Critical opinions of Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" ran the gamut when the play opened in 1962; hailed as an American masterpiece by some and dismissed as a "dirty play" by others. It was three and a half hours long and left audiences emotionally drained. Lines stretched around the block at the Billy Rose Theater and the harrowing evening with George and Martha made its producers' money back after only 31 performances. The film adaptation marked the first time veteran screenwriter Ernest Lehman assumed the role of producer and the first time Broadway wunderkind, Mike Nichols, directed a movie. The real question, however, centered around whether a 32-year-old movie star, arguably one of the most beautiful women in the world, could convincingly play a disheveled harridan approaching her half century mark. This is a fascinating, painstakingly researched account of the play's evolution and its genesis into a groundbreaking film adaptation that has lost none of its power almost 60 years later. ~ Reviewed by Alden Graves
Helen Cartwright is passing the time she has left making tea, listening to the radio, and watching old movies on the BBC. Each day is the equivalent of another shovelful of soil into a grave that she looks forward to occupying. She is alone after the deaths of both her husband and son. One rainy morning, she decides to bring home a fish tank discarded by a neighbor and discovers that a mouse has made his home in it. Caring for the little creature forces Helen to reexamine her life of enforced loneliness and to venture out beyond the confines of her small home and back into the world. Some novels transcend words of praise and inspire a sense of awe in the reader. In its beautifully wrought simplicity, Sipsworth is that kind of novel. ~ Reviewed by Alden Graves
Patch Macauley has always been a loner. His closest friend in Monta Clare is Saint, who takes a certain pleasure in her own status as a misfit. Patch is taken captive by a serial killer and, after his rescue, is determined to find the young woman who comforted him throughout his ordeal. His determination becomes an obsession, even if it ultimately leads to another grave. The new novel by the author of "We Begin At the End" is wildly ambitious and uniquely formatted in very short chapters. Its considerable length allows the reader to form attachments to the central characters and the relentless search almost becomes a deeply personal endeavor. ~ Reviewed by Alden Graves
Warren is the head of an architectural firm in Boston. He has been married for a long time, drifting along with a comfortable wife and the spirited daughter he adores. The reappearance of Sarah, the woman he loved during his college years, makes him reevaluate the way he wants to spend the rest of his life. Warren's wife and daughter, however, aren't going to let him go without making him painfully aware of the cost. This is a tough and unsentimental look at relationships, regrets, and revenge. Strains of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" kept running through my mind. ~ Reviewed by Alden Graves
The word "hero" is applied so often today it has attained the status of a cliche. The author turned away from the green pastures that beckoned to so many young lawyers and followed his conscience rather than the money. This is an unflinching look at a justice system that, for all its pretensions towards fairness, is irrevocably skewed towards the rich and the privileged in America. Mr. Saltonstall defended people who some might call indefensible and he walked side by side with some of the great men of the previous century. He emerges from the pages of this remarkable book as my idea of a genuine hero. This memoir could serve as a template for living a profoundly useful and selfless life. ~ Reviewed by Alden Graves