Mysteries offering history, chess, humor
The Bibliophile These three whodunits are set in a variety of times and places: present-day New York; Brighton, England in the late 1950s; and Europe during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s. They will undoubtedly capture your imagination. Assassin’s Lullaby, by Mark Rubinstein, 328 pages, Thunder Lake Press paperback, 2022 Follow hired assassin Eli Dagan as he takes on an ... READ MORE
New memoir tells of family’s life in China
Shanghai-born Cultural Revolution survivor Qin Sun Stubis, 63, has a story to tell. It’s about her ancestors, who survived the Great Chinese Famine, historic upheavals, generations-old family curses, demeaning traditions and the Communist-led government. Qin, as she prefers to be called, describes her family’s often tumultuous times in a new memoir, Once Our Lives: Life, Death and... READ MORE
Jimmy Buffett’s songs take center stage
If you think it’s 5 o’clock somewhere — and it’s a good guess it is — then you’ll want to visit Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia to check out the current production of Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville. Like Mamma Mia, it’s a “jukebox musical” that includes pre-existing songs and builds a storyline around them. This is the area premiere of the show. It... READ MORE
Local 10-play festival is short and sweet
Did you know the average human attention span is about eight seconds? That’s less than that of a goldfish. So, the prospect of having to sit through a play that might run two or even three hours? Egad, pass the Benadryl and good night! Fortunately for drama enthusiasts, the Fells Point Corner Theatre (FPCT) has an alternative: the 10x10x10 Short Play Festival, which will take place... READ MORE
My latest birthday is setting records
Another birthday has crept up and landed. So has the oldest cliché. Yes, I have considered the alternative. No, I’m not ready to embrace it. But while rummaging through the usual birthday emotions — ho-hum, boo-hoo, bah-humbug, just-another-day — I suddenly got zapped by a bolt of reminiscence. I just turned 78. What does that number evoke? Why, 78 RPM records, of... READ MORE
Murder, mystery and more for summer
The Bibliophile Many readers prefer short bursts of creativity in short story form. This summer, enjoy these selections. Reader, I Buried Them & Other Stories, by Peter Lovesey, 384 pages, Soho Crime paperback, 2023 Murder most efficient is the theme of this superb anthology by an octogenarian award-winning mystery writer. Follow along as each crime is solved with speed and... READ MORE
Macbeth’s outdoor set adds atmosphere
Summer evenings are the perfect time to watch a Shakespeare play outdoors. This month, the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company — in particular, its Black Classical Acting Ensemble — presents an outstanding outdoor version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, directed superbly by Lauren Davis. The ensemble was established in 2021 “for Black artists to find and nurture their authentic voices in... READ MORE
Chita Rivera publishes her first memoir
It’s hard to imagine Anita, Rose Alvarez and Velma Kelly without Chita Rivera, who first breathed life into these beloved Broadway characters. At a time when there was limited Latino representation on stage, this young woman of Puerto Rican, Scottish and Irish descent was taking Broadway by storm and ensuring everyone knew her name. The dancer-turned-Broadway legend reminisces in... READ MORE
Recalling what our lives were like in 1968
He walked up to me at an academic conference wearing an inquisitive expression. I said hello and introduced myself. He did the same. Then this student said to me: “I’d like to know more about 1968. Can you help me?” My reply: “How much time ya got?” For all of us who waded, wandered, worried and worked through that epic year of American history, 1968 remains an obvious... READ MORE
Local authors tell of murder, satire, more
The Bibliophile These accomplished writers will mesmerize you with their fascinating accounts of true crime, the life of a beloved local figure, and a forgotten chapter in aviation history. Blood Runs Coal: The Yablonski Murders and the Battle for the United Mine Workers of America, by Mark A. Bradley, 368 pages, W.W. Norton & Company paperback, 2021 On December 9, 1969,... READ MORE
