Tidy Tidbits: Books & Local Scene

RECENT READING

Love is Blind by William Boyd

I have known of Boyd’s work and watched the TV production of Any Human Heart, but until now had not read any of his novels.  Love is Blindwas a very satisfying read.  Set in the years from 1894 to 1906 and in a variety of venues ranging from Edinburgh, Paris, Nice and a remote island, it details, as the subtitle states, The Rapture of Brodie Moncur.  A Scotsman with a domineering and abusive father, Brodie is a gifted piano tuner who escapes his gray tumultuous home life for the light and beauty of Paris.  

His talents enable him to find a job wherever he goes, and with a diagnosis of tuberculosis, he often needs to seek out warmer climes.  But what really propels and drives him is his obsession, call it love or infatuation, with a young Russian singer named Lika Blum.  The fact that Lika is in a relationship with one of his clients, the past-his-prime pianist John Kilbarron, doesn’t deter Brodie, and they enjoy brief periods of togetherness.  

Scotsman Boyd is a good storyteller and his prose provides enough local color to differentiate the various locales while detailing the changing times as automobiles replace horses in the early 20^thcentury.  I found myself caring a great deal about Brodie and his peregrinations. (~JWFarrington)

Just Mercy:  A Story of Justice and Redemption  by Bryan Stevenson

In today’s news, there are more reports of prisoners wrongly accused or punished being released or having their sentences reduced.  Prisoners on death row for decades for crimes they didn’t commit or those whose punishments far exceeded what was just for the nature of the crime.  This was not always the case. Author and lawyer Stevenson was a pioneer in these efforts with his creation of the Equal Justice Initiative in the early 1980’s.   Based in Alabama, Stevenson and his small team challenged the death row sentences of innocent individuals and those who were sentenced when they were mere children, thirteen or fourteen.  

An account of Stevenson’s work over more than twenty-five years, the book offers up details about some of the people whose cases he appealed, some successfully, some not.   The heart of it, however, is the story of Walter McMillian, one of his first cases, and a man who’d already spent several decades on death row for a murder he did not commit.  What Stevenson uncovers about faulty justice, indifferent lawyers and law enforcement officials, lying eyewitnesses, and easily led townspeople is chilling; what Stevenson is able to achieve for Walter and his family is a testament to perseverance and dedication.  This book, published in 2014, won several awards and appeared on six best books of the year lists.  Thanks to our Pennsylvania friend Mark for recommending it. (~JWFarrington)

LOCAL COLOR

MUSEUM EXHIBIT

If you’re a fan of animals, then you might trot over to the South Florida Museumto see the new National Geographic “Photo Ark” exhibit by Joel Sartore.  Gorgeous up-close photos of fifty animals (mostly taken in zoos) against stark black or stark white backgrounds.  The exhibit just opened to the public and runs into July.

POWERFUL THEATER

Set in Reading, Pennsylvania, against the backdrop of the 2000 presidential election and the financial crisis of 2008, playwright Lynn Nottage’s Sweat at the Asolo, packs a punch.  The language is raw and the emotions even more so.  Focusing on three women who are union workers in a local factory, two young men who are the sons of two of them, and the local bar where they all hang out, it’s a portrait of working-class America that many of us haven’t experienced. The bar set is realistic-looking and TV videos overhead as a transition between scenes make for effective staging.   I thought the acting was uniformly excellent.  We came out exhausted, but appreciative of the high caliber performances we see here. It’s a play that could be required viewing for all adults—it’s that good!  

DINING NOTES

A friend and I had lunch at Mar Vistarecently and it was lovely!  This waterside restaurant on Longboat Key has been totally remodeled and is almost unrecognizable.  It’s been spiffed up and is very inviting with three options for seating—inside, in the open air on a covered terrace, and fully outside at tables on the sand. We opted for the terrace and both enjoyed Cobb salads which were very fresh and tasty.  Service was pleasant and efficient.  To learn more, see the write-up in this week’s Herald Tribune.

If you’re enough of a stalwart to brave St. Armand’s Circle during the season, then lunch at Shore is a great choice.  Located upstairs almost next door to Chico’s, the outside tables are airy with a view of the street.  The menu offers lots of fish and plenty of salads and sandwiches.  We three friends opted for a poke salad and the fish tacos with a green salad (instead of the menu fries).  The tacos were tasty and the service super-efficient.  Perfect for getting on with more shopping!

Note: Photos by JWFarrington unless otherwise noted. Header photo is a white-fronted lemur from the “Photo Ark” exhibit.