Intentional Meanderings

A frequent patron of the library and the Readers' Services department raved about the movie Snow Falling on Cedars. He spoke about it being beautiful to watch. He said he enjoyed the book by David Guterson, but loved the movie.

The patron is a prolific reader with varied interests but he is not a big film watcher. I suggested he consider other movies by the director of Snow Falling on Cedars. I'm not sure the patron followed my advice, but I did. Its been an interesting and delightful endeavor. One that has hit all the entertainment buttons - words, music and film.

Scott Hicks, the director of Snow Falling on Cedars, was nominated for best director in 1996 for Shine. It was a huge success of a film with Geoffrey Rush winning best actor. Though Hicks didn't win the Oscar, his work on this film propelled his career. Other films of Hicks' include No Reservations, Hearts in Atlantis, and a documentary of composer Philip Glass, Glass: A Portrait of Philip in 12 Parts.

Hearts of Atlantis, a story based on a Stephen King work with Anthony Hopkins was a completely new title for me. The movie is presented as a flashback by a 50 year man to his 11th year. It's captivating with a poignant story and good acting.

Regarding the Philip Glass documentary, had it not been for these intentional meanderings, I probably wouldn't have checked it out. Glass is a unique, intellectual artist with a colorful personality but I'll give Scott Hicks the credit for keeping my attention for two hours. The bonus dvd is aptly named, with performances from Glass' operas.

I still have more meandering to do - the short stories of Stephen King, the music of Philip Glass, films with Geoffrey Rush, novels of David Guterson......

Absent Friends

by Roberta

I kept Patrick O'Brian's New York Times obituary on my bulletin board for five years after his death in 2000. It seemed impossible to accept that there would never be another book in the Aubrey/Maturin series that began so thrillingly with Master and Commander. I feel like I know Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey and the Irish physician and spy Stephen Maturin. Oh, I could (and did) re-read the 20 books in the series, but never to have a new installment? There was no joy in Mudville that year.

In 2004, there was the surprise publication of an unfinished, and untitled Aubrey/Maturin novel, simply called 21. I read it very slowly, trying to make it last. Since it included the original hand-written manuscript, I read that too.

When Michael Crichton recently passed away, I felt a similar pang. No more of his signature blend of science and suspense, and then the doubtless entertaining film to follow. I thought his novels had fallen off a bit of late, my favorite being Andromeda Strain, but I still read them. I'll never forget standing on a bridge with my teenage son a few years ago, watching an immense flock of tiny birds wheeling and diving over the river, and turning to each other with the same comment, "Prey." We had listened to the gripping audio version on a recent road trip.

I imagine that many readers felt the same dismay when Dorothy Dunnett died, or George MacDonald Fraser, or Tony Hillerman. It somehow seems worse when you have loved the characters through a long series like The Lymond Chronicles or the Jim Chee mysteries.


Let me offer you hope amidst this melancholy editorial. I promise you, this year you will discover an author you have never read before, and they will go on to write a dozen novels that you will love. In 2008 I discovered Jim Butcher - lucky me! So tell me, what author do you miss that will never write again? Who did you recently discover?