how is it almost september?

 Catching up with Cannonball Read ...

Too Much and Never Enough by Mary Trump

Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas

Crime In Progress by Glenn Simpson & Peter Fritsch

Burglars Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block

The Burglar Who Painted Like Mondrian by Lawrence Block

The Burglar Who Like to Quote Kipling by Lawrence Block

Seinfeldia: How A Show About Nothing Changed Everything by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong

I'll Have What She's Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting by Rebecca Harrington

Heartburn by Nora Ephron

Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album by Ken Caillat and Steve Stiefel

O.K., I admit it, I have not posted any reviews lately. It’s just been a weird and for too many, sad time, hasn’t it? But I have managed to do a little reading. These may just be capsule reviews, but that’s just about all I can handle at the moment. There have been some good books and not so good books, but it’s 2020, so that’s par for the course. Looking at this list I realize that I have been drawn to books to help me cope with the current state of the world. My three go-tos seem to be books about politics, old favorites, or humor. Here’s what I’ve been reading to date:

Old Favorites:

Ken Caillat and Steve Stiefel – Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album

I have always loved this album and was intrigued by the reported behind-the-scenes personal drama that went into making its iconic songs. This book started off interestingly enough, but then petered out. Although Caillat (father of pop star Colby, that he likes to frequently remind the reader) was definitely on the spot and seems to know his stuff about sound engineering, there is a whole lot of the technical (how to splice multiple tracks together, circa 1978) and not so much personal (Lindsey Buckingham was a jerk to women). He slips in side-eye remarks about Stevie Nicks without ever getting specific. She reportedly once said a rude thing about his dog – is that the origin of his grudge? But he also has to grudgingly admit that she became the biggest solo star of the bunch. He also occasionally critiques the band for the copious amounts of drugs and alcohol that were consumed during the making of the album, but brushes off the fact that he was right there, indulging as well. Rumours was lightning in a bottle and no one can really properly capture that.

It was the 70s, man

Lawrence Block/Bernie Rhodenbarr series – Burglars Can’t Be Choosers, The Burglar Who Painted Like Mondrian, The Burglar Who Like to Quote Kipling

Lawrence Block has a few crime book series, and this is his most lighthearted. The main character, Bernie Rhodenbarr, is a gentleman burglar who lives on the upper east side of Manhattan and is as ready with a quip as he is with a light finger. The books are a little dated – there is always a luscious babe to throw themselves into his arms and his best pal Carolyn is a hard drinking lesbian who manages to leave her Greenwich Village dog washing shop to help Bernie whenever he is mistakenly accused of a murder after pulling a heist, which is often. But it is fun hearing Bernie wax poetic about what he plans to steal. He fancies himself a quasi Robin Hood, robbing from the rich to give to poor little old him. He also runs an old used bookstore in the Village, which is not just a front – he really loves 0ld books. What’s not to love about that?

Humor:

Jennifer Keishin Armstrong – Seinfeldia: How A Show About Nothing Changed Everything

This is a definite summer read, if one was having a definite summer … but it is fun to get a behind-the-scenes peek at how Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David put together the “show about nothing” and all the other elements that helped make it the classic that it has become, including casting (especially Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and the many writers who have contributed bits along the way.

Nora Ephron – Heartburn

This book is a thinly-veiled take on the break-up of Ephron’s marriage to Carl Bernstein. It is a funny collection of scenes from a marriage, mixed in with recipes. Originally written in 1983, it might seem a little hard to believe how her heroine has let herself be so easily deceived by her husband, but it is clear that she was pretty distracted by moving from NY to DC and then being pregnant multiple times. How easy it is to look the other way …

(p.s. the movie based on the book is not as fun – this article about making the movie is actually better than the movie)

Heartburn, by Nora Ephron

Rebecca Harrington – I’ll Have What She’s Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting

This sounds like a fun by the pool read, and I guess it could be for some, but not me. It reads more like the author researched a bunch of celebs on the internet (Gwyneth Paltrow, Jackie O, Beyonce) and whips out some very lightweight essays on each, all framed by the absurd side/challenge that she will eat that way, too, although most of her “diets” don’t last a week. This book is practically a meme.

Politics:

Mary Trump – Too Much and Never Enough

With all of the endless reporting on the current occupant of the White House I realize that this book may seem too much for a lot of people, but I am really glad that I read it. There are insights into 45’s personality, but I think most of us knew who he was and is already. What is really interesting is her description of her grandparents, especially Fred Trump Sr., and how he made his fortune from sub-par housing in Brooklyn – he was always willing to “work with” local politicians for the best deals. Her descriptions of her father, who just couldn’t hack the expectations of Sr. and his addictive personality is also instructive.

Anand Giridharadas – Winners Take All

I first became aware of Anand Giridharadas on MSNBC from his appearances on shows with Lawrence O’Donnell and Rachel Maddow. He is whip smart and unrelenting in his insistence that we see beneath and beyond the “philanthropy” of the ruling class to maintain their status quo. This book is his manifesto and a fascinating read.

Glenn Simpson & Peter Fritsch – Crime in Progress

I read this around the time of the impeachment hearings to gain a better understanding of Fusion GPS (the authors own the firm), the Steele dossier and the investigations into the Trump campaign and its ties to Russia. The book is presented in a very reporterly, clear and concise style. Although the topic is politics, it steers clear of partisanship – notedly Fusion was asked by Republicans and Democrats to look into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia. The only frustrating thing about this book is that so many still don’t seem to see beyond the repetitive sound bytes. This book goes far in trying to clear up the confusion.

book to film: the talented mr. ripley

Patricia Highsmith wrote The Talented Mr. Ripley in in 1955. She based it loosely on Henry James’s The Ambassadors (which I now have to add to my to-read list). The lead character, Tom Ripley, proved so popular, that she brought him back for four more novels.

When the reader first meets Tom he is living close to the bone in New York City, subsisting on his “friends,” or running various schemes, including mail fraud. But Tom isn’t really great at his schemes, and he doesn’t like people, and he doesn’t have any true friends, just people he can sponge on. Tom’s prospects begin to look up when he runs into the rich Mr. Greenleaf, the father of an acquaintance, Dickie Greenleaf. Mr. Greenleaf wants his son, who he believes is frittering away his life in Italy by dabbling in painting, to come home, get serious, and work at the family shipping business. Tom exaggerates his friendship with Dickie, and agrees to track him down in the (fictional) Italian seaside port of Mongibello – staked with cash from Mr. Greenleaf.

Tom Ripley, (Matt Damon), Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), and Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow) in the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley

Tom doesn’t seem to have any real desire to fulfill his quest and bring home the prodigal son, but he does head to Mongibello and soon meets Dickie and his friend Marge Sherwood. Marge and Tom take an immediate dislike to each other as Tom tries to ingratiate himself with the open and (initially) clueless Dickie. Tom’s motives aren’t clear, to himself or the reader. His strongest motivating factor seems to be survival and acquiring money. He comes from nothing and is determined to not only be able to live, but live well. Dickie enjoys palling around with Tom at first, as a way to avoid Marge’s not-so-subtle attempts to take their relationship to the next level. In the meantime, Tom has been studying Dickie, to the point of copying his mannerisms and attire. One day Dickie walks into his bedroom to find Tom in his clothes – it is from that moment that their newfound friendship begins to sour. Dickie may not be the brightest bulb on the tree, but he can sense that Tom is not the real deal, not from his side of the tracks.

There is definitely an undercurrent of sexuality to Tom’s obsession with Dickie, which was made more blatant in the 1999 film version, directed by Anthony Minghella, starring Matt Damon (Tom), Jude Law (Dickie), and Gwyneth Paltrow (Marge). I had seen the film years ago and didn’t love it. I will say that Jude Law has never looked better on film. It’s a first-class production, with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Cate Blanchett, and Jack Davenport in supporting roles. I just didn’t find Damon to be very compelling. Ripley may be a cipher, but I felt Damon just played him as a blank space. I rewatched it recently, and it’s better than I remember, but Damon is definitely still its weakest link. There is also apparently a French version of the story, Plein Soleil (Purple Noon), filmed in 1960, directed by René Clément and starring Alain Delon that might be fun to track down sometime.

But back to the book . . . even though Tom bristles at memories of being called a “sissie” and is repulsed by Marge, he seems less attracted to Dickie the man than to Dickie’s lifestyle and all its trappings. Tom is first and foremost a parasite. His love of fine clothes and having money to spend will lead to murder and mayhem as he travels across Italy to escape his past and past identity. Tom Ripley is an anti-hero and sociopath who at times may put off the reader, who may find many of his crimes brutal and unnecessary, but Highsmith is such a gifted writer that she effortlessly pulls us into his thoughts and his fears. Will he avoid capture? Do we want him to? I can’t say I liked Tom Ripley much, but I am looking forward to checking out his further adventures.

p.s. Fleabag’s “Hot Priest” Andrew Scott will be portraying Tom Ripley in a new series, Ripley, on Showtime in 2020. So I have to start subscribing to that channel now?

This post first appeared on Cannonball Read 11

ronan farrow’s catch and kill

Ronan Farrow’s Catch and Kill reads like a spy novel. The full title is Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators. And Farrow lays out quite a conspiracy. He takes the reader inside the world of investigative reporting – in his case for NBC News. Not only does NBC prove to ultimately be hostile towards allowing Farrow to tell the full story of his investigation into allegation of sexual abuse by Harvey Weinstein, but it is also a hotbed of abuse culture, including its main asset at the time, Matt Lauer.

“Catch and Kill” is a term used to describe a media outlet purchasing a controversial story and then burying it. It is standard practice with tabloids, as Farrow recounts how it had been used frequently by the National Enquirer over the years to protect well-known, powerful figures like Weinstein, Donald Trump, and others from salacious stories about them.

Ronan Farrow, author of Catch and Kill

The bulk of Catch and Kill is about Farrow’s unrelenting quest to give voice to the victims of Hollywood mogul and alleged serial sexual predator Harvey Weinstein. This is the real core of the book and it is fascinating. Farrow writes very engagingly, and the reader feels his urgency as he not only faces opposition from the higher-ups at NBC to tell the stories of Rose MacGowan and other women who have come forward to relate their experiences with Weinstein, but how he was also under surveillance from Weinstein’s minions, including an Israeli intelligence service dubbed Black Cube. Creepy stuff. Interestingly, it is print journalism that comes to the rescue, as Farrow, fed up and shut out from NBC, takes his findings to the New Yorker, where his story is ultimately published, helping to give a bigger voice to the #MeToo movement.

The weakest part of the book is actually the Matt Lauer section. Although it must have seemed like a good idea to include it, with Lauer’s  link to NBC and the underlining of seemingly sanctioned toxic behavior by powerful men in the entertainment industry, I think it would have worked better as a New Yorker article or another book. The Weinstein story is huge and the Lauer chapter seems like a digression from the main plot. But that quibble aside, I can still highly recommend Catch and Kill.

Farrow is clearly dedicated to championing the vulnerable and bringing their stories to light. It is shocking and discouraging  to read how deep the conspiracy was to silence all of Weinstein’s accusers, particularly Rose MacGowan. Hopefully Farrow’s book can help to not only corroborate her story but ultimately bring her some sense of peace and justice. Farrow (sometimes working with Jane Mayer) has reported on predatory behavior by Les Moonves at CBS, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. He also exposed the link between the MIT Media Lab and Jeffrey Epstein. And this top researcher never stops researching. Farrow has a Catch and Kill podcast with expanded reporting on the topics covered in the book. I can’t wait to read about where he sets his sights next.

This story first appeared on Cannonball Read 11

demi moore, inside out

Reading Demi Moore’s memoir Inside Out is like having a seat in the room while she is undergoing therapy. And yoga. And flirting with Bruce Willis. And being abused by her parents. And, strangest of all, not spending much time in Hollywood. But you do get a pretty good picture of her home and life in Hailey, Idaho, which she clearly loves, an oasis she has created for her family and herself.

Demi Moore, Inside Out: A Memoir

Inside Out flows, but it is not exactly an easy book to read. Real pain and trauma is spread throughout its pages. Moore had an extremely difficult childhood, raised by parents (mostly her mother) who at best ignored her, at worst practically pimped her out as a young girl. It is amazing to think how far she has come, considering her rough start. Moore is unflinchingly honest in her revelations and discoveries about her family’s and her own weaknesses. She tends to downplay her own achievements, certainly as an actress, so it is hard for the reader who might want to learn some more details behind how she got her role in Ghost as much as how Joel Schumacher helped her kick her booze and cocaine habit during the filming of St. Elmo’s Fire. She was successful at both, and stayed sober for years. Her substance abuse issues would crop up again later in her life, in her 40s, when she was married to Ashton Kutcher, who apparently enabled bad choices and then chose to look away when things got to be too much for her to handle.

Where Moore allows herself to feel proud of herself and crow a bit are when she talks about her love of being pregnant, a mother, and her love for her daughters. She also toots her own horn a little when she discusses her iconic Vanity Fair (August 1991) cover shoot by Annie Liebovitz, taken when she was seven months pregnant. The cover was quite controversial at the time, and paved the way for women to celebrate their “baby bumps” – wearing more form-conscious fashion, something we take for granted now. Moore also was one of the first actresses to earn $10 million for a single film in Hollywood. She starred in numerous blockbusters in the 90s: Ghost, A Few Good Men, Indecent Proposal, Disclosure, as well as producing If These Walls Could Talk and the Austin Powers movies.

“Demi’s Birthday Suit” Vanity Fair, August 1992

She appeared nude again for Vanity Fair, photographed by Liebovitz, covered in body paint, a year later. The photo was a testament to bouncing back from pregnancy weight as well as highlighting Moore’s intense workout regimen, which was highlighted throughout her movie career, most notably in G.I. Jane and Striptease. Moore describes herself as an obsessive personality, who has not just battled drugs and an eating disorder, but also working out too much, to the point of making herself ill. It is hard to determine how much Hollywood’s fixation with women’s bodies and her own trauma from childhood sexual abuse played a part in her feelings about herself and her body. But she is not afraid to ask the question or try to find the answer.

What might have been the most gossipy part of the book – her relationships with high-profile men like Emilio Estevez, Bruce Willis, and Ashton Kutcher – are less about fun times than highlighting her or their inability to connect. At the end of Inside Out I don’t feel sorry for Moore, but I do feel empathy. And maybe a little hope, as she continues on her path to self-discovery.

This review first appeared on Cannonball Read 11