madrano's comments (member since Jan 13, 2009)

madrano's comments from the Book Nook Cafe group.

I am drawn to the movie (well, the video, when it's out) but worry about the sadness. It sounds sad & i'm not sure i want to tackle that now. Even the clips for reviews have me crying, for pity's sake!

deborah, who's thinking the book may be the route to go

Thanks for clarifying this, Alias. Two "Cheap" books! LOL--who'd have guessed?

deborah

What a great service, LaTrica. I wasn't aware of it. Here's the link to the GoodReads site....http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/185.What_s_The_Name_of_That_Book_

Good Luck, Emilia!

deborah

LOL! Isn't that the truth? I love it when folks drop a line or two, just so we know they are around. I often wonder "what ever happened to...", only to have them post a week or so later. I suspect my memory is at fault & i failed to notice they've been here all along.

deborah, happy to see EVERYONE posting!

First of all, Alias, congratulations on nearing the end of Les Miz! I was looking at my book today...from the top of it...& saw that i'm almost half finished. I would like to finish it this year, so will resume it after this long weekend. I'm determined!

About the book Cheap. Is this the one that includes a section on what cheap costs us? For instance, how IKEA makes deals with the Russian Mafia, which controls the lumber market from which they get wood for their inexpensive goods? I am thinking i read about this in my newspaper but can't find it. If so, i am interested in hearing what you think of the book as you continue, Alias. It sounds fascinating.

deborah

Kim, good question about the child with autism. Why do that? I hadn't given it much thought previously, just accepted him. When he went "home" (his dr's home) on the bus? Could that be the reason he's autistic--to make that scene work? Seems weak to me, perhaps later we'll understand?

deborah

Impressive donation, JoAnn! The FOL must have been thrilled.

deborah

I have teh nightgown part down pat, thanks to my cold. But reading has been a problem. My eyes couldn't stand much. Today is the first day i've felt as though i could tackle words, so, naturally, i read the newspaper. ;-)

Enjoy your time, JoAnn!

deborah

We are almost caught up with "Flash Forward" & still are not confused, Kim, if that's any help. :-) I do wonder where the program would be if actors not born in the US were banned from the show! The male & female leads have British accents in RL, as does her "love" interest & Dominic, the actor from "Lost". Dont' get me wrong, i have no problem with it, i'm bemused. Is British (& other English speaking countries) TV as full of America-born actors as ours are of theirs?

deborah, still enjoying FF

This year i began (but did not finish) Don Quixote and Les Miserables . One similarity i noticed was that people who read popular literature of the day were ridiculed. It led me to wonder if we'd consider some of those dismissed novels "classics" today?

And would many people read The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe if Jane Austen hadn't mentioned it prominently in Northhanger Abbey ? (This question arose in my mind because the Western Canon group here on GR is voting on their next book & these 2 are grouped as one.) I have read the Austen book & my curiosity was piqued but i didn't locate a copy of AR's gothic novel.

I just thought i'd toss this into the mix.

deborah

Interesting, JoAnn. In a way it makes a certain sense. Someone with those skills might be easier to hire than to create a restaurant around, if that makes sense.

deborah

I didn't watch "Everybody Loves Raymond" or "Seinfeld" because their acting just didn't work for me. Seinfeld seemed unable to stop smiling, if not outright laughing, at his own lines! It got to me.

I agree about Braugher. What a wonderful actor. IMO, he's underutilized.

deborah

Donna in Southern Maryland wrote: "Sort of the same thing as Blockbuster Movie versus Oscar winner !?!"

Great comparison, Donna.

Welcome to this board, rytr_1. And welcome to this discussion. You make a good point about the 50 year issue but i wonder if even that is fair. Once upon a time i was on a book board where a blow-up ensued because someone referred to the Nancy Drew mysteries as "classics". (It was a "classics" book board, btw.) We ended up, iirc, deciding that classic can mean several things. In this case, ND books are classic in the sense that young females "must" read them. (You know i don't mean MUST as much as "will find themselves" reading.) Maybe this could be a clue in how to view the classic aspect of this list...that you'll find yourself reading them to fit in with other readers or for a better connection to contemporary culture? Maybe?

deborah

I'm thinking one of the best things that happened to Barbara is that long-time admirers like me don't watch this show! LOL! To be honest with you most of my views about her derive from the 1989 & earlier. I never watch her specials (unless it's someone i really love--rare enough!) & stopped watching "The View" early on.

So, i'm deducing from that she may have already waited too long to retire. I suspect that she is one of those people who doesn't know what to do with their lives if they don't have work. Even her social life has been predicated upon scoring interviews. IMO.

deborah

Donna, i agree with your DVR comment. We have been working our way through saved up "FlashForwards." It's the way to see it! They make you hungry for more & we are immediately satisfied. Hmm...probably not a good statement about our threshhold for delayed satisfaction, but there we are! :-)

Thanks for the news on "The Closer." The only time we watch TNT is when their programs are on, so who knows if we'd have heard about those episodes? As much as i like Scott Bakula (from "Quantum Leap" & "Star Trek: Enterprise"), i doubt i'll be watching his new show. Romano bothers me, for some reason. Maybe it's that his acting is on a par with Jerry Seinfeld. Nonexistent.

deborah

Oh, i also wanted to comment on the model show which followed. I couldn't imagine what they would do on it. However, i liked seeing their reactions to some of the interview bits the 3 models hadn't before seen. I've sometimes wondered how people react when they first see those comments about themselves or other events.

Still, the show sucked & i won't watch it again. Even PR was boring this time. Could it possibly be because the airing was delayed? I honestly don't know but doubt it, as i generally forgot that fact as i watched. I am positive i didn't like LA as the place. I've never been awed by California fashions, so i'm baffled as to why they moved the show there. This is particularly true given the fact the Big Prize is the Bryant Park show. Hello?!?!?! Isn't that proof enough?

deborah

To be honest with ya'll, i didn't think any of the collections were worthy of PR. I suspect i might have felt differently had i been able to see the details in Irina's work, as the judges could. For me, this is the problem with an all-black collection. Nina stated there are problems with black in print but it seems to me the same is true on the runway. All i could see was black, sometimes there were slits in the places but i didn't get the strength the judges saw.

And i must add that my first reaction of Irina's collection was that i'd seen it before. Maybe it's the theme, the "helmets" or something else, but it all seemed a rerun of runway shows i've seen previously. SO, i'm thinking, maybe it was the professionalism evidenced in her show that seemed repetitive?

Still, i think her show was better than the other two. Personally, i liked Carol Hannah's better, as much for the colors (you should know i do NOT wear colors, so it's not a typical Deb-look) and the creative designs. To be seen on the street? Nope. And i agree with the judges, there didn't seem to be a linking thread between the designs. Same with Althea's.

deborah

Thanks for the replies re. V's parents. I didn't think i'd forgotten, as those would be the only real relationships in her life, as far as we know.

The part about E.M. is fascinating. They were clearly close at some point; her timing in appearing was perfect. I found the bunny story wonderful in context to this story. It's a brilliant stroke from the playwright.

deborah

Thanks, Alias. I've given up on sitting through these interviews (i seem to lose patience) but i use their schedules as info on upcoming nonfiction. In the above, i learned there is a new bio about Monroe, which i'll add to the list of possible bios i'll read as i work my way down the Presidential books.

The other is about photographer Dorothea Lange. I have a book containing several of her Depression-era photos. Striking work.

deborah

We rewound the recording, too, JoAnn, & realized they weren't giving him one of the coveted spots on the US team, only a chance. Frankly, i doubt Kevin will immerse himself in it, the way i think a contestant would have to do. Even with the book & personal tips (if any) from Keller & others, it would take weeks of practicing. Kevin seemed to indicate that he'd already spent more time than he should have from his restaurant and family. STILL, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Thanks for the link. It's nice to learn that Keller didn't want to say bad things about the chefs. While i know that is a part of the deal on the show, i often wonder if it comes easily to the judges. Critique, sure, but too often they get a tad nasty.

deborah