Cary Grant's Chest

Cary Grant in London, 1946.

"I loved sinking my head into Cary Grant's chest."—Jean Arthur.

The actress who starred with Grant in two films, Only Angels Have Wings (1939) and Talk of the Town (1942), must have been the luckiest woman in town. I mean, who wouldn't want to be in her place? And with that I bid you good night and have a wonderful weekend. 

Writer's Block

Jean Arthur in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

writer's block: a usually temporary condition in which a writer finds it impossible to proceed with the writing of a novel, play, or other work.

I don't know if what I've been feeling lately can be called writer's block but something has kept me from writing as much as I've wanted (not taking as many photos can be chalked up to the horrible temperatures we've been experiencing). I could say it's because I've been tired, which is true (I do have a full-time job) but I'm afraid it might be due more to my propensity to over think everything. Instead of just writing a quick post about an exhibit I've seen, I have to ponder it forever and then agonize over every word I choose. The truth is, I need to just get on with it and write and not worry about every post being perfect or profound (as if I've ever written one that was). I've written for a living before and had no choice then when to finish something because of deadlines I had to meet.

This week I'm going to attempt to catch up as it were and go through my list of things I've done/seen recently that are already over/closed and write some quick posts about them. Moving forward, I'm going to try my hardest to publish reviews right after I've seen something so you dear readers can attend if you find it interesting (save for one-time events, of course). And if they're not as long as ones I've written in the past, then so be it.

I first started this blog so I'd have a place to write about my love of old movies and history and about living in New York; basically, I wanted to write about things that I enjoy. I feel though like I could be doing much more. For example, while I'll write about a museum I've gone to, I rarely mention restaurants or shops in the city, something I could start doing more of. So don't be surprised if you start seeing a broadening of my posts about things to do in New York and other topics. See you back here shortly.

A Murderous Summer

Jean Arthur in a publicity still for The Greene Murder Case (1929).

I love a good mystery. If it’s British and set in the past, then all the better. Which is why I devoted my summer reading this year almost entirely to the genre. There were a few other books thrown in (some biographies on Robert Capa, Sophie Dahl’s newest cookbook) but for the most part my summer was all about murder. Here is a selection of a few of the ones that I read.

No Mark Upon Her

Deborah Crombie

The very married (three times no less) Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Detective Inspector Gemma James are busy with their growing family when Duncan is asked to head up an investigation into the murder of a female rower with Olympic aspirations. When Gemma discovers possible connections between her case and Duncan’s, the two join together to find the killer. The latest in one of my favourite series. I love Crombie's descriptions of various areas of modern-day London and Duncan and Gemma's relationship. 

Mr. Churchill’s Secretary

Susan Elia MacNeal

It’s 1940 and British-born, American-raised math whiz Maggie Hope has put off graduate school at MIT to return to England to handle some family manners. Needing work and wanting to help with the war effort, Maggie becomes a secretary to Prime Minister Winston Churchill. At first miffed that she wasn’t chosen to be more than a typist, Maggie soon finds herself putting her smarts and life on the line as she races to stop enemies close at home. I really enjoyed this debut and look forward to reading about Maggie’s next adventure.

Faceless Killers

Henning Mankell

Small town Swedish cop Kurt Wallender is called to the scene of the shocking murder of an elderly couple with an unusually tied noose and the word “foreigner” left as clues. Wallender must look into the dead man’s past and find who committed this awful crime before anti-immigrant feelings set off a backlash. I’m late to the whole Scandinavian mystery genre (I just read my first one last year) and am just now catching up. I saw the Kenneth Branagh Wallender series on PBS, including the version of this story, but still got into the writing and would like to read another in the series.

The Redbreast

Jo Nesbø

Norwegian police detective Harry Hole is on reassignment after an unfortunate shooting incident. Dealings with neo-Nazi thugs uncover a tale from the past that leaves his partner dead and Harry in a race to find a killer before an assassination can occur. Weaving effortlessly between World War II Europe and present day Oslo, The Redbreast is a thrilling tale that kept me reading late into the night. Nesbø is a fantastic writer and I would like to read more of his work.

The Invisible Ones

Stef Penney

Private Investigator Ray Lovell comes to in a hospital unable to move or speak. As he slowly regains his health he learns that his near-death experience is tied to his latest case—finding a young Gypsy woman who disappeared seven years earlier. Lovell, who has been hired by the missing woman's father because Lovell is himself half Gypsy, ventures into a Gypsy camp where he uncovers hidden family secrets while confronting his own past. An excellent read and inside look at the world of the Romany people in Britain.

The Dark Enquiry

Deanna Raybourn

In Victorian London Lady Julia is eager to help her husband, Nicholas Brisbane, with his private enquiry business. Brisbane, though, is not sold on the idea. But when Julia attends a séance at the Spirit Club and witnesses the murder of its celebrated medium there's no question of her being left out of the investigation, especially when it turns out one of her brothers is involved. Together the two must solve the case before scandal rocks Julia's family and their marriage. I love the Lady Julia Grey series. They are a nice blend of humour and drama, and the banter between Julia and Brisbane is always entertaining.

Happy Easter

Jean Arthur

Happy Easter everyone! I will be partaking in my yearly viewing of Easter Parade before heading up to the real thing. Looking forward to seeing this year's hats. Enjoy your Sunday!

Happy Thanksgiving

Jean Arthur and Lillian Roth 

Happy Thanksgiving! Don't you love these "pilgrims" hunting in the snow? I'm still feeling horrid with a hacking cough that I'm sure everyone on the block can hear so no Thanksgiving celebrations for me this year. Just my bed and large doses of DayQuil. Hope the rest of you had a relaxing day with family and friends and enjoyed loads of good food and drink.

Bookshelf

Jean Arthur

I am a voracious reader and normally have a pile of books next to my bed waiting to be devoured. I thought from time to time, I’d share with you what I’ve recently read.

Saplings by Noel Streatfeild

Streatfeild is best known for her children’s books yet Saplings is definitely an adult novel. The story opens with a middle-class English family at the seaside on the brink of World War II and charts their disintegration through the war.The detailed portraits of the four children and the effect the war has on them, especially on the two eldest, are particularly striking and gut wrenching. I first became acquainted with Streatfeild when I saw a painting of her at the National Portrait Gallery in London. I am so happy to finally connect the image with her writing. The book is a slow read at first but don’t be put off by that. It picks up speed towards the middle and then rushes destructively along towards the end. 

Where Shadows Dance by C.S. Harris

Everyone has their junk food version of books and mine is the historical mystery. I especially enjoy series that I can follow year after year and Where Shadows Dance is the latest in one of my favourite series. Sebastian St. Cyr is a dashing earl with a troubled family life who is often called upon to track down killers in Georgian England. Here he deals with multiple murders that seem linked to continental politics while arranging his upcoming marriage to his archenemy’s daughter, Hero Jarvis, who's a pretty strong female character. A nice mix of mystery, intrigue, and romance. Loads of fun. 

Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon

Commissario Guido Brunetti is a man with a strong moral sense of right and wrong, which often leaves him at odds with the corruption he finds while solving murders. Luckily, Brunetti has a loving family who help to balance the horror of his cases. This time out in Drawing Conclusions, he investigates the death of an old woman that leads him to explore the treatment of the elderly and the abuse of women. The best thing about this book though and the series is the setting—my beloved Venice. The scenes describing Brunetti's walks through the streets and over the bridges bring the city to life and make me long to return.

Know the Past, Find the Future: The New York Public Library at 100

For the New York Public Library's centennial anniversary (more on that at a later date), Penguin Books published Know the Past, Find the Future: The New York Public Library at 100, which includes more than 100 New Yorkers posing with and writing about their favourite items from the library's collections.This book is so much fun. Gabriel Byrne smiling with a portrait of James Joyce; Fran Lebowitz and Nancy Drew books; Lou Reed holding a manuscript page from Edgar Allan Poe's The Rationale of Verse; Zadie Smith reading a first folio edition of Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories & Tragedies. The best thing though? The book was passed out for free around the city. Way to go Penguin and the NYPL. 

Off to read some more.