I was looking at my Goodreads account, and I had read a total of 78 books out of 100 books that were challenging me to read last year. This year, I am challenging myself to read 110 books, and I am hopeful that I will complete this goal. If not, then that’s ok. I had read some great books last year and wanted to share some great reads with you.
The world’s worst assistant by Sona Movsesian. I found this book incredibly funny because I literally laughed out loud at the Barnes and Noble I was reading the book. I enjoyed the personal stories that Sona shared about her journey in life and at work.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears. I had to get the audiobook version because it was narrated by the amazing Michelle Williams. She was not disappointed in delivering Britney’s words and feelings. This book definitely made me rethink a lot of things about Britney Spears.
Deliberate Cruelty by Roseanne Montillo. This was the second book of the year I read, and it was totally absorbing!! For those who are waiting to watch Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, make sure to add this book to your list before you start watching the series!
A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer. I read this book during banned book week last fall. Because I try to read at least a couple of books off that list. I had not heard about this one until I was reviewing my own list while researching a blog post I was working on at the time.
My name is Barbra Streisand by Barbra Streisand. This book took me about a month to finish. Some parts were completely absorbing, but it was an overall joy to read. I recommend if you are a true fan of hers this book will complete be a joy to read.
Earlier this month, I finished reading Mildred Pierce, written by James M. Cain. Cain has written other memorable books that were turned into movies, such as Double Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and Serenade.
This was the first book I read by the author, but it was hard to choose which one of the author’s titles to start with. I am such a fan of the 1945 and 1981 movies The Postman Always Rings Twice.
However, I just finished a Mildred Pierce movie and miniseries binge. That it just made sense for me to finally read the novel. The movie and miniseries versions of Mildred Pierce offer different takes on the book, but both have outstanding acting. The movie, made in 1945, was directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Joan Crawford, Jack Caron, and Ann Blyth. Joan Crawford played the lead role of Mildren Pierce, while Ann Blyth played her daughter Vera.
Joan Crawford was so good at portraying Mildred Pierce that she won an Oscar in 1946.
The miniseries was made in 2011 and was directed by Todd Haynes (one of my favorite directors!!). It starred Kate Winslet as Mildred Pierce and Evan Rachel Wood as Veda.
Both adaptions are faithful to the book because they accurately make sure to have the viewer understand the rise and fall of Mildred Pierce. How hard it was for Mildred to find suitable work and how tough it was for her to become a businesswoman trying to survive during the Great Depression. This was one of the rare books that I sat down to read and did not move until I was done reading. This book was first published in 1941 by Knopf. When it was first published, many reviewers commented that it was “mild and tame” compared to the author’s other novels.
Personally, I am glad that I read this novel first from the author because when I was reading the book, it made me flash back to both the movie and miniseries adaptions. It also made me want to read other novels by the authors in the near future.
If you would like more information about the movie and the miniseries, I highly recommend this video by Be Kind Rewind. The video is below:
What books is everyone reading this month? Comment below!!!
Not many people are familiar with the name Bobby Driscoll. However, a lot of people do know this Disney classic Movie:
Bobby Driscoll was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 3, 1937. His mother was a school teacher, while his father was a salesman. Bobby only lived in Iowa for a small amount of time due to his father’s doctor’s orders to move away from Iowa to California due to his father ailing from handling asbestos from his job in Iowa.
Once the family settled into their new surroundings, Bobby’s parents rallied behind him to become an actor. Their dream finally came true when their baby’s son got Bobby an audition at MGM Studios for a role in a movie called Lost Angel, directed by Roy Rowland and starring Margaret O’Brien. From when he was six years old, he was a regular actor on TV and in movies. Disney studios cast him in live-action films such as Treasure Island and So Dear to my Heart.
(Pictured above Luana Patten with Walt Disney and Bobby Driscoll)
Bobby Driscoll and another child actor named Luana Patten were the first contracted actors for Walt Disney (Image below left to right: Burt Ives, Luana Patten, and Bobby Driscoll in Disney’s So Dear My Heart (1949)). He and Patten acted in various movies together, so it would be no surprise that you would see them in many roles and scenes. Newspaper outlets termed Driscoll and Patten working together as “Walt Disney’s Sweetheart Team.”
He was so well-regarded during his childhood acting career that he received an Academy Juvenile Award for two roles in “So Dear My Heart” (1949) and “The Window” (1949):
Here is a short clip of Bobby accepting his award that was given by Donald O’Conner:
Bobby is best remembered for his voice role as Peter Pan in Walt Disney’s Peter Pan, and it was, unfortunately, his last well-known role.
As all children do, Driscoll went through puberty and growth spurs, and Disney Studios cited that as a reason to end their contract with Bobby and their connection for any movie or tv roles for their studios.
Bobby found it incredibly difficult to find work outside Disney because many studios were still being perceived under Disney Studios’ eyes. Therefore, the studios did not consider him for more grown-up roles, and he mostly did smaller, lesser-known works in various TV shows.
From 1948 until 1957, he was able to find voice role work through radio and was part of various productions. During that time, his parents decided to remove him from Hollywood Professional School and enrolled him in West Los Angeles High School. That is when Bobby’s grades dropped, and he was constantly bullied because he was a child actor. He started to depend on drugs during that time and got into fights. To much of his parents’ dismay at how badly Bobby had adapted to the new school. They reversed their decision regarding schooling and re-enrolled him back at Hollywood Professional School, where he could graduate in 1955.
However, it did not halt Bobby’s drug use. And was dependent on such drugs as heroin and was already arrested for marijuana possession in 1956. He had no luck obtaining movie or TV roles and eloped in December 1956 to his girlfriend, Marilyn Jean Rush. They went on to have three kids. However, the couple divorced in 1960, and Bobby ended up cutting out any contact and relationship with his children due to his reliance on drugs.
He wanted to change his public image and be called Robert Driscoll. However, Robert still had troubles regardless and had some charges against him, such as assault with a deadly weapon and disturbing the peace.
In late 1961, he was formally sentenced as a drug addict and sent to the Narcotic Rehabilitation Center of California Institution for Men located in Chino, California. He was released in 1962 from there, and in 1965, after his parole expired, he decided to move to New York. He wanted to try acting on Broadway, but nothing fruitful was gained, so he became part of Andy Warhol’s The Factory in Greenwich Village.
Bobby excelled as an artist and created some art pieces at Warhol’s Factory. His last movie role was in 1965 for experimental director Piero Heliczer’s movie Dirt:
On March 30, 1968, Bobby Driscoll’s body was found by two boys who were playing in an abandoned East Village tenement. His body was found on a cot alongside two beer bottles and various religious items surrounding him. The cause of death was heart failure caused by hardened arteries due to mixed drug use. Police tried to go around the area where his body was found to have someone identify him, but no one could, so his body became unclaimed and buried in a pauper’s grave at Potter’s Field in New York City’s Hart Island. He was only 31 at the time of death.
In 1969, Bobby’s mother at the time inquired to Disney Studios for them to contact Bobby due to his father’s fatal illness. Disney Studios still had fingerprints and other identifying items in order to help her. The result was able to provide a fingerprint match for the New York City Police Department in aiding in locating the remains of Bobby in Potter’s Field. A sad ending to a talented person.
This week’s movie of the day is The Others (2001), directed by Alejandro Amenabar and starring Nicole Kidman and Fionnula Flanagan.
This movie centers around a woman named Grace who lives in a huge mansion. during the mid-1940’s. She lives with her two children, Anne and Nicholas, who have a rare disease where they cannot be around or in direct sunlight.
A trio of servants show up at the mansion after the previous staff just disappeared and left the house. With the trio’s arrival, weird things start happening, including the children reporting other people in the place and strange noises and moving objects on different mansion floors.
The Others (2001)
Directed by Alejandro Amen·bar
Shown: Nicole Kidman
I recently watched the Criterion Collection version of this. It is one of my favorite movies because it has an eeriness that draws you in, and you feel like you are part of the movie.
Some interesting facts of the movie:
The children in the movie suffer from a condition called Xeroderma Pigmentosum.
To scare the kid actors in the movie, director Alejandro Amenabar would randomly play scary music.
The actual location of the house was not on the island of Jersey but in Spain.
Nicole Kidman quit during the pre-production phase of the movie because the character of Grace was giving her nightmares.
Have you seen this movie? If so, comment below!!!!
I love to read, so it’s not a big surprise that I made a list of five books to read this winter! So, if you are curious about finding something new to read or want to buy a gift, perhaps this list might give you an idea…or five! All links to the books selected are from an incredible small business in Baltimore, Maryland. Atomic Books!
The Abduction of Betty and Barney Hill: Alien Encounters, Civil Rights and the New Age in America by Matthew Bowman- Betty and Barney Hill were the first people in America to have witnessed and been part of an alien encounter.
Weird tales: 100 years of weird Edited by Jonathan Maberry. Weird Tales was a fantasy and horror magazine with weird and fabulous short stories, poems, and pictures to match!
It’s that time of year again! Here are a couple of fantastic small business items that are worth a buy!
Toy Shop Milo:
Toy Shop Merci Milo- “A magical neighborhood toy shop in the heart of Los Angeles and portland, Oregon. Each toy is hand-selected and curated for the shop, where we invite children to explore hidden treasures in an abundance of whimsy. From wooden toys to art supplies and one-of-a-kind collaborations. Each piece will be loved forever and ever. “
This fantastic small business is located online in Los Angeles and Oregon!
Seance Jewelry- “Seance Jewelry is a brand for the creative and fearless! We are playful, eccentric, and a little naughty. Just brand to enhance your wardrobe whether it be jeans and a T-shirt or haute couture. Good things happen when we are bold!”
Cult Superstore: “Cult Superstore is a small couple-owned vintage store that specializes in cult vintage fashion. Most recently we released a collection of 50 cult tees to our website.”
Their favorite item is this Frankenhooker t-shirt:
Shipping deadline is Shipped via USPS Retail Ground 3-8 business days after purchase.
Really Great Drawings: “Self taught artist Emily Caulfield offers up laughs and head scratches and mind boggling beauty and emotion in her work, which spans from sketchbook-inspired and uninhibited doodles to collage to deftly controlled, fluid, and flowing lines. She makes originals, prints, and loves to collaborate on commissions. She likes to describe her style as a “dirty joke” and believes nothing makes a better gift than art.”
Her favorite item from their store is Lot Lizards #The Cougar
December 18, 2023, is the last day to order existing work to be delivered by Christmas Eve
December 9, 2023, is the last day to order existing work before the last night of Hanukkah.
Invader Comics:
Invader Comics: “We care about comics. We care about putting out quality books, and that goes for the narrative, the art, the production, and the print itself. We’re not cutting corners with the things we love, and every single book we put out will be something you’ll be proud to display on your shelf or see in your digital library. We’re not looking to add to the never-ending pile of mediocre content we see out there. If it’s not special, we won’t put our name on it.
We’ve spent years combing the creative fields to find the talent that the mainstream outlets ignored and beam them up to our brand. Our legacy of accuracy elevating talent to new heights can’t be denied. And when the big names had personal stories they wanted to tell, they came to us too. Our tentacles reach everywhere. Soon they’ll reach you, too.”
Their favorite item is
“Vic Boone, Vol.1: Malfunction Murder – Chosen as one of IGN’s Best Indie Series, Vic Boone is a blend of bizarre 50s Hollywood sci-fi and pulp detective noir set in a futuristic Portland. “Malfunction: Murder” collects the first arc of the award-winning series, including four previously unreleased Vic Boone shorts. Talking gorillas, mad scientists, and human flies – Vic Boone has it all. “
Shipping deadline: “Order the digital copy, and it can be delivered as late as Christmas day.”
Glow Worm Goods:
Glow Worm Goods: “Owner Natalie Cooper takes pride in crafting bespoke candles that resemble delectable food items. From intricately detailed Hotdogs to mouthwatering Pickles, each candle is meticulously designed and 100% handmade and unique. Glow Worm Goods candles not only illuminate spaces but also serve as delightful conversation starter in your home.”
I thank Caroline, Silvia, Crystal, Destiny, Emily, MIles, Destiny, Mike, and Natalie for taking the time to do this!
I enjoy shopping at small businesses because it is a personalized, unique item you cannot get anywhere else. As well as supporting friends and recognizing the incredible talent they have!
What is your favorite item from the list? Comment below!!
I look forward to the Barnes & Noble Criterion Collection sale every November. With so many titles, it can become overwhelming, and I often tend to over-buy during this sale. So here are five of my picks during this great sale!
The Last Picture Show, directed by Peter Bogdanovich (Spine # 549), is a preorder item. It will not be released until November 14, 2023; however, it is part of the sale. This movie is shot in gorgeous black and white, and it feels like an intimate look into the townspeople in a small Texas town.
Mean Streets, directed by Martin Scorsese. Spine #1198. This is one of my favorite movies by Martin Scorsese, next to The King of Comedy and Goodfellas. This is also a preorder but, once again, is part of the sale.
Targets directed by Peter Bogdanovich (Spine # 1179). Some scenes in this movie look documentary-style, and it has Boris Karloff in it! So it is a win-win!!!
The Others is directed by Alejandro Amenabar. (Spine # 1195). I was excited to hear this movie would be part of the Criterion Collection! I enjoy watching movies where you want to just walk into the screen and be part of their world. And this movie definitely makes me want to do just that!
Freaks/ The Unknown/ The Mystic: Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers (Spine #1194). Freaks have been such a childhood favorite of mine, and one of the best biographies I have ever read was about Tod Browning.
Eastern State Penitentiary was a prison in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was an active prison from 1829 until 1971 with such famous inmates as Al Capone and James Bruno.
However, there is one particular inmate and his story that stood out to me.
Pep is featured in the Dec. 26, 1925 issue of the Boston Daily Globe.But Gov. Pinchot’s wife, Cornelia, later set the tall tale straight in an interview with The New York Times.
In August of 1924, Pep the dog was taken into police custody at the prison. He got his mugshot taken and was given an ID number:
When it was time to book his name into the prison ledger, he was given a nickname, ” A dog,” and the reason why he was being jailed was listed as “murder.” He was convicted of killing Governor Gifford Pinchot’s cat.
However, this was an elaborate story made by a reporter during that time, and in actuality. Pep’s owner was the Governor. He was given to the Governor as a gift from his family.
Image from Daily Mail
However, Pep lived at Eastern State Prison because he was a companion for the prisoners. After all, the Governor felt that animals could be a healing force and good for morale in the prison. Pep lived out his days at the prison, helping and being a comfort to those who needed it.
The first movie I ever remember watching was Freaks, directed by Tod Browning, which was made in 1932.
It left a lasting impression that I would watch it repeatedly every few months. One actor in the movie stood out to me. His name was Harry Earles.
German film actor and circus performer Harry Earles (1902 – 1985) (born as Kurt Schneider, often as Harry Doll) sits on a folding canvas chair, his hat on his lap, backstage at an unidentified performance in the 1940s. (Photo by Weegee(Arthur Fellig)/International Center of Photography/Getty Images).
Harry Earles was a stage name and would also perform under the name of Harry Doll. He was born on April 3, 1902, as Kurt Schneider in Stoplen, Germany. Acting and performing was a natural thing for Harry because he and his family were all performers. They called the group “The Doll Family.”
The Doll Family consisted of family members Kurt, Hilda, Frieda, and Tiny. They were popular in the circuses and sideshows in the United States from 1915- until the group decided to retire in 1958. They regularly performed circuses like Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, singing, dancing, and performing.
Kurt and his sisters migrated from Germany to California in 1916 due to their father’s insistence that they should work in show business. Soon after they arrived in California, Kurt and his sisters met Bert W. Earles and his wife, who were agents and quickly had the group signed to them. Kurt and his sisters, Hilda and Frieda, decided to change their names. Kurt became Harry Earles, Hilda changed her name to Daisy Earles, and Frieda became Gracie Earles. All four of them changed their last name to Earles, after their manager, to have a more memorable last name for films.
(Daisy Earles and Harry Earles are pictured above.)
However, all four changed their last name again in 1926 to Doll when their manager unexpectedly passed away.
Harry was the first out of the four to have a film career when he was hired to be part of a Tod Browning/ Lon Chaney movie called “The Unholy Three” (1925).
Harry played a character named Tweedledee. He is part of a gang from a show side of the circus who get together and rob many businesses.
When sound was becoming a new feature of movies, “The Unholy Three” was made again in 1930 with a different director, but Harry was asked to be part of that movie as well. Harry and his family did double duty, performing in the circus and many comedies with Laurel and Hardy.
It was not until 1932 that Harry and his sister Daisy were the main actors in the movie by Tod Browning called Freaks:
There was a lot of backlash to this movie when it was released, and it was banned in England or deeply re-edited in many countries, including the US.
Tod Browning with the Doll family pictured above.
Harry went on to play a feature role as part of the Lollipop Guild in The Wizard of Oz.
Harry is the one in the blue on the right. His sister was also part of the film and played extra roles as Munchkins during the Yellow Brick Road scenes.
However, there were not a lot of role options for Harry and his family, so they went back to touring through sideshows until they all retired in 1958.
Harry and his family were very close, so they pooled their earnings from the circus and bought a house in Sarasota, Florida, to all live in. They ordered custom furniture to make the home more livable, and they all lived there until their deaths. Harry passed away on May 4,1985, at the age of 83.
ladycultblog 