Month: April 2015

Four Nonfiction Book Discoveries That Grabbed Me

My Week at the Blue Angel


As with movies and music, my tastes in reading run the gamut. I don’t like to stay tied down to one particular genre, and I tend to go continually back and forth between fiction and nonfiction. I am always on the lookout for real-life tales with a strong sense of character, time, and place.

Those close to me probably know that John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil stands tall as my favorite book of all time. It’s the gold standard for compelling nonfiction. I haven’t found anything else quite on that level for me. However, here a few little gems that I managed to find and really enjoy, and I don’t think very many people know about them.

My Week at the Blue Angel: And Other Stories from the Storm Drains, Strip Clubs, and Trailer Parks of Las Vegas by Matthew O’Brien (Author), Bill Hughes (Photographer)

I have always held a deep fascination for Las Vegas and have made several trips to America’s desert playground. During the last couple of pilgrimages, I started to contemplate the rough edges that surround all the glitz and glamour. Journalist O’Brien offers a collection of essays exploring the funky, seedy, and dark elements of Sin City. The piece that provides the book’s title centers on an old motel that, despite its historical iconic signage, now plays host to lost dreamers on the margins of society rather than fun in the sun tourists. O’Brien presents the human spirit at work in some rather unlikely situations.

Restavec: From Haitian Slave Child to Middle-Class American by Jean-Robert Cadet

The island nation of Haiti declared an end to the institution of slavery after throwing off the yoke of French colonial rule in 1804. However, a barbaric form of bondage in which affluent households take in abandoned young children to serve as unpaid domestic laborers has endured for the past two centuries. Cadet recounts his harrowing experiences of exploitation, which didn’t stop when the family for whom he toiled took him with them when they decided to move to the United States. Now an educator and human rights activist, Cadet tells a moving story of resilience and healing.

The Shooting Salvationist: J. Frank Norris and the Murder Trial that Captivated America by David R. Stokes

The 1920’s have always provided so many fascinating contradictions: carefree excess, jazz, women dressed as flappers celebrating their newly won right to vote, a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan, and a rise in  fundamentalist religion that culminated in the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925. Against that backdrop, a case in which a prominent Fort Worth minister stood trial for shooting and killing one of  his congregants transfixed the nation. Stokes serves up satisfying true crime mixed with social and cultural history that holds a surprising relevance for contemporary times.

Weed Man: The Remarkable Journey of Jimmy Divine by John McCaslin

The issue of marijuana legalization has come to dominate headlines over the past year or two. A 2011 title from veteran political columnist McCaslin landed on the shelves just a tad too early to be a part of that current media frenzy. Yet, I hope that folks on all sides of the pot debate can find their way to this colorful and thought-provoking read. McCaslin details the unlikely criminal enterprise of Jimmy Moree, AKA Jimmy Divine. Moree, a resourceful young man from a deeply religious family with rather humble circumstances in the island paradise of the Bahamas,  stumbles upon a business opportunity involving cannabis. The straight-laced, non-drinking Moree doesn’t fit the stereotypes most of us hold regarding such an enterprise, and I think that plays a part in what makes Weed Man so interesting.

Assessing the 2014 Best Picture Oscar Nominees (A Bit Late I Know)

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I wanted to provide my personal take on Hollywood’s best for 2014. Okay, I don’t think this topic is going to win me any prizes for timeliness.  However, not too long ago, the Academy Awards didn’t take place until well into the springtime, but the Motion Picture Academy felt that the Golden Globes were stealing the spotlight, so the proceedings were moved up to Winter. Also, I figure that many folks may just now be playing catch-up via  DVD and other home video outlets.

Most of the time, folks present these kinds of lists in an order that builds toward the top pick, but I am going to be contrary and start with my favorites. Overall, I think it was a good movie year, but as is often the case, the quality grown-up films didn’t make it into wide release until the holiday season and beyond. So, at the risk of sounding like a movie snob, I must say that there were some really long droughts in the spring and summer dominated by big-budget blockbusters that have that “been there done that” feel.

My Pick for the Best of the 2014 Best Picture Nominees and also My Choice for the Actual Best Film of the Year as Well–The Imitation Game

The meme at the top of the page probably gave it away, but if I were handing out little golden guys myself, I would shower the love on The Imitation Game. This biopic recounting the life of Alan Turing–the code-breaker who helped turn the tide in the fight against Hitler and ultimately became known as the father of modern computing–tackles some timely issues about self-acceptance and the very sad history of society’s efforts to “cure” gay people.  Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley shine in their roles. The film’s message moves beyond the notion of “tolerance” for those who are different toward the revelation that we as the human race are made richer by the creativity and intelligence of our misfits.

Not Nominated in the Best Picture Category but My Runner-Up Favorite Film–Gone Girl

I know that Gone Girl is probably a bit of a popcorn movie, but as usual director David Fincher kept me on the edge of my seat, and Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike was mesmerizing as the mysterious wife at the center of the thriller adapted from Gillian Flynn’s bestseller. Okay, now that I got that aside out-of-the-way, back to the flicks that DID get nominated.

Very Near the Top–American Sniper

My politics are pretty liberal on most issues, and I am not sure that Chris Kyle’s take on foreign policy issues or cultural diversity would be the same as mine, though I remain grateful to him and his fellow soldiers who have put their lives on the line to defend our freedom. I am getting a little tired of the whole red state vs. blue state approach to movies, and I disagree with my friends on the left  who dismiss American Sniper as pure right-wing propaganda.

Clint Eastwood is one of my favorite directors, and he masterfully ties together the whole package. Bradley Cooper continues to amaze me, and there were moments when his performance sent chills up my spine. I was challenged to contemplate the experience of war both on and off the battlefield, and I left the theater asking myself difficult questions.

Very Good–Boyhood and Whiplash

Boyhood was an evocative roller-coaster ride of coming-of-age experience. Yes, the novelty of shooting a movie over a twelve-year time period may have run the risk of overshadowing the actual plot, but the twists and turns of family life rang true. Patricia Arquette certainly deserved her Supporting Actress Oscar for playing a hard-working single mother.

J.K. Simmons has been working in the acting trenches for years, including his role as the fatherly Farmers Insurance spokesman. Yet, in his Academy Award-winning role as a sadistic college jazz-band director in Whiplash, Simmons found the perfect place to let his talent shine. This intense movie presents a level of bullying by an authority figure that can be extremely difficult to watch at times. I found the experience quite compelling, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

Good–Selma, The Theory of Everything, and The Grand Budapest Hotel

This was a strong field, so I still regarded these three nominees quite well. Selma offers a much-needed window into the struggle for voting rights in America. As an armchair Presidential historian, I objected to the portrayal of LBJ, but all in all, it was a worthy endeavor.

I am happy for Eddie Redmayne’s Academy Award success with The Theory of Everything. He captures the courage–but also the humanity and vulnerability–of astrophysicist Stephen Hawking in his prolonged battle with A.L.S. Given the whole British smart-guy dynamic, it was inevitable that this one got compared with the above mentioned Imitation Game. I have my biases on that head-to-head, but it’s nice to see science celebrated on the big screen so enthusiastically.

I am always curious about what director West Anderson has up his sleeve. Sometimes, his efforts click more for me than others. Yet, there is much to admire with  The Grand Budapest Hotel. Ralph Fiennes really lays on the charm as the eccentric hotel operator, and the usual ensemble of talent from Anderson pictures (Edward Norton, Bill Murray, et al ) also provide entertaining eccentricity. I scratched my head sometimes, but at least I was never bored.

Hollywood’s Best Picture Winner Birdman: I Just Don’t Get It

I saw all eight of the Best Picture contenders, and as luck would have it, the only one of them that just didn’t do it for me was the one that took home the big prize, Birdman. (I know there is also a really long subtitle that goes with it, but I can skip that oddity.) I absolutely loved director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s earlier films 21 Grams and Babel, and I figured that such a wonderful cast (Michael Keaton, the previously mentioned Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone). I consider myself an artsy kind of guy, but I just didn’t get this one. It’s not that I hated Birdman, but I just didn’t grasp the significance of Michael Keaton suffering a nervous breakdown in the middle of Times Square clad only in his tighty-whities.

So, there you have it. At the moment, I am in the midst of another drought where there really isn’t much playing at the multiplexes that I want to see. Yet, I am sure this too shall pass, and the meaty choices will arrive later in 2015.

Four Things I Like About ABC’s Drama Series Nashville and a Couple of Complaints

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I am not one who stays glued to prime-time television. I have just a couple of current shows that I care about, and then beyond that, I take advantage of Netflix to play catch-up on the really good and edgy stuff we miss in our household because we ditched cable a couple of years back as part of a financial reboot.

I try to be intentional about investing my time and attention in a series, but fairly early on, I did drink the Kool-Aid and become a regular viewer of ABC’s evening soap set in the city I have called home for almost two decades.

It really is cool that the show is filmed here, and the location folks do such a great job of highlighting the landscapes of our community. Nashville–for better or worse–is now one of America’s “it cities,” and the weekly drama about the trials, tribulations, and misdeeds of the recording industry has certainly played a part in driving tourist growth and related media attention.

So, let me break down the elements of Music City where the show’s creators seem in tune with reality and where they might hit a bit of an off note. No, I am not personally a part of the music business, and yes, I realize that the show is a work of fiction. But, I am the sort of detail-oriented citizen who thinks about this kind of stuff.

What’s good…

Refreshing Restraint with the Accents and Such
In the past, Hollywood has presented county music and the city of Nashville with thick Dixie drawls and over-the-top down-home caricatures. In reality, many folks in this dynamic region are from other parts of the country, and those of us who hail from south of the Mason-Dixon line may speak with varying levels of twang.

Hee Haw was a beloved fixture of my ’70s boyhood and showcased some talented entertainers of its day, but today’s country music and the city that made that genre famous have evolved into something with new demographics that don’t necessarily fit the old portrayals.

The Young Hipsters Trying to Catch Their Big Break
I both reside and work in the area where the Metro Nashville/Davidson County line bleeds over into two of the suburban counties. Yet, when I make it into the center of the city for nightlife and cultural events, I often encounter young adults that really do remind me of Scarlett, Avery, and Gunner in the way they present themselves.

Of course, it’s important to not let that image become yet another cliche. However, I think it’s a fair assessment to say that this city has a large contingent of pretty folks with that same artsy vibe.

Will Lexington: One of Network TV’s Best Gay Characters
Speaking of young and attractive, Will Lexington’s journey from deep inside the closet to varying degrees of openness rings true on a number of fronts. Recently,Chely Wright and Ty Herndon have tested the socially conservative boundaries of country music by becoming out and proud. Granted, it’s an industry where things are still a couple of decades behind where they should be, but change is unfolding. I think the pacing of fictional Will’s steps toward self-acceptance nicely parallels where things stand on the public face of the business.

On a more general level, I think that the portrayal of Will and his interactions with other men conveys a balanced and nuanced exploration of the gay experience that is absolutely top-notch. Often times, television shows stick to the familiar stereotypes to spell out their glbt cred in big bold letters, and after a while those patterns seem rather limiting. Yet, at the same time, when creators strive mightily to go in the opposite direction and present gay people who “don’t seem gay,” it feels like a forced exercise without much authenticity.

There is such a thing as “gaydar,” and it’s not necessarily a matter of masculinity or femininity. Rather, it’s about a certain kind of eye contact and posturing that is hard to explain in words, but it’s real. Actor Chris Carmack absolutely nails it in his portrayal of Will and his day-to-day struggles.

Jeff Fordham: J.R. Ewing with More Attentive Eyebrow Grooming
Oliver Hudson, sister to romantic comedy princess Kate Hudson and son of  beloved entertainment icon Goldie Hawn, shines as the deliciously evil record mogul Jeff Fordham. Jeff stops at nothing to crush protagonist Rayna James (played by Emmy-nominated Connie Britton) and her valiant efforts to champion her fledgling independent label Highway 65. Jeff also has a track record of sleeping with the young starlets like Juliette Barnes and Layla Grant. When I talk to people who work in the music business, it sounds like these cut-throat corporate antics provide at least some measure of a familiar tune.

A Couple of Complaints…

Paparazzi That Don’t Exist or At least Haven’t Materialized Just Yet
When I first moved to Nashville in the ’90s, I worked retail. I waited on several celebrities, and they seemed to move around the aisles with complete ease. Over the years, like a fair number of Nashvillians, I have seen Vince Gill and Amy Grant (and their offspring) at the mall, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman at both Whole Foods and the movies, and Naomi Judd walking the streets of historic Downtown Franklin. Absolutely no one was causing a scene in any of these cases. No cameras, no screaming, no shoving.

In ABC’s fictional version of Music City, however, the famous artists contend with a Hollywood-style media gauntlet. For example, in one episode, Rayna encountered a slew of pushy reporters when she dropped off one of her daughters at school. While the school building shown was indeed one of our lovely historic educational institutions, the chaos depicted doesn’t seem to be happening here, unless I am missing something. However, I am afraid there might be the risk of life imitating art. The digital section of  Rolling Stone has opened a special country Web site and a Nashville office. Perhaps a new culture of celebrity glitz could be in the works?

A Nashville in which the Music Industry and the Local Political Leadership Are One in the Same
Rayna, a well-established diva with long-standing ties in the community is both the ex-wife of the current (fictional) mayor of Nashville and also the daughter of a recently deceased former mayor, a tycoon who had his finger in just about every pie of the city’s power structure.

Perhaps mixing politics and show business makes for good drama, but the two worlds really don’t come together so tightly. Granted, the legendary Roy Acuff ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Tennessee in 1948, and current industry figures such as Mike Curb wield a great deal of influence in the community through their philanthropy. Yet, these two worlds are not quite as intertwined in real life as they seem to be on television.

Starting Something Even When I Don’t Feel 100% Ready

Here goes… This is my inaugural blog post. I have that first day of school/first day of a new job feeling of both excitement and dread. Thank you, dear reader, for joining me on this journey.

I am making up the rules for my blog as I go. After tinkering with things for some time now, I have had to reach the point where I can let myself think that way. Voltaire once said that “the perfect is the enemy of the good,” and I have learned that lesson the hard way in forty-something years on the planet.

As a young kid, I was the boy who misplaced his schoolbooks, paper, pencil, you name it. I looked out the window too much and let distractions get me flustered. I was told, mostly justifiably I think, that I needed to get in gear and focus on the task at hand. So, as I got older, I overcompensated by becoming a highly caffeinated worrier and perfectionist. I kept playing the old tapes in my head and telling myself that I had to prove something to “them,” though I am not sure exactly who the “them” actually was. More often than not, I think it was a matter of me paying too much attention to my tough inner critic.

So, while “getting my ducks in a row,” has its positive aspects, my problem has often been that I approach projects with the mindset of making sure that I understand absolutely everything and can anticipate every possible complication before I take any concrete actions. Of course, I can pat myself on the back for being so conscientious, but after a while, that sinking feeling can become immobilizing. I need to “just do it,” or, to put it a bit more crudely, “poop or get off the pot.”

I am making a fair amount of progress on that front lately. It’s not an overnight transformation, but I take more and more baby steps to get there. Starting this blog is part of that plan. (Along these general lines, my old friend Kari penned an insightful blog post on the subject of our “too-hard piles.” a couple of months ago, and her ideas helped me ask myself some valuable questions.)

So, now that I have managed to actually jump into the water, what’s this blog about? I am breaking a cardinal rule of the digital gurus that be by declaring that it’s about a bit of everything. According to the experts, I need to specialize or else my message will get lost out there. Well, I still want to give this a shot. I have so many divergent interests, but in my mind at least, they are somehow tied together. I want to grow as a writer and put myself out there and see what happens. I am taking a risk, but whether or not people read what I have to say, I figure that I can still learn something new from the experience.

I have a personal style that involves thinking out loud to help myself process everything for myself. When it comes to the stuff of life, I typically do have something to say. It may not always click in terms of every subject in every situation, but I am determined to find those happy accidents where something I share resonates with someone else, and then maybe we can better ourselves together or at least have some fun.

Welcome aboard, and I hope you enjoy the ride. Make sure your personal items are securely stowed in the overhead compartments or under the seat in front of you and that your seat belts are securely fastened and that your seats and tray tables are in their upright locked positions. Complimentary beverages and snacks will be served when we have reached cruising altitude.