JET

Endearing story of the Depression, May 28 2004

This is a little-known Disney movie that is probably one of the studio's best live-action films. This was one of my childhood favorites, and, when I saw it again recently, it became one of my adulthood favorites.

The story takes place in the midst of the Great Depression and starts out in Chicago. Natty and her father are struggling to make ends meet, but still manage to love each other and survive. Trouble comes when Natty's father finally gets a job - in Washington. Unable to find Natty to tell her, he leaves her a note and leaves her in the charge of an overbearing boardinghouse owner. Fed up with bad treatment and not wanting to believe that her father abandoned her, Natty sets out to… Read more

Gibbons outdoes herself, May 26 2004

I had high expectations for Kaye Gibbons's first book in six years, as she is one of my all-time favorite writers. Divining Women does not disappoint.

The story: Mary is a young woman who grew up around wealthy, free-thinking relatives during the first part of the 20th century. One grandfather is a nudist, another plays host to the spirits who come through their house on the way to somewhere else in their afterlives. She has also enjoyed the benefit of a variety of strong female role models, including her mother and grandmothers. Due to WWI, Mary education is on hold. Her mother decides to send her to take care of her aunt (her mother's half-brother's wife), Maureen, who is heavily… Read more

A great follow-up to Trinny & Susannah's first, May 26 2004

Where Trinny and Susannah's first book focused on body traits and how to disguise them or flaunt them with your wardrobe, this book focuses on what not to wear for different occasions.

The book is broken down by occasion (e.g., first job interviews, back-to-work interviews, winter holidays, summer weddings) and then by type: smart, casual, or trendy. As with the first book, there are great photos, with the no-nos on the left and the yes, pleases! on the right. The book is not intended to be a book of strict rules, but rather a collection of guidelines you can adapt to your own style, age, and body type. Each photo also comes with a "What This Says about You" caption, which may… Read more