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Tag: history book

Rowan & Romans: Reviews for June 5th

by Nicole Carpenter
Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in is a skit comedy show that aired in the late 60’s and early 70’s, known for its unconventional pacing and humor, as well as its commentary of current topics and politics. The Vietnam War and Nixon Administration was a favorite target. Even now, more than 50 years later than first airing in some instances, I found the jokes to be incredibly entertaining, and was able to see several humorous performers —some of whose acts we might consider eccentric or odd today. One example was Tiny Tim, a ukulele player who sang songs like “Tip Toe Through the Tulips” in an incredibly high falsetto. The show featured different musical guests with up-and-coming performers of the day each episode, keeping the audience on its toes and exposing them to new personalities every time.  
Naturally due to the age and controversial nature of the show, some jokes didn’t age well—particularly those with sexist or racist overtones. However, if you are looking for a ‘groovy’ throwback or want a glimpse into pop-culture of the past, and are able to historically contextualize the content, I would definitely recommend giving the Laugh-in a watch.
TV Review: “Laugh-In”Bennet Staffa, WM’s Staples High School Intern 
Mary Beard’s book SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome takes a new critical look at what she calls “the first Roman millennium”, the one thousand years after the supposed founding of the eternal city in the 8th Century BCE. (SPQR is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase Senātus Populusque Rōmānus which refers to the ancient Roman republic.) Through examining and evaluating the bias of the written record of the Roman Republic and Empire during that period, combined with analysis of archaeological evidence, Beard reveals that much of what we believed to be true about the Romans may be more nuanced that it appears. The book is slightly more advanced scholarly work, and is not the best place to start for people just beginning to learn about the history of Rome, but for readers with a little background already, it’s a highly recommended read.
Book Review: “SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome”Nick Foster

Camus and Fitzgerald: Reviews for May 21st

by Nicole Carpenter
My family turned a dreary quarantine Saturday into a day full of 1920’s roar with Gatsby!  Our two sophomores had just finished reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, The Great Gatsby for their English class and decided to compare and contrast the book to the films produced in 1974 (starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow) and 2013 (starring Leonardo DiCaprio & Carey Mulligan). The whole family ended up getting into it, especially knowing that F. Scott and his wife, Zelda spent the summer of 1920 in our town. They stayed at the cottage located at the right entrance of Longshore, which was owned then by F.E. Lewis, a larger-than-life reclusive multi-millionaire. According to some historians, F. Scott and Zelda’s time spent at the Westport cottage heavily influenced the setting and opulence of the story.  
 
Here is what we thought: Both films were very well made at the time they were produced and found it interesting to see how cinematography advanced over 39 years. The 1974 version depicted a more realistic environment and we could imagine Gatsby’s house actually being what we know today as the Inn at Longshore and Nick’s rented cottage being the same house that F. Scott and Zelda had rented next door. The 2013 version portrayed an over-the-top, fantasized world that takes the imagination beyond what could be possible which we all agreed was what the book intended.  
 
All actors in each film gave great performances, however found that the 2013 version depicted the characters more closely to the book. Both screen writers definitely took some liberties transferring the book to film, however, this was more apparent in the 1974 version (for example, how Nick doesn’t meet Gatsby at the party). We also noted that the 1974 version captured the relationship between Nick and Jordan better and were a bit disappointed not to see Nick’s land lady make an appearance in either film. We just learned that there are a couple more film adaptations that we are looking forward to watching: a 1926 silent film starring Warner Baxter and Lois Wilson; and a 1949 film starring Alan Ladd and Betty Field.  
Film Review: The Great Gatsby (1974 & 2013)Alicia D’Anna
Existentialist French author Albert Camus’ The Plague, set in the town of Oran, French Algeria, a town that has been wracked by pandemic over the its history from the bubonic plague in the 16th century to multiple cholera epidemics in the author’s own lifetime. The book offers unique insight into a community faced with an epidemic. Despite having been written over 70 years ago, The Plague near perfectly mirrors the Corona-virus pandemic exploring themes of individual helplessness among its characters which include people on all sides of the pandemic from a physician and a cleric to officials at varying levels of government to a journalist well-meaning private individuals—all trying to make sense of the overwhelming public health crisis they are currently facing. Quarantine, lock down, and, eventually re-opening are all themes in the book—but for some characters, deliverance from the plague comes too late. As you watch the disease spread through the town of Oran, you will see striking parallels between the book and the worldwide events of the past few months. An overall great read, Camus’ The Plague is a perfect—if sobering—book to read while in lock-down.
Book Review: The PlagueOliver D’Anna

Obnoxious Fledglings: Reviews for May 14th

by Nicole Carpenter
Jerks in Connecticut History is an entertaining introduction to some of Connecticut’s most infamous characters, including circus man P. T. Barnum and the treacherous Brigadier General Benedict Arnold. Each chapter focuses on a single figure from the Nutmeg state’s past, whose personalities certainly prove themselves to live up to title, and recounts their notorious antics. While the profiles are comical and might be a good first read for casual audiences, those looking to get into the true stories of these individuals would be better served in picking up another piece of writing.
Book Review: Speaking Ill of the Dead: jerks in Connecticut History Nicole Carpenter
I’m an art lover but never counted myself as a person interested in the ins and outs of how art is collected or curated. The Collector’s Apprentice opened up what I soon learned was the fascinating world of artists, agents, collectors for me. 
Set in the 1920s in Paris and Philadelphia, the book makes use of many true facts about the world-renowned Barnes Foundation in Pennsylvania– widely considered one of the most important catalogs of modern art in the world. Barnes was a visionary who saw the value of modern artists we accept as masters today but who were mocked in their hearly careers: Matisse, Picasso and others. —Both a museum and educational institution, the Barnes has also been the focus of controversy over its nearly 100-year history. 
 In B.A. Shapiro’s novel, the Barnes becomes the “Bradley” and Dr. Barnes becomes Dr. Bradley. The institution’s struggles also take the stage while main characters are thinly veiled versions of their real-life counterparts. A good number of the book’s events are only barely altered from life. Real individuals such as Matisse, Gertrude and Leo Stein, Alice B. Toklas, Zelda Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway also make appearances.  
The plotline centers on protagonist Pauline Mertens/Vivienne Gregsby who runs from the scandal and ruin she brought upon her wealthy Belgian family and then reinvents herself as apprentice to Dr. Bradley. But Vivienne finds herself in the midst of more scandal as his right-hand woman. The Collector’s Apprentice has sex, scams and murder all of which make for tantalizing reading but these were not the most thrilling parts of the book. Instead, seeing giants of modern history with all their human foibles rather from behind a velvet museum rope beyond which their work is hung, was exciting and inspired me to read and learn more about their world. The Collector’s Apprentice will appeal to art-lovers, aficionados of the Roaring Twenties, modern art mavens and anyone who likes a good story.
Book Review: The Collector’s Apprentice  Ramin Ganeshram

Time Travel and Madness: Reviews for May 7th

by Nicole Carpenter
From the director of pre-colonial era horror movie, The VVitch, Robert Eggers’ 2019 movie The Lighthouse is a thriller following two lighthouse keepers as they fight the elements and one another for survival on a weather-battered island during the 19th century. The film is shot in 1:1 aspect ratio which adds to the claustrophobic feeling of the close quarters the two men are forced to endure. Shot in high-contrast black and white, the film is not only visually stunning, with each shot reading like an old photograph. The lack of color serves many purposes other than an aesthetic choice: The color scheme makes it near impossible to feel that any time is passing on the island and drains any sense of comfort and warmth that a movie shot in color might have. In this way, the color choice tips its hat to classic-horror imagery. Thomas Wake played by Willam Dafoe and Thomas Howard played by Robert Pattison, respectively engage in an extremely antagonistic and often violent relationship. Though they rely heavily on one another for companionship, there is an imbalance of power between the senior lighthouse keeper, Wake and his junior counterpart Howard. Throughout the film we are made aware of these imbalances, for example when Dafoe guards the lantern at the top of the lighthouse from Howard, and forces Howard to do the (quite literally) dirty work involved in lighthouse maintenance. These imbalances drive tensions to a fever pitch, resulting in explosive arguments and are potentially the force behind vivid maritime hallucinations of mermaids and one-eyed seagulls. While the ending is very similar to The VVitch also from Eggers as well as other horror movies from the movie production company A24, this thriller did not disappoint. The suffocating tension resulting in the inevitable but disturbing ending of the story of the two lighthouse keepers serves as a reminder to take a moment to calm down when the frustration of being stuck in doors begins to mount.
Film Review: The Lighthouse (2019) Catherine Graham

  

  
A time hopping tale, Susanna Kearsley’s Bellewether is the story of a house or, more specifically, the people who inhabit that house centuries apart—and whose ghosts remain. The modern narrator is Charley Van Hoek who has come to Long Island’s North Shore as curator and director of Wilde House Museum. Researching the Wilde Family who built the house in the colonial era, Charley discovers a tale of romance and intrigue in the days of the French and Indian war.  As she continues her research, Charley feels a strange presence in Wilde House and she becomes obsessed with learning the secrets of Wilde House. History lovers—particular those interested in the colonial era of the communities on both sides of the Long Island Sound will appreciate the care with which this book was researched and which brings the story to vivid life. Those who are aficionados of fantasy fiction will find much to love in this book as well. Admittedly, I am not normally a fan of the latter but Kearsley does such a good job of weaving the supernatural aspects of the story into the present-day narrative and historical fiction that I soon forgot about the genre at all. Kearsley is masterful at hopping between eras without feeling stunted or short-shifting either one. I finished Bellewether longing to read similar books by this author.
Book Review: Bellewether Ramin Ganeshram

Ladies & Atomic Lessons: Reviews for April 29th

by Nicole Carpenter
Greta Gerwig’s 2019 interpretation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women brings the 19th century novel into the modern age with a timely and expressive adaptation. Each March sister is highlighted, bringing her perspective to the foreground: The story of Amy, the spoiled, pretty youngest sister’s role in this version of the story is the most robust I have seen in any film adaptation. While the film is moving and a beautiful viewing experience, the call backs to the period are what I found to be lacking. The Civil War receives only a passing mention even though it was the overriding issue for each American of the day and the costumes, while appealing, do not give an accurate glimpse into the world of the 1860s. Bonnets, floor length skirts shaped into a bell shape with caged crinoline and curled hair worn up are all characteristic of the time. Despite the “creative liberty” with the wardrobe, this film offers a refreshing look into this classic tale of family, loss, and ultimate triumph.
Film Review: Little Women (2019) Nicole Carpenter
It’s been over five weeks since we’ve been shut down in Westport and in that time a lot of us have turned to binging on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. I know I’ve been judged way too many times with the taunting, “Are you still watching?” As if it’s any of their business that I’ve spent six hours lost in the 18th century and now have an accent. 

With the overindulging in TV comes the guilt. We know that it’s not normal to consume so much media at one time, but it can feel so good. However, I’ve decided that binging is perfectly fine as long as it’s on certain shows and forms of entertainment. While I’ve always been a fan of documentaries, this pandemic has afforded me more time to delve deeper into them through YouTube.  
  
YouTube is free, has decades worth of films and shows to watch, and there’s something for everyone. During the start of our shutdown, I watched one particular show that has been a great way for me to frame what we are enduring. “1940s House” is a U.K. television show from 2001, that while dated is a glimpse into a time we can learn from.  

The premise finds a family from the year 2000 auditioning to live for nine weeks as a typical family would have in WWII Britain. To some this may not be a stellar bit of entertainment, but I found myself lost in the episodes and wanting to learn as much as I could. Watching this show was something I needed to do. Watching it at the start of this pandemic helped me shift my perspective on what we are experiencing. While we stand in line to buy our groceries or struggle to find some of the items we like, taking a look at what life was like decades ago during a period of crisis helps me frame this time with a big old grain of reality salt.  
  
While we are going through a time that is filled with so much uncertainty, looking into life as it was can give us a sense of perspective we may not otherwise have.  
View episodes here.
Community Review: The 1940s House Jerri Graham

Community Review: Survival Under Atomic Attack

Nick Foster

View a copy online here!