Barbara Woodin

While I was captivated by the writing, the book delves too deeply into the small minded small town pettiness and unforgiving in this inbred Irish town.There's no life except pub, church, gossip - and broken love and lives. Story holds so much promise but gets bogged down by the sinister views of the people. I guess that's what Toibin was aiming for - but I found the story absolutely stultifying, not sure I'd read the next in the series. I grew up in a small midwest town, and it was a bastion of worldliness compared to this narrow minded place. Glad I didn't have to live like that. Not even a place I'd want to visit!

A must watch film. MAJOR CULTURE CLASH!! Riveting drama. Hope it gets Oscar for Best Documentary. The differences between the rah rah choreography of Chinese "business culture" and American work experiences look like something from a PR blitz for next year's new cars! The billionaire Chinese Cao lives like a sultan, flies private jets, yet has NO interest or compassion for the workers - WORK, WORK, WORK! is rammed home in China, and attempted in Dayton. Some of the plant personnel buy into this great hypocrisy, others, notably the former American VP, Dave, sure sings a different tune when he's forced out by Cao, and a Chinese national who promotes their "work ethic" is installed. Amazing how the Americans who YMCA their way through the Chinese vaudeville of stirring up the masses to be more productive at first buy into the Chinese way of work. Americans are seen as inferior, lazy, slow.; while the Chinese are willing to work Dickensian hours, no lunch breaks, weekends off, away from their families for months. So grotesque that Chinese pay unlivable wages for the billions of workers in China, then come over here and expect Americans to adopt their Orwellian 19th C. pre-industrial Revolution philosophy. Too bad the UAW lost an election because of fear, smear tactics of an anti-labor lobbying group paid over $1Million by Fuyao to stop union from a successful vote. Safety, a healthy work environment, break/lunch rooms cut in size to make more room for manufacturing. These people expect righteous obedience and no questioning of their authority in every person. It's shattering to see that they think "we (Chinese) are better than them (American workers)", and they have so little use for humanity. These wealthy billionaire capitalists care NOTHING about ordinary people, they think workers should be grateful to have a job! Perhaps the young Asians who think for themselves and don't buy into the spoon-fed ethic of work til you drop will resist this madness!

Absolutely LOVE this series - writing, acting, characters are so carefully realized. And this season they really get into some deep and disturbing social issues that impact the whole of their little town. It's amazing and powerful to feel the emotional impact of this show. It's a slice of life from back in the 60s that is as fresh today, the same problems face all of us, especially the working class, racial and social issues that are lovingly brought into our homes every week. Bless you all at BBC, Heidi Thomas, and the terrific cast - I feel like I know and love you ALL!

Tamara Lawrence (July) is superb in this mini-series. But I am horrified at the supposed love of her by Robert Goodwin. He's tender and loving with her, but then treats the rest of the enslaved people like they're inhuman. He is insufferable toward them. I guess I thought because he was so kind and loving with her he would be a different kind of "master" - but he is as cruel, sadistic as the other overseers. And Caroline is a spoiled brat who needs July to function. July does get her digs in; Caroline is too wrapped up in herself to notice. "Gone With the Wind" it definitely is NOT. I wasn't expecting a kindly white massa, but this guy seems just eager to prove his manhood and power over the powerless. And they aren't having it!

Spellbinding series! Got pretty lousy reviews from critics, I find it fascinating. After getting used to Garner's (Anna) quirky accent, all the name dropping - Shkreli, Buffett, et al, this series got me hooked. It's like watching a 40 car pile up - can't look away. Anna Chlumsky (Vivienne Kent) digs deep to find out the who what when where why of a journalist digging to the bottom to find out how Sorokin/Delvey invented herself. No pity for all the self-absorbed wealthy who she conned, nor for her. But it's a rollicking yarn.