May’s Mutterings: Rants and Ramblings
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Book review: Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell
Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the 3rd book in the Saxon series (I know–I am way behind), and this one is my favorite so far. (Which is not to say that I disliked the other ones.) But by book #3, Uhtred’s personality is well-established as…
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Inn at Little Washington birthday dinner
It was our son’s 15th (!) birthday a couple of weeks ago and, in addition to feeling really old, we celebrated with a dinner at the Inn at Little Washington (at his request). As usual, dinner was fabulous from the moment we stepped into the restaurant until we were wheeled out of the restaurant in…
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Sense and Sensibility (Folger Shakespeare Library)
Our daughter and I attended the Folger Shakespeare Library production of “Sense and Sensibility” last night. (Jim is, to put it in an understated way, not a devotee of Jane Austen, describing her works as nothing but “yakety yak”). Needless to say, he was not invited to come to the play. Adaptations of Jane Austen’s…
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Restaurant review: Chef Mavro (Honolulu)
Chef Mavro is one of our favorite restaurants in Honolulu. While some of our other favorites have gifted chefs who serve excellent food, Chef Mavro has both those requirements, and the dishes are always beautifully presented. We try and go twice on every trip and alternate between the 6 course menu and the 4 course…
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Book review: A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn My rating: 3 of 5 stars I really enjoyed the author’s Julia Gray mystery series, so I was looking forward to the beginning of another series by her. But I was torn about this novel when I finished it. There are very few things in life that I am…
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Movie review: Jason Bourne
I love the Bourne series of movies. I love its anti-government, conspiracy theory nature. I even love “The Bourne Legacy,” which most people don’t. I adore Jeremy Renner, and the character growth of the female lead in that movie isn’t something you see in a lot of in action movies (see also “The Terminator” and…
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What We Did On Our Summer Vacation: Hawaii
We just returned from 10 days in paradise (aka Hawaii and, more specifically, Honolulu). Among other things, the kids took surfing lessons, we saw rainbows, we built sand castles, we visited the Punchbowl (officially known as the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific), and we went on a Segway tour of Diamondhead with Marcus’s best…
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Book review: Dreaming Spies by Laurie King
Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really enjoy this mystery series and its unique and interesting take on Sherlock Holmes. Unfortunately, the past few books have been the weakest of the lot, so I was delighted that #13 in the series proved to be such a delightful read.…
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Book review: What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris
What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is the first in a Regency mystery series featuring Sebastian St. Cyr, an aristocrat with an interesting set of skills learned in fighting for the British against Napoleon. Don’t let the Regency time period deceive you, however. This is not a…
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Book review: Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is the inspiration for the Broadway musical (and cultural) smash “Hamilton” (and, in fact, the author receives royalties from the musical). I have mixed feelings about this biography and mixed feelings about the subject. Alexander Hamilton was clearly a brilliant man, excellent…
Got any book recommendations?