Another charming British novel with an elderly heroine.
The Marlow Murder Club (2021) focuses on a group of older women who form a club to investigate a series of killings in Marlow.
It was published in January 2021 to overwhelmingly positive reviews. … The second book in the series, Death Comes to Marlow, was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe award for Best Cosy Crime novel published in the USA in 2022.
It’s an insight into the American public school system. ReTrumplicans insist on reducing funding for public education, while subsidizing rich kids in private schools.
The GOP later complains about crime when these same underfunded kids can’t make it in a nation with poor health care and a $7.25 / hour minimum wage.
… Set in late Raj India, The Sleeping Dictionary tells the story of a young peasant girl, who makes her way to Calcutta and is caught between the raging independence movement and the British colonial society she finds herself inhabiting. …
While the term “sleeping dictionary” was originally coined for young women who slept with Europeans and educated them in the ways of India, Kamala turns the tables on the colonial establishment, using her talents for readings languages and men to work for India’s independence. …
There’s a Hollywood film with the same name and theme — The Sleeping Dictionary — from 2003.
Initially developed for the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, it has since been used in other productions and has been cited as a revolutionary visual effects technology.
Thursday Murder Club are British pensioners living in a retirement village who solve murders as a hobby.
Quite humorous. Very insightful regarding elderly life in the U.K.
Shocking news reaches them—an old friend has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.
The gang’s search leads them into the antiques business, where the tricks of the trade are as old as the objects themselves. As they encounter drug dealers, art forgers, and online fraudsters—as well as heartache close to home—Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim have no idea whom to trust. …
One important and touching side story is Elizabeth’s husband Stephen declining with dementia.
While still in full mental capacity, Stephen wrote himself a letter explaining his medical condition. Elizabeth must read it to him every day as he’s already forgotten.
On the down side, the murder mystery is absurdly simplistic.
We don’t yet know who will play whom in the upcoming film adaptation.
New steam powered spinning looms require fewer people to operate them, throwing many people out of work.
Luddites, followers of Ned Ludd, destroy as many of the new machines as they can, but to no avail.
It’s a story we know well. New technology displacing old. The buggy whip industry disrupted.
Currently ➙ Artificial Intelligencethreatening the jobs of many.
Instead of fighting AI — we need to regulate it as best we can to maximize the benefits, minimize the harm.
AI won’t take your job. Somebody who understands AI better than you will take it.
A good analogy is robotsreplacing factory line workers. Those maintaining and repairing robots are doing well.
This book continues through 1824 against the backdrop of social unrest occasioned by revolutionary ideas from America and France. And the Napoleonic Wars.
Right. This show is much about empowerment of women. None of the cast like the decision.
Abort the Court
I laughed to see Jon Hamm joining the cast as tech billionaire Paul Marks (Jeff Bezos?, Elon Musk?). For sure billionaires controlling old media is an important issue in 2023.
What I like about the book is the coming-of-age story of a young Japanese woman, relocated to Chicago from an American incarceration “Camp” during WW II.
It feels very natural and believable. Almost like reading her diary.
She learns about racism, sexism, corruption, and violence in the USA.
Set in 1944 Chicago …
… the story of a young woman searching for the truth about her revered older sister’s death, brings to focus the struggles of one Japanese American family released from mass incarceration at Manzanar during World War II.
… The life in California the Itos were forced to leave behind is gone; instead, they are being resettled two thousand miles away in Chicago, where Aki’s older sister, Rose, was sent months earlier and moved to the new Japanese American neighborhood near Clark and Division streets.
But on the eve of the Ito family’s reunion, Rose is killed by a subway train.
Aki, who worshipped her sister, is stunned. Officials are ruling Rose’s death a suicide. Aki cannot believe her perfect, polished, and optimistic sister would end her life. Her instinct tells her there is much more to the story, and she knows she is the only person who could ever learn the truth.
The charm of this unlikely threesome has worn off.
This is the weakest season, so far. They are trying too hard. And it’s a bit painful to watch.
One tell is the increase in profanity. When the script isn’t all that compelling — writers add some swearing to shock the audience. Jon Stewart and John Oliver are guilty of this, as well.
BUT at least the cast is still having fun.
Martin Short and Steve Martin are best of friends in real life. I’m sure they consider this venture a bit of a party. Inviting their friends as celebrity cameos.
It IS worth watching season 3 for Meryl Streep.
AND there are some good 1-liners each episode.
Selena Gomez as snarky Mabel increasingly steals the show. You actually worry about her getting her life together. Yes, the same young woman who’s the most followed on Instagram looks lost at times as she approaches age-30 in this show.
