I don’t know about you, but I love recommendations from online friends. The world is crammed full of “recommendation engines” so it’s nice to come across the favorites of non-machines. Here are six things I’ve really enjoyed lately: books, a TV series, a movie and as a change, two cooking websites.
One
I’m guessing many of you have read James, by Percival Everett? A retelling of Huck Finn, from the point of view of the enslaved man known as Jim in Mark Twain’s story. I’m not going to tell you much more than that, because so much of the novel’s brilliance stems from a choice of narrative imagination the author makes. If it is possible to be delighted and horrified at once, in one fraction of a second, that’s what the book accomplishes. I read it in a very short time, even staying up past 11pm one night, entranced. Unheard of.
Two
I guessing very few of you will have read Syllables of the Briny World, by Georgina Key. Yet. It’s only recently published, the story of Hurricane Ike and the devastation wrought on a small community in Texas on the Bolivar Peninsula. Several points of view, a story in the compressed timeframe of the disaster, oh, and including the spirit of a dead child, living like an underwater Peter Pan, called to (and by) his mother. Beautifully written, I read this before publication was assured and knew immediately we’d see it in the world.
Three
Because brilliance comes in many forms, some tragic, some poetic, and some ridiculous and heartening, I will now recommend to you the series Girls5Eva, on Netflix. I am not even sure why I started watching, because it looked stupid, but I loved it. Not remotely stupid. I can do no better than Wikipedia to describe its premise: “A 1990s girl group that managed to score only one hit gets an unexpected chance at a comeback when their song is sampled by an up-and-coming rapper.” I mean, it doesn’t sound great. But it turns out to be a show about women, and friendship, and art, and selfhood, that’s also supremely funny.
Four
Sometimes brilliant is just that. Even better when played by brilliant actors. American Fiction, now playing on Amazon, is the story of a Black novelist, a highly intellectual college professor (Geoffrey Wright) who writes a satire of what he perceives to be the limited world of Black fiction, absent fathers, abuse, guns, death and all. The satire pitched just because to an editor under a pseudonym, sells. However, the movie is not a big farce of mistakes, it’s a small, beautifully observed family story, and the publishing drama is essentially a counterpoint.
Five
Change of pace. I have been cooking Chinese food for 40 years. I started with Western-style stirfries Chinese only in their use of a wok, progressed to China Moon’s Barbara Tropp’s insistence that I make my own chili oil, lived from China Express when my kids were young, and now take my inspiration from two websites. The first, Woks of Life, is written by a family and I’ve found the recipes highly reliable. Have you ever wondered how to make that light and delicious steamed fish you’ve had in your favorite restaurant? Here you go! Then just the other day I happened on Red Spice House, and at my age and level of interest (read: lack of) in “kitchening” of any sort (cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping) I appreciate their Easy section.
Anything you’ve read, watched or eaten likely that has stuck with you? In a good way? Ribs or heart or mind?
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
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