Book & Movies

More about life than knitting, this book was an enjoyable, but not memorable, read. The plot centers on Georgia Walker, a single mother and yarn store owner, and the women who are drawn together on Friday evenings. We learn their stories and watch as friendships form. Georgia has to deal with the re-entry into their lives of the father of her child. Anita allows love and romance to blossom. Darwin finds a good friend. Cat leaves her husband. All their lives change in small or large ways.

I enjoyed the prefaces to the sections - short essays on different aspects of knitting. It was fun to imagine the store, the women coming together, knitting and sharing food. Unfortunately, the plot shift near the end of the book seemed abrupt and gratuitous. With that as a warning, I do recommend this book to fellow knitters or those who like to read books about friendships between women - with some romance thrown in.

Two movies to recommend. One still in theaters and one on dvd.

The Lives of Others won this year's Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. It is set in East Germany during the Communist regime when the secret police permeated the country. Brilliantly acted, beautifully filmed, it was more than worth the price of the ticket.

L'Auberge Espagnole (The Spanish Apartment) was a delightful film about a young Frenchman's year of study in Barcelona. He shares an apartment with five other students - each a different nationality. His romantic and cultural escapades are amusing and the acting is excellent. There is a sequel called Russian Dolls and I have it in my Netflix queue.