All Forms of Art

A strangely captivating novel I didn’t expect to love so much Picking Up a Book I Knew Nothing About I found The Book of Illusions completely by accident—pulled it off my parents-in-law’s shelf because the title looked mysterious enough. Honestly, I didn’t expect much.  The first pages were interesting and well written, sure, but I didn’t think it would be the sort of novel that hijacks your entire afternoon. Spoiler: it absolutely did. A Tragedy So Heavy You Almost Want to Look Away Auster opens the book with a heartbreak so intense that it almost feels unfair to read about it. Your first reaction might be exactly that: This isn’t fair. David Zimmer, the protagonist, has been shattered by loss. And then, in a way only Auster can pull off, Zimmer begins to crawl out of his despair through the oddest possible gateway: a sudden obsession with a forgotten silent-film comedian named Hector Mann. It’s such a strange setup—but somehow it works. Falling Down the Ra...

An Australian show about maternity. As well as that stage of life itself, The Let Down is often hilarious, dramatic, and chaotic.  We follow a recent mom through the day-to-day of her new life and all her problems. The doubts, the fears, and the constant state of exhaustion. A Feel-Good Story, Perfect Personal Timing As a mother of a young child, I particularly enjoyed this show because I can relate to it fully.  Dealing with the baby is actually easy, but dealing with the rest of our lives while taking care of the baby, that's the hard part. I think the show is really well done. If you have children, you’ll most likely immediately empathize with Audrey (Alison Bell - The Leftovers ) and the other women in her parenting group. If you’re not, you’ll probably laugh regardless, as it is a very hilarious time in people’s lives (especially for those who can sleep). What Let US Down Unfortunately, the show only has 7 episodes, but I'm already anxiously awa...