Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

via Random House

So my best friend, E, and I love the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books. We identify with the characters and love talking about the books together. I have been meaning to read the final book in the series for a while now and luckily E reminded me last time we went to the library.

I loved it. and hated it. It was a great ending to the series, but like most life stories it was unpredictable and very different than expected. Ann Brashares is great at addressing how people really react to situations and remained very true to each character. I cried my eyes out most of the book, but am really glad I read it!

I think the Sisterhood books are great books for friends to read together and even greater for role models to read with young women. There is so much to be discussed and learned through these simple stories of the lives of four girls.

Anyone else out there a Sisterhood fan? Have you read this book? What did you think?

Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant by Jennifer Grant

via NPR

I enjoyed this book. Not as much as her mother's book Dear Cary, but as far as reminiscences (is it still a word if I put an "s" on the end?) go it was good.

It's not in any chronological order, but rather in subject order. Jennifer talks about how he father handled certain things (such as fame) and about things he taught her (such as budgeting). It is clear from her writing that Grant was a devoted father. Jennifer was his only child and came when he was in his 60s and had retired from acting. Grant had taken pains to save anything and everything from Jennifer's childhood. He even had recordings of her. She inserts small snippets of these conversations in the text of her book. The stories Jennifer tells are fun to read because this is a side of the iconic Cary Grant we've never seen.

If you are a Cary Grant fan (and enjoy reading up on him as I do) you will love this book.

Dear Cary: My Life with Cary Grant by Dyan Cannon

via My Books

I loved this book. First of all I adore Cary Grant (doesn't everybody?) and I've read another biography (Cary Grant: A Class Apart, I think). He was a brilliant man who shaped his own career beautifully. He knew who he wanted Cary Grant to be.

This book is a great look into his life with Dyan Cannon. I love the way she writes, it feels very honest. It's also easy to ride along with her. I found myself feeling excited for her at the beginning, then worried for her in the middle and proud of her at the end. It feels like you are listening to a friend tell you about her life. She's not bitter or angry, just grateful for her experience. Also she's just a good author. It was an easy book to read. 

If you like biographies about the stars of yesteryear you'll probably like this. I sure did!

Next up: Good Stuff by Jennifer Grant

Library Book Roundup

I've been pretty much terrible at posting about the books I've been reading lately (which has been several)! So I'm going to do a quick roundup and I'll let you know which I like and which I didn't. Then I'll do better at reviewing the upcoming ones.

via forwolves

Go Tell It on the Mountain:
A Collection Of Essays, Stories, And Journal Writings By Fire Lookouts.

I loved this book. The stories only cemented my love of the outdoors. Also most of the stories are Idaho based, so that's fun!

via Eurospan Bookstore

Mountains of Memory: A Fire Lookouts Life in the River of No Return Wilderness

I really enjoyed this one as well. I've been to several of the places he talked about due to my work with DEQ last summer. I learned about this book from a PBS program about lookouts. It seems like a great job to have!

via A Ginger's

Cold Sassy Tree

I have to be honest, I didn't love this book. I know it's a big deal book (that's why I picked it up in the first place), but the story didn't really appeal to me and I wasn't a huge fan of most of the characters.

I guess I'll stick to To Kill a Mockingbird for a classic story about life in the south.

via New Lenox Reads

This Time Together / Laughter and Reflection

If I haven't made it clear that I adore Carol Burnett I'm so sorry, let me do so now.

I adore Carol Burnett! I think she's hilarious, kind, down to earth and brilliant. The book reflected all of this. It's a bunch of reminiscence from her rise to fame. I loved ever second of it and now I need to find her other book!

via VH1

A Twist of Lemmon: A Tribute to My Father

I really wanted to like this one. I really did. I love Jack Lemmon. He's a brilliant actor. Sadly, I found this book by his son annoying. I muddled my way through all the way to the end and I just felt annoyed. The book seemed better suited for maybe a journal. Chris Lemmon just rehashes his favorite memories and tells us (on every couple pages) that his dad wasn't at the dinner table when he was growing up. I'm sure it really helped Lemmon to get all his feelings on paper, but I can't wait to read a real biography about Jack Lemmon.











Well, that's what I've been reading. Next on my list are two books about Cary Grant; Dear Cary by his daughter Jennifer and My Life with Cary by his ex-wife Dyan. I'll let you know what I think of them.

Oh and any recommendations for me? What have you been reading lately?

Destination Tokyo (1943)

via Sittin' on a Backyard Fence

 This was my first time viewing Destination Tokyo. I bought a set of Cary Grant films last year and this one was in it. I never watch movies unless I feel like it, so I hadn't watched this one until today.

I loved it. I can't even tell you how much I loved it. It is so well done.

The only complaint I have is the way they talk about the Japanese people, their talk is full of stereotypes and falsehoods. The film was made during World War II and was definitely propaganda.

via All Posters

I'm not sure that I've ever seen a war film that had me on my toes like this one did. Several times I dropped what I was doing to cover my mouth or my eyes. I found my self consciously trying to breath calmly during several scenes. The suspenseful scenes were done very well. The actors were incredible!

via Nitrate Diva

On top of the suspense the film is terribly heartwarming. The characters are so real. They're the guys you went to high school with, your brother, your cousins, and your father. They talk of their families, their sweethearts, their hopes and dreams. They are courageous. They excel because they work as a team and truth each other.

via tumblr

Their captain is obviously what fosters this type of crew. He is a husband and father whose "biggest kick of last year" was being at his son's first hair cut. He is fair and considerate. He encourages his crew and treats them with kindness and respect. He works right along side the men as they take care of important and necessary tasks.

via DBCovers

Has anyone else seen this film? What did you think? I would really love to hear your thoughts!

On another note (one that I cannot ignore) Cary Grant has never been more attractive than he is in this film. (At least to my knowledge, and I've seen a lot of Cary Grant films.)

via Sweet Fancy Moses

Misty (1959 or 1975)

When I'm in the car I generally listen to the classic country station and I got a real treat on Sunday! I discovered Ray Stevens' version of "Misty." Now I've loved this song for a long time because of Ella Fitzgerald. But I had never heard "Misty" done the way Ray Stevens did it. And now I'm obsessed. It's so catchy and delightful. But I love Ella Fitzgerald's because it's so beautiful.

You'll have to tell me which if you like one better than the other. This post pretty clearly expresses two types of music I really, really love.

Here's Ella:      

via Speakeasy

Here's Ray:    

via 7digital

Dean Martin Celebrity Roast

via ilovedinomartin

Dean Martin Celebrity Roast is my new favorite thing! The main reason is that it's just hilarious to see these celebrities make fun of each other. The other (only slightly less important) reason is that I love watching Dean Martin crack up. Remember how I have a crush on him? Well his laughing is one of the reasons why. You can't help buy smile when he's busting up.

Here is a sample of the videos I've watched this week. Oh and be for warned they are irreverent and totally politically incorrect. But hilarious.

Some of the greats roast Dean

Dean roasts Don Rickles

Don Rickles gets his revenge part 1

Rickles gets revenge part 2 

What do you think?