I watched the movie, Chocolat, several years ago, so I recently decided it was time to read the book. Perhaps I wasn't paying close enough attention when I watched the movie, but I expected something very different when I sat down to read the book. I expected the book to be more... romantic, sensual... Instead I found it to be an exploration of the effects of intolerance. Harris takes the intolerance so rife in our world and concentrates it in one small community showing how limiting we can be when we refuse to see beyond that which we've always been taught. She deftly explores the effects of exclusionary behavior and the harm of not bothering to get to know other people. With the story set around a newcomer who opens a chocolate store during Lent and the priest who opposes not only the chocolate shop but her mere presence, the town seems divided down the middle with people willing to blind themselves to other people's pain in order to maintain the status quo of their lives. I'm not sure the book was intended to make me feel sad, but it often did because it so aptly displayed how divisive human beings can be toward one another while wrapping their judgment up in a warped version of religious righteousness or even concern. Chocolat is a thought-provoking, entertaining book with characters that touch the heart and take up residence in one's imagination.
Sunny Frazier always delights, and A Snitch in Time is no exception. She writes the Christy Bristol series in a way that feels lighthearted even in its darkest moments. When Bristol goes on vacation to visit her friend, Lennie, she never expects to get drafted into working for a different department doing her job. Bristol is intrigued enough by the crime at hand that her protestations seem half-hearted at times though her annoyance is very real. When she and Lennie get into a fight, she's left with nothing but the work the department expects her to do. Frazier drops the reader in the Sierra Nevada Foothills creating a sense of isolation that makes the reader cheer for Bristol to stand up to her superiors and get out of there while simultaneously wanting to her to solve the crime. When a witness contacts Bristol via phone she doesn't take her seriously at first only to discover she might have vital information. With suspicion cast in multiple directions, Bristol isn't sur...
Portland Art Museum , located at 1219 SW Park Avenue, Portland Oregon, provides a welcoming environment that encourages leisurely touring the exhibits. There's no feeling of being rushed or having one's experience invaded. Security is present but not intrusive. Currently, there is a special exhibit at the Portland Art Museum, The Allure of the Automobile . The exhibit includes cars such as the Bentley, the Corvett Stingray, the Jaguar Roadster, the Astin Martin, and several others. Each car is displayed to show off the artistry of car design. The cars were all designed and built between the 1930s and the mid-1960s. A few cars create an air of "look but don't touch" while others dare you to give in to your desire and sit in it just a a second. Whether you love cars or just love art, these cars are well worth viewing. They will be on display at the Portland Art Museum until September 11, 2011. The museum also houses a nice collection of painting, sculptures, photo...
Brad Meltzer's Heroes for My Daughter is an excellent book for girls and boys alike! His short biographies of each person in the book spark the imagination, inspire confidence, and uplift spirits. He includes famous people and people from his own life giving all equal weight thereby demonstrating that everyone has the potential for greatness inside them. Heroes for My Daughter often made me want to know more about the people Meltzer included. His way of writing directly to his daughter makes the book feel intimate, sweet, and, perhaps, a tad like looking in on a private moment between father and daughter. About a third of the way through the book, I started making a mental list of all the girls I'd like to buy a copy of Heroes for My Daughter if I could afford it. I also realized there are a few boys I'd like to buy it for as well, so it's more a book of heroes whose life stories will benefit all children and even adults!
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