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Welcome!
In this new monthly column, I will be reviewing books, music, movies, and restaurants (and whatever else I feel needs to be critiqued). In addition, you can purchase any of the books or recordings mentioned here from Amazon.com. Just follow the links provided within each review. |
Want to share your opinion on a book, movie, cd or eatery? E-Mail me your review and I might include it next month! |
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REVIEWS |
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Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments, With Recipes, Romances and Home Remedies
by Laura Esquivel, Carol Christensen, Thomas Christensen Doubleday, October 1992. Hardcover - 245 pages. |
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Like Water for Chocolate is a romance with a twist. The story, told simply enough, is interspersed with
recipes and what is called "magic realism." Tita, the youngest daughter of the matriarch Mama Elena,
is forced, through family tradition, to remain single and take care of her mother until her death. Tita's true
love, Pedro, marries Tita's sister just so he can be in the family and near her. Feelings of passion, anger, betrayal, and
love all become involved as the story progresses. And amidst all of it, Tita cooks sumptuous feasts which cause the
most amazing things to happen to their consumers. For those of you who are curious, the title refers to the point at which the water used for making Mexican hot chocolate is ready - the boiling point. I read this novel some years ago, back before it was made into an excellent foreign language film (the subtitled version is superior to the dubbed version), and I have read it twice since then. I will make it a part of my reading group's to-do list, so will be reading it a fourth time in the months to come. It has been a favorite, and I recommend it to anyone in the mood for a little romance. |
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Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden Knopf, October 1997. Hardcover - 416 pages. |
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Amazingly enough, this American male author managed to get into the head of a Japanese geisha and
convincingly tell her life story. A fictitious account, but a fascinating one to be sure.
Golden follows the life of Sayuri, an orphaned Japanese girl from a poor fishing village sold into the life of a Geisha. She starts as a slave of sorts to the other Geishas, then finally becomes one on her own, enduring cruelties but also finding kindnesses along the way. The story is lyrical with descriptions of Gion: the scenes and sounds of everyday life; the intracacies of Geisha dress and custom. And the story is a real-page turner. I finished the 400+ novel in two days, and was sorry to have come to the end. Although the characters are less fleshed-out than the kimonos are, there is enough about each of them to get a reaction from the reader. Considering the book is written as a memoir, we probably only learn as much as Sayuri herself knows about the characters - she cannot know the thoughts and feelings behind Hatsumomo's cruelty, so the author cannot be expected to explain that to the reader. Memoirs of a Geisha is to become a major motion picture in the near future. I can only hope that Spielberg can capture the same authentic atmosphere as author Golden has done. |
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Aphrodite : A Memoir of the Senses by Isabel Allende, Margaret Sayers Peden (translator) Harper/Collins, April 1998. Hardcover - 315 pages. |
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Another memoir, and if this one is fictitious, who cares?! Aphrodite is a sensual delight; the
descriptions of exotic and erotic foods excite the senses and are arousing in themselves. Allende's
writing style is sensuous and stimulating. Perhaps reading chapters of the book aloud can be a
aphrodesiac in itself? The tone of the book is very lighthearted and playful, as Allende alludes to the wonders that
aprodesiacal dining has done for her love life; her mischevious tone is contagious.
The reader can participate in the fun by taking the book into the kitchen as well as into the bedroom; the second part is a cookbook, with recipes running the gamut from soup to dessert. Again, there is a playful tone in this section. Recipes include: Adam's Nuts; Odalisques' Salad; Harem Turkey; Spellbinding Apples; Novice's Nipples; and Venus Mousse. The book is also beautifully illustrated with sensuous paintings and illustrations from such artists as Fernando Botero, Rene Magritte, Balthus, and George Tooker. The book is altogether a feast for the eyes, brain, and palate (among other things) and a must-have addition to every sensualist's library. |
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Frida : A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera Harper Perennial Library, October 1991 (reprint edition). Paperback - 528 pages. |
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I was introduced to this book back in 1990,
by a co-worker at Gordon's Booksellers. I had never heard of the Mexican artist, but was
told she was fascinating and that the book would enthrall me. And indeed it did. Frida Kahlo
has become one of my favorite artists, both for her artwork and her shenanigans: an affair with
Leon Trotsky just before his murder; involvement with the Communist Party; her marriage to fellow artist
Diego Rivera; and an assortment
of lovers, including other women. She suffered
a great deal of misfortune in her life; her coping mechanism included painting. I, too,
have attempted painting a few pained self-portraits, a la Frida. I cannot say that I even
begin to achieve her degree of virtuosity, but I can say that the experience was a catharsis
for me and I do see the healing power that art possesses. Hayden Herrera's portrait of Frida is powerful and vivid, combining biographical data and analyses of her paintings to express the artist's triumph over tragedy. Another book by Herrera on Frida, Frida Kahlo: The Paintings (Harper Perennial Library, October, 1993) focuses more on the paintings themselves, with 286 photographs, 87 in color. There is also a good deal of biographical data on the artist, drawn from the earlier book. |
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REVIEWS |
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Hot
Squirrel Nut Zippers Pgd/Mammoth, September 1997 |
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When this band first hit the music scene with their album "The Inevitable...," people wondered about
the crazy new sound they were making. Then someone took a hard listen and realized it was not new, but
actually a combination of jazz, blues, and swing. With this, their second album, the Zippers continue in
this vein, and are now cashing in as some of the forerunners of the new swing craze. "Hell" is probably the most familiar tune on the album, and "Memphis Exorcism" the swinginest. The band seems to try to achieve an old-fashioned sound - not only through the music which they play, but also the recording sounds a little scratchy to me. And singer Katharine Whale's Billie Holiday impersonation is pretty creditable (although I have never been a fan of Billie). I recommend the Zippers for a bit of mellow fun. I haven't yet purchased their new release, nor their Christmas album, but I have them on my list. |
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REVIEWS |
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Pecker
Directed by John Waters. Rated R. 1998 Fine Line Features |
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Where else but in a John Waters film can someone learn about the fine art of "teabagging," encounter
an obsessed laundromat owner, witness a "miracle," and experience the wonder that is Baltimore? In Director Waters' latest film, Pecker, the main character is an 18-year-old sandwich maker who putters around his neighborhood, Hampden, with his beat-up old camera. He takes candid shots of copulating rats and posed shots of his charmingly dysfunctional family: the thrift-shop owning mom who keeps the homeless folks fashionable; the bartender father who is seeing hard times financially; the gay-bar waitress older sister; the devout grandmother with her Mary miracles; the sugar-addict younger sister. He stages a showing for himself and is discovered by a slick New York gallery-owner who has great visions for Pecker's future. Soon Pecker and his images are the talk of the town. Does he let fame go to his head? Go see the movie and find out! Edward Furlong, as Pecker, heads one of Water's typical eclectic casts: Mary Kay Place, Christina Ricci, Martha Plimpton and Lili Taylor, among others, plus cameos by photographer Cindy Sherman and one of Waters' longtime cast members, Mink Stole. Completely irreverant and probably more than a little offensive to those with delicate dispositions, this film is classic John Waters. I laughed, I hooted, I got embarassed, I laughed some more. If it's still around, see it. Better yet, rent it in a few months and watch it more than once. The little tidbits of Baltimoreana are worth a look. Buy the Original Soundtrack. Music by Stewart Copeland. |
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REVIEWS |
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Golden West Cafe
842 W. 36th St., Baltimore 21211 410-889-8891 |
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The Golden West is a narrow little coffee shop/restaurant in Hampden, an increasingly hip
place to be these days. With a full selection of coffee drinks, plus sandwiches, light fare,
and a few more substantial dishes, the Golden West is a nice place to stop for a bite just about
any time of the day. They even serve brunch on weekends.
My friend Andree and I had dinner there a while ago. We chose seats on the front porch (the smoking section), and perused the menu. That day's offerings included several interesting salads and quesadillas. I went for the pork quesadilla with side salad, and Andree chose the warm shrimp and noodle bowl. The quesadilla was a single large tortilla, filled with chunks of pork in a red sauce and melted cheese, folded into a half-moon and topped with a good dollop of salsa. On the side was a nicely-portioned salad of mesclun with a light creamy dressing. Very tasty, if a tad messy to eat. The shrimp and noodle dish consisted of a large bowl with a bed of greens including basil and mint, topped with a mound of rice noodles, circled by large shrimp. There was a thin sweet sauce on the side to pour over the stuff in the bowl. Andree oohed and aahed over every delicious mouthful, proclaiming it wonderful with every bite. Both substantial portions were reasonably priced at $6.95 each. Not only was the food great, but our server was friendly and fun, joining us outside for a cigarette after we had finished eating. We sat and chatted for a while with her, and then with one of the shop girls from Oh Said Rose, a boutique next door. It was a pleasant and unhurried atmosphere; one I will surely revisit time and again. |
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Contents | Frida Kahlo | Swing | Saffron Fish AOL Diary | Pasionara | My $1.59 Worth | Critic's Corner Point Of View | Ask the Minx | Past Issues | E-Mail Me All information © 1998 by theWebGoddess. No portion of this site may be copied without permission. | |