother to two older boys. She’s also reserved with her feelings.
The murder cases are difficult ones requiring teamwork, but occasionally Maria goes rogue in her zeal to solve them. Her relationship with Sebastian is initially one of joking and bantering, but he would like more. How their interactions evolve over the series adds depth and tenderness.
Each episode is in 2 parts and I just have access to one season. It’s in Swedish with subtitles. Recommended!
Savor Sarasota is this city’s annual June dining out festival. Participating restaurants offer special menus usually at a discounted price. We dined at Duval’s downtown and had the best meal there ever and one that was superb in general. With four courses at forty dollars, the menu offered two choices for each course.
Interior of Duval’s (TripAdvisor.com)
The Chief Penguin and I started with the salmon spread on crostini for me, the excellent gazpacho for him; then a green salad for me and tuna poke for him. We both selected the mahi piccata and the key lime pie as our entrée and dessert. The mahi was a lovely presentation, a tasty piece of fish served over julienned carrots and other veggies. And what’s not to like about key lime pie! The Chief Penguin was delighted that it came topped with a layer of whipped cream and more on the side. A glass of Chardonnay added to this wonderful meal!
Note: Header photo is the key lime pie at Duval’s from Facebook.
I always have ambitious goals for my summer reading and this year is no exception. I create a list and aim to read as many of the titles as possible. I usually fall short. I get sidetracked by other appealing works or find a particular book not engaging (I allow at least 50 pages before I retreat). Or somehow the premise of a novel or nonfiction work no longer resonates with my summer state of mind. And, of course, some summer reading should be just for fun—whether it’s a mystery, a romance, or an adventure tale!
Here’s my baker’s dozen to read before Labor Day. Maybe.
FICTION
Careless Love: A DCI Banks Novel by Peter Robinson
I’ve read many, but not all of Robinson’s suspense novels. This definitely falls into the fun category. It’s #25 out of 28 in the series. Several earlier books were adapted for a very good TV series.
Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls
Walls is the author of the memoir, The Glass Castle, about her nomadic upbringing.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
A contemporary take on Little Women
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
One of my all-time favorite writers. I started this in hardback earlier this year, now I will finish it.
This Other Eden by Paul Harding
Historical novel about a community on a Maine island. Harding’s first novel, Tinkers, published in 2009 won a Pulitzer Prize.
The Shooting at Chateau Rock by Martin Walker
Having seen Walker give a serious talk, I’m curious to read one of his Chief Bruno mysteries, this one set in the Dordogne.
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
Journalist, author and former chef, this novel by Kennedy is set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
Three by Valerie Perrin
I loved Perrin’s previous novel, Fresh Water for Flowers. This one is also translated from the French.
Trust by Hernan Diaz
A family saga, a Best Book of the Year (NY Times) and a Pulitzer Prize winner.
The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
Another mystery by the Maisie Dobbs author, this one with a new character.
NONFICTION
The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions by Jonathan Rosen
Memoir about two best friends since childhood.
The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family by Kerri K. Greenidge
Anti-slavery sister activists in the 19th century.
The Lobster Coastby Colin Woodard
I spend much of the summer in Maine. This is a chance to learn more about its history.
Note: Header image of woman reading is from readersdigest.co.uk
The last exhibit we visited in Manhattan this month was the small, but fascinating, collection of Van Gogh’s Cypresses. Probably Van Gogh’s most famous painting is The Starry Night. When we saw it here, we were made aware of the tall dark cypress trees on the left. Something I hadn’t paid attention to in the past nor really noticed.
Two Poplars in the Apiles
Other paintings from Van Gogh’s time in Saint-Remy, Provence highlight not only the brooding cypresses, but also show off poppies in a field (cypresses in the background) and in a canvas luminescent in yellows, two straight poplar trees. The exhibit was crowded and occupied only a few galleries but was well worth the visit.
Line of Separationis a German series set in the divided town of Tannbach after WWII. A brook splits the town between the Nazis and the Americans. Families are at odds with one another, and past actions and differing political views make for tension, anger, and violence. Young Anna, a young aristocrat, takes command of her family’s estate after the death of her mother when the Nazis threaten.
Tannbach is a fictional village modeled after a real one. There are two seasons of six episodes each. We have watched Season 1 and found it a gripping piece of postwar history.
In Deutschland 83, Martin Rauch is an ordinary border guard in East Germany. He is recruited as a spy by the Stasi and sent to West Germany to infiltrate the army and gather NATO intelligence. As Mauritz Stamm, he is the chief aide to a high level general. Inexperienced and naïve, his bungling at the job makes for a series of close calls. It also provides American viewers a different look at the Cold War years before the Berlin Wall came down.
This 2015 series starts out slowly but becomes more intense in the second and third episodes. There are 8 episodes in all. For those who get hooked, there are two more series which we have not yet watched: Deutschland 86 and Deutschland 89.
Valerie, a comfortable dark bar and restaurant on W. 45th Street was just right for lunch with a friend. We were seated in the back and, all was quiet initially until a boisterous crowd arrived, making conversation more challenging. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the entrée salads we each had, two with ahi tuna and mine a tasty Caesar with freshly grilled chicken strips. I’d go back, but probably book for 11:00 or 11:30.
This visit the Chief Penguin and I dined at several bar cum restaurants. The Bar Room was one where we dined twice. The first time the back tables were quiet, and the happy hour drink prices most appealing. We sampled the bar fries and indulged in lobster rolls, almost as good as in Maine. On our second visit, we went for the guacamole, fries, and the fried chicken bites. All tasty snack treats. It was much more crowded and thumping music was an accompaniment. Go, but proceed with caution!
We returned to Imli after not having dined there for several years. They offer delicious Indian fare in an airy, contemporary space. We liked it so much we ate here a second time. The tandoor chicken is nicely spiced, the veggie samosas large, the lamb logs a bit different, and the very spicy paneer as billed. We happily took some home for lunch the next day!
Barbaresco is one of our regular go-to Italian restaurants. It isn’t overly expensive and we like the vibe. Recently we tried a couple of their daily specials and were delighted. Vitello tonnato (thinly sliced veal with tuna anchovy sauce) has long been a favorite of mine. The version I had here, topped with arugula and cherry tomatoes, was one of the very best ever!
Vitello Tonnato
Note: Unattributed photos by JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo is Van Gogh’s Field of Poppies.
