Literature
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
An auto-biographical account of Beah, a former child soldier in Sierra Leone. With visions of the violence in Gaza and Israel glaring from headlines daily, Beah reminds us that many parts of the world continue to experience suffering.
Films
“Slumdog Millionaire”
Arresting, spicy, heartrending, passionate. You will laugh. You will hold your breath. You will tap your foot to the impressive inclusion of MIA’s “Paper Planes” that redeems its over-playedness on the radio. Dev Patel as Jamal Malik’s devoted, determined underdog seeking his childhood love is fantastically realistic. It is rated “R” for a reason, and viewers anticipating a light love story should expect something much more raw and candid: about living in poverty, loving relentlessly, and experiencing extreme loss. Patel may play a young man in the film, but he is more grown-up than most adults in our country. Don’t miss the stunning long-shots of the slums of India, both in the past and entering modern-day.
“Marley and Me”
Sappy women and manly men alike were in tears by the end of this film, simply because everyone understands what it is like to have a man’s best friend. Based on the bestselling nonfiction book, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are John and Jennifer Grogan, a couple who begin their family with what they assume will simply be the practice before a baby but eventually becomes an irreplaceable part of their family. This is not your average dog movie. Marley is not a Lassie or a “Homeward Bound” Shadow, all loyal, well-behaving dogs. Marley is real: all chewed-up-furniture, embarassingly-afraid-of-lightning, devotedly-protective real. If you forget tissues, go for the concession stand napkins – you’ll need them.
Food
Lemonade pie. Yes. Lemonade + pie. Recipe here.
