April Worthwhile Stuff

 

 

📚 Books
Saint X, Alexis Schaitkin: This book combines the best elements that I love about A Reliable Wife (obsession, complex relationships, people not being what they seem), Sweetbitter (nuanced and accurate descriptions of NYC), and Patsy (exploring the Caribbean diaspora in Brooklyn) - but above all else, Saint X is extremely well written!! Even though the subject matter is quite heavy and complex, this book felt luxurious to read, and I relished every minute of it; I can't recommend Saint X more highly.

Firekeeper's Daughter, Angeline Boulley: As a fan of Tony (and Anne) Hillerman books, I knew I had to check out this new Native American mystery. While the writing and story don’t have the same level of sophistication as Hillerman’s genre classics, Firekeeper’s Daughter has an appealing authenticity and rawness to it, which successfully brings to life the more modern (c. 2004) Native protagonist and her world. Boulley has great potential, and I look forward to further Native-focused stories from her that shine light on these important, but often overlooked, cultures and communities.


🎶 Music
Godspeed, Glasvegas: Godspeed delivers the classic Glasvegas atmospherics and the depth of feeling that comes from thoughtfully crafted lyrics. "Keep Me a Space", "My Body is a Glasshouse", and "Cupid's Dark Disco" are all incredible songs that grabbed me the first time I heard them and then didn't let go (and those song titles!). Glasvegas is an amazing band to see live, but this album fills the live gig void quite nicely by offering an album experience that is like the dark, Scottish version of Pet Sounds.


🎤 🎭 Performance
The New Busking Project: This was a 15-minute outdoor socially distanced live theatrical performance that made me giddy. I'm pretty sure any live performance would make me giddy at this point, but it didn't hurt that this show was performed by the incomparable Bill Irwin, in high-brow vaudeville clown mode, doing a bit of soft-shoe and spouting nonsense rhymes with audience participation. I was grinning from ear-to-ear (under my mask) for the duration of the show, and felt so energized once it was over. I am grateful I was able to experience this small moment of joy, and hope there are many more to come in the months ahead.

John Cullum: An Accidental Star: I wasn't familiar with John Cullum until I read about him, but apparently he is 91 and has had a heck of a career on stage. In this excellent one-man (streaming) show, Cullum looks back over his career, recounting stories ranging from humorous to heartbreaking and singing songs from some of the shows he's been in (including Camelot, Shenandoah, and On the 20th Century). I tend to struggle with streamed shows, since they lack the magic of live performance, but Cullum is such an engaging performer that I had no problem giving him my rapt attention for the full 80 minutes of the show (and would have gladly spent even longer in his virtual company if possible). An Accidental Star is a wonderful, inspiring, and deeply moving show, and it's a testament to Cullum's talent and longevity in the industry that the power of his emotions came across with such great power even via video.