by Sandy | Jul 20, 2007 | Actors, Blogroll, Books
Is he terrific or what??! Whether he is acting in a film of serious social commentary, “Traffic” and “Crash” or fun stuff, the “Ocean’s” films – (11, 12 and 13), Mr. Cheadle always stands out. Whether crying with him in “Hotel Rwanda” or laughing with him in his latest film, “Talk to Me”, a story about 60’s/70’s activist, and Washington, DC, disk jockey Ralph “Petey” Greene directed by Kasi Lemmons, he just elevates it all to another level.
Also a stage actor, he appeared in Lori Parks Pulitzer Prize winning play, “Top Dog/Under Dog”, on Broadway to much acclaim.
But, Don Cheadle also has an activist streak. While filming “Hotel Rwanda”, he learned the plight of people in the Sudan and after visiting Darfur in 2005, he’s made a committed effort to bring the horrors and violence of the region to the attention of the American people. He wrote a book with John Prendergast called, “Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in
Darfur and Beyond”. An accompanying documentary, for which he will narrate, is scheduled for release in Oct’07. Don Cheadle is outstanding.
http://www.amazon.com/Not-Our-Watch-Mission-Genocide/dp/1401303358
by Sandy | Apr 25, 2007 | Books
Caught Mr Rangel as he was discussing his new book on one of the cable shows. He was so relaxed and personable and enjoying himself so much during the interview that I paused to listen.Besides detailing his political rise to be appointed Democratic chair of the Ways and Means Committee, his book, “And I Haven’t Had a Bad Day Since: From the Streets of Harlem to the Halls of Congress“, is also testament to accomplishment and achievement regardless of apparent obstacles.
After a frightening, life affirming incident while a soldier during the Korean War, Mr. Rangel, a High School drop out who later went on to graduate from NYU and St. John’s Law School, decided that he could do anything, go thru anything and enjoy it or else.
He may have dedicated his life to public service, but, you can tell he also loves being a “politician” (and all that the profession involves.) And no matter what my ambiguous feelings are about politics, I admire someone who seemed to have adopted the medical profession credo “to do no harm”.
by Sandy | Apr 16, 2007 | Books, Writers
“Precious Ramotswe ” is Botswana’s only female private investigator – the main character of the “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” by Alexander McCall Smith. I noticed a few years back that Ms Ramotswe and the authors name were listed week after week on the SF & Bay area California paper back bestseller list. “Precious” just sort of kept catching my eye and I got curious. I discovered that the Botswana detective has a worldwide cult following.
The author was born in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, practiced law in Scotland and when McCall returned to Zimbabwe, he began to write about a red bush tea drinking female private eye – “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency“. In this, and the books that followed in the series, our lady sleuth tracks down wayward husbands, missing children and solves village mysteries all the while keeping to the traditions of her culture and maintaining the standards of both Queen Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela (she admires both).
Books in the series:
* 1998 The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
* 2000 Tears Of The Giraffe
* 2001 Morality for Beautiful Girls
* 2002 The Kalahari Typing School for Men
* 2004 The Full Cupboard of Life
* 2004 In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
* 2006 Blue Shoes and Happiness
* 2007 The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
by Sandy | Mar 6, 2007 | Art, Books
These are examples of African women’s art and design. In additional to pottery and textiles decoration, there is also a South and West African tradition of house painting – the outside of the house – with bold shapes and bright colors.
“I Paint My House ” is actually a book of postcards. But, the murals and decorations are so vibrant and alive, I haven’t mailed any.(I don’t want to tear any of the cards out.) They are like a little travel book – lovely pictues of how women make their spaces beautiful.
Margaret Courtney-Clarke has also produced coffee table sized books filled with her photographs of the bright geometric designs of Berber women, women of Ghana, etc.
by Bob Martin | Feb 9, 2007 | Art, Books, Galleries
In a recent interview of Tom Stoppard on the Charlie Rose Show, Stoppard talks about one of the main characters, a philosopher (I believe is the real life Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin) in his epic Play The Coast of Utopia who has the opportunity to live in France or Germany, countries, at the time where he could write and speak with out fear of being imprisoned (or worst). But he preferred to stay in St. Petersburg, where it was dangerous but where he believed his ideas would be heard. Big Fish Small Pond.
With the Internet, there are a lot of artist, in all categories, who are being seen. But we wonder are we being heard, is there just to much noise? Are we getting drowned out by all of the images that are available?
A post on Art and Perception ask the question on why is there such a focus in some art school on learning how to impress gallery owners, collectors and art magazine editors? What has happen to art for art sake? Are we pandering? Are we not willing to spend the time to go deeper in our work, putting in the effort that would result in art that gets to stand on its on own? Martin Amis talks about the need to go deeper when writing, avoiding the expected cartoon version of life when telling a story. Forgive me but George Lucas made the same Star Wars’ movie six times (bless him, but).
When it comes to visual art, I wonder how many of us struggle with the need to go deep and to speak to something in our paintings etc that is not a cliche, but rather an honest interpretation of what it is that we see and want to say about who we are and how we lived. Question, if we went deep would we be heard?
by Bob Martin | Jan 13, 2007 | Art, Books, Events
2007 Celebration of African American Authors at the Glendale Public Library 5959 West Brown St. (1 block South of Peoria) Glendale Arizona 85308 February 3, 2007 1-3pm Lisa Teasley is the author of the critically acclaimed, Glow In The Dark, Dive, and Heat Signature. 
Ms. Teasley is also the writer/host of the BBC Television documentary, “High School Prom” and is a regular contributor to Essence Magazine and the Los Angeles Times. For more information, please call 623-930-3553 or email clandrum @glendaleaz.com
Is he terrific or what??! Whether he is acting in a film of serious social commentary, “Traffic” and “Crash” or fun stuff, the “Ocean’s” films – (11, 12 and 13), Mr. Cheadle always stands out. Whether crying with him in “Hotel Rwanda” or laughing with him in his latest film, “Talk to Me”, a story about 60’s/70’s activist, and Washington, DC, disk jockey Ralph “Petey” Greene directed by Kasi Lemmons, he just elevates it all to another level.
