Sunday Salon for 15 January 2023
Happy Sunday! Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at ReaderBuzz. Check out her post and the links to see what other bloggers have been up to in the last week.
How’s the weather?
We’re in a “can’t complain for January” phase. If it’s January and the temperature goes above 40 or we get rain instead of snow, we can’t complain. That pretty much describes our 10-day forecast, so I’m happy with that.
What are you reading?
I’m continuing two books from last week. In Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 2, by Blanche Wiesen Cook we’re getting the Roosevelts settled into the White House in 1933. In Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby, we finished her secondary schooling and are in a bit of a “what next?” moment. I’m intrigued because it’s a long way from where she is to a comedy special on Netflix.
For my novel research, I read Hitler’s Japanese Confidant: General Ōshima and Magic Intelligence, 1941-1945, by Carl Boyd. It’s pretty academic and far away from the usual discourse about World War II, but I was fascinated.
I’m also reading Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-first Century, edited by Alice Wong. That’s for our book group and it’s terrific! I’m learning things that I wish I’d already known.
What are you watching?
I started watching Vera, a detective series set in Northumberland, on Amazon Prime. I watched the first five seasons several years ago but lost track after that. It kept going. Series 12 will be aired in the UK later this month. I have a lot of catching up to do.
Our favorite movie this week was The Mauritanian — it was intense and important. Tahar Rahim was riveting as the main character, a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay. Jodie Foster and Benedict Cumberbatch both had interesting roles. We watched this on DVD from Netflix. According to IMDB.com, it’s available to stream on Showtime.
What are you writing?
For British Isles Friday, I reviewed Munich — The Edge of War. I was more fascinated by the history involving Neville Chamberlain than the fictional spy thriller aspect of the film.
The book about General Ōshima inspired notes for scenes in my novel — just like I hoped it would!
What are you doing?
The activist group that I’m involved in successfully hosted a meeting on Saturday where we organized people to talk to their school board candidates about equity in our school districts.
This week, I have fewer things on my calendar and I’m looking forward to a bit more targeted research to inspire scenes in my novel.
How are you on this fine Sunday?
I have not tried the Vera series for TV yet but I am caught up on all her books. Next from that author is catching up with Shetland boks. Love Ann Cleeves.
thanks for the heads up about the movie Mauritanian. I like Foster and Cumberbatch.
Our winter weather, as is normal here, is ideal: low 70s or upper 60s in the day, sunny, and a bit cooler at night. I think most of the people who move to my part of Texas must do so in the winter.
Your books seem to be working well for you. The Eleanor Roosevelt book sounds very compelling to me. And Disability Visibility sounds like a book more of us should read.
Our weather is crazy! It was 31 when I left for work this morning. There was a sheet of ice over all my car windows and I had to wait for the defrost and wipers to get them clear enough to drive.
I’m mainly watching the BYU channel. They have some really good reality family shows that I’m hooked on.
Do you think you’ll ever start doing Readers Workout again? I really miss it!
We could try Readers’ Workouts again. What would you want it to look like? Monthly? Weekly? If weekly, what day? It used to be on Tuesdays, but I always found that a little awkward for planning around a week of exercise.
Good for you. School district school boards need to hear from parents trying to do something positive for kids, all kids!
Adding Disability Visibility to my TBR.