Dream Town By: David Baldacci

God I Love this series.  The third in the Archer series, Dream Town takes place in 1953 Hollywood, with all of the glitz, glam, fakery and back-stabbing you'd expect, plus Baldacci's richly detailed characters and superbly plotted mysteries.  A fantastic read!

 

Home By: Samm-Art Williams

A simple piece about a man and his connection to his home, and all that that can and does mean. A three person play that has some wonderful imagery in its beautifully written lines. Almost like a lyrical poem, there is a lot of music in the dialogue and monologues which make this piece just that much more powerful.

To The End Of The Land By: David Grossman

I'm probably in the minority on this one, but I did not like it at all.  I didn't care for any of the characters, I didn't care for how the story was structured (I don't know if that is a fault of the original or the translator), I felt it was way too long.  It wasn't helped by bringing up plot points that were dropped and never discussed and/or resolved.  What made this especially disappointing was the fact that I read and LOVED Someone to Run With by the same author. 

 

A Girl's Guide to Chaos By: Cynthia Heimel

I'm sure that when this was first produced, it was hilarious and a little titillating and shocking--but reading now it seems a little dated.  I definitely enjoyed reading it and did chuckle out loud at several points.  My favorite line: "If she can't fry it or fuck it, she can't bothered."

Assassins By Stephen Sondheim & John Weidman

Of all of Sondheim's works, Assassins is my 2nd favorite (Sweeney is my top one-what does that say about me?!). The truly sad statement about this show is that the feelings/thoughts/hurts expressed by the characters in this show, as still relevant, if not more so than when the show was originally done 30+ years ago!

Falsettos By: William Finn and James Lapine

Reading the script/libretto for this inventive musical highlights Finn's poetry and his brilliance in character development.  The inclusion of In Trousers is a special treat-to see where it all began!  I do recommend reading this edition because Frank Rich's afterward is insightful, heartfelt and is a treat for fans of this show!
 

Men on Men 2 Edited By: George Stambolian

I'm sure that when I bought this 30+ years ago it was for prurient reasons.  Now that I have some age, life experience and what I hope is maturity and wisdom I can appreciate this collection of short stories for their literary merit.  An extremely diverse, well curated collection of stories by gay men about gay men.  Each story is unique in its perspective, it's angle of attack and its focus.  Some really great reads in this collection.

Making Priscilla: The Hilarious Story Behind The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert By: Al Clark

I'm going to assume that I read this 29 years ago when it came out, because it was in a bookcase covered with dust.  It was such fun to revisit the making of this iconic movie, which I will be re-watching this weekend!

Night Screams: 22 Stories of Terror Edited By: Ed Gorman & Martin H. Greenberg

A beautifully curated set of creepy tales to read late at night!!  Some are completely creepy, others let your imagination do a lot of the work, and still others have a great deal of heart.  There really is something for everyone in this collection.

 

The Catcher in the Rye By: J. D. Salinger

I first read this book when I was 18, and loved it.  I re-read it when I was in late 30s, and thought is okay.  Now that I'm in my 50s and I've re-read it again with a little more life experience, years, and maturity, I have to say, I'm not thrilled with this.  I know it's a classic and it's supposed to be this extraordinary story, and I'm sure it was when it first came out-but it has not held up well.  Unpopular opinion: Holden Caufield is just a lazy, immature, spoiled brat.