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Take Note: Holiday happenings bring comfort, renewal
By MIM ANNE HOUK Welcome to the busiest month of the year. Getting over the Thanksgiving feast in time to prepare for the Christmas dinner is no small task. The feeling of unreality produced by the ever-changing world situation and concern about infectious diseases, or rumors thereof, make holiday preparations seem downright frivolous. If it gives you comfort, pursue rigorously the same routine your household observes every year, whatever form that might take. However, you might want to forget those ties and cologne presents you usually give relatives and friends and opt instead for a good book or video, a visit to an art show or a night out at a holiday concert. One of the delightful things about owning a book is to be able to share it with like-minded friends. Whoever gets any of these books for a present will have that double pleasure: For mystery fans, Total Recall by Sara Paretsky is more of a novel than a detective story, even though V.I. Warshawski is busy at work untangling plots ranging from her friend Lottie's unhappy memories of the Holocaust to tracking down a death-benefit fraud by an insurance company, with both searches complicated by a recovered-memory therapist. It's special fun for people who know and love Chicago, itself a major character. The Good German by Joseph Kanon is set in the fascinating postwar atmosphere of Berlin as the Cold War was heating up and it was difficult to tell one's friends from one's enemies. The main character, an American newspaper reporter, is searching for his prewar German sweetheart in all the wreckage and rubble, adding another layer of interest to this absorbing example of good entertainment and excellent history. Who would have thought there was another book to be written about Richard Nixon? There was, and Richard Reeve has done it: President Nixon: Alone in the White House. This work does more to explain the Watergate debacle than any previous analysis, as well as gives an in-depth look at the strengths and weaknesses of such an enigmatic president. Some good videos are available for when you've shopped till you've dropped and need something to enjoy while you recover. If you have missed The Sopranos on HBO, the first two seasons now are available on video and DVD. You may love it or hate it; either way, it's a part of our popular culture and difficult to ignore. If you like the Merchant-Ivory costume dramas, try House of Mirth, directed by Terence Davis and adapted from the novel by Edith Wharton. It is a marvelous exploration of a woman caught by cruel forces and her own miscalculations in early 20th century society. Cast Away is a romantic tale of adventure and survival on a lonely desert island, beautifully performed by Tom Hanks. For some beautifully performed music, the Florida Orchestra's Coffee Series program at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, at Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg will be conducted by Thomas Wilkins, with James Connors on the cello. With a wonderfully pun-ny title, Coffee Goes for Baroque, this concert really does, with works by Handel, Haydn and Bach. How can you beat that for a great morning of great music? Complimentary coffee and doughnuts will be served before the concert. Call (813) 286-2403 for tickets and more information. The Florida West Coast Symphony in Sarasota has three wonderful musical treats for the community, and all are free. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, the advanced members of the youth orchestra program will perform; on Dec. 8, members of String Orchestras 1 and 2, Symphonic Strings and Symphonic Winds from the youth orchestra program will play; on Dec. 15, the youth orchestra and resident musicians will lead the annual holiday sing-in. It's a great way to get into the holiday spirit. All performances will take place in Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Information and reservations: (941) 953-4252. Most of us love seeing how other people decorate their homes for the holidays. The Dunedin Youth Guild will present the third annual Holiday Tour of Homes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday , with visits to six Dunedin homes with lavish, lovely decorations. The guild supports community services such as the library, parks, schools, the fine arts center, the historical society, Hospice and others and contributes to several scholarship programs. Prepaid tickets cost $15 each. Information: (727) 733-8646. The community is honoring one of its most admired museum directors, Michael Milkovich, who recently retired after his extremely successful, almost 20-year stint at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg. In his honor, Collecting for the Community: Twenty Years of Treasures at the Museum of Fine Arts will include 75 works he was instrumental in adding to the museum's collection; it more than doubled during his tenure. Antiquities, European paintings, American paintings, decorative arts and the photography collection will be on view Friday through Jan. 6. Information: (727) 896-2667, www.fine-arts.org The best way to observe the holidays is with family and friends. Some of the best music can be found at churches and community centers, so don't miss out on treasures right under your nose. - Write to Mim Anne Houk c/o Seniority, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Or send e-mail to MHouk@tampabay.rr.com.
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From the Times Seniority pages |
