Marita Marley-Villanueva

This film w big stars is a good one to pass time. However, if you’re alone it’s a bit scary. The suspense level is excellent helped immeasurably by careful and skilled editing. The lead stars do a more than passable job of inviting the viewers to dismiss their disbelief. One of the main themes addresses the helplessness of people in a chaotic situation. With the curious ending of the film with Rosie gorging herself on candy and water as she gets to watch ‘Friends.’ By HERSELF. For me that encapsulates the theme - through our prejudices and self interest we are indeed isolating ourselves from our greatest gift: companionship.

‘Long Island’ by Colm Tobin is not a novel that you can slide into easily. Also if you are looking for whodunit or resolved problems, you won’t those either. If however, you do have some years under your belt, or life experiences, you will find things you can identify with, either because you have experienced them or someone you know has shared their experience with you. It is simply stated, but beautifully phrased. It is broken into parts with each part told from one character’s perspective. Of course, all the characters are related in some way to the others. You may want things for the each of them, the way you do for yourself. Bur life travels its own road without our directions. This is a new writer for me. I am enjoying his book as I understand life today. I’m not calling the shots. I never did. Sit, read, enjoy.

I loved The Firm and I’m an avid reader. So I began reading its sequel today. The main character is Mitch McDeer but the setting is not the rural south. It seems so far to include New York and a dated Middle East where Gadaffi is still causing trouble. Perhaps my expectations were high. Too high. I’m no longer interested or invited to learn more in Italian or Vietnamese food. Nor am I intrigued to learn about the building of a bridge in a desert. I’m so sorry Mr Grisham. I’m not going to travel this road w you. Ciao.

Thank you, Mr Woodard. Your book. Peril, guides my thinking. When my friends who live in other countries are shocked that trump might be re-elected, I tell them what I am learning. He is crafty and worse. He is straight from the clinical description of a narcissist, a total ego centered business man who sees himself as the fairytale “The Emperor’s New Clothes” We can pray that more people will see what he is.