READING—FASCINATING WOMAN
The Lioness of Boston by Emily Franklin
I’ve long been a list maker: lists of to-dos, lists of TV series and films to screen, lists of places to visit. Before we moved from Cambridge, MA, many years ago, I made a list of things the Chief Penguin and I should do before we left. I made a similar list of activities and outings in 2006 before we moved from six months in London back to the U.S. On my list for Boston was a visit to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Filled with art and books, it’s a treasure trove of a collection.
Emily Franklin’s The Lioness of Boston is an intriguing portrait of Isabella Stewart Gardner. Born in 1840, Isabella was an unconventional woman who wanted to do something significant, to be known as something other than a society wife. Frustrated by the strictures of staid Boston’s social scene, she chafed at the retiring role she was expected to play. Comfortably married to Jack Gardner, and then mother to a son, Belle still sought more outlets for her interests and her energy.
She cultivated friendships with Charles Eliot Norton (first art history professor at Harvard), Henry James, Bernard Berenson, and others. She got allowed into lectures at Harvard, began traveling abroad, and sat for John Singer Sargent for her portrait. Her interests in rare books and art blossomed, and she became both a collector and a supporter of artists. The museum she created is her legacy.
This is a novel, not a biography, and its narrative arc is shallow focusing primarily on Gardner’s friendships and relationships and imagining her interior life. Leisurely paced and enjoyable! Now I must make a return visit to Boston. (~JWFarrington)
VIEWING—FAVORITES RETURN
Chelsea Detective, Season 2 (Acorn)
Detective Inspector Max Arnold who lives on a houseboat is back for another season, this time with a new sidekick. DS Layla Walsh is much younger and keeps him on his toes. Between solving a gruesome murder or two, Max remains entangled with separated wife Astrid (she’d like to get on with her life) and with his somewhat interfering, but doting Aunt Frances. Set in the tonier section of London, it’s less gritty than other British crime series and as engaging for the human relationships as for the murders. There are four episodes in the season.
Hidden Assets, Season 2 (Acorn TV & Roku)
This Irish crime series flips back and forth between the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) team in Limerick, Ireland, and the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) in Antwerp. If you haven’t watched the first season, you should, as this is a continuation of an ongoing story of smuggled goods, bombs, murders, and the Belgian port.
There is a new principal in Ireland, Claire Wallace, who replaces DS Emer Berry. Emer had a solid working relationship with Christian De Jong, her counterpart in Antwerp. Now, Claire and Christian must forge a new partnership to be jointly successful. The stakes are high, politicians are involved, and it’s fast paced. I’ve now watched three of the six episodes. Highly recommended!
HOLIDAY WEATHER
December is a month for socializing and parties. This week we caught up with a friend over lunch at Mean Dean’s in Bradenton and celebrated a birthday dinner at another friend’s. On Saturday, we enjoyed our community holiday party—this year a brunch. It was a lovely day. The air was softly warm, and the sun was shining.
From now until May, Florida weather is perfection. If not perfect, then at least wonderful and magical much of the time. No need for coats or jackets, gloves or hats, let alone boots. Sandals and short sleeves will suffice. Living here this season is a treat!
Note: Header photo is of the courtyard at the Gardner Museum, courtesy of the museum.
