what's good : true stories
Delve into the deep or wade in the shallow; it's all good
In books + poetry: I had the significant fortune to see authors Viet Thanh Nguyen and Tommy Orange in conversation last month at the Portland Book Festival. Both are adept at stunningly producing beauty from ugly truths, specifically about being not-white in America. Nguyen just published his memoir A Man of Two Faces, detailing his memories & reflections on life in the US after arriving from Vietnam in 1975. It is rich with images of his first home, his family, 1980s San Jose; it is deeply sad and lovely and poignant.
You have done your best to forget. You have become very good at forgetting. And now it is difficult, having forgotten so many parts of yourself and those you love, to re member your many disremembered pieces.
In movies: We recently discovered $5 Regal Monday Mystery Movie night and have been going every few weeks this fall, to mostly pleasant surprises. This past week, however, was easily the best offering so far (no hard feelings, John Cena and Taika). American Fiction stars Jeffrey Wright in his typical borderline irritated-but-still-endearing demeanor, along with a stellar cast including another of my Potential 2nd Husbands, Sterling K. Brown. When I say stellar, I mean there is not a single miss amongst these performances, down to the opening scene with an impassioned student objecting to a word Wright’s professor character has written on the whiteboard.
There is so much to unpack from not only the brilliantly written plot but also the dialogue choices, blocking, lighting, and a brief but genius bit involving Keith David & Okieriete Onaodowan, the original Hercules Mulligan/James Madison in Broadway’s Hamilton.
I’m ready to watch again, full price. And if this film/Cord Jefferson doesn’t get all the awards love it richly deserves, I will be asking to speak to some managers.
In music: In my continued use of the apparently very uncool YouTube Music, I’ve discovered another darling infant crooner, Grant Perez (who goes by grentperez for reasons only the Youths will understand). At 21, he has a YouTube channel (maybe I’m not so uncool after all), four EPs, a Christmas single, a world tour underway, and he created a candle to commemorate his song “Cherry Wine,” which he barely old enough to drink in Australia at the time. Also he might still become a fashion designer or engineer someday. Because why not? Listen and share the love.
That movie looks good! Hope to get a chance to see it!