Mitali Perkins's Blog, page 61
February 27, 2009
Why I'm A Slumdog Fan
I've heard three kinds of complaints about the Oscar-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire. Here's my rebuttal to each criticism, because guess what? I liked the film.(1) "Unrealistic."
Of course it was improbable, Mr. Rushdie. Escapist fantasy mandates good triumphing over evil. One can survive a crawl from a toilet through excrement thanks to the power of love, while the love of power leads to death in a bathroom.
(2) "Exploitative."
The torture and suffering of children don't make it an easy view, s
February 26, 2009
Is this a Job or a Vacation?
Writers gain an intimate view into communities that others get to visit only as tourist destinations. Take Sandwich, Massachusetts, for example, brimming with outsiders during the four to six warmer months of the New England year. But imagine traveling there as a visiting author on a brisk February day ...
Start with lunch at the high school library, where you and a few teenagers feast on the librarian's homemade meatballs, cheese, crackers, fruit, and spritzer water. The students inform you that
Start with lunch at the high school library, where you and a few teenagers feast on the librarian's homemade meatballs, cheese, crackers, fruit, and spritzer water. The students inform you that
February 25, 2009
Sandwich Reads Together
What do authors Geraldine Brooks, Alice Hoffman, Allen Say and I have in common? We're all part of Sandwich Reads Together, a month-long celebration that takes place in the small but vibrant town of Sandwich, Massachusetts. (Note to other communities: study the success of this successful public-private literary partnership.)Today begins with a visit to Sandwich High School, where forty-some students have read SECRET KEEPER and will be armed with questions. Then I'll spend a couple of hours explo
