I admit it.
I’m a book junky.
I read them in all places, at all times of the day or night.
Tea and books were made for each other.
They almost make up for all the junk you have to do till you get to that point in your day.
And as for books, bathtubs, and an apple:
pure heaven.
Then there are the “working books”
I have a book for each doctor, and one for my dentist, and only read it there.
That way you at least have something to look forward to.
Books to learn something that takes you to new facets of your life.
Books, like murder mysteries,
that can remind you of the second most important thing you have to learn in life:
“You’re not dead. Now get up and get moving.”
And as for films.
Double guilty.
As long as it is:
good,
funny,
not full of death and blood and violence.
Or supernatural rampaging dolls.
Or constant car chases.
Or aliens.
So what is my favorite film?
Sleuth.
A writer, and his writing, take on real life.
Written by Peter Schaffer.
Of “Amadeus ” and “The Royal Hunt of the Sun” fame.
Horrendous, brilliant, and incredibly funny.
And requires some time to think about afterwards.
Then there is “Noises Off.”
Michael Frayn at his best.
A rehearsal drama,
with a marvelous cast, including Carol Burnett and John Ritter,
who, with the help of disappearing and reappearing contact lenses,
and plates of herrings that just aren’t where they ought to be,
trace the comic decline of a play in three marvelous acts,
from “love you all, glad we’re all playing together,”
to “she’s pregnant, and just where is the fire axe now?”
And then, of course, there is Alan Ayckbourn,
writer of the third most read English language literature,
after the Bible,
and Shakespeare.
“A Chorus of Disapproval” says it all:
about life in the choral, chorus with orchestra, and opera biz(es)
A sort of funnier “A Chorus Line” for musicians:
A new widower joins a theater group,
for therapy,
where he:
ends up as the lead of “The Beggar’s Opera,”
beds all the women,
infuriates all the men,
gets the best show in town out of the music,
falls in love with the music- only-
and gets run out of town on a rail.
Until time for the next show.
This is just so absolutely true,
a group of conductor/singer friends and I almost got tossed out of a notoriously correct theatre
(stage version)
for laughing in what was considered the wrong places.
If only they knew.
And finally, as everyone who has ever read my blog knows,
I am mad for Dr. Who,
especially the ones where he meets Agatha Christie and Shakespeare,
and lands in the world of Charles Dickens.
Well, actually, Donna Noble is pure brassy joy also.
A truly gutsy lady, who takes on everyone from Queen Elizabeth to the doctor himself.
And wins.
Maybe I identify with her.
Don’t I wish.
And as for books:
I’ll make it short:
“A Lantern in Her Hand-”
has always fascinated me.
From grade school days.
Then there are the all-time greatest murder mysteries.
There is a top hundred list.
I try to stay up with the list, which somehow, never seems to really change much.
Thank heavens.
Oh, and for philosophical days, or years, I suggest Huff’s The Tao Of Pooh,
full of real wisdom, so Winnified even I can understand it.
And speaking of simple wisdom (and self-help books):
I recently ran into a very funny, and actually pretty helpful book,
in a bizarre sort of way.
Called Lose Weight! Get Laid! Find God!
The title is the worst thing about the book.
The content being the humorous depiction of the stages man goes through,
more or less,
in every year of his life.
(And since each page is a year,
you can look up to see where you have been and where you are going,
and have a good laugh at the same time.)
And, finally, of course,
there is one great book everyone knows,
more or less,
or at least has heard of,
and,
this,
as I write this blog,
being Christmas day,
you might want to check out:
the Bible
Happy holidays to all.
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Quahog on a Tightrope 