Two weeks ago, I skipped town to go to the Met Museum in New York City. Depending on your route and the traffic and the movements of the spheres, it’s about 3-4 hours from here.
When I saw the title I thought, "If this isn't about the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, I don't even want to read it!" I bought the book for one niece (now an art student) and again for the twins for us to read together. I love this book. (Also I wouldn't have survived my youthful post college time in New York without visits to the Temple of Dendur; it's where I sat and gathered myself when the going got tough.)
I LOVED Frankenweiler. Have not re-read it. I'm afraid to re-read books I loved in my youth, don't want the pleasant memories disrupted. I just found out about The Westing Game, haven't read it yet. The online description reminded me a little of a YA series I can't recall the name of (sigh), and of the huge but pretty good recent adult novel Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, which is set in Boston. I've been to the Gardner, it's lovely, worth the trip. (Tracy, I loved Harriet the Spy! Haven't re-read it.) I have found some good (newer) YA books in the last couple of years, and they're quite pleasant to read.
I loved that book! It made me want to live in a museum, too. I used to live near Boston, and you should definitely go to the Gardner, it's great.
I reread Stuart Little as an adult and was surprised at how short it felt. Still good, but I had remembered it as much more deep and complex. Interesting change.
Have you come across sculptures by Bernini? The way his hand holds her leg in Rape of Proserpina amazes me, and how in Apollo and Daphne, you can see her in the act of turning into a tree ... simply amazing to see what he could do with stone.
Gp, go, go to the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum. It took me 35 years (and for 10 of those years I lived in Boston). I wish I hadn't waited. It is fascinating, and it gives you such a sense of HER.
There is also a fascinating biography of ISG which I highly recommend, both for finding out more about her, and also as an exercise in reading between the lines. The author very clearly left out all the scandalous bits and only hints as what a difficult woman she must have been. I'll have to go dig it out.....
I 100% intend to go to the museum! Just need to figure out when. I'll track down the bio. I'm sure she was an intense person to have to deal with but a delight to know about now. :)
There’s a generation of women working in museums who were inspired by The Mixed-Up Files..., I’ve had more than one conversation with colleagues about it! Here’s a lovely video about the book and museum I found recently. https://www.metmuseum.org/metmedia/video/metkids/metkids-qanda/mixedup-files-and-the-met
Thank you for pointing this video out! I didn't realize that so many of the pieces of art in the book art still on display.
When I saw the title I thought, "If this isn't about the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, I don't even want to read it!" I bought the book for one niece (now an art student) and again for the twins for us to read together. I love this book. (Also I wouldn't have survived my youthful post college time in New York without visits to the Temple of Dendur; it's where I sat and gathered myself when the going got tough.)
I LOVED Frankenweiler. Have not re-read it. I'm afraid to re-read books I loved in my youth, don't want the pleasant memories disrupted. I just found out about The Westing Game, haven't read it yet. The online description reminded me a little of a YA series I can't recall the name of (sigh), and of the huge but pretty good recent adult novel Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, which is set in Boston. I've been to the Gardner, it's lovely, worth the trip. (Tracy, I loved Harriet the Spy! Haven't re-read it.) I have found some good (newer) YA books in the last couple of years, and they're quite pleasant to read.
I love The Westing Game, and this one. Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan holds up, as does Harriet the Spy
I loved that book! It made me want to live in a museum, too. I used to live near Boston, and you should definitely go to the Gardner, it's great.
I reread Stuart Little as an adult and was surprised at how short it felt. Still good, but I had remembered it as much more deep and complex. Interesting change.
Have you come across sculptures by Bernini? The way his hand holds her leg in Rape of Proserpina amazes me, and how in Apollo and Daphne, you can see her in the act of turning into a tree ... simply amazing to see what he could do with stone.
This was a fun post. Good to get away. As for me, t I loved the Nancy Drew books and Harriet the Spy. Her notebook still intrigues me.
Gp, go, go to the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum. It took me 35 years (and for 10 of those years I lived in Boston). I wish I hadn't waited. It is fascinating, and it gives you such a sense of HER.
There is also a fascinating biography of ISG which I highly recommend, both for finding out more about her, and also as an exercise in reading between the lines. The author very clearly left out all the scandalous bits and only hints as what a difficult woman she must have been. I'll have to go dig it out.....
I 100% intend to go to the museum! Just need to figure out when. I'll track down the bio. I'm sure she was an intense person to have to deal with but a delight to know about now. :)