June 2021 Books

♥ Keep Moving by Dick Van Dyke

* In the Body of the World by Eve Ensler - I swear I listened to this book before but I can't remember when. I love Ensler's honesty and writing and this memoir focusing on her cancer diagnosis and recovery was beautifully done.

And Furthermore ¹ by Judi Dench - The first time I remember seeing Judi Dench was in Her Majesty Mrs. Brown in the old Ritz theatre. I loved the movie instantly and her face became more and more familiar as I saw her in countless roles - Goldeneye, Ladies in Lavender, Chocolat, Shakespeare in Love, 84 Charing Cross Road, and Tea with Mussolini, but it was seeing her with Geoffrey Palmer over at my parents' that I really grew to love her. She was, to me, one of those serious British actresses. Seeing her as Jean and being silly and human made her feel accessible and I instantly warmed to her, committing her name to memory. 

This book felt as though she had been pressured to write it. She brushed the surface of relationships and focused primarily on performances and the theatre. I preferred the last half where she spoke of the things I was familiar with, but I think that someone who loves British theatre and knows the players and the plays, well, this book would be just right for them. I like memoirs that get very personal, but I respect Ms. Dench not wanting to spill the beans on her family and what not. However, after the twelfth time she mentioned Peggy Ashcroft I could hear my father’s voice saying, “Jesus, she’s got a hard-on for Peggy Ashcroft, doesn’t she?”  

♥ Here's Hank: Bookmarks Are People Too! by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver - This duo can do no wrong.

Fran Lebowitz Reader ¹ - by Fran Lebowitz - Good Lord, I wanted to like this but Ms. Lebowitz is a dull narrator and the stories I read years ago that made me laugh, made me annoyed at how jaded and cynical they come across. Well written, there's no doubt, but content-wise, it's just not my thing. 

♥ The Wreckage of My Presence ¹ by Casey Wilson - From the moment she discusses being both a bed-person and a bath-person I knew instantly that this was a purchase I would not regret. The stories were hilarious and touching and I having Ms. Wilson tell these tales in her inimitable voice was nothing short of pure perfection.

Buddhism for Beginners ¹ by Thubten Chodron - I still have have no idea how to practice Buddhism. The worst thing about a Catholic education is that "religion" class consists only of the teachings of Catholicism, which is worthless. It's like having a course in mathematics that ends with addition. I guess the church figured that leading its followers to believe that there is only one way to think will keep us blind and not question anything. Funny thing is, I only know one practicing Catholic who was raised in the faith and stuck with it. Once most of us reached the age of reason and discovered that a majority of what we were taught was nonsense, we left the church and followed our own path in life.

Cack-Handed ¹ by Gina Yashere - If memory serves, I think Maria Bamford recommended this book. I'd never heard of Ms. Yashere before. This memoir had some good moments but my god her mother was exhausting. Overprotective to the point of strangulation. 

* The Rainbow Comes and Goes ¹ by Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper - After the disappointment of Cack-Handed, which I thought would be funny, I needed a book I'd read before and could count on it keeping me interested. As good as the first time I listened, maybe better.

♥ All in All ¹ by Stacy Keach - What's not to love about Stacy Keach reading his life story? Just fabulous.

* Song of Solomon ¹ by Toni Morrison - I definitely prefer Ms. Morrison's stories that center around a female voice but Song of Solomon was another masterpiece. The next time I'm at Baldwin's I plan to see if there's a Cliff Notes for this up on the third floor. There's so much I didn't fully grasp and I want to read the background and interpretation and meanings behind things and re-listen to it, with a better understanding. 

¹ - audiobook
² - abridged version
* - liked
♥ - loved
Any unmarked titles were, in my opinion, so-so.