Jules and Jim [DVD]

Jules and Jim

Jules et Jim, François Truffaut's third feature, is arguably his masterpiece. The film is based on a novel by Henri-Pierre Roché which drops us into a delicate love triangle that lasts for twenty-five years. A marriage, a child, romantic affairs and a World War (with the closest of friends on opposing sides) are seen through the lives of Jules, Jim and Catherine. Despite being a tragic piece, this 1962 film maintains a certain lightness and a sense of humor throughout many of its scenes. In addition, a beautiful score composed by Georges Delerue accompanies the equally impressive cinematography by Raoul Coutard.

McCartney [CD]

McCartney by Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney's first solo album, which was certainly unpopular with many critics and his colleagues at the time of its 1970 release, has proven to be an immensely influential and enjoyable, homemade recording. This album was produced mostly at McCartney's house in London using a simple technique of sending tracks directly into a tape machine. He also performed each instrument himself and the majority of the vocals (some background vocals were sung by Linda McCartney).

Home recording software and portable four-track machines are now sources where many artists, both professional and amateur, record their music. In retrospect, the innovative "McCartney" album was a bold statement that made music making more accessible to those with or without a record contract.

T.A.M.I. Show

T.A.M.I. Show [DVD]
Long overdue full release of a forgotten classic for the first time on DVD. Filmed just eight months after The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in October 1964, this spectacular concert film was mastered from a new High Definition transfer, and features the Beach Boys performances that were removed from previous versions following the films initial theatrical run. The list of performers is a veritable time capsule of the pop music scene of 1964 and includes the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, Chuck Berry, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Lesley Gore and a riveting performance by James Brown and the Furious Flames. Thrown into the mix are a few British Invasion acts (Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas), surf legends Jan & Dean, and Cape Cod's own The Barbarians. The bands perform in front of a bevy of enthusiastic young dancers (including a young Teri Garr), sometimes alternating songs and all the acts return to the stage at the end for one last number. A must see for fans of 60's pop, rock, surf and soul music and a fascinating look back at the popular youth culture of the moment.

A Prophet [DVD]

A Prophet
A brutal, raw and riveting look at the progression and growth of a young convict in the harsh environment of a French prison. Nineteen year-old Franco-Arab Malik El Djebena is just beginning his six year prison sentence in Brécourt after a youth spent primarily in detention centers. As a new inmate without friends or enemies inside, he finds the prison divided between Corsicans and Muslims, with the Corsicans holding the balance of power because of influence with the prison guards. Tahar Rahim is excellent as El Djebena, and seems to transform physically as his character rises from isolation and illiteracy to become a key player within Brécourt and beyond its walls. Director Jacques Audiard builds tension masterfully throughout, drawing out scenes with excruciating anticipation before moments of shocking violence. Frequently compared with the Godfather, this French Language film received the 2009 London Film critics "Best Feature Film" Award and was nominated for a 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign language Film.

Halting state

Halting state by Charles Stross.

This science fiction adventure takes place in a semi-dystopian future in which our reliance on internet technologies and mobile devices has increased just enough to appear both futuristic and close at hand. The story, written from multiple perspectives and told entirely in the second person, follows a group of strangers brought together by a strange crime committed inside a computer game. The style takes some getting used to, but overall, this is a very fun book.

Big Old Life [CD]

Big Old Life by Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem

Local (western MA and CT) musicians Daisy Mayhem create something truly unique which they jokingly call "Agnostic Gospel." With folk roots, rich vocal harmonies, sophisticated arrangements and passionate attitude, they make music that is original, moving and fun.

Memoirs of a geisha : a novel

Memoirs of a geisha : a novel by Arthur Golden.Nitta Sayuri is a celebrated Japanese geisha. In this beautiful coming of age story, Nitta shares how she was sold into slavery as a young girl, learns the art of being a geisha, survives World War II, and struggles to win the man she loves.

Calvin Coolidge At Home in Northampton

Calvin Coolidge At Home in Northampton

by Susan Lewis Well

Using original material from the collections of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum, Well presents the daily life and residences of Calvin Coolidge in Northampton, Massachusetts. She uses new sources to document the unique and interesting personal life stories of Coolidge's landlords and neighbors.

Open Season

Open Season by Archer Mayor

The 1988 debut of Brattleboro police detective Joe Gunther depicts small town life with all its charms and frustrations. The characters are multifaceted and believable, and the suspense stays on till the end. If you know the town of Brattleboro, you'll find familiar places and types.

The taste of country cooking

The taste of country cooking by Edna Lewis

Because she was by nature reserved and even shy, Edna Lewis never received the credit she deserved for helping recreate American cooking in a style that treasured in equal measure our culinary heritage and our fresh, local foodstuffs. In this, her autobiography, she lets us see how this came about—a childhood totally immersed in the living tradition of country cooking as practiced in a small Virginia Piedmont community settled by slaves.

Burn Notice [DVD]

Burn Notice [DVD]

This action-packed TV series stars Jeffrey Donovan as agent Michael Westen who receives a burn notice or termination notice. He wakes up in Miami with no money or identification, trapping him there until whoever burned him decides otherwise. While trying to figure out who is responsible for his burn notice, Michael helps people in trouble, using his unique skills gained as a spy. Co-stars include Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead) and Sharon Gless (Cagney & Lacey).