Guess Who's Back? Plus Other Stuff

I ran into someone at a party Saturday night who told me former Nevada City vice mayor Sheila Stein is back. She's not living in Nevada County, but she's close. I'll bet we see her here before too long.

Did you know Judith Berliner made the wedding invitations for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome? Wow!

I don't think there was a dry eye in the house at Sierra Cinema's showing of "Marley and Me." The book is always better than the movie, but it was a great dog story and made you want to appreciate every minute with our 4-legged friends. Denise Cain and I gave our dogs long hugs after the movie.

I'm almost done with Wally Lamb's new book "The Hour I First Believed." (He wrote "She's Come Undone" and "This Much I know is True.") When I first heard it had to do with Columbine I thought I'd skip it...and then when I saw it was 740 pages I was sure I'd skip it, but I picked it up (locally) and it is an AMAZING story. If you're a fan of his, this is Lamb at his best. It's a generational saga, but also about forgiveness and redemption and women's rights and so much more.

Comments

[Dixie Redfearn]

OK Karen, it's in my car..come by KNCO and get it. I can't go to our New Year's Eve party at The Foundry because I'm working for Rita New Year's Day -- at 5 a.m. So I'll be home reading a good book...setting the alarm for 4 a.m. I'd send it with Mr. Fix, but then you'd never see the thing.

[Dixie Redfearn]

Well, everyone in the know knows Marley Young is THE marley, not some disobedent dog! And yes, the book is yours, it's in my car..drop by KNCO. BTW, I', working at 5 AM on New year's Day, so NO PARTY for me! Waah!

[Laurie Sanchez]

Thanks for the compliment on the card. (It was fun.) And thanks for the great tips for both a movie and a book! Isn't it glorious to indulge in things like movies and books this time of year? All the best come out (I guess for gift-giving, as well as award ceremonies coming up), and it feels like a two-month celebration of great story-telling! So now that you finished "The Hour.." (and apparently handing it over to Karen!), what's next on the reading radar? Do you have a book club up there?

[Karen]

And I'm ready for you to hand over "The Hour I First Believed."
Karen

[Karen]

My daughter feels slighted by the title of Marley and Me. She has usually been the only Marly in any crowd and says this movie is stealing her thunder. At least they were both named after the same reggae star.

[Dixie Redfearn]

Hey Laurie,
Most creative Christmas Card winner -- I loved the I Spy theme!! And Renee looks like the twin of my granddaughter Paisley, who turns 17 (yikes!) in January.
I totally bought them as the owners..and I think you will identify with having 3 small kids and an unruly dog (remember Chance?) It definitely doesn't glamourize their lives...
Just finished "The Hour I First Believed" and you are in for a treat!! And at the end he has a chapter on why it took him 10 years to write the book, where he found inspiration, etc. As a writer I think you will find that insight valuable.

[Laurie Sanchez]

Hi, Dixie! Just tapping in on you -- needed my "Dixie Fix"! Chris and Rene both read "Marley and Me" and were contemplating seeing the movie, but they weren't sure. Rene wished they got two actors who were less well known, to keep the focus more on the relationship with Marley. Was the relationship in the movie more on the couple? Or did you "buy" them as the owners?

And Wally Lamb -- well, he never disappoints! We have that book on our list for our book club this year, and I can't wait to read it. Let me know if you're happy with the ending. I loved "I Know This Much Is True"!