Review of "Alfred Hitchcock: A Biography" by Peter Ackroyd

Alfred Hitchcock was born into an English working class family in 1899 and grew up in some of London's poorer districts, among small houses, assorted shops, daily laborers, and crowded streets smelling of the Thames River.


Little Alfred Hitchcock

Alfie (as his family called him) had a passion for roaming and claims to have journeyed all over London - via bus and train - by the age of eight. The scenes of churning London neighborhoods remained with Hitchcock for life, and he re-created them in many of his films.




London in the early 1900s

Hitchcock's family was devoutly Catholic and he was educated in Catholic schools, became an altar boy, and embraced the strict tenets of the faith.



As a result, Hitchcock had an anxious disposition and was uncomfortable about his body. Hitchcock often claimed that - apart from conceiving his daughter Patricia - he was celibate for life. Hitchcock was also fat and not especially handsome, which probably affected his self-image and relationships with women.




Alfred Hitchcock was self-conscious about his body

From an early age Hitchcock loved public entertainments, especially plays and films, and began reading trade papers as a teenager. He was obsessed with themes of horror, violence, crime, and criminals, and became a devotee of the works of Edgar Allan Poe.



By the age of 22, Hitchcock went to work for a London-based film company and - by volunteering to do every job available - began to learn the nuts and bolts of movie-making. Hitchcock's future wife Alma Reville also worked for the film company and, after they married, became Hitchcock's most trusted partner - both personal and professional. By the middle of his career, Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most well-known, popular, and respected directors in the world.


Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville


Alfred Hitchcock directing a movie

This biography by Peter Ackroyd touches on many aspects of the director's life and provides a detailed overview of Hitchcock's movies. Ackroyd talks about each of the surviving (and a few lost) Hitchcock films, and describes how Hitchcock's background, upbringing, education, religion, personal foibles, likes, dislikes, hirings, firings, studios, producers - and of course Alma's input - impacted them.


One critic observes: Hitchcock’s artistry reached its apex with his San Francisco–set tale of an acrophobic investigator (James Stewart) who falls hard for the mysterious blond (Kim Novak) he’s been hired to tail. Sexual obsession, shifting identities and, of course, a pesky fear of heights all play a part in this hallucinatory masterpiece."

Even in the midst of making a movie Hitchcock was always on the hunt for his next project, and he had 'favorite people' he liked to work when possible. This included certain script writers, photographers, dress designers, composers, actors, and so on. Moreover, Hitchcock often developed crushes on his beautiful female stars, whom he would cosset, groom, and converse with constantly - bestowing so much attention that they were often uncomfortable. Hitchcock's wife Alma was well aware of this quirk, and sometimes commiserated with and apologized to the ladies.

Some of Hitchcock's favorite actresses were: Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, Janet Leigh, Grace Kelly and Tippi Hedren.


Kim Novak


Eva Marie Saint


Janet Leigh


Grace Kelly


Tippi Hedren

Hitchcock's early movies were silent black and white productions, but as new technologies became available the filmmaker happily switched to talkies, and then technicolor. Hitchcock began his career in England, where he did well. But the director was always seeking increased commercial success and more money, and he eventually moved to California.....to make Hollywood movies.

Whenever possible Hitchcock liked to control all aspects of his films, including the story, the script, the locations, the lighting, the camera angles, the sound effects, the editing, the music, the length, etc. Though he sometimes filmed on location Hitchcock preferred to work in a studio, where he was more comfortable and had access to his favorite things (like steak and salad for lunch every day).



Hitchcock was meticulous about storyboarding, planning, and blocking every scene of his movies. By contrast, the auteur took a kind of minimalist approach with respect to actors. Most stars of Hitchcock films noted that the great man rarely commented on their performances - good, bad, or otherwise. Hitchcock just told them what was expected and let them get on with it, which many found disconcerting.


Alfred Hitchcock and Jimmy Stewart


Alfred Hitchcock and Sean Connery


Alfred Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren

Hitchcock also had a lighter side, and he liked to tell ribald stories and play practical jokes. During one production Hitchcock left a different 'dead body' in an actress's trailer every day, to see which elicited the best response. More evidence of Hitchcock's humor could be seen in his opening and closing remarks for the TV series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", where he tended to be droll and sarcastic.




Alfred Hitchcock laughing with Janet Leigh

Hitchcock achieved worldwide fame and popularity, and many of his films are considered classics. Toward the end of his career Hitchcock received two prestigious awards: a "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the American Film Institute, and a "KBE" (Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) from Queen Elizabeth.

I enjoyed the book, which was fun and informative. I liked reading about the nitty-gritty of Hitchcock's film-making and appreciated the stories about famous actors, including Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine, Paul Newman, Grace Kelly, Jimmy Stewart, Anna Massey, James Mason, Kim Novak, Tippi Hedren, Joseph Cotton, Eva Marie Saint, Anthony Perkins, Ingrid Bergman....and many more.

Reading the book brought to mind some of my favorite Hitchcock movies, like The Lady Vanishes, Rebecca, Suspicion, Spellbound, The Paradine Case (which wasn't a big success...but I liked it), Strangers on a Train, Dial M For Murder, Rear Window, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, The Birds, Marnie (which was said to be too cerebral for mass appeal), and Frenzy. I now plan to re-watch some of these films via the magic of streaming and DVDs.

Overall, this is an interesting, enlightening, and entertaining book, recommended for fans of biographies, film buffs, and especially Alfred Hitchcock devotees.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of this book.


Movie posters from some Alfred Hitchcock films













Rating: 4 stars

Review of "Tricky Twenty-Two: A Stephanie Plum Mystery" by Janet Evanovich

This 22nd book in the 'Stephanie Plum' cozy mystery' series has the usual murder, mayhem, and fun. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

If you're a fan of Janet Evanovich's 'Stephanie Plum' series you know what to expect and this book delivers as usual. Stephanie, a semi-competent bounty hunter, is trying to track down Ken Globovic (Gobbles), a member of the Zeta fraternity at Kiltman College. Gobbles skipped bail after being arrested for assaulting a college administrator, Dean Mintner.



At the same time Stephanie is helping Ranger - who owns Rangeman security company - keep an eye on Doug Linken and his wife Monica. Doug's business partner, Harry Getz, was recently shot dead and Doug thinks he might be next. As things turn out, he is. All this sets the scene for a couple of viewings and funerals, where comic hijinks ensue as people fight over cookies and gun-toting Grandma Mazur tries to horn in on the protection detail.



It turns out Linken and Getz were former members of Zeta fraternity, which has an 'Animal House' vibe about it - lots of drunk carousing and no studying. Plus, the frat's faculty advisor, Professor Pooka, is a weird guy who wears a magic amulet and pajama-type pants. Dean Mintner is fed up with Zeta fraternity and determined to close it down. And soon enough there's yet another death!



In between her other activities Stephanie tries to snag a few additional bail-skippers, which doesn't go smoothly. There's lots of running and chasing; Stephanie gets roughed up; Lula hurls a giant dildo at a perp; and so on.



Grandma Mazur adds some extra fun to events since she's been 'catfishing' - creating fake profiles to hook up with men online. And she's been using Stephanie's photo!

The book has all the expected elements: Stephanie waffles between her on-off boyfriend Joe Morelli.....



......and super-hot Ranger.  



Stephanie's co-worker Lula shoots up Zeta fraternity; Stephanie wrecks a couple of cars; Rex the hamster gets some snacks; Stephanie's mom irons and has a few shots to relieve stress; lots of fried chicken and donuts are eaten; and so on.



Eventually the diabolical plot behind the killings is revealed, and it's quite a doozy!

I got some laughs from the book and enjoyed visiting with the familiar and entertaining characters. If you're a fan of the series you'll probably like this book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Don't You Cry: A Novel" by Mary Kubica

Quinn Collins and Esther Vaughan are friends and roommates that share a Chicago walk-up apartment. After Quinn returns home from a drunken Saturday night out she finds Esther gone. Quinn is troubled but reluctant to call the police. Instead she waits for day after day, hoping Esther returns. She also ransacks the apartment for clues to Esther's whereabouts and calls a mutual friend, Ben, for help.



During her exploration of Esther's things Quinn discovers that her roomate did some odd things before she vanished. Esther legally changed her name; took a lot of cash out of her bank account; got a passport; advertised for a new roommate; arranged a mysterious meeting; obtained the card of a psychologist; wrote some strange letters; etc.



Try as she might Quinn can't quite make sense of all this. However, she does admit (to herself) that her inability to pay her half of the bills and sloppy habits might make her a bad roommate - and Esther may have wanted to ditch her.

Meanwhile, sixty miles away in a Chicago suburb, 19-year-old Alex Gallo works as a busboy/dishwasher in a diner. One morning Alex's attention is arrested by a new customer - a pretty, petite, exotic-looking young woman he calls 'Pearl' because of a bracelet she wears. The reader soon learns that Pearl matches Esther's description.



The story is narrated by Quinn and Alex in alternating chapters. In Quinn's sections she talks about fun times with Esther; how considerate Esther is; Esther's studies; Esther's reluctance to talk about her family; and more. Quinn also details her increasing worries about Esther and reveals her secret crush on Ben, who has a girlfriend.



In Alex's sections he talks about taking care of his alcoholic father; his grief over the desertion of his mom; his exacting boss and crappy job; the agoraphobic woman living near the diner; and his obsession with Pearl, whom he secretly watches and follows.



Additonally, Alex talks a lot about the 'haunted house' across the street from his residence, said to harbor the ghost of a deceased five-year-old girl.



Though I was curious about the unfolding events in the story this wasn't a riveting book to me. I became impatient with the snail's pace of the narration and didn't empathize much with the characters, though I did feel a little sorry for Alex - a bright boy who declined a college scholarship to stay home and support his drunken father. I also thought the book's ending was somewhat predictable and not very interesting....but by the time I got there I didn't care much.

For me this is just a so-so book.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Welfare reform in the mid-1990s was meant to get people off the welfare rolls and into the workforce. As the U.S. had a strong economy at the time, and jobs were plentiful, this was supposed to work out pretty well all around. The problem was that most 'unskilled jobs' paid minimum wage (which was six to seven dollars/hour at the time) and this just wasn't enough to support a parent and child - much less a larger family.

In 1998 Barbara Ehrenreich - a political activist and writer - decided to try to live like the 'working poor.' She planned to obtain low paying jobs and see if she could live on the resulting wages. Ehrenreich then wrote a book about her experiences - this one.


Barbara Ehrenreich

As Ehrenreich points out in the book, she didn't really start on a level playing field with the economically deprived. She was well-educated, in good health, and had no small children. Nevertheless her experiences provided a peek at what it was like to be a member of the working poor.

Over the span of a couple of months Ehrenreich lived in Florida, Maine, and Minnesota. In each location, she rented (or tried to rent) an apartment, took one or two low-paying jobs, and attempted to live on the wages she earned. The first problem Ehrenreich encountered was finding a place to live. Without funds to pay a security deposit and first month's rent, it was very difficult to rent an apartment - even a cheap crappy one. Thus, some minimum wage earners (including Ehrenreich at times) had to live in shabby motels, which actually cost more than an apartment.



One of Ehrenreich's co-workers lived in a van. Ehrenreich describes the various places she lived, most of which were ratty, uncomfortable, minimalist, and sometimes dangerous. On occasion she had no refrigerator or cooking facilities.

Ehrenreich's next order of business was obtaining a job or two in each state. This often required submitting applications, going to interviews, passing personality exams (would you steal; would you report a co-worker for theft; do you follow rules; and so on), and getting drug-tested.



Upon obtaining a job, Ehrenrich had to buy appropriate clothing (generally slacks and polo shirts) and travel to work and back. Unlike some low-income workers Ehrenreich allowed herself a car in each location, a rent-a-wreck - which also skewed her 'authentic experience' a bit.



During her experiment Ehrenreich worked as a waitress; a caregiver for Alzheimer's patients; a hotel maid; a house cleaner; and a Wal-Mart ladies-wear employee. Each job was physically difficult, exhausting, and demoralizing... since the workers were closely monitored and generally not trusted by the employers.











While at Wal-Mart Ehrenreich had to make a couple of phone calls to line up a new place to live. To achieve this Ehrenreich had to sneak out of Wal-Mart to her car (using maneuvers similar to Keanu Reaves in The Matrix), get the phone numbers, and use a public telephone. Caught by a manager, Ehrenreich (falsely and nervously) stated she was on an official break. All this would give a person heartburn for sure.

Ehrenreich also ate badly most of the time for a variety of reasons: lack of funds (employers routinely held back the first week's wages), no appropriate place to prepare food, no time to eat on the job, etc. Often, Ehrenreich supplemented her diet with fast food. One of Ehrenreich's fellow hotel maids ate hot dog buns for lunch. And a house cleaning mate routinely had a few crackers.



In the end Ehrenreich - making less money at Wal-Mart than she was paying for living quarters, food, and necessities - quit and went back to her normal life.

I'm sure Ehrenreich had good intentions when she embarked on this experiment but she comes across as a kind of 'dilettante' poor person who was not really playing by the rules. First, a real low-wage worker might line up a couple of roommates to share an apartment, which seems a logical thing to do. Second, Ehrenrich knew about the drug testing but - taking a recreational break - smoked marijuana. This resulted in a few frantic days spent drinking gallons of water (to flush out the evidence) plus the cost of system-cleaning medicine from the drugstore (I don't know if this actually works). Third, Ehrenreich could have packed bologna or PB&J sandwiches for lunch, rather than purchasing (relatively expensive) fast food.



Nevertheless, Ehrenreich did bring attention to the very difficult plight of minimum-wage employees in 1998. It was almost impossible for a working single mother, for example, to pay for a place to live, daycare, nutricious food, decent clothing, incidentals, etc. And if a family member needed to see a dentist or doctor they were just out of luck. Moreover, unlike Ehrenreich - who had a cushy upper middle-class life to return to - the economically disadvantaged could only look forward to continued drudgery. They had no hope for a better life. This is truly sad.😕

Rating: 4 stars