I find myself in a rare situation – I’m actually reading more than one book at a time. I’m usually a one book only type of reader, as you know. It is to be noted that this particular state will last all year long as I am participating in the War and Peace Readalong, which entails reading a chapter a day. So that means I will be doing that as well as reading another book at the same time throughout 2023. But now, I’ve also been reading a third book: Madly, Deeply; The Diaries of Alan Rickman. I’ll be finishing that today. It’s highly readable and a wonderful picture of a busy life in the theater and film. Good to know he struggled with the same things that all of us in the performing arts do; reviews, late nights, lack of sleep when having to be on set early in the morning, joy, exhaustion, that wonderful feeling when it works and that disappointed feeling when it doesn’t. He had lots of friends in the London theater community, a demanding social life (much more than introvert me could have handled) a loving long-term relationship with his wife Rima, They decided to get married after being together for decades, a couple of years before he passed away. Reading this book very much reminds me of my time with The Noel Coward Diaries, way back in the eighties. As you can imagine, he wrote with wit and style and I remember inhaling that book when I was working in an office where I clearly didn’t belong! I don’t know what happened to my copy, but I find myself wanting to find a copy and read it again.
Yesterday, I suddenly remembered that I saw Alan Rickman in a play way back in 1991 when I was at the Edinburgh Festival. The play was called Tango at the End of Winter and I remember how powerful he was in his stillness and how elegantly he moved across the stage. How fortunate I was!
War and Peace is superb. Don and I find ourselves chatting about it quite frequently. I love that he decided to read it, too.
I’m halfway through State of Terror. It moves along pretty quickly and I quite like it.
Don and I are trying to grapple with the death of a friend of ours. He was really Don’s friend, but I knew him, too. He and his wife are musicians who are very well known and respected in the Hudson Valley. He produced and and recorded Don’s CD in his home studio. Rick and Michele performed at the CD release party. He was also an extraordinary artist. His paintings of the Hudson River and and the surrounding mountains were incredibly detailed and stunningly beautiful. (I dreamed of owning one someday.) He was so good that he was routinely featured in art galleries. Last fall, he and Michelle sang in the event that Don organized, the one highlighting the artists that Don was championing. Within a few weeks after that event, he was in the hospital with a rare form of pneumonia – one we’d never heard of – and on a ventilator. When Don first heard this news, which was being kept very quiet, he spoke to Michele. There was a real sense that he’d pull through it. That was in September. He never came home. Four months later – two days ago – he died. We really thought he would pull through. Don is devastated, as is the entire music community here, as well as so many others who knew and loved him. Rick was a kind and extraordinarily talented man. May he rest in peace.
And now I’m sad again.
Stay safe.
Happy Monday.
So sorry about your friend. sympathy….the thing I liked about the Penny/Clinton book was the distinct voices. I have gifted my copy, but I remember as I read…awww this is Penny…awww this is Clinton. I enjoyed it so much…I saw (on You Tube) an interview with the two authors…they answered each others questions…sentences…I chuckled…W and P, of course, was a favorite of mine as a young teenager…I know…some would think weird…I remember my 7th grade teacher letting me go to the library daily, after we finished our speeches…She was astonished at what I was reading…lol…enjoy your books. I often read more than one at a time. I finished a terrific book this morning. Katherine Center is a fav author of mine…my daughter has met with her and receives early copies of her books. I get them on Netgalley…this was unusual about face blindness…talented author…have good rest this week before you go back to the city. I am sorry you can’t use backpacks. The reason the doctor first prescribed mine was because of my shoulders. The ones I use have huge huge straps…and they rest on the bottom of my back near my hips…thus the hips take the weight. I love them…
Thank you, Brenda.
Stay safe.
My condolences for the loss of your friend. <3
Thank you, Betsy.
Stay safe.
I’m so sorry for the loss of your/Don’s friend. I’ve been to 3 funerals in the last 6 months. I guess it will be happening more frequently as we age now. I remember my mother, who lived to 94, losing so many of her siblings and friends. How difficult that must be.
Take care
Thank you, Marilyn.
Stay safe.
I’m so sorry that you and Don have lost a friend.
Reading more than one book at a time, that’s been my story this year, too. Warmth of Other Suns is a long one and I like reading it, but it’s not a happy/feel-good story and I’ve needed to put it down every so often to slip in a lighter read.
Finally got Christmas put away, though, so I feel that I have accomplished something, anyway.
Thank you, Shanna.
Stay safe.
Sorry to hear that Don’s friend died. I hope that sharing memories of his friend will bring comfort during this sad time.
Thank you, Ellen.
Stay safe.
Oh, Claudia, I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. Please share my condolences with Don. How tragic when one succumbs to something so terrible and unusual at an age when there was seemingly so very much of life left. He sounds remarkable. What a loss.
How lucky you were to see Rickman on stage. Isn’t it fun to — years later — discover that you saw someone performing live in the long ago and now their career is far more commonplace? In 1973, long before “Grey Poupon” ads and the original “House of Cards” series, my mom and I saw Ian Richardson as Richard II. (Well, I saw it; she slept through most of it. To be fair, we didn’t know at the time she was in early stages of cancer — we chalked it up to jet lag that had ceased to lag.) A very young David Suchet was in that, too. I remembered Richardson when “House of Cards” was first broadcast, but probably didn’t even notice Suchet (or remember him, till I found the program) as he played “unnamed parts” and the bit of a messenger! It’s why I save programs.
I enjoyed “State of Terror” tremendously. I don’t know that they’ll ever write together again but they make a good team.
I’m really enjoying that book, as well. I just have to finish the Rickman so I can return it tomorrow, then I’ll get back to it.
Stay safe, Jeanie.
My prayers go out to you and Don and Rick’s family at this very sad time.
Thank you, Tana.
Stay safe.
I am so sorry for the loss of yours and Don’s friend.
Take Care,
Kaye
Thank you, Kaye.
Stay safe.
I am sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. I’m sure Don is treasuring that last performance….I hope it’s some comfort.
I’m glad you’re enjoying State of Terror…I hope they’ll collaborate again.
Nice to hear that you are both enjoying War and Peace. I don’t think I’d be able to read two books at the same time anymore….course I won’t know til I try it, eh? Enjoy your day…maybe the girls can comfort you. ;)
Well, since I never read two books at a time and I’m actually doing it, I bet you could, too.
Stay safe, Donnamae.
I’m sorry that Don and you have lost a friend. Put on Rick’s music and remember the kind of friend and person he was.
I don’t know if we have any of their music on CD. Don would know.
Thanks, Wendy.
Stay safe.
I’m sorry to hear about your friend and fellow artist. There have been way too many premature deaths in the last couple of years and it seems like most people I know have losses that come in waves. May his family find peace and comfort, and may you and Don also
Thank you, Nora.
Stay safe.
i am sorry for the loss of your and don’s friend … condolences to you both and to rick’s wife and family.
life is beautiful, but also hard (i know you know that). please keep taking care of yourselves and each other.
hugs,
kathy
Thank you, Kathy.
Stay safe.
Very sorry that Don has has lost a good friend and fellow musician and it must also feel sad for you too sharing in his sorrow.
Coincidentally, a couple of books that you have from your library, I had also reserved and I’ve recently received the Anthony Horowitz and Alan Rickman. I often have several books on the go but then one might take over and I want to carry reading it rather than the others.
Something I have noticed is that the American and British books more often than not will have a different cover for the same title even if they share a publisher.
Take care and hope you are able to rest after you hectic schedule.
Yes, and sometimes I buy the British version because I like the cover better! I don’t know why they feel the need for different covers.
Thanks, Dee Dee.
Stay safe.
So very sad to lose a friend and colleague especially when you all had thought Rick would recover. I’m so sorry for your loss. You and Don take care and look after each other. Hugs, Elaine
Thank you, Elaine.
Stay safe.
I prefer to read one book at a time, too, but I occasionally find myself reading two. I suspect that will happen this month as I perhaps read my book club’s book, even though I am not attending the meetings in a too-crowded-for-me vegan/vegetarian bakery in our small town and continue reading John Irving’s latest. A friend gifted me Irving’s novel and also bought herself a copy so we could discuss it together.
What a loss to Don, you, and others to have a man so respected and vital die seemingly before his time. We’re grieving far too many people these last years, it seems. I hope shared memories help ease Don’s grief.
How are you liking the Irving, Linda?
Thank you.
Stay safe.