Becky's Book Reviews: Week in Review #9

Friday, February 28, 2025

Week in Review #9

This week I read NINE books.

18. Scattergood. H.M. Bouwman. 2025. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [mg fiction, mg historical, 3 stars]

Read this if...

you enjoy historical fiction set during WWII
you enjoy books with a sadder/heavier perspective
you don't mind main characters that are [mostly] unlikable]

19. My Wonderful World of Slapstick. Buster Keaton with Charles Samuels. 1960. 340 pages. [Source: Library] [adult biography, adult autobiography; film-making, show business, comedy]

Read this if...

you enjoy autobiographies
you have an interest in the history of film--particularly silent movies OR slapstick comedy
you love Buster Keaton

20. The House on the Canal. Thomas Harding. Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup. 2025. 56 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, picture book for older readers, 4 stars, nonfiction]

Read this if...

you enjoy historical picture books
you enjoy picture books for older readers

18. Towed by Toad. Jashar Awan. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, picture book, early reader]

Read this if...

you enjoy reading picture books or early readers about helpers
you enjoy toads?

19. Gnome and Rat: Time to Party. Lauren Stohler. 2024. 80 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, early chapter book, early graphic novel]

Read this if...

you enjoy early graphic novel chapter books
you enjoy series books
you enjoy friendship stories

20. Lone Wolf Goes to School. Kiah Thomas. Illustrated by K-Fai Steele. 2024. 56 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, early chapter book, animal fantasy]

Read this if...

you enjoy humorous books
you enjoy early chapter books
you enjoy animal fantasy

17. A Collection of Blessings. Helen Steiner Rice. 2009. 160 pages. [Source: Bought] [nonfiction, poetry, christian poetry, 3 stars]

Read this if...

you enjoy rhyming poetry on spiritual themes
you enjoy greeting card vibes

18. Knowledge of the Holy. A.W. Tozer. 1961/1978. HarperCollins. 128 pages. [Source: Book I Bought][5 stars]

Read this if...

you want to learn more about God, his attributes
you want to read a book that is both theological and devotional
you want a great introduction to A.W. Tozer
you want a diagnosis for what's plaguing the modern church

19. Good News at Rock Bottom. Ray Ortlund. 2025. [March] 160 pages. [Source: Review copy] [5 stars]

Read this if...

you are at rock bottom, have been at rock bottom, or are spiraling down
you love somewhere who is (see the above)
you want a refresher of the gospel

Century of Viewing Round-up for Week 9

1910s

1910 Frankenstein. This silent short is the first adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Is it really? Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps in name only?! It certainly takes liberties--as many adaptations do. The creation of the monster--though NOT at all like the book, not even a little bit--holds up as CREEPY, SUPER CREEPY even all these years later. Though it is not at all faithful to the book, it was interesting to watch. The choices made were artistic and intentional. I do like that the movie does seem to capture the fact that the monster is "evil" because it was created by an evil mind.
1911 Cinderella. This is a silent short adaptation of Cinderella. It is bare-bones basic. I can't say that it was wow or super creative. Though they did 'magic' away the walls of the house so the carriage--transformed in the kitchen--could get out of the house to go to the ball. The dress was unspectacular.
1912 My Baby. This is a Mary Pickford silent film--a short. (This is *my* first time watching Mary Pickford). In this one a younger daughter promises to never, ever, ever marry and stay with her father forever; however, after she falls in love she marries and leaves her home. He disowns them, but all may be forgiven--eventually--after he catches a glimpse of their baby. I enjoyed this one (though I didn't love the background music for the YT video I watched). It was certainly romantic drama. Definitely much more of a story with this one than Frankenstein and Cinderella. Though you could argue that it was mere scenario and the others actually are adapted from books. I still say there was more character development with My Baby than in the previous which relied on the audience being familiar with classic stories.
1917 The Butcher Boy is Buster Keaton's first appearance on film. He was under contract as a solo act on stage, but took a drastic pay cut to 'take a chance' on moving pictures. He is, of course, teamed up with Roscoe Arbuckle [and Al St. John]. This was a test, a trial, if you will, to see if Keaton had what it took. His scenes are absolutely wonderful. (Poor Buster never did get his hat back!) This one also stars Luke the Dog.

1920s

1920 The Saphead was Buster Keaton's first feature film. The movie is based on the plays "Henrietta" and the "New Henrietta." It was a DELIGHT. Good-boy Bertie plays up his 'bad' side so that he can supposedly win the heart of a modern girl--Agnes. Though there's not a thing 'modern' about Agnes who loves Bertie just as he is. His father, however, is disgusted by his son's behavior and disowns him with just a "small" check to see him go. (You know, just one million dollars). He buys a seat at the New York Stock Exchange...As I said this one is a DELIGHT but I'm not going to detail everything. This one was sweet, comical, romantic.
1922 Frozen North is a Buster Keaton film--a parody of a silent western actor. In the movie, he plays quite a villain--definitely not sweet, charming, romantic. The movie has quite a few humorous scenes...and as you might expect a twist ending...that for me at least redeemed it.
1926 The General is Buster Keaton's masterpiece. I should have included it most weeks in February. I watch it at least once a week--usually on Friday. I love this one more than words can say.
1927 IT is a silent film starring Clara Bow. Bow plays an IT girl. Quoting from a title card that is quoting from an article/book. "It is that peculiar quality which some persons possess, which attracts others of the opposite sex. The possessor of 'It' must be absolutely un-selfconcious, and must have that magnetic 'sex appeal' which is irresistible." This silent feature reminded me SO SO SO SO much of Bachelor Mother or Bundle of Joy except that the baby is the child of a friend who is staying with her. But department store girl falls hard for the son of the department store owner....and misunderstandings get in the way. It was a delight.

1930s

1931 Parlor, Bedroom, and Bath is a Buster Keaton romantic comedy. It is still slapstick in many ways. If Shakespeare was into slapstick comedy, he might have written Taming of the Shrew like this movie. Younger sister can't marry until the older one does...the older one is PICKY about who she is attracted to. It must be a playboy, a man she can never be certain of, a man with a certain appeal and experience. Buster Keaton plays Reggie a man who really has none of those attributes, but the sister's boyfriend is determined to give him quite the makeover and teach him--through his female friends--exactly how to win the heart of the girl. I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. Buster Keaton--for better or worse--had to record this movie THREE TIMES--once in English, once in German [with phonetic spelling] and once in French [again with phonetic spelling]. The German and French have DIFFERENT actors and actresses. I've not been able to track down the French edition, but I've seen my favorite bits in the German, and it is HILARIOUS.
1933 What! No Beer? is a Buster Keaton comedy about the repeal of Prohibition. He is teamed up--for better or worse--with Jimmy Durante. I've been giving it some thought--a lot of thought--and this comedy duo doesn't quite fit together well though both are funny individually. To be honest, Keaton was still delightful in many, many ways. He can't help it--he has charisma. Durante is a little hard to take in this one. But I am glad I watched this one.

1940s

1941 Sun Valley Serenade is a romantic musical starring John Payne and Sonja Henie (the figure skater). It also features GLENN MILLER'S ORCHESTRA. It was an absolute delight of a film. John Payne is dreamy. The story is fun. The music is awesome. The skating show was a nice treat.
1943 This is the Army is a musical I endured. It is a 'revue' type musical with dozens of song-and-dance numbers all with a flag-waving patriotic theme. There is a loose story--weaving together two Irving Berlin shows--one from World War I and one from World War II. I could have used more story and less cross-dressing? I don't really think that was the only factor--far from it. It's just that there's only so many different "big" stage numbers of singing and dancing that you can stand before you start wanting more. Even with movies like Singin' in the Rain, I can get bored some of the time.

1950s

1953 By the Light of the Silvery Moon is a Doris Day movie. This is a sequel to be exact. I will go back and watch On Moonlight Bay. Both movies are set circa 1918/1919 perhaps 1920. Doris Day is almost always, always a delight. This is a great musical.
1954 The Glenn Miller Story is a biographical drama about Glenn Miller. Miller is played by James Stewart. His wife is played by June Allyson. It was a GREAT movie. I loved it so much.
1955 The Silent Partner (1955) is an episode of Screen Directors Playhouse starring Buster Keaton and Joe E. Brown. It was WONDERFUL. I absolutely loved it. He plays a character, Kelsey Dutton, a forgotten silent movie star who has fallen on hard times. He's watching his former buddy get recognized by the Academy Awards....little does he know just what the evening will bring. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one.

1970s

1976 Voyage of the Damned is a film about the Holocaust and/or WWII. It is based on the true story of the ship that set sail to Cuba only to be denied port. All the Jewish refugees were returned to Germany. It is long and depressing. It features dozens and dozens of characters--little time is spent with any of them.

2020s

2024 Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam is a Netflix documentary about Lou Pearlman, the music mogul behind Backstreet Boys, etc. I'd seen the YT original documentary a few years ago, and I thought I would revisit the subject. Plenty of interviews. Some music.
2025 American Murder: Gabby Petito is a Netflix documentary about the case. I had followed this case closely from several different YouTubers....and so I don't know that I learned much. But it was a refresher course for sure. I do think it suffers from trying to be three episodes.