Reading - March 2023

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021)

Very readable and lots of fun, with loads of very plausible-sounding details. If some of the plot works out because some, let's say, "other parties" have amazing talents, then that's just story-telling and doesn't spoil the plot for me. Very enjoyable.

London Review of Books (Volume 45 Number 5 / 2 March 2023)

For my birthday, B very thoughtfully bought me a subscription to the London Review of Books, which I had heard of but never read. I wasn't sure what to expect - I mean, book reviews, duh, but a whole magazine of them? Actually, it turns out that essentially the LRB is, firstly, more of a newspaper in format (approximately tabloid size) and secondly, well, about everything - unsurprisingly, really, since books are also about everything. But the LRB isn't really reviewing books; rather, it has long essays on subjects broadly suggested by whichever books are chosen, which might not even be particularly recent. Those subjects are all rather self-consciously "serious": art, poetry, politics, history, culture. As a result, despite not being particularly long, there's a lot to take in. Possibly, the intention isn't that you read it all anyway, but just choose the subjects in which you're interested. I think when I was younger, I would have read everything: the intellectual slant and, disputably, pretentiousness of the pieces would have appealed to my view of myself, as much as anything else. But now I'm older, I have a clearer idea of what I am interested in, and more to the point, what I am willing to spend time on (hint: not poetry), and so I am happier to pick and choose. (As an aside, I am very interested to learn that not only is there an LRB bookshop but an LRB cake shop. Cake is a subject I am willing to spend time on. This is definitely getting a visit next time I am in London.)

The House on Main Street by Shirlee McCoy (2013)

Sweet, escapist romantic fiction set in small town US. Reminds me of Stacy Finz's "Nugget" series, albeit a bit less racy - but then, I suspect that there are a lot of these kind of series around!

Going Home by Stacy Finz (2014)

So I went straight onto the first book in the "Nugget" series. This is my second time of reading this and, if anything, I enjoyed it more the second time round. Lots of interesting characters, plenty of story and plot as well as the obviously central romance, and all-in-all, very believable. It also highlights the differences between this and the previous book - this is much more complete and engrossing.

Watching - March 2023

Top Gun (1986)

Despite having watched Top Gun Maverick a couple of times now since it came out, I haven't seen this in ages. Other than being a master class in taking sunglasses off in a meaningful way, it is showing its age, but it's still entertaining and a bit of a nostalgia-fest for those of us who remember it at the time. And doesn't Tom Cruise look young? (only 20 at the time, incredibly)

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Hugely entertaining, watched because I was at a loose end and because I'd just watched Top Gun.

50 First Dates (2004)

C and I watched this when it came out, at the Showcase in Nottingham and I've loved it ever since. Of course it helps that it has Drew Barrymore in it, but it's a sweet story (as long as you don't think too much about it), there's plenty of laughs and the ending is quite touching (and beautifully soundtracked by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's version of "Over the Rainbow") - and did I mention it has Drew Barrymore in it? Anyway, I like it.

The Wedding Singer (1996)

Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler again, and on the evidence of this it's hard to understand why Sandler became a star, as his acting is often awful (although sometimes it rises to adequate). On the other hand, there's no difficulty in understanding why Drew is so popular - she just lights up the screen and carries the film, despite being only 23 when this was released.