Olive Kitteridge – 2008 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel

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I’m surprised this novel won the Pulitzer. You can argue it’s a short story collection.

Also, Olive Kitteridge is not a particularly likeable protagonist. Retired math teacher, she’s often blunt, unkind, and insensitive.

She is certainly memorable. And authentic. Perhaps slightly on the autistic spectrum.

Some people appreciate her honesty. A few.

The writing is OK, not brilliant. But I did appreciate tiny insights into daily life, not often acknowledged out loud.

Olive Kitteridge is a 2008 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Elizabeth Strout and a critically acclaimed 2014 HBO miniseries.

Both tell the story of a misanthropic yet complex retired schoolteacher living in the fictional coastal town of Crosby, Maine.

The narrative explores themes of depression, family dysfunction, and the quiet tragedies of ordinary life over a 25-year span.

Written by Elizabeth Strout, the book is a “short story cycle” consisting of 13 interrelated but discontinuous stories.

While Olive is the central figure, she sometimes only appears as a minor character or cameo in certain chapters, allowing the book to paint a broader picture of the community.

Frances McDormand produced the series, specifically seeking out the role to highlight complex stories for older actors.

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The Devil Wears Prada 2

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GREAT movie.

I’m surprised.

With zero interest in the fashion industry, I never saw the original.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 sequel reunites the core creative team and original lead cast to follow the characters navigating the modern, digital-first media landscape twenty years after the events of the original 2006 film.

Cast is fantastic.

Stanley Tucci as Stanley Tucci is always great.

But it was Justin Theroux playing a rich idiot that surprised me the most.

Gaga was hiliarous.

The dozens of celebrities doing cameos must have had a lot of fun.

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Even if you hate high fashion and mourn the victims that pay for that overpriced crap, see this film.

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Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole – season 1

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Jon “Jo” Nesbø is a Norwegian novelist and musician. His books had sold over 50 million copies worldwide by 2021, making him the most successful Norwegian author to date.

Detective Hole, the Norweigan TV adaptation, is based on the book The Devil’s Star, one of Nesbø’s best.

I’d actually given up on the books because self-destructive Oslo police detective Harry Hole was too much of an asshole. And the books too violent.

He’s slightly more likeable in the TV show.

But there’s gore. Graphic violence. Alcoholism. It’s hard to watch, at times.

The cast is great.

The look of the show is striking. “… dark, gritty color grade characteristic of Scandi noir, … heavily utilizing orange tones in the lighting. This intense, moody aesthetic, characterized as “gloriously grim,” 

Tom Waaler (Joel Kinnaman) is scary believable.

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End of Story by A.J. Finn

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If you like a murder mystery where it’s not easy to guess the killer, this book is for you.

You might not like the final reveal as it’s highly improbable.

End of Story is a 2024 psychological thriller by A.J. Finn (the pen name of Daniel Mallory), who also wrote the bestseller The Woman in the Window.

Set in San Francisco, it is a thriller about a young woman writing the biography of a celebrated crime writer. …

Chris Hewitt of the Star Tribune praised the novel’s plot and scene-setting, concluding that “Finn is an assured, witty writer with a gift for entertaining description and sharp instincts.

The Times of London noted “… a critic may query the slow pacing,” and concluded that Finn is “more skilful stylist than original auteur, there’s no doubt that he can write, and well.”

Upcoming Adventures: SKI ➙ HIKE ➙ BIKE

On By Rick McIn best bike rides, cycling, friends, health & fitness, hiking, travelLeave a comment

“Man plans, and God laughs”

I’m staying closer to home due to Trump’s stupid, unnecessary war.

Starting my 4th week of skiing out of Banff.

I have a permit to backpack a couple of weeks on the world’s best long thru hike – the Pacific Crest Trail. Starting May 26th out of Palm Springs, California.

AND I want to get back to Banff by June 12th (or shortly after) to start the Tour Divide – the world’s most famed long distance cycling route Canada to Mexico.

I won’t be trying for Mexico.

From Missoula, Montana I’ll divert to Idaho. And on to Kelowna, B.C. for a reunion with lifelong friends.

Here’s my cycling itinerary.

What could go wrong? 😀

… I’d say the odds of everything going to plan are about 25%. BUT that’s why it’s adventure.

Wish me luck.

Viscount Bennett High School Reunion in 2026

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For the past 2 years, I’ve made it to the ALL YEARS Viscount Bennett High School Reunion hosted at Schanks Sports Bar on the first Saturday night of May.

In 2025 we had many of my 1975 grad cohorts — it was our 50th.

In 2026 by the time I left, we had only 6 graduates from 1975.

Viscount Bennett is today demolished. As are some of us elderly grads. 😀

Hope Rises by David Baldacci

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I enjoyed the first book in this series — Nash Falls — so downloaded the 2026 sequel.

Hope Rises finds our hero, Walter Nash, living under the alias Dillon Hope.

Having transformed from a gentle businessman into a skilled operative, Nash is working as an FBI informant to infiltrate the inner circle of global criminal leader Victoria Steers.

Nash’s primary mission is to dismantle Steers’ empire and exact revenge for the loss of his family. However, as he penetrates her operation, he uncovers shocking truths that force him to choose between completing his mission and protecting the woman he previously viewed only as a monster.

Baldacci’s books have been improving in recent years.

This one, too, is far more sophisticated than his shoot-em-up, save the world thrillers of old.

I give him A for effort.

BUT … the book is far inferior to Nash Falls.

If you think of the complicated plot for even 30 seconds, you’ll see it makes no sense. NONE of the characters act logically.

OK, Thura: penniless guy from Burma acts logically.

related – a positive review

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

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Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a 2022 funny whodunit film.

The second installment in the Knives Out series, featuring Daniel Craig reprising his role as the master detective Benoit Blanc.

The sequel is a much weaker murder mystery. And not nearly as funny.

Derol, played by Noah Segan, the doper, slacker houseguest was an excellent touch, however.

The cast is excellent.

The shattering glass scene at the end is unforgettable, as well.

I wonder what that cost? 😀

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Buckeye by Patrick Ryan

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Buckeye (2025) is bestselling historical fiction by Patrick Ryan.

No car crashes. No murders. Everyday suburban life, for the most part.

Listening to this book is relaxing.

It’s long. But so fast paced that I never found it to drag.

NPR: “A superb novel… captures both the sweep of history and the mundane”

… an intergenerational family saga set in the fictional small town of Bonhomie, Ohio.

Spanning roughly 60 years—from just before World War II to the early 1980s—it traces the interwoven lives of two families bound by a long-held secret.

  • The Plot: The story begins on the day of the Allied victory in Europe. An impulsive, life-altering moment between Cal Jenkins and Margaret Salt creates a secret that echoes through their lives and the next generation.
  • Key Characters:
    • Cal Jenkins: A man unable to serve in WWII due to a physical disability (one leg shorter than the other), which leaves him with a sense of failure.
    • Becky Jenkins: Cal’s wife, a “seer” with a spiritual gift for communicating with the dead.
    • Margaret Salt: A woman attempting to outrun a mysterious past.
    • Felix Salt: Margaret’s husband, serving in the Navy, who carries his own secret regarding his identity.
  • Major Themes: The narrative explores forgiveness, the long-term consequences of secrets, the ripple effects of war (from WWI to Vietnam), and the complexities of small-town life.

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Hanna (TV series) – season 3

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Quite good. Better than season 2.

LOTS of action.

But I still like season 1 and the original film (2011) best.

The 3rd and final season of Hanna finds Hanna secretly working from within the sinister Utrax organization to destroy it and secure her freedom.

She forms an alliance with her former nemesis, ex-CIA agent Marissa Wiegler, to bring down the program. Their mission involves: 

Personal Stakes: Hanna’s attempts to lead a normal life are complicated by a romantic subplot with an activist named Abbas, whose safety becomes a primary concern as the operation reaches its climax.

Internal Sabotage: Coercing high-ranking agent John Carmichael to aid their cause.

New Threats: Facing Gordon Evans (played by Ray Liotta), a powerful former military man who oversees the Utrax “Pioneer” agenda.

80% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes sounds about right to me. Worth watching if you like (silly) thrillers.

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