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M A R C H - A P R I L '0 8 |
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Speaking of songwriting, please check out Measure for Measure in the New York Times online. I'm delighted to be part of a group of songwriters documenting the process.
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Film I have loved the series on John Adams on HBO. The acting is so superb and the attention to historical detail—in the script, costumes and set—is really unparalleled. Now that George Washington is dead, I do miss David Morse's laconic portrayal of the first president, but there is still much to satisfy. I have been so struck by the mettle of the men who founded this country and wrote the Constitution. What unbelievable persistence and integrity. I wonder if any of us would have the attention span required to forge a whole new world. I wish we did.
Theater "The Seafarer" by Conor McPherson, which just closed on Broadway 
Book I read several books in the last few weeks, but my favorite by far was "Saturday" by Ian McEwan. May I join the chorus in proclaiming McEwan one of the top five— maybe top three—novelists alive today? I loved "Atonement", but "Saturday" really seals the deal for me. It takes place entirely on one Saturday in the life of a London neurosurgeon. As an added bonus for me, McEwan sourced Frank Vertosick's "When The Air Hits Your Brain" for his neurosurgical details, a book which was one of my picks earlier in the year. "Saturday" has everything—a real understanding of music, and lots of specific references to artists and records, neurosurgery (which has occupied my brain a lot lately—no pun intended), monogamous love and the mystical pressure cooker we find ourselves in when our lives change on a single day. I can say, unequivocally, that you will find reading this to be an ennobling experience.
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F E B R U A R Y '0 8 |
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J A N U A R Y '0 8 |
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Music:
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D E C E M B E R '0 7 |
Books:Two absolutely delightful books this month: "The Uncommon Reader" by Alan Bennett, and "The Principles of Uncertainty" by Maira Kalman.
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First I must admit that I have a near-worship of Maira Kalman. I consider her to be a quintessential Artist, and a great inspiration. I just saw her new show of artwork at the Julie Saul gallery in Chelsea, and I was wonder-struck. I bought the book, "The Principles of Uncertainty", which contains all the art from the show, and I have been relishing it. You must experience it yourself. I don't want to provide a narrative for it-- her narrative is too beautiful and meandering.
Alan Bennett is so funny, and, unlike many modern humorists, has so much humanity. "The Uncommon Reader" has a wonderful premise-- the Queen of England becomes an avid reader late in life, and it changes everything within her and without her. Absolute pleasure.
Film: "Michael Clayton". I loved this movie, and it has one of the greatest final scenes I have seen in many a long year. George Clooney and Tilda Swinton are fantastic, and Tom Wilkinson should get all the Oscars this year.
Music: I have to give it up for the Boss. "Magic" is pretty great, and the opening track is worth the price of admission. I have undending respect for Springsteen, who knows who he is and lets that knowledge underpin everything he does. 
I've also been enjoying the New Radicals. I don't know how I missed this record the first time around, but it's Pure Pop for us Now People. Reminds me of Crowded House, and that can only be good. I've also dipped back in to Arvo Part, although if I'm already feeling a bit down, he can be a bit dangerous. Love those people.
S E P T E M B E R '0 7 |
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Book: "The Kite Runner", by Khaled Hosseini. So many people told me to read this book, but I was just not interested, and I'm not sure why. Then I read it. It is breathtakingly beautiful, poetic, painful and redemptive. This is Mr. Hosseini's first novel, which is kind of unbelievable. He had THIS in him his whole life and waited to write it? I stand in awe. The book has been made into a film, about to be released, and I encourage you to read it before seeing the film. I did not understand what happened to Afghanistan and Afghan culture when the Taliban took control, and that event serves as a backdrop for this story, which is really the story of two little boys, and what happens to them. 
Film: "La Vie En Rose". Well, I can't say I ENJOYED this, but it does have its merits. The life of Edith Piaf is far too tragic to make for a film that you enjoy in the traditional sense, but the actress who portrays her.. wow. What an amazing performance. And it was great to get an overview of her music, although by the second hour of the film, Mr. L was muttering to the screen 'Just DON'T SING'. Okay, this doesn't sound like a recommendation as such, but it's an extremely well-acted, interesting and painful 2 and a half hour journey into the life of Edith Piaf.
Music: "Civilians", Joe Henry. My friend Joe is a restless American, a deep thinker, a great poet, a musical juggernaut and a Gentleman and A Scholar. |
J U L Y '0 7 |
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Book I'm currently reading John Hockenberry's 'Moving Violations'. I have great admiration for this superb journalist and his humor, lack of self-pity and keen eye for reporting, both in the outside world and the even more complicated landscape of the heart, mind and body. This is an inspiring book, written with as much literary and emotional integrity and creativity as the man himself. |
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Film "2 Days in Paris". Julie Delpy is quite the renaissance woman. She wrote, directed and starred in this film. I think she even wrote some of the music. Favorite environmental website at the moment: Greendimes.com. Get yourself removed from dozens of catalogs, reduce your junk mail, and save a few thousand trees! |
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M A Y '0 7 |
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Music Kind of a diverse month. I've been listening to Loudon Wainwright III's 'History', 'Turandot' with Maria Callas, Glenn Gould's complete Goldberg Variations, and I just got into Wilco's Blue Sky. I feel a little dizzy, going from Maria Callas to Jeff Tweedy, and I like it that way. All good stuff.
Film Hands down: "The Live Of Others". This isn't just a great film, and I don't use the word 'great' loosely, this is an important film. The story of a Stasi secret policeman in East Berlin in the 1970's who wiretaps a writer and his actress girlfriend, and whose life is completely changed by what he overhears. It won the Oscar for best foreign film this year, with good cause. Deeply moving. |
M A R C H '0 7 |
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I've also been enjoying Alice Munro's 'Runaway'. She is one of my top five favorite writers, and this book doesn't disappoint. |
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Music: It's been a great month for music. I have gotten into Arcade Fire ("The Arcade Fire" and "Funeral") and Of Montreal ("Satanic Panic in the Attic") and have been inspired by them. I can't say I totally love everything each band does, but it's been an interesting journey with these records. I've had to open a few neural pathways heretofore rather sticky, and it's been good for me. |
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I have also completely loved, with all my heart, a record called "Misterioso", with compositions by Valentin Silvestrov, Arvo Part, Galina Ustvolskaya, Alexei Lubimov, Alexander Trostiansky and Kyrill Rybakov. The piece by Arvo Part, called "Spiegel im Spiegel", is so painfully beautiful that I had to turn it off the first time I heard it, pause, catch my breath, and start it over more prepared to hear something that makes every cell in your body ache. 
J A N U A R Y '0 7 |
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Music: I have been listening obsesively to Brahms, played by Elisabeth Leonskaja. The particular recording I am in love with is on 222 Recordings, and it includes Opus 116-119. |
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Book: my dear friend, Adriana Trigiani, who is a one-woman empire, a force of nature, a Venus Genius, wrote this great series of books. The first was 'Big Stone Gap', several years ago, and the latest is "Home To Big Stone Gap", which I just finished. I loved it. I love Adri's natural way of writing and her feel for her characters. You can tell she loves them, and it makes you love them, too. I hated to leave Ave Maria Mulligan McChesney, but she'll be on the big screen soon as Adri has written the screenplay and is already in pre-production. I told you she was an empire. |
S E P T E M B E R '0 6 |
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Music: Everyone keeps asking me for the list of 100 Essential Country Songs my father gave me when I was 18 years old. In due time, my friends, in due time. In the meantime, I am very proud of my husband, Mr. L, and the work he has done with Shawn Colvin on her new record "These Four Walls". My particular favorite: "Venetian Blue". |
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J U L Y '0 6 |
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I've also enjoyed the new Pretenders boxed set (do you not think "Brass in Pocket" one of the greatest rock and roll songs ever, ever?) and I found Lori McKenna's record, "Bittertown", to be really interesting. She is a superb lyricist. Radio Paradise on iTunes plays some GREAT music. What a pleasure to find that station.
Film: Can I recommend "An Inconvenient Truth" two months in a row? It's that important. Favorite stop this summer: Paris. Mais oui. I stayed at the Relais Christine with two of my kids after the band and crew went back home, and we had the most lovely few days wandering around, eating at Laduree, going to the Cluny museum. |
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Oh, I've been listening to a lot lately: Josh Ritter ('The Animal Years'), Nick Drake, Tori Amos, Eva Cassidy..... yeah, you got it. I'm retro. Josh Ritter gives me hope for the future, however. What a great songwriter. 
Most of all this month, I have been humbled by how great Wilco is. I played a festival with them in Ottawa, and stayed to watch their set. Jeff Tweedy reminded me, before he went on, of Golden Smog's cover of my song "Seven Year Ache". I had failed to connect the dots there.
Book: "The Afterlife", by Donald Antrim. It's not what you think. This is a memoir of Antrim's mother. More specifically, it's a memoir of his life before and after his mother, and how he carries that mother--an alcoholic and breathtaking narcissist--around inside his psyche. He's a wonderful writer; dark, funny, insightful, poetic. I really enjoyed this book.
For sheer summer guilty pleasure, I loved "The Devil Wears Prada". I would actually go see a film of Meryl Streep sleeping, but this is so much fun. She is just fantastic. The movie is a great chick flick, not quite as good as "Bridget Jones", but it'll do when the longing for chick flick-ness arises. |
M A Y '0 6 |
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janeandthegrammyawardwinners |
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Film: I've been watching the new season of The Sopranos. Pretty good, don't you think? Now that Pauly's aunt is his mother, and his mother is his aunt, what in the world will HAPPEN? No, seriously, do you not all think that Meadow is doomed? Or is that too 'Godfather 3' for you? Speaking of Godfather, I watched number 2 a couple nights ago. WHY oh WHY do they not make films like that anymore? Complex, layered, slow to unfold, multi-dimensional characters...... are we so attention deficit as a nation that we can't appreciate that anymore?
In order not to completely turn my brain into mush and ormolu, I am also reading Anthony DeCurtis' "In Other Words: Artists Talk About Life and Work". I have always respected Anthony, but this book gives me new reason to hold him in ever greater esteem. He is the quintessential interviewer. He has so much grace, respect and insight. A really wonderful book, and I must say the interview with me was very good.
Web: Favorite internet site this month: truthout.org. They have a mission and they will not be denied.
I enjoyed this so much, I didn't want to leave the subject, so I read "Madame de Pompadour: A Life" by Evelyne Lever. Although a lot more pedantic than "Sex With Kings", it was very enjoyable. I had a lot of sympathy for Madame de Pompadour, a woman who had very humble beginnings and became the mistress of Louis XV. Although she led a lavish, pampered lifestyle, she could never let down her guard. There was always a would-be interloper waiting in the wings. She was told by a fortune teller when she was young that she would some day be the mistress of the king, and she determined to make that prophecy come true. 
The other book is fascinating: "The Tipping Point". About the phenomenon of trends, both material and emotional... and spiritual as well, I guess. There is a 'tipping point' in any idea that becomes popular, a critical mass, when, once acheived, the idea natuarally sweeps group conciousness. I'm in the midst of reading this now. Curious how I can use this concept to influence my husband in matters of home renovation and outings to broadway musicals.
Film: I haven't seen one single movie this month in the theaters. I did see a rerun of "Anne of The Thousand Days" on television. I absolutely love this movie, always have. Makes me want to re-read Antonia Fraser's biography of the six wives of Henry V111, which, by the way, is a wonderful book.
Okay, I can't imagine that more than three straight men in the world would be interested in "The Secret Life of Bees", but for us girls, it's heaven. A story about motherhood, spiritual destiny, the mystic power of women, and healing. It's just beautiful, and not cloying or fake in the slightest. I fell in love with Lily, the main character. Exquisitely written. Highly recommended. And the book that I am reading now, and trying to go slowly in order to savor every second, is 
"The Time Traveler's Wife". I have absolutely relished this book. Our hero, Henry, spontaneously time travels, and the two places--and times--he most often visits are his wife's childhood, and his mother's death. He can't take anything with him when he travels, so he ends up naked and starving in some unknown time and place, and has to first find clothes and food, and then figure out when and where he is. He makes over 150 visits to his wife as a child, but when they finally meet in his present time, he, of course, does not recognize her, as all his visits to her were made from his future, and she has to fill him in. This is just a tiny sketch of a really layered, complex, incredible love story, very modern and taut and smart. Also highly recommended.
