When it
comes to things I enjoy the most, I’ve been told that I’m
old-fashioned. What difference does that make? I’m the one enjoying
them, not my critics.
Over the
years there have been a lot of TV shows that I have liked but none
have come close to the enjoyment I’ve had watching Fawlty
Towers—over and over again. And I laugh and laugh each time. John
Cleese only made twelve episodes but, in my humble opinion, they are
twelve episodes of pure hilarious genius.
My favorite
movie is Charade starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. I haven’t
watched it in a long time but I can’t imagine any movie coming
close to the mystery and excitement of that movie, not to mention the
fabulous settings. Other favorite movies are The Seven Year Itch
starring Tom Ewell and Marilyn Monroe, Local Hero starring Peter
Riegert and Burt Lancaster, Bandits starring Bruce Willis and Billy
Bob Thornton.
My favorite
piece of music is Donna e Mobile from the opera Rigoletto by Verdi.
The song has become such a part of our popular culture that nowadays
it’s used to promote pizza! Other favorites are Jamaica Farewell as
sung by Harry Belafonte, Hey Jude by The Beatles and listening to the
Blue Tango played by almost anyone.
And then
there are my favorite books and too many to list but I will mention
the ones that have influenced my reading pleasure. I’m not sure how
old I was when I first read Huckleberry Finn, probably in the 5th
or 6th grade but I
know I reread it in Jr. High and high school. A childhood favorite
was the original Peter Pan and unlike everyone else, my favorite
character in that book was Tiger Lily, simply because she was an
Indian. I have no idea how many times I read and reread that book.
Gothic
romance beginning with Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt and
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier was my reading choice for a while. Then
the Regency romances by Georgette Heyer captured my attention.
My Brother
Michael introduced me to Mary Stewart and, in a way, changed my life.
During my first year of teaching in Las Vegas whenever a new Mary
Stewart came out, I would call in sick and read the book. I also
discovered Helen MacInnes that year beginning with Decision at
Delphi. International intrigue became my favorite reading, especially
when a few years later I discovered Robert Ludlum.
And then
humor entered into my reading foray: books by P.G. Wodehouse, Carl
Hiaasen, Janet Evanovich, Elmore Leonard and Ben Rehder. But there
were standalones: Savages by Shirley Conran (hated the ending and not
too crazy about the beginning either but loved the pages between); A
Cluster of Separate Sparks by Joan Aiken; The House on the Strand by
Daphne du Maurier (I hated the ending of that one also but it
influenced my Vv Tiger time travels-still to come). And I loved all
of the books by Tony Hillerman.
And there
are many more old favorites too numerous to mention here. Besides, I
have already blogged about the ladies of the Golden Age of Mystery. I
am continuously discovering new favorites but that would be another
topic altogether.
And
apparently books have always been my favorite things.
