mswrite
Chicago Public Library
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MomMom, DVDThe Complete First Season
DVD - 2014DVD, 2014
mswrite's rating:
Added Mar 06, 2019
Bush on the CouchBush on the Couch, BookInside the Mind of the President
by Frank, Justin A.Book - 2004 | 1st ed.Book, 2004. 1st ed.
mswrite's rating:
Added Mar 06, 2019
Comment:
Oh, God. It's all coming back to me.
I detested George W. Bush. I hated his smirky arrogance, his weird malapropisms, his phony religiosity, the cowboy wanna-be, "Mission Accomplished" machismo, the Weapons of Mass Destruction falsehoods that stampeded us into a never-ending War on Terror, the dishonesty of his entire administration.
This book was published in 2004, which is probably when I should have read it. Reading it now, in the Age of Trump, is jarring. So many of the character defects, parent issues, and flagrant dishonesties explored in "Bush on the Couch" read eerily like a profile of Donald Trump, though Trump has managed to be way worse--as a person and a national leader.
Fascinating stuff, though you may want to wait until after Trump leaves office (please, Lord, soon) to wade into it.Oh, God. It's all coming back to me.
I detested George W. Bush. I hated his smirky arrogance, his weird malapropisms, his phony religiosity, the cowboy wanna-be, "Mission Accomplished" machismo, the Weapons of Mass Destruction falsehoods that…
Trump on the CouchTrump on the Couch, BookInside the Mind of the President
by Frank, Justin A.Book - 2018Book, 2018
mswrite's rating:
Added Mar 06, 2019
Comment:
At this point, and having read other excellent examinations of Trump and his presidency by David Frum, Michael Wolff, and Bob Woodward, among others, I have to say there are not a lot of surprises here... Still this is an insightful and intriguing (if rather psychoanalytically depressing) take on the mind and mores of our current President-Elect.
Worth your time.At this point, and having read other excellent examinations of Trump and his presidency by David Frum, Michael Wolff, and Bob Woodward, among others, I have to say there are not a lot of surprises here... Still this is an insightful and intriguing…
Ocean's ElevenOcean's Eleven, DVD
DVD - 2008DVD, 2008
mswrite's rating:
Added Dec 21, 2018
Comment:
My favorite part of this film is near the end, when these iconic males exchange wordless glances as they realize their best laid plans have gone south. Otherwise, it's a snooze.
The 2001 Clooney and Company remake helmed by Steven Soderbergh is better by a mile and the cast just as classy.My favorite part of this film is near the end, when these iconic males exchange wordless glances as they realize their best laid plans have gone south. Otherwise, it's a snooze.
The 2001 Clooney and Company remake helmed by Steven Soderbergh is…
Out of SightOut of Sight, DVD
DVD - 1998 | Collector's ed.DVD, 1998. Collector's ed.
mswrite's rating:
Added Dec 21, 2018
Comment:
A killer soundtrack, by turns melancholy and snappy (I can hear Isley Brothers classics "Fight The Power" and "It's Your Thing" as I write this); crackling, witty dialogue; and a marvelous cast, headed by George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez, all of whom play their roles to the hilt. The chemistry between Clooney and J-Lo is smoking hot, and this might well be the best work either of them has ever done, particularly Lopez.
"Out of Sight" topped many critics' lists for best film of 1998, the enduring mystery is that it did so poorly at the box office at the time of its release. A highly recommended gem nevertheless, meant to be savored.A killer soundtrack, by turns melancholy and snappy (I can hear Isley Brothers classics "Fight The Power" and "It's Your Thing" as I write this); crackling, witty dialogue; and a marvelous cast, headed by George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez, all of…
The Complete Peanuts by Charles M. SchulzThe Complete Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz, Paperback1963-1964
by Schulz, Charles M.Paperback - 2017Paperback, 2017
mswrite's rating:
Added Dec 12, 2018
Comment:
A delightful compilation of black and white strips from the early years of Peanuts. The charming cover gives you an idea of the amusements within. Great fun for kids and a sweet bit of nostalgia for Boomer grownups.
The Dangerous Case of Donald TrumpThe Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, Book27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess A President
Book - 2017 | First edition.Book, 2017. First edition.
mswrite's rating:
Added Dec 12, 2018
The Twilight Zone EncyclopediaThe Twilight Zone Encyclopedia, Paperback
by Rubin, Steven JayPaperback - 2018Paperback, 2018
mswrite's rating:
Added Dec 12, 2018
Everything Trump Touches DiesEverything Trump Touches Dies, BookA Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever
by Wilson, RickBook - 2018 | First Free Press hardcover edition.Book, 2018. First Free Press hardcover edition.
mswrite's rating:
Added Nov 30, 2018
Comment:
The told-you-so delight I take in (nearly) every page of this book is tempered somewhat by Wilson's admission that as a GOP "hitman" he was part of the problem--his specialty was stoking and feeding the resentments of voters (especially those euphemistically known as "low information" voters) disenchanted with the American political system generally and Washington politics in particular.
And frankly it's a bit rich when Wilson criticizes the presidency of Barack Obama, as he does to some degree here, declining to acknowledge that from Day One of the Obama presidency, the Republican political strategy was to refuse to work with Obama on any public policy (even the ones they championed) of any kind in hopes of guaranteeing a return to the White House in 2012.The told-you-so delight I take in (nearly) every page of this book is tempered somewhat by Wilson's admission that as a GOP "hitman" he was part of the problem--his specialty was stoking and feeding the resentments of voters (especially those…
Gay Purr-eeGay Purr-ee, Music CDOriginal Motion Picture Sound Track
by Arlen, HaroldMusic CD - 2003Music CD, 2003
mswrite's rating:
Added Nov 28, 2018
Comment:
Underrated gem of a recording for the wonderful 1962 animated special starring the incomparable Judy Garland.
This album boasts memorable "Yip" Harburg and Harold Arlen songs (the same talents who composed Garland's "Wizard of Oz" signature tune, "Over the Rainbow"), including the sprightly "Roses Red, Violets Blue," the wistful, lovely "Take My Hand, Paree," and especially the dramatic "Paris is a Lonely Town," a power ballad I'd place on the same shelf with her better known "A Star Is Born" torch song "The Man That Got Away."
But the entire album is delightful, featuring also brilliant voice work from Robert Goulet (who duets with Garland on the gently melancholy "Little Drops of Rain"), Red Buttons, and Paul Frees as the villainous Meow-rice.
If you can find the Warner Brothers DVD, rent or buy it for the terrific Chuck Jones-Abe Levitow animation, but this soundtrack absolutely works as standalone entertainment.
Highly recommended.Underrated gem of a recording for the wonderful 1962 animated special starring the incomparable Judy Garland.
This album boasts memorable "Yip" Harburg and Harold Arlen songs (the same talents who composed Garland's "Wizard of Oz" signature tune,…
ZootopiaZootopia, Unknown
Unknown - 2016Unknown, 2016
mswrite's rating:
Added Nov 10, 2018
California SuiteCalifornia Suite, DVD
DVD - 2007DVD, 2007
mswrite's rating:
Added Oct 31, 2018
Comment:
Has its moments.
As the previous reviewer noted, the Alan Alda-Jane Fonda segment is the most memorably real, and the escalating Bill Cosby-Richard Pryor feud, strangely, just does not work.
How is it possible that two of the funniest men in show business have absolutely no chemistry?? (For contrast watch Pryor with Gene Wilder in "Stir Crazy" or Cosby with Sidney Poitier in "Uptown Saturday Night.")
This film does reunite multi-talented Elaine May with her "A New Leaf" costar Walter Matthau, but the comedy is much darker here, and the characters largely unsympathetic. (Matthau appeared to greater and funnier effect in "Plaza Suite," released, like "A New Leaf," in 1971.)
Far and away the most successful pairing are brilliant Brits Maggie Smith and Michael Caine, both at the top of their game as a boozing, battling Hollywood couple coping with an evening of harsh realities. The segment begins bitingly comic (Smith's timing was never better) and ends with true poignancy.Has its moments.
As the previous reviewer noted, the Alan Alda-Jane Fonda segment is the most memorably real, and the escalating Bill Cosby-Richard Pryor feud, strangely, just does not work.
How is it possible that two of the funniest men in…
The Flight 981 DisasterThe Flight 981 Disaster, BookTragedy, Treachery, and the Pursuit of Truth
by Chittum, SammeBook - 2017Book, 2017
mswrite's rating:
Added Oct 29, 2018
RampageRampage, BookThe Social Roots of School Shootings
Book - 2004Book, 2004
mswrite's rating:
Added Sep 12, 2018
Comment:
Insightful 2004 study of two notorious pre-Columbine school shootings (Heath High School in Kentucky and Westside Middle School in Arkansas) and their aftermath. The author and her team interviewed hundreds of residents affected directly and indirectly by the rampage shootings in an effort to get at how such crimes could happen and why typically they happen in close-knit, family-oriented, supposedly "safe" suburban and rural communities. What they found is fascinating and deeply troubling.
Their first and most important finding is this: neither of these school shootings or the copycats that followed in their wake (including the Columbine massacre) were committed by kids who suddenly "snapped" taking everyone by surprise. These boys--the shooters are nearly ALWAYS adolescent or teenage boys, and it turns out there are several depressingly logical reasons for that--did not simply snap. Their frustration and rage had been building for a long, long time, often in plain sight.
And though their crimes were shocking, many of their classmates and peers had received plenty of warnings in the form of boasts and threats that were not taken seriously. That so many students had heard or been told that the killings were coming--and in some cases were even shown the guns--yet said nothing to teachers or parents is one of the most perplexing aspects of these events. Why did so many kids who knew fail to warn? And how could some of them even have goaded the shooters into their final, terrible acts?
It's all revealed here, in almost exhausting detail. So are some sound suggestions for ways to rescue these children before they reach the point of no return, preventing future tragedies.
Highly recommended.Insightful 2004 study of two notorious pre-Columbine school shootings (Heath High School in Kentucky and Westside Middle School in Arkansas) and their aftermath. The author and her team interviewed hundreds of residents affected directly and…
When Children Want ChildrenWhen Children Want Children, BookThe Urban Crisis of Teenage Childbearing
by Dash, LeonBook - 2003 | 1st Illinois pbk.Book, 2003. 1st Illinois pbk.
mswrite's rating:
Added Aug 29, 2018
Comment:
This is one of the most depressing sociological accounts I have ever read. "When Children Want Children" is a 2003 publication of a Washington Post series originally published in 1986. It is poignant, shocking, sometimes enraging, and--sadly--seems as relevant as ever today.
An important read and highly recommended, but brace yourself--unless you are made of stone, you'll no doubt feel as frustrated with and for these youngsters as I (and the author) did. These girls (and boys) are like lemmings, following each other over a cliff, their youth and promise smashing on the rocks below.
Who's to blame? Well, where do you start? The list of culprits is long and maddeningly intertwined.
The vast majority of the families who participated in Mr. Dash's study, and who resided in the Washington D.C. Highlands neighborhood he moved into for a time to better know them, hailed originally from the rural Deep South. In migrating North in search of safety, justice, and better economic futures they brought with them cultural beliefs and practices handed down from one generation to the next-- reflecting in unexpected ways the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow. That is the first part of the cycle.
What traps these city children is a combination of the following: peer pressure, poverty, poor self-esteem, failing and falling behind in schools, and (especially) the longing for unconditional love and affection and a desperation to escape chaotic, dysfunctional households.
The most tragic aspect however is these children's intractable belief that (lacking a good education and the job skills that could take their lives in new and better directions) the only tangible accomplishment they will ever produce is a baby.
And finally there is the inescapable fact that in nearly all cases, these kids are the offspring of teenage and adolescent moms who are themselves the children of teenage and adolescent mothers. And the cycle continues.This is one of the most depressing sociological accounts I have ever read. "When Children Want Children" is a 2003 publication of a Washington Post series originally published in 1986. It is poignant, shocking, sometimes enraging, and--sadly--seems…
LookingLooking, DVDThe Complete First Season
DVD - 2015DVD, 2015
mswrite's rating:
Added Aug 01, 2018
Comment:
Meanders a bit, but interesting study nevertheless of a group of friends and lovers, navigating the complexities of life, love and work in modern day San Francisco. I didn't find Patrick, Augustin and Dom and their assortment of friends and loves to be any more vapid or stereotypical than, say, the 30-something group on "Friends" whom we were given ten full seasons to get to know.
Nice theme as well.Meanders a bit, but interesting study nevertheless of a group of friends and lovers, navigating the complexities of life, love and work in modern day San Francisco. I didn't find Patrick, Augustin and Dom and their assortment of friends and loves to…
The Man Who Invented Rock HudsonThe Man Who Invented Rock Hudson, BookThe Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson
by Hofler, RobertBook - 2005 | 1st Carroll & Graf ed.Book, 2005. 1st Carroll & Graf ed.
mswrite's rating:
Added Aug 01, 2018
Love, SimonLove, Simon, DVD
DVD - 2018DVD, 2018
mswrite's rating:
Added Jul 26, 2018
Comment:
Sweet teen rom-com with a timely twist.
Terrific cast, and Nick Robinson simply shines as Simon, trying in his awkward, funny, touching way to get the whole first love and identity thing right, a journey complicated by his creepy-lovable classmate Martin (you wouldn't think that combination works, but Logan Miller pretty well nails it) who resorts to blackmail in the pursuit of his own happy ending. There are some amusing fantasy sequences that illustrate Simon's dilemmas, the funniest involving straight kids coming out to their parents--as straight.
A nice adaptation of the popular coming of age novel, "Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda," by the talented Becky Albertalli, which I also highly recommend.
4/2019 UPDATE: Still love this movie bunches but another reviewer here raised some legitimate issues with the character of Leah and finally I wanted to toss my two cents in about that. I think the actress that plays Leah is wonderful, but have to agree that a few pertinent things have gotten lost in the film translation...
For one, the Leah in the book was more of an outcast, partly because her single parent working class family life and economic circumstances are in such stark contrast to most of her upscale peers, including Simon. Also as that reviewer points out, the book's Leah was heavy rather than curvy and very self-conscious about her weight.
These realities feed Leah's insecurities and sharpen her personality, giving her sarcasm a darker edge than is acknowledged in the film.
And, no-- the book's Leah was not in love with Simon. She was seriously hurt by his carelessness with her feelings and their friendship. Of course there were things he was going through that she was unaware of... but even then that was kind of the point with Leah. She and Simon had known and loved each other forever, and when she feels forgotten by him she is not just pissed off, she's distraught-- and you really do worry about her.
And finally there is the matter of Leah's antagonism toward newcomer Abby. The movie mostly hints at Leah's jealous insecurity and the resulting tension between the two, whereas the book underlines it. The filmmakers' decision to explain this as Leah being in love with Simon feels like a cheat even if you don't know the book but especially if you do. Indeed if you follow Leah's continuing adventures in "Leah on the Offbeat," Albertalli's excellent follow-up to "Simon," you begin to understand her (and a more complex Abby) a lot better.
In retrospect, I do think all of that matters. Even though I get that the movie wants to keep the audience's focus as squarely on Simon and his journey as much as possible.Sweet teen rom-com with a timely twist.
Terrific cast, and Nick Robinson simply shines as Simon, trying in his awkward, funny, touching way to get the whole first love and identity thing right, a journey complicated by his creepy-lovable classmate…
How Luck HappensHow Luck Happens, BookUsing the Science of Luck to Transform Life, Love, and Work
by Kaplan, JaniceBook - 2018Book, 2018
mswrite's rating:
Added Jul 18, 2018
Comment:
I never have felt lucky.
So initially I approached this book with wary skepticism, prepared to be bored or overwhelmed or both by new-agey mumbo jumbo, confusing data and dry as dust statistics.
But it's none of that, and though I'm not quite finished with it I'm nevertheless giving "How Luck Happens" 5 stars for its intriguing, thought-provoking, and often entertaining content and (perhaps best of all) author Janice Kaplan's breezy, warmly accessible writing style.
There's something endearing about Kaplan; she seems honestly to want you to think about your life and the world around you in new ways and in so doing discover a happier existence. By way of example she shares anecdotes from her own life as well as those of various successful individuals, some of them long-time colleagues and friends, some of them the rich and famous.
I totally get Kaplan's point that good luck is a combination of hard work and making the most of golden opportunities, which are more likely to happen if you turn off the TV, put away the device, get out of the house, and share with others what your dreams and goals are. It turns out this is true even in chance encounters with folks you don't really know--a brand new acquaintance at a party or a sympathetic stranger on a plane.
I only wish I'd encountered "How Luck Happens"--or a book very much like it--at an earlier time in my life.
But I'm hopeful. Maybe it's not too late, and I can still apply the techniques and advice of "How Luck Happens" to some aspects of my life, leading me to an existence that is not just happier but feels more within my control.
Which is really the point, isn't it?I never have felt lucky.
So initially I approached this book with wary skepticism, prepared to be bored or overwhelmed or both by new-agey mumbo jumbo, confusing data and dry as dust statistics.
But it's none of that, and though I'm not quite…
TrumpocracyTrumpocracy, BookThe Corruption of the American Republic
by Frum, DavidBook - 2018 | First edition.Book, 2018. First edition.
mswrite's rating:
Added Jun 07, 2018
Comment:
I have never been a fan of the rather humorless, self-important and ultra-conservative David Frum, so this detailed and unsparing examination of the rise of Donald Trump comes as a pleasant surprise to me. I use the word "pleasant" advisedly of course given the grim subject matter; we are in perilous times here and Mr. Frum does not mince words.
I cannot imagine America will be foolish enough to allow the likes of Donald Trump a second term, but then, I could not have imagined his getting elected in the first place. Someone once characterized George W. Bush's term of office as an experiment that should never have been allowed to happen. Surely that assessment applies more directly to Trump. Compared to Donald Trump, Bush was Abraham Lincoln, he was Roosevelt, he was Eisenhower.
Savor this thoughtful and timely book. You may want to buy it, as I plan to, just to have it on your shelf to refer to again. Of all the bracing and well-researched accounts of the first days and years of the benighted Donald Trump presidency, "Trumpocracy" will stand the test of the time as one of the very best.
Things seem irrevocably bleak now, but I am trying not to give in to despair. Pay attention, stand up--and vote! Other nations have survived terrible leaders; we will survive The Time of Trump.
The final chapter of this book is titled "Hope." Its final paragraph will move you to tears.I have never been a fan of the rather humorless, self-important and ultra-conservative David Frum, so this detailed and unsparing examination of the rise of Donald Trump comes as a pleasant surprise to me. I use the word "pleasant" advisedly of…
Fire and FuryFire and Fury, BookInside the Trump White House
by Wolff, MichaelBook - 2018 | First edition.Book, 2018. First edition.
mswrite's rating:
Added Jun 06, 2018
Comment:
We. Are. So. Screwed.
My Friend DahmerMy Friend Dahmer, DVD
DVD - 2018 | Widescreen ed.DVD, 2018. Widescreen ed.
mswrite's rating:
Added May 16, 2018
Comment:
Disney star Ross Lynch shows his versatility as the teenage Jeffrey Dahmer, a lonely, troubled outsider struggling to navigate his 70s suburban high school and fractured, unhappy family life. His parents' marriage is a war zone, his father worn down by regrets about his own life and (especially) the combative, erratic behavior of his mentally ill wife. At school he is the weirdo outcast, either ignored or the butt of jokes.
Dahmer's strange ticks and twitches (begun initially to mock his mom's handicapped new beau) captures the perverse imagination of several peers (including and especially budding hipster artist John "Derf" Backderf, author of the graphic novel upon which this film is based) who accept him into their circle as a kind of mascot. Backderf is both fascinated and repelled by Dahmer, drawing endless pictures of him in his notebooks. He senses something is off about Jeff, yet goads him into an increasingly bizarre series of pranks, some of which backfire.
But his friends are not really friends and Dahmer knows this. His isolation and deeply repressed sexuality grow apace with his slide into depression and madness, and his final moments alone with Backderf, soon off to college is filled with creepy foreboding. (Backderf's guilty uneasiness was clearly the warning that saved his life when a desperate Jeffrey invites him in for a beer.)
The film ends as Dahmer's killing spree begins. We never see the carnage; we don't have to. We glimpse the handsome face of the unfortunate Steven Hicks, the first victim. Hitchhiking, he gratefully slides into the passenger seat of Dahmer's car.
He is never seen alive again.Disney star Ross Lynch shows his versatility as the teenage Jeffrey Dahmer, a lonely, troubled outsider struggling to navigate his 70s suburban high school and fractured, unhappy family life. His parents' marriage is a war zone, his father worn down…
Death BenefitsDeath Benefits, BookHow Losing A Parent Can Change An Adult's Life--for the Better
by Safer, JeanneBook - 2008Book, 2008
mswrite's rating:
Added May 07, 2018
Comment:
Such a wonderful, hopeful book.
Psychologist Jeanne Safer--and the men and women who share their stories with her/us here--offer thoughtful, even inspiring, meditations on the complicated parent-adult child dynamic and how deeply the life and death of our parents affects us.
There are positives--new insights and the possibility of happier lives--we can take from both experiences, even when dealing with difficult (neglectful, competitive, narcissistic, damaged, depressive, or rejecting) parents, especially after that parent dies.Such a wonderful, hopeful book.
Psychologist Jeanne Safer--and the men and women who share their stories with her/us here--offer thoughtful, even inspiring, meditations on the complicated parent-adult child dynamic and how deeply the life and…
The Spender's Guide to Debt-free LivingThe Spender's Guide to Debt-free Living, PaperbackHow A Spending Fast Helped Me Get From Broke to Badass in Record Time
by Jones, Anna NewellPaperback - 2016 | First edition.Paperback, 2016. First edition.
Added May 04, 2018
Comment:
Okay.
So I got roughly halfway through this book before I had to return it because so many other borrowers were waiting for it. I immediately placed another hold because I really want to try this method. I am fed up with my debt issues and would like to solve the problem once and for all.
Anna Newell Jones's "spending fast" method does seem extreme and for good reason. Changing the bad habits of a lifetime is hard work. To her credit she acknowledges (in a straightforward and breezy writing style) that staying focused and committed to non-essential spending is tough, especially, she says, in the first three months. A big reason for that is because the very nature of the plan forces you to confront the mindlessness and impulsivity that got you buried in debt in the first place and keeps you there. That can be painful. Insightful, but painful.
As it's outlined here, a spending fast constantly makes you ask yourself questions like "Is this really something I need? Or is it just something I want right now?" and "Why do I want this right now?" Doing this also prompts you to remember how much longer it will take you to get out of your debt once and for all if you don't/can't/won't stop impulsively spending. Almost immediately you'll start to take a long, hard look at why you buy the things you buy and what might be triggering your spending. (Retail therapy, anyone?)
I am totally skeptical/nervous/freaked out about this plan. Could I really do this? For an entire year? Honestly, I don't know. But maybe the hard work of examining my behavior, making a plan, and sticking to it is just what I need to get not just my spending but other areas of my life on a healthier path.Okay.
So I got roughly halfway through this book before I had to return it because so many other borrowers were waiting for it. I immediately placed another hold because I really want to try this method. I am fed up with my debt issues and would…
The Prince and the DressmakerThe Prince and the Dressmaker, Paperback
by Wang, JenPaperback - 2018 | First edition.Paperback, 2018. First edition.
mswrite's rating:
Added Apr 03, 2018
Comment:
Honestly, I don't know what has moved me more--this delightful graphic novel or all the supportive and loving comments about it here. Cheers to author-artist Jen Wang and cheers to everyone who loved Wang's vivid, heartwarming "The Prince and the Dressmaker" as much I did and do.
Wang leaves Sebastian's happily ever after resolution a bit ambiguous, and as he's a teenager when we meet him perhaps that's as should be. As others have noted, this story works perfectly well as a standalone But I too came to care for Frances and Sebastian so much I'm hoping for a sequel that follows their further challenges and adventures. I'm rooting for them both!Honestly, I don't know what has moved me more--this delightful graphic novel or all the supportive and loving comments about it here. Cheers to author-artist Jen Wang and cheers to everyone who loved Wang's vivid, heartwarming "The Prince and the…
Comment: