John A. Heldt's Blog, page 3
September 1, 2024
Review: Young Woman and Sea
As I posted in May, I am always in a history mood. As a reader and a TV viewer, I go out of my way to find a good story set in the past.
So it was a real treat to find Young Woman and the Sea , a biographical sports film currently streaming on Disney Plus. Set mostly in New York and France in the 1920s, the movie chronicles the early life of Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel.
in the film, Ederle, the daugher of a German American butcher, overcomes sickness, poverty, and soul-crushing misogyny and sexism to win Olympic medals, set world records, and finally cross the Channel, which she did on August 6, 1926. She also sets an example that inspired young women and swimmers generally for decades.
I found the movie even more compelling than The Boys in the Boat , a similar work featuring young American athletes overcoming the odds in the interwar years. Despite the cruelty she faces, Ederle never gives up and never loses her humanity. She serves as a role model for all.
Though Young Woman , based on the 2009 book by Glenn Stout, takes a few liberties with timelines, it offers a mostly accurate depiction of events. Daisy Ridley stars as Ederle, while Jeanette Hain and Tilda Cobham-Hervey shine as the swimmer's mother and sister.
I would recommend the film to anyone, particularly young women and athletes who like an inspiring true story. Rating 4.5/5.
So it was a real treat to find Young Woman and the Sea , a biographical sports film currently streaming on Disney Plus. Set mostly in New York and France in the 1920s, the movie chronicles the early life of Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel.
in the film, Ederle, the daugher of a German American butcher, overcomes sickness, poverty, and soul-crushing misogyny and sexism to win Olympic medals, set world records, and finally cross the Channel, which she did on August 6, 1926. She also sets an example that inspired young women and swimmers generally for decades.
I found the movie even more compelling than The Boys in the Boat , a similar work featuring young American athletes overcoming the odds in the interwar years. Despite the cruelty she faces, Ederle never gives up and never loses her humanity. She serves as a role model for all.
Though Young Woman , based on the 2009 book by Glenn Stout, takes a few liberties with timelines, it offers a mostly accurate depiction of events. Daisy Ridley stars as Ederle, while Jeanette Hain and Tilda Cobham-Hervey shine as the swimmer's mother and sister.
I would recommend the film to anyone, particularly young women and athletes who like an inspiring true story. Rating 4.5/5.
August 25, 2024
You say you want a Revolution
I have long had a fascination with the American Revolution. When I was eight, I latched onto
The Young Rebels
, a one-hit-wonder television series that blended
The Mod Squad
with the War of Independence.
Later, in high school, I dove into the Kent Family Chronicles, an eight-book series by John Jakes that covers the nation's founding and formative years. I got another whiff of history as entertainment.
As an adult, I considered more serious works, like 1776 and
John Adams
by David McCullough,
The Glorious Cause
by Jeff Shaara, and
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
by Walter Isaacson. More recently, I have binge-watched series like
Turn: Washington's Spies
, Franklin,
The Revolution
, and
Outlander
, set in part in the 1770s and 1780s.
So I did not need much prodding to dive into the era. The Patriots , the first book in the Stone Shed trilogy, is my first foray into the American Revolution. Set in Philadelphia in both the present and the past, the novel examines America's first year from the viewpoint of two time travelers.
When their grandfather dies in 2024, Noah (22) and Jake (15) Maclean inherit a house, a mysterious stone shed, and a family secret that dates to the 1740s. The brothers learn they are the keepers of a portal that can send human beings through time. From that point on, life for the orphans is more than a series of questions. It is an opportunity.
With a nervous uncle's blessing, Noah and Jake take a three-month "vacation" to 1776 and the world of Ben Franklin, John Adams, Peggy Shippen, the Continental Congress, and the Declaration of Independence. They see the United States as a fledgling infant.
Then the trip takes a turn. The brothers meet Abigail (20) and Rachel (14) Ward, the lovely, spirited daughters of a Philadelphia furniture maker, and a thrilling adventure becomes a transformative journey.
The Patriots evokes earlier novels. As in The Fire , a stone shed serves as a time portal. As in Class of '59 , brothers from one era mingle with sisters from another. As in Hannah's Moon , an aunt and uncle in the present track relatives in the past. War, a theme in ten other works, serves as a backdrop that influences almost every decision.
Even so, this book blazes its own trail. It delves more into the human aspects of time travel than the scientific aspects. It explores the what ifs, the whys, and the how comes. It tests the heart, mind, and soul.
At 155,000 words, The Patriots , my twenty-fourth novel, is my largest and most ambitious work to date. Available in Kindle format, it goes on sale today at Amazon.com and its international marketplaces.
Later, in high school, I dove into the Kent Family Chronicles, an eight-book series by John Jakes that covers the nation's founding and formative years. I got another whiff of history as entertainment.
As an adult, I considered more serious works, like 1776 and
John Adams
by David McCullough,
The Glorious Cause
by Jeff Shaara, and
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
by Walter Isaacson. More recently, I have binge-watched series like
Turn: Washington's Spies
, Franklin,
The Revolution
, and
Outlander
, set in part in the 1770s and 1780s.So I did not need much prodding to dive into the era. The Patriots , the first book in the Stone Shed trilogy, is my first foray into the American Revolution. Set in Philadelphia in both the present and the past, the novel examines America's first year from the viewpoint of two time travelers.
When their grandfather dies in 2024, Noah (22) and Jake (15) Maclean inherit a house, a mysterious stone shed, and a family secret that dates to the 1740s. The brothers learn they are the keepers of a portal that can send human beings through time. From that point on, life for the orphans is more than a series of questions. It is an opportunity.
With a nervous uncle's blessing, Noah and Jake take a three-month "vacation" to 1776 and the world of Ben Franklin, John Adams, Peggy Shippen, the Continental Congress, and the Declaration of Independence. They see the United States as a fledgling infant.
Then the trip takes a turn. The brothers meet Abigail (20) and Rachel (14) Ward, the lovely, spirited daughters of a Philadelphia furniture maker, and a thrilling adventure becomes a transformative journey.
The Patriots evokes earlier novels. As in The Fire , a stone shed serves as a time portal. As in Class of '59 , brothers from one era mingle with sisters from another. As in Hannah's Moon , an aunt and uncle in the present track relatives in the past. War, a theme in ten other works, serves as a backdrop that influences almost every decision.
Even so, this book blazes its own trail. It delves more into the human aspects of time travel than the scientific aspects. It explores the what ifs, the whys, and the how comes. It tests the heart, mind, and soul.
At 155,000 words, The Patriots , my twenty-fourth novel, is my largest and most ambitious work to date. Available in Kindle format, it goes on sale today at Amazon.com and its international marketplaces.
August 5, 2024
Remembering a family friend
It's never easy. As many people have observed over the years, losing a beloved pet is like losing a family member. You lose not only a companion but also part of yourself. We lost our cat, Charlotte, this week to an aggressive form of bone cancer. She went quickly on Sunday night after battling the illness for at least a few months.
Charlotte, for those who don't know, was an incredibly mellow and docile cat, one that would let even strangers pick her up every which way or give her long belly rubs. She was comfortable with people, dogs, and even change. Only vacuum cleaners got her attention.
She was a part of our family for fourteen years. During that time, she lived in five homes in three states and gave us enough memories to last a lifetime. In Alabama, where we let her run free, she once confronted an armadillo in our backyard and stood her ground. In 2015, in the same location, Charlotte climbed into the engine bay of my Nissan Frontier pickup and went for a seven-mile highway ride to the market. (She emerged shaken but unharmed from the harrowing experience.) In Nevada, she was a house cat and a never-ending source of amusement.
We noticed Charlotte's decline late this spring and took steps to accommodate it, but we merely prolonged the inevitable. As many pet owners know, old age is one thing, terminal illness is another.
In her last week, she ate little, drank little, and barely moved. And yet, she did her best to remind us that she was still around, still visible, and still a part of the family. On Saturday night, hours before she died, she did what she had done for years. Moving with a limp, she climbed two flights of stairs, entered my room as I worked, and plopped onto her side. She signaled her interest in getting one last belly rub.
I gave her the rub and, with my wife, Cheryl, gave her comfort the next evening when she finally passed away. Like so many others, I said goodbye to a pet that is now just a memory.
Charlotte, for those who don't know, was an incredibly mellow and docile cat, one that would let even strangers pick her up every which way or give her long belly rubs. She was comfortable with people, dogs, and even change. Only vacuum cleaners got her attention.She was a part of our family for fourteen years. During that time, she lived in five homes in three states and gave us enough memories to last a lifetime. In Alabama, where we let her run free, she once confronted an armadillo in our backyard and stood her ground. In 2015, in the same location, Charlotte climbed into the engine bay of my Nissan Frontier pickup and went for a seven-mile highway ride to the market. (She emerged shaken but unharmed from the harrowing experience.) In Nevada, she was a house cat and a never-ending source of amusement.
We noticed Charlotte's decline late this spring and took steps to accommodate it, but we merely prolonged the inevitable. As many pet owners know, old age is one thing, terminal illness is another.
In her last week, she ate little, drank little, and barely moved. And yet, she did her best to remind us that she was still around, still visible, and still a part of the family. On Saturday night, hours before she died, she did what she had done for years. Moving with a limp, she climbed two flights of stairs, entered my room as I worked, and plopped onto her side. She signaled her interest in getting one last belly rub.
I gave her the rub and, with my wife, Cheryl, gave her comfort the next evening when she finally passed away. Like so many others, I said goodbye to a pet that is now just a memory.
July 4, 2024
Born on the Fourth of July
On Independence Day, many Americans attend patriotic parades, have picnics, and watch colorful fireworks shows well into the night. (And sometimes, depending on the neighorhood, into the next day.)
I finish books. For at least the second time, I finished the first draft of a novel on July 4. I stopped typing before lighting the sparklers.
In this case, it was especially fitting. The Patriots, the first novel in the Stone Shed series, is all about the Spirit of '76. Two chapters, in fact, are set on a July 4, including the first Independence Day observance in Philadelphia in 1777. Both chapters set the tone for a book that documents and celebrates the founding of the United States.
In The Patriots, two brothers from 2024 travel through time to 1776 Philadelphia, where they meet several notables — including Peggy Shippen, Ben Franklin, and John Adams — and fall for the lovely daughters of a furniture maker. They begin an odyssey that will continue through books two and three and the rest of the American Revolution.
At 157,000 words, The Patriots is by far my largest novel. Despite its immense size, I still expect to finish and release it in September.
I finish books. For at least the second time, I finished the first draft of a novel on July 4. I stopped typing before lighting the sparklers.
In this case, it was especially fitting. The Patriots, the first novel in the Stone Shed series, is all about the Spirit of '76. Two chapters, in fact, are set on a July 4, including the first Independence Day observance in Philadelphia in 1777. Both chapters set the tone for a book that documents and celebrates the founding of the United States.
In The Patriots, two brothers from 2024 travel through time to 1776 Philadelphia, where they meet several notables — including Peggy Shippen, Ben Franklin, and John Adams — and fall for the lovely daughters of a furniture maker. They begin an odyssey that will continue through books two and three and the rest of the American Revolution.
At 157,000 words, The Patriots is by far my largest novel. Despite its immense size, I still expect to finish and release it in September.
June 26, 2024
A rosé by any other name
I don't know wine. To me, a good vintage is one that's in the clearance aisle at the supermarket. Beer is my beverage of choice.
On Monday, though, I played wine connoisseur. At two wineries in Napa, California, I gave several varieties a visual inspection, swirled them around to "unlock their bouquet," aired them out a bit, and finally threw them at my palate. I did what some people — a lot of people, actually — do every day.
I liked the experience. Though I didn't understand the science of winemaking or half of my sommeliers' gibberish about "notes of this" or "hints of that," I liked what I tasted. Then again, I expected to. When you taste the wine in one of world's greatest wine regions, you are bound to find something good.
I visited Northern California this week as my wife Cheryl's administrative assistant. She attended an education conference. I edited her blog and enjoyed the ride. A fair trade. As a part of our experience, we took an e-bike tour of the Napa Valley, home to five hundred wineries.
Our guide, Don, a transplant from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was a font of information on all things Napa Valley. He educated two couples on everything from the region's geography and climate to its history and rise as a wine-making capital following a 1976 wine competition in Paris, an event chronicled in the 2008 comedy-drama Bottle Shock .
As for the bike ride, it was nice as well. Starting and ending in Yountville, home of the French Laundry restaurant, it covered about eighteen miles on sidestreets, paved paths, and even highways. Along the way, we passed not only vineyards and wineries but also lush farmland, olive orchards, and eucalyptus groves. E-bikes, in case you have not tried them, are a kick. They are exercise for the rest of us.
I hope to take a few more of these trips in between writing and editing novels. Doing is living, as they say, and I plan to do a lot more.
On Monday, though, I played wine connoisseur. At two wineries in Napa, California, I gave several varieties a visual inspection, swirled them around to "unlock their bouquet," aired them out a bit, and finally threw them at my palate. I did what some people — a lot of people, actually — do every day.
I liked the experience. Though I didn't understand the science of winemaking or half of my sommeliers' gibberish about "notes of this" or "hints of that," I liked what I tasted. Then again, I expected to. When you taste the wine in one of world's greatest wine regions, you are bound to find something good.I visited Northern California this week as my wife Cheryl's administrative assistant. She attended an education conference. I edited her blog and enjoyed the ride. A fair trade. As a part of our experience, we took an e-bike tour of the Napa Valley, home to five hundred wineries.
Our guide, Don, a transplant from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was a font of information on all things Napa Valley. He educated two couples on everything from the region's geography and climate to its history and rise as a wine-making capital following a 1976 wine competition in Paris, an event chronicled in the 2008 comedy-drama Bottle Shock .
As for the bike ride, it was nice as well. Starting and ending in Yountville, home of the French Laundry restaurant, it covered about eighteen miles on sidestreets, paved paths, and even highways. Along the way, we passed not only vineyards and wineries but also lush farmland, olive orchards, and eucalyptus groves. E-bikes, in case you have not tried them, are a kick. They are exercise for the rest of us.
I hope to take a few more of these trips in between writing and editing novels. Doing is living, as they say, and I plan to do a lot more.
June 6, 2024
Review: John Adams
He was not the most glamorous founder. Or the most charismatic. Or even the most admirable. His most notable initiative as president, the Alien and Sedition Acts, prompted protests across the country.
Even so, he was interesting. John Adams, America's second president, was a study in contrasts who fascinates researchers, readers, and even television viewers. He was a man who still intrigues.
I reacquainted myself with Adams this month when I rented John Adams , the 2008 miniseries from HBO. Based on the Pulitzer-Prize-winning book by David McCullough, the seven-part series documents Adams' life as a lawyer, a congressional delegate, an ambassador, a vice president, a president, and a senior statesman.
Though Paul Giamatti shines as the moody, mercurial Adams, others turn in strong performances. Laura Linney, David Morse, and Stephen Dillane play convincing versions of Abigail Adams, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Ebon Moss-Bachrach does the same as John Quincy Adams, the founder's oldest son and a future president.
The loving but turbulent relationship between John and Abigail Adams is particularly compelling. The power couple endured numerous hardships during America's colonial and revolutionary periods, including hardships chronicled in more than one thousand personal letters.
No less riveting is Adams' friendship with Jefferson. The allies, rivals, and friends maintained a grudging respect from the time they signed the Declaration of Independence to July 4, 1826, the day the United States turned fifty and Adams and Jefferson died hours apart.
I rented the series to better familiarize myself with Adams, who plays a small but significant part in The Patriots, a historical fiction novel I will release in September. Adams, a delegate to the Continental Congress, mingles with protagonist Noah Maclean in early 1777.
I would recommend both the miniseries and McCullough's book to people who love history and compelling drama. Rating: 5/5.
Even so, he was interesting. John Adams, America's second president, was a study in contrasts who fascinates researchers, readers, and even television viewers. He was a man who still intrigues.
I reacquainted myself with Adams this month when I rented John Adams , the 2008 miniseries from HBO. Based on the Pulitzer-Prize-winning book by David McCullough, the seven-part series documents Adams' life as a lawyer, a congressional delegate, an ambassador, a vice president, a president, and a senior statesman.
Though Paul Giamatti shines as the moody, mercurial Adams, others turn in strong performances. Laura Linney, David Morse, and Stephen Dillane play convincing versions of Abigail Adams, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Ebon Moss-Bachrach does the same as John Quincy Adams, the founder's oldest son and a future president.
The loving but turbulent relationship between John and Abigail Adams is particularly compelling. The power couple endured numerous hardships during America's colonial and revolutionary periods, including hardships chronicled in more than one thousand personal letters.
No less riveting is Adams' friendship with Jefferson. The allies, rivals, and friends maintained a grudging respect from the time they signed the Declaration of Independence to July 4, 1826, the day the United States turned fifty and Adams and Jefferson died hours apart.
I rented the series to better familiarize myself with Adams, who plays a small but significant part in The Patriots, a historical fiction novel I will release in September. Adams, a delegate to the Continental Congress, mingles with protagonist Noah Maclean in early 1777.
I would recommend both the miniseries and McCullough's book to people who love history and compelling drama. Rating: 5/5.
May 1, 2024
Finding history on the tube
As a television viewer, I am always in a history mood. I don't care if a movie or series covers the French Revolution or the Vietnam War, I want it. I want to lose myself in another time. So it was with great interest I found four outstanding series on FX, Hulu, and Apple TV.
Shōgun , Masters of the Air , Franklin , and Manhunt are not just entertaining. They are history classes worthy of any college.
Shōgun follows John Blackthorne, a stranded British sailor, as he becomes embroiled in a feudal power struggle in Japan in 1600. Masters chronicles the "Bloody 100th," a U.S. B-17 bomber group that sustained horrific losses in World War II. Franklin covers Benjamin Franklin's diplomatic efforts in France during the American Revolution. Manhunt follows Secretary of War Edwin Stanton's search for John Wilkes Booth in the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's assassination.
Each miniseries debuted this year. Each is a splendid adaptation of a celebrated book. Each sticks close to the historical record.
None are dry history. Thanks to strong performances by Cosmo Jarvis (Blackthorne), Austin Butler (Major 'Buck' Cleven), Michael Douglas (Franklin), and Tobias Menzies (Stanton), the series are as entertaining as they are informative. Add strong supporting casts, stories, scripts, and cinematography and you have outstanding television.
Each series can be hard to follow. Shōgun , Masters of the Air , and Manhunt feature a large number of characters. Shōgun and Franklin require following subtitles closely. In Shōgun , a viewer can easily get lost in the nuances of 17th-century Japanese culture. Even so, the plusses of all four productions far outweigh their negatives.
I would recommend each series to lovers of history and great TV. Ratings: Shōgun 5/5, Masters 5/5, Franklin 4.8/5, Manhunt 4.5/5.
Shōgun , Masters of the Air , Franklin , and Manhunt are not just entertaining. They are history classes worthy of any college.
Shōgun follows John Blackthorne, a stranded British sailor, as he becomes embroiled in a feudal power struggle in Japan in 1600. Masters chronicles the "Bloody 100th," a U.S. B-17 bomber group that sustained horrific losses in World War II. Franklin covers Benjamin Franklin's diplomatic efforts in France during the American Revolution. Manhunt follows Secretary of War Edwin Stanton's search for John Wilkes Booth in the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's assassination.
Each miniseries debuted this year. Each is a splendid adaptation of a celebrated book. Each sticks close to the historical record.
None are dry history. Thanks to strong performances by Cosmo Jarvis (Blackthorne), Austin Butler (Major 'Buck' Cleven), Michael Douglas (Franklin), and Tobias Menzies (Stanton), the series are as entertaining as they are informative. Add strong supporting casts, stories, scripts, and cinematography and you have outstanding television.
Each series can be hard to follow. Shōgun , Masters of the Air , and Manhunt feature a large number of characters. Shōgun and Franklin require following subtitles closely. In Shōgun , a viewer can easily get lost in the nuances of 17th-century Japanese culture. Even so, the plusses of all four productions far outweigh their negatives.
I would recommend each series to lovers of history and great TV. Ratings: Shōgun 5/5, Masters 5/5, Franklin 4.8/5, Manhunt 4.5/5.
April 11, 2024
Birds of a feather
Living in the Mojave Desert, I don't see a lot of waterfowl, but I did the other day. While on a walk through my subdivision, I encountered a large family from Canada. Papa Goose, Mama Goose, and their seventeen babies seemed hellbent on seeing the sights and making their way to a busy road at rush hour. With the help of several neighbors, I managed to scoot the birds from a side street to a green space, safe from cars. It was just another day in Las Vegas.
Birds of a Feather
Living in the Mojave Desert, I don't see a lot of waterfowl, but I did the other day. While on a walk through my subdivision, I encountered a large family from Canada. Papa Goose, Mama Goose, and their seventeen babies seemed hellbent on seeing the sights and making their way to a busy road at rush hour. With the help of several neighbors, I managed to scoot the birds from a side street to a greenspace, safe from cars. It was just another day in Las Vegas.
April 3, 2024
Review: The Artful Dodger
I admit I haven't read
Oliver Twist
. I haven't even seen the 1968 movie, the one that won six Oscars, including Best Picture.
Even so, I am vaguely familiar with Charles Dickens' classic tale about a gang of juvenile pickpockets in 1830s London. So when I saw that Disney Plus and Hulu were streaming a highly rated sequel to Oliver Twist in the form of an eight-part series, I jumped on it.
I'm glad I did. The Artful Dodger is not just good television. It is top-notch entertainment, the kind that is increasingly hard to find.
Set in Australia in the 1850s, Dodger follows the adult double life of Jack Dawkins, the leader of the original band of thieves. Now a surgeon who learned his trade in the Royal Navy, Dawkins tries hard to bury his criminal past and start a new life in a wild and rugged penal colony.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster stars as Dawkins, while David Thewlis and Maia Mitchell shine as Norbert Fagin and Lady Belle Fox, the people who complicate the Dodger's life. Fagin, Dawkins' surrogate father, tries to lure the Dodger back into a life of crime the moment he arrives in Australia. Belle tries to pick his brain. The bright, beautiful governor's daughter strives to become a surgeon in a world run by men.
Other characters, including Belle's family, rival surgeons, local officials, and even Oliver Twist himself, add spice to a riveting series.
Though I enjoyed the production from start to finish, I was drawn most to Dawkins' relationships with Fagin and Belle, which develop wonderfully in the series. Even the somewhat predictable ending was first-rate.
I would recommend the The Artful Dodger to any viewer who likes humor, history, and a compelling, fast-moving story. Rating: 5/5.
Even so, I am vaguely familiar with Charles Dickens' classic tale about a gang of juvenile pickpockets in 1830s London. So when I saw that Disney Plus and Hulu were streaming a highly rated sequel to Oliver Twist in the form of an eight-part series, I jumped on it.
I'm glad I did. The Artful Dodger is not just good television. It is top-notch entertainment, the kind that is increasingly hard to find.
Set in Australia in the 1850s, Dodger follows the adult double life of Jack Dawkins, the leader of the original band of thieves. Now a surgeon who learned his trade in the Royal Navy, Dawkins tries hard to bury his criminal past and start a new life in a wild and rugged penal colony.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster stars as Dawkins, while David Thewlis and Maia Mitchell shine as Norbert Fagin and Lady Belle Fox, the people who complicate the Dodger's life. Fagin, Dawkins' surrogate father, tries to lure the Dodger back into a life of crime the moment he arrives in Australia. Belle tries to pick his brain. The bright, beautiful governor's daughter strives to become a surgeon in a world run by men.
Other characters, including Belle's family, rival surgeons, local officials, and even Oliver Twist himself, add spice to a riveting series.
Though I enjoyed the production from start to finish, I was drawn most to Dawkins' relationships with Fagin and Belle, which develop wonderfully in the series. Even the somewhat predictable ending was first-rate.
I would recommend the The Artful Dodger to any viewer who likes humor, history, and a compelling, fast-moving story. Rating: 5/5.
