Maine Time: Reading Nonfiction & A Mystery

THREE RECENT READS

In this post, I offer three books I’ve read recently. One is Doris Kearns Goodwin’s conversational inside scoop on the 1960’s as experienced by her and by her spouse, Richard Goodwin, politico, speechwriter, and occasional sounding board for both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson.

Judith Jones was a book editor who received little acclaim in her professional life for the outsize role she played in bringing to the fore literary figures like Anne Tyler and sensing the market’s readiness for cookbooks by noted chefs such as Julia Child. Sara Franklin details her career.

Lastly, for a change of pace, a mystery with archaeological and mythical roots. Meet archaeologist Ruth Galloway, if you haven’t already, in one of this long series of mysteries by Elly Griffiths.

INSIDE POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE 1960’S

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960’s by Doris Kearns Goodwin (from my summer reading list)

Richard Goodwin (politico.com)

When Dick Goodwin reaches 80, he and Doris, his wife, make a project for the weekends of going through his 300 boxes of speech drafts and memorabilia from his working life in the 1960’s. Dick Goodwin, a consummate wordsmith who worked with two presidents, John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, was able to translate their distinctly different styles and cadences into memorable words.  

He traveled with JFK on the campaign trail in 1960.  He drafted noteworthy speeches for him and later for LBJ on civil rights, Latin American policy, and the like.  Politics was in his blood, and he was both ambitious and brash, resulting in the occasional clash that might have been career-ending.  Goodwin also developed a close friendship with Robert Kennedy, a relationship that bugged Johnson who had little love for RFK.

Looking back on events that took place fifty years ago, Kearns Goodwin shares their mutual recollections, their years of disagreement about Kennedy and Johnson, and how the passage of time softens bitter memories.  More than a decade younger than her husband, Kearns Goodwin was a White House Fellow who worked with Johnson somewhat when he was president.  After his presidency, she became especially close to him helping on his memoirs and on what became her first book.   

This work is a marvelous inside look at presidential and personal politics in that tumultuous and consequential decade, the 1960’s.  I, like many of my readers, came of age in high school and college during those years.  This trip back refreshed my memory about some monumental events and provided the messy back story behind others.  As Doris Kearns Goodwin and her husband review his voluminous files, she offers up recollections and details of her own experiences in a way that is conversational and very accessible.  I enjoyed too her portrait of a long and fruitful marriage.  Highly recommended!! (~JWFarrington)

NOTABLE KNOPF EDITOR

The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara Franklin

Judith Jones in the kitchen (nytimes.com)

In her lifetime, Judith Jones was frequently overlooked, dismissed, or just tolerated by the male publishing heads for whom she worked.  Even publisher Blanche Knopf initially had Judith doing her scut work and only reluctantly let loose the apron strings.  To her credit, Jones rescued The Diary of Anne Frank from the reject pile, edited Anne Tyler and John Updike’s works for decades, and both discovered, mentored, and guided chefs and cooks the likes of Julia Child, Claudia Rosen, Marcella Hazan, and Edna Lewis from recipes on paper to finely wrought noteworthy cookbooks.  

Jones was both a traditionalist and a maverick.  She was deemed “a lady” and she wanted marriage and children.  At the same time, she discovered that besides her early love for poetry, she was passionate about food and cooking.  To her dismay, she and husband Dick Jones never had children, but to her delight they routinely cooked together and explored new ingredients and new recipes.  She found her métier in the publishing world and worked extremely hard; in fact, she became the primary breadwinner.  Jones also developed relationships with many of her authors that went beyond the professional to genuine friendships.  These were life-enriching for her and Dick.

As someone interested in both publishing and food, I was engrossed in Judith Jones’ story.  I came of age and married in 1970; Franklin’s account of the cookbook authors Judith worked with was, for me, a walk down memory lane.  I was in my first post-college job when Mastering the Art of French Cooking, volume 2, was published.  My librarian colleagues were ordering copies and wondered if I wanted to buy one also.  I assented, and quickly, some of Julia’s recipes became household favorites: her elaborate beef bourguignon and Potage Magali, a tomato rice soup with a hint of saffron, to name just two. 

Later, I put Marcella Hazan’s Italian cookbooks to hard use, and Madhur Jaffrey’s Invitation to Indian Cooking became a must purchase after an Indian cooking class.  Other additions to my cookbook library included A Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis and later books by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin.   Jones was on the scene at the right time as cooking and food in the U.S. expanded to other cultures.  She very successfully translated the recipes of these talented chefs for the home kitchen.   Recommended! (~JWFarrington)

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MYSTERY

The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths

Author Griffiths (thebookseller.com)

For a change of pace, I picked up The Night Hawks, a recent entry in Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway Series.  A few years ago, I read the first book in the series, The Crossing Places, and liked it enough to acquire and read the second one.  This is #13 and I really enjoyed it, racing through it in the space of 24 hours! The Ruth Galloway series runs to fifteen books, and Griffiths has said that #15 is the last one she plans to write.

Ruth Galloway is an archaeologist living and working in Norfolk, England.  When bodies or strange bones are found by the local police, DCI Nelson calls her in to consult.  In this book, a Bronze Age body washes ashore which attracts the interest of the local amateur metal detector group known as the Night Hawks.  Subsequently, there is what appears to be a murder-suicide at a very remote country farm.  Add in a local myth/folk tale about a huge black dog who is a harbinger of death, and it’s a complex case with numerous strands to untangle.  

While The Night Hawks is a mystery, the principal characters, Ruth, Nelson, and others, are well-developed and intriguing. The relationships between them evolve as the series proceeds, adding to the satisfaction of a story well told.  Recommended!

Note: Header photo taken at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens by JWFarrington.

Manhattan Moments: Seeing, Reading, Viewing

MATISSE EXPLAINED

The Red Studio (Museum of Modern Art (MOMA))

The Red Studio is a fascinating exhibit.  Seeing Matisse’s painting of his studio with the deep red background and then seeing many of the actual paintings and other works depicted there right in the MOMA gallery was somewhat mind-blowing.  The explanations (they were more than just labels) provided the locale for each work and some details on what Matisse was looking at or doing in the art.  It’s one of the best art exhibits I’ve been to in a long time.  Sheer pleasure!

Cyclamen, 1911
Large Red Interior, 1948
The Blue Window, 1913

EASY READING 

The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor–the Truth and the Turmoil by Tina Brown

If you want all the juicy details of the past twenty years of the British royal family, then Tina Brown’s latest work is for you.  In The Palace Papers, no one, except perhaps the Queen herself, is left unscathed.  Many readers will be very familiar with Princess Diana’s history, but this book provides much in the way of backstories on Camilla, Prince Andrew, Prince William, and Kate, and more about Prince Harry and Meghan than has appeared in the American press.  

As a Brit and someone who has covered and spent time with some of these royals, Brown is overall fair and balanced in her account.  It’s a long book, but I was quickly immersed in it for several days.

CLAIRE FOY MAKES THIS HISTORICAL DRAMA

A Very British Scandal (Prime Video)

This three-part historical series is about another scandalous divorce, this one that of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll.  Margaret Campbell was Duke Ian Campbell’s third wife.  Their marriage was a tumultuous one to say the least.  Margaret liked the company of men, lots of men, and may have had affairs with many of them.  Ian was volatile, physically aggressive, short of cash, and probably also adulterous.  

The real Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll (National Portrait Gallery)

Their divorce trial in 1963 was a scandal more for what it revealed, or at least presented as truth, about Margaret Campbell. Neither character is likable, but Claire Foy is excellent as the wife and a far cry from who she was as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown.  

Note: Photos by JWFarrington. Header photo is Matisse’s Still Life with Geraniums.

Snippets for Late November

WATCHING

Family Business (Acorn)

Astrid, Audrey, Sofia (amazon.com)

This French series features an all-female legal firm practicing family law.  Think marriage contracts, divorces, custody issues, and adoption.  Two of the three lawyers are a mother, Astrid, and her daughter, Audrey, plus Sofia, the second partner.  Both partners are single, while Audrey has two children and a somewhat hapless husband.  The cases are serious, but also sometimes bizarre:  a custody battle over a stubborn bulldog, for example.  

Add in a large dollop of sex and you have moments that are fun and frivolous.  Note the fashionable clothes and the always in vogue, stiletto heels.  There are at least two seasons and I’m about a third of the way through Season 1.

READING

Both/And:  A Life in Many Worlds by Huma Abedin

Author Abedin (slate.com)

Many people know Huma Abedin, longtime aide to Hillary Clinton, mainly because of her husband Anthony Weiner.  But there is much more to this woman than her role as a suffering spouse.  With an Indian father and a Pakistani mother, she was raised Muslim and grew up alternating between Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  Her father’s scholarly work and academic career meant they traveled abroad extensively.  Starting her post-college life as a White House intern, Huma quickly advanced to more responsible positions until she became one of Clinton’s closest staff members.  I am about one-third into the book and have yet to meet her future spouse.  

I’ve enjoyed learning about her childhood experiences and reading the details of what it’s like to be an advance person or a trip coordinator for a high-level politician.  Thus far, her perspective on Clinton is positive and almost affectionate.  She is fair and not at all mean spirited about others in her work orbit.   I imagine Abedin’s charmed life will become less so as events unfold.  

DINING REPRISE

Bonefish Grill in Bradenton 

Bonefish Grill is a chain restaurant, founded and headquartered in Tampa, and a consistently very good one.  We frequently dine at their Cortez Road location about a 5-minute drive from home and are seldom disappointed.  The prices are reasonable, there are weekly specials, and the fish is fresh.  

The Chief Penguin is a big fan of their ahi tuna sashimi and the Wagyu beef dumplings, while I like the grilled shrimp and scallop combo or salmon with mango salsa.  The Caesar and house salads (the latter with hearts of palm and black olives) are also good.  If you’re feeling decadent, forget calories with their famous Bang Bang Shrimp.  For drinks, have a glass of Chardonnay or indulge in a smoked old fashioned. The wait staff changes frequently, but the food is always reliable!

Crime, Music & Great Books

VIEWING: CRIME IN THE UK

Shetland (BritBox)

Sandy & Tosh with Jimmy (radiottimes.com)

Jimmy Perez is back! I missed the Scottish crime series Shetland, when it went into hiatus after five seasons.  I was delighted to discover that Season 6 is now available on BritBox, not sure about on other online services.   New episodes are released on Tuesdays.   The Chief Penguin and I eagerly watched the first episode, and were not disappointed.  Detective Jimmy Perez is at his mother’s funeral when his colleague Tosh notifies him of the death of a prominent member of the community.  As in other seasons, the investigation begins, but is not completed in one episode.  As I think of the many crime series I’ve watched over the past few years, this one ranks among the best! 

The Long Call (BritBox)

Brethren members with Detective Matthew Venn (thescottishsun.co.uk)

While browsing new offerings on Amazon Prime, I came upon this other offering through BritBox.  It’s another crime series set in England, and it’s based on work by Ann Cleeves.  Ms. Cleeves is the very successful author of the Shetland series mysteries and ones featuring detective Vera (also a series, but not one I’ve watched).  Here detective Matthew Venn, a gay man, is estranged from his family.  He grew up in a closed, tightly ordered religious society and left about twenty years ago full of bitterness, anger, and sorrow.  When a young girl in that community goes missing, he and his police colleagues are tasked with locating her.  Like Shetland, this is a compelling drama of relationships as much as it is about crime.  There are 4 episodes in this season.

VIEWING: MUSICAL HISTORY

Oratorio (PBS, etc.)

Scorsese sitting in Old St. Patrick’s (pbs.org)

In the lovingly told documentary, Martin Scorsese brings to life the history of an 1826 opera concert in Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.  Scorsese provides background on the historical figures, Mozart’s librettist, for one, who were central to the concert, and details the concert’s role in forming the city’s cultural life.  The re-creation of this event in 2018 for a modern audience is the motivation for the film.  

Scorsese grew up near the cathedral and has fond recollections of the neighborhood and the role of this church in his life.  As concert plans and preparations are underway, there are interviews and clips with the maestro and soloists of Teatro Lirico Cagliari of Italy who will perform.  Overall, it’s a fascinating piece of history. And, if you are so inclined, you can separately watch the 2018 performance also on PBS.

AWARD BOOKS:  A GREAT READING ASSIGNMENT

I receive Washington Post book reviewer Ron Charles’ e-mail newsletter, Book Club, each week.  His take on new literature is always informative, often quirky, and piques my interest in what I might read next. In this week’s issue, he detailed an assignment his high school teacher spouse gives her students.  I think it’s a great assignment and so, I’m sharing it and at the end the books the students will be evaluating.  You can read another issue of his newsletter here.

My wife, Dawn, has started one of her favorite projects with her 11th graders. She brings in copies of the five finalists for the National Book Award in Nonfiction and breaks the class into five groups. Each group reads the first chapter of one of the finalists. Then the students devise criteria for a winning book and explain to the class how well their finalist meets those standards. 

Next Wednesday, just hours before the National Book Awards ceremony, her students will vote on which title they think should win. It’s a fun way to introduce these kids to the country’s best new nonfiction books.

You can follow along, too. The NBA ceremony will stream on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. ET. (free, but donations appreciated). I’ll be there (virtually) to introduce Nancy Pearl, winner of this year’s Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community.

NONFICTION FINALISTS

Hanif AbdurraqibA Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance

Lucas BessireRunning Out: In Search of Water on the High Plains

Grace M. ChoTastes Like War: A Memoir

Nicole EustaceCovered with Night: A Story of Murder and Indigenous Justice in Early America

Tiya MilesAll That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake