Page 64 - Sonoma County Gazette March 2018.indd

By Diane McCurdy
We might be acutely averse to anything associated with re in our particular
area but one cannot ignore the number one, best selling non- ction book in the nation, Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury. To begin with, it is a di cult book to review because despite the best e orts of the author, it is a partisan book. The feeling is that he really is trying to present information in a neutral manner as much as possible and I will make the same e ort. However, Wol has stated unequivocally that he has set out to document the rst nine months of the most turbulent, bizarre and, at times, malevolent period in American politics.
Remember the old Chinese proverb, “May you live in interesting times”? It can be interpreted positively or negatively—as a curse.
Unless you have been under a rock somewhere there is no information in this book that hasn’t been readily available through various media but what the author gives us is intrigue, the machinations behind the events and by doing so he gives them life. I had expected something more gossipy but what I got was reasonable, logical,
solid reporting. I appreciated the special talents of a writer who uses interviews and then constructs a scene. This is, of course,
a double-edged sword because the creator must use his own imagination to enhance the situation and that imagination has to
be disciplined. Some of the dialogue is in quotes so we must assume the words to be
verbatim. Let it be known that in the acknowledgements Wol mentions his fact checkers but lavishes much praise on his, “nuanced, sensitive and strategic” libel lawyer.
As far as content is concerned I did not realize the extent of the in uence of Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. They are referred to as “Jarvanka” an epithet supposedly coined by advisor, Steve Bannon.
They are known as political neophytes who have strong opinions and perhaps presidential aspirations of their own. Bannon is characterized as obsessed
with policy would could envision a presidential bid as well. Donald Jr.’s ill advised meeting with the Russians is mentioned for its sheer inappropriateness but basically Melania and the other Trump progeny are passed over. Comey, Spicer, Priebus all their exits are examined as are all the resulting factions jockeying for administrative in uence in their absence. The point is made
over and over that Trump did not expect to win so that he and his sta were
ill prepared. A wonderful comparison is made to Mel Brooks’ comedy, The Producers. The plot in that piece is predicated on the premise that in a nancing ploy, a play would be produced whose script was so outrageously ridiculous that it would be doomed but it turned out to be hit. Trump turned out to be a hit. We live in an era of alternative facts and truthful hyperbole. Sean Spicer said it most succintly, “You can’t make this stu up.” Only he didn’t say stu .
Mar 8 ~ Jeff Falconer - 7p
Mar 15 ~ Rebecca Rosenburg - The Secret
Call to Writers Book Launch
Series - All genres considered. Mail to Occidental Center for the Arts - Attention: Book Launch Committee, 3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental, CA, 95465, 707-874-9392, occidentalcenterforthearts. org
Ongoing
Second & Fourth Tues ~
Reader’s Theatre Group - Reading 2-3 short plays. FREE, 7p, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct, Occidental, 874-9392, occidentalcenterforthearts.org
Mar 5,12,19,26 ~ Snoopy’s Writers ~ Weekly Writers Group - Write in Snoopy’s atmosphere, a writer’s haven that stimulates the imagination, and bring your favorite Snoopy’s smile! 11- 2p, Snoopy's Home Ice, Warm Puppy Cafe, 1667 West Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, snoopyswriters.com
Readers Books Free, 130 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-939-1779, readersbooks.com
READ Diane McCurdy’s Book & DVD reviews online participants to submit their scripts to
at www.SonomaCountyGazete.com
64 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 3/18
Pegasus's Tapas: New Short Play Festival by the April 1 deadline. $20 donation, 10-2p, pegasustheater.com/, tapas2018@ pegasustheater.com
Mar 25 ~ Women's History Month - Poetry reading and musical salon led by Kayleen Asbo, Ph.D. on the theme of paradise lost and found. $25-$30, 4p, Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 Fourth Street, Petaluma, 707-778-4398, petalumamuseum.com
Mar 12 ~ Petaluma Women Who Write
Mar 16 ~ Bianca Bosher - Cork Dork: Obsessive Sommeliers, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live. 5:30p
Mar 22 ~ Bill Petrocelli - Through the Bookstore Window. 7p
Mar 28 ~ Bill Lynch - My Sonoma - Valley of the Moon. 6:30p
CopperfieldsBooks.com
Mar 5,6,13,19,20,26, Apr 2 ~ Jumpstart Writing Workshops - Susan Bono or Marlene Cullen. $15 per workshop, Mon, 6:30-8:30p, Tue, 10-11:30a, 140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma, 707-762-0563
Mar 8 ~ The Secret Life of Mrs. London - Rebecca Rosenberg and Magician Frank Balzerak. FREE, 7p 775 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-578-8938
Mar 9 ~ The California Field Atlas - Obi Kaufmann takes readers off the beaten path oin California. FREE, 7p, 138 N. Main Street, Sebastopol, 707-823-2618
Mar 10 ~ In Conversation with Gregory Simon & Teri Shore - Flame and Fortune in the American West: Urban Development, Environmental Change, FREE, 7p, 775 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-578-8938
Mar 12 ~ Enlightenment Now: Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress - Steven Pinker urges us to step back from prophecies of doom. $37.84, 6p, 140 Kentucky St, Petaluma, 707-762-0563
Mar 15 ~ Beware the Ides of March - Jonah Raskin and Waights Taylor Jr. talk about their murder mysteries. FREE, 7p, 775 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-578-8938
Mar 15 ~ WRITER’S FORUM: Abigail Samoun - The Children’s Publishing Process Revealed, FREE, 7p, 138 N. Main Street, Sebastopol, 707-823-2618
Mar 16 ~ Blaire Briody - The New Wild West - Small farm town in North Dakota ravished by oil companies. FREE, 7p, 138 N. Main Street, Sebastopol, 707-823-2618
Mar 16 ~ The Best Little Grammar Collection Ever - Local grammar diva Arlene Miller reads. FREE, 7p, 140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma, 707-762-0563
Mar 18 ~ A Capitalist's Lament - Leland Faust unmasks Wall Street’s unsavory tactics. $28. 3p, 140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma, 707-762-0563
Mar 23 ~ Song of a Captive Bird - Jasmin Darznik’s novel on poet Forough Farrokhzad. FREE, 7p, 138 N. Main Street, Sebastopol, 707-823-2618
Mar 24 ~ The Modoc War - Genocide at the Dawn of America’s Gilded Age. FREE, 7p, 775 Village Ct, S Rosa, 707-578-8938
Mar 31 ~ Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness - shore up these powerful inner strengths. FREE, 7p, 140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma, 707-762-0563
Monthly meeting for feedback and community, in an understanding and supportive forum. FREE, 6-8p, Aqus Cafe, 189 H St., Petaluma, Carole Coates, aqus.com
Mar 13 ~ Do Tell Story Swap - Keep the oral tradition of storytelling alive. FREE, $3-$5 suggested donation 7-9p, First Congregational Church, 2000 Humboldt Street, Santa Rosa, 707-539-3642
By Date
Mar 8 ~ Books on Stage/Telling the Story with Jean Hegland - A scholar’s attempts to come to terms with his life and reconcile with his daughter as he struggles with Alzheimer’s. $10 donation, 7p, Cloverdale Performing Art's Center, 209 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707- 894-2214, cloverdaleperformingarts.com
Mar 9 ~ Backstories from the
West Edge: Andrea Granahan - 40 years of adventure and journalism on the California Coast (aka QuirkUtopia). FREE 7a, Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct, Occidental, 707- 874-9392, occidentalcenterforthearts.org
Mar 15 ~ Sarah Lavender’s the Trail Runner's Companion - For runners of all levels. FREE, 7p Healdsburg Running Company, 333 Center Street, Healdsburg, copperfieldsbooks.com
Mar 17,24 ~ Pegasus Playwriting Workshop - Timed to enable
Life of Mrs. London. 6:30p