Dilettante's Diary

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NOVEMBER 3, 2023
Aug 2, 2023
July 4, 2023
Apr 21, 2023
Feb 10, 2023
Jan 24, 2023
Jan 11, 2023
Dec 2, 2022
July 26, 2022
July 4, 2022
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March 25, 2022
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Feb 14, 2022
Nov 19, 2021
Oct 2021
Sept 16, 2021
July 21, 2021
July 15, 2021
June 11, 2021
Apr 23, 2021
March 12, 2021
Feb 13, 2021
Jan 5, 2021
December 2020
Autumn Mysteries 2020
Aug 12/20
May 25/20
Apr 30/20
March 12/20
Dec 6/19
Jan 29/20
Nov 10/19
Oct 24/19
Sept 30/19
Aug 2/19
June 22/19
May 26/19
Apr 22/19
Feb 23/19
Jan 15/19
Dec 20/18
Dec 3/18
Oct 3/18
Sept 9/18
Aug 9/18
July 19/18
June 2/18
May 14/18
Apr 23/18
Feb 22/18
Jan15/18
Dec 13/17
Nov 22/17
Nov 3/17
Oct 5/17
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Aug 3/17
June 16/17
Mar 21/17
Feb 26/17
Feb 9/17
Jan 30/17
Dec 19/16
Dec 11/16
Nov 20/16
Sept 17/2016
Aug 21/16
July 17/16
June 29/16
June 2/16
Apr 23/16
Feb 28/16
Feb 1/16
Jan 27/16
Winter Reading 2016
Dec 15/15
Nov 19/15
Fall Reading 2015
Oct 29/15
Sept 16/15
Sept 4/15
July 29, 2015
July 1, 2015
June 7/15
Summer Reading 2015
May 19/15
Apr 30/15
Apr 19/15
Spring Reading 2015
March 23/15
March 11/15
Winter Reading 2015
Feb 20/15
Feb 8/15
Jan 29/15
Jan 20/15
Highs 'N Lows of 2014
Dec 19/14
Dec 2/14
Nov 10/14
Oct 29/14
Fall Reading 2014
Sept 17/14
Summer Reading 2014
Aug 22/14
Aug 8/14
July 11/14
June 16/14
May 28/14
Apr 30/14
Apr 16/14
Apr 2/14
March 21, 2014
March 13/14
Feb 11/14
Sept 23/13
Favourite Works: 2004-2013
Two Novels by BARBARA PYM
Sabbath's Theater by PHILIP ROTH
July 18/13
Summer Reading 2013
June 19/13
May 30/13
Spring Reading 2013
May 10/13
Apr 18/13
Mar 29/13
March 14, 2013
The Artist Project 2013
Feb 25/13
Winter Reading 2013
Feb 7/13
Jan 22/13
Jan 12/13
A Toast to 2012
Dec 19/12
Dec 16/12
Dec 4/12
Fall Reading 2012
Nov 17/12
Nov 6/12
Art Toronto 2012
Oct 23/12
Oct 4/12
Sept 28/12
Summer Reading 2012
Aug 26/12
Aug 8/12
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2012
July 14/12
June 28/12
MIMC
May 27/12
May 20/12
May 4/12
La Traviata: Met's Live HD Version
Apr 21/12
Apr 6/12
Mar 22/12
Mar 9/12
The Artist Project 2012
Academy Awards Show 2012
Feb 26/12
Feb 11/12
Jan 23/12
Jan 15/12
Jan 7/12
Dec 20/11
Dec 12/11
Nov 27/11
Nov 18/11
Nov 7/11
Art Toronto 2011
Oct 22/11
Oct 17/11
Sept 30, 2011
Summer Reading 2011
Aug 11/11
July 28, 2011
July 19/11
TOAE 2011
June 25/11
June 20/11
June 2/11
May 14/11
Apr 29/11
Toronto Art Expo 2011
Apr 11/11
March 24/11
The Artist Project 2011
March 11/11
Feb 23/11
Feb 7/11
Jan 21/11
HIGHS 'N LOWS OF 2010
Jan 17/11
Dec 21/10
Dec 6/10
Nov 11/10
Fall Reading 2010
Oct 22/10
Summer Reading 2010
Aug 9/10
Aug 2/10
TOAE 2010
July 16/10
The Shack
June 27/10
June 3/10
May 5/10
April 17/10
Mar 28/10
Mar 17/10
The Artist Project 2010
Toronto Art Expo 2010
Feb 22/10
Feb 3/10
Notables of '09
Jan 11/10
Dec 31/09
Dec 17/09
How Fiction Works
Nov 24/09
Sex for Saints
Nov 11/09
Housekeeping
Oct 22/09
Oct 6/09
Sept 18/09
Aug 23/09
July 31/09
July 17/09
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2009
Toronto Fringe 2009
Zen Wrapped In Karma Dipped In Chocolate
June 28/09
June 6/09
Myriad Mysteries 2009
May 10/09
CBC Radio -- "The New Two"
April 14/09
March 24/09
Toronto Art Expo '09
March 1/09
The Jesus Sayings
Feb 8/09
Jan 26/09
Jan 10/09
Stand-outs of 2008
Dec 24/08
Dec 4/08
Nov 16/08
Oct 27/08
Oct 16/08
Sept 26/08
Sept 5/08
July 21/08
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 08
July 5/08
June 23/08
June 4/08
May 18/08
May 4/08
April 16/08
March 26/08
Head to Head
Feb 26/08
Feb 13/08
Jan 30/08
Jan 17/08
Notables of 2007
Dec 30/07
Dec 8/07
Nov 22/07
Oct 25/07
Oct 4/07
Sept 18/07
Aug 29/07
Aug 8/07
Summer Mysteries '07
July 20/07
June 28/07
June 8/07
May 21/07
May 2/07
April 14/07
March 23/07
Toronto Art Expo 2007
March 8/07
Feb 16/07
Feb 2/07
Jan 24/07
Notables of 2006
Dec 27/06
December 11/06
November 28/06
Nov 8/06
October 14/06
Sept 22/06
Ring Psycho (Wagner on CBC Radio)
Sept 6/06
August 12/06
July 18/06
June 27/06
June 9/06
May 23/06
Me In Manhattan
May 2/06
April 12/06
March 17/06
March 9/06
Feb 16/06
Feb 1/06
Jan 11/06
Dec 31/05
Dec 12/05
Nov 25/05
Nov 4/05
Oct 24/05
Sept 7/05
Sept 16/05
Sept 1/05
Aug 10/05
July 21/05
Me and the Jays
July 10/05
June 15/05
May 18/05
April 27/05
April 18/05
April 8/05
March 21/05
Feb 28/05
Feb 21/05
Feb 4/05
Jan 28/05
Jan 19/05
Jan 5/05
About Me
Dec 20/04
Dec 5/04
MOVIES
BOOKS
RE-READINGS
MYSTERIES/CRIME books
VIDEOS and DVDs
PLAYS
OTHER STUFF: Art Exhibitions, Concerts, etc.
Note: Dilettante's Diary is well on its way to three million page requests. Total requests as of November 3, 2023: 2,406,438.
 
Some philosopher -- I forget which one -- said that one of the main purposes of the arts is to give the idle rich something to talk about. That's what I'm doing here. Not that I'm rich, but I'm well qualified with respect to the other aspect of the job description.
 
What you'll find here are personal responses to stuff that I've been seeing and reading lately. These aren't reviews in the traditional sense; I don't include all the bumpf about directors, actors and so on.  Nor do I mark a score card for everybody involved. I mention some aspect of a work only if I think it's worth commenting on.
 
In most cases, I haven't read any reviews of the work in question. I prefer to form my own impressions before hearing what others have to say. What you're getting here is pure, unadulterated PJD. So how do I decide what movies to attend, what books to read? From the buzz, I guess. From knowing which directors, writers, actors are involved. From what friends tell me. From noticing how much press the work is receiving.
 
I promise to reveal only the bare minimum of plot elements. To me, one of the most important aspects of any novel, movie or play is  the way the author hooks me on the narrative by gradually doling out details of the plot. So I wouldn't want to spoil that pleasure for anybody. God spare us from those reviewers who have nothing better to offer than elaborate plot summaries!
 
If you want to know something about me, check the "Who Do I Think I Am?" page (just after "Home" page in the navigation bar on the left). If you think you can figure out who I am, please let me know. My psychiatrist would find the information very helpful.
 
JUST POSTED (Click on NOVEMBER 3, 2023 in the navigation bar on the left):



THE MIRACLE CLUB (Movie) -- Maggie Smith and Other Miracle Workers

BEAU IS AFRAID (Movie) -- Joaquin Phoenix Certainly Is!

THE CHOC-ICE WOMAN (Short Fiction) -- A Stunner from Mary Costello

SPARE (Memoir) -- How Prince Harry Sees Himself

THE LISTENERS (Novel) -- Jordan Tanahill on an Insidious Hum

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DROWNING(Short Stories) -- Steven Heighton's Last Writings

NO ONE LEFT TO COME LOOKING FOR YOU (Novel) -- Hilarious Mayhem from Sam Lipsyte

SOMEBODY'S FOOL (Novel) -- Richard Russo's Tumultuous Town

HOMELANDS (History) -- A Personal Take on the 20th Century from Timothy Garton Ash

THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE (Novel) -- James McBride on Small Town Intrigue

SAVING TIME (Sociology/Culture) -- Jenny Odell on Clock Culture

ABOVE GROUND (Poetry) -- Fatherhood from Clint Smith


Previously Posted (Click on Aug 2, 2023 in the navigation bar):

THE MAKING OF ANOTHER MAJOR MOTION PICTURE MASTERPIECE (Novel) -- Tom Hanks Tells It All

VALLEY OF THE MOON (New Yorker Short Fiction) -- Another Time, Another Place from Paul Yoon

THE SLOWWORM'S SONG (Novel) -- Andrew Miller Re-Visits Belfast Horrors

ROUGE STREET (Novellas) -- Contemporary Life in China, as seen by Shuang Xuetao

HOW TO DO NOTHING (Essays) -- Jenny Odell Does Lots

ZERO DAYS (Mystery/Thriller) -- Another Ruth Ware Winner

THE TENDER BAR (Memoir) -- Prince Harry's "Ghost" (J.R. Moehringer) Speaks for Himself


Other Recent Postings (Click on July 4th, 2023 in the navigation bar):

THE QUIET GIRL (Movie) -- Catherine Clinch Says It With Few Words

THE MAGIC FLUTE (Opera) -- Lawrence Brownlee and Erin Morley Make It Happen

THE MAGIC FLUTE(Movie) -- Jack Wolfe Does Too

COME SOFTLY TO OME (Short Fiction) -- Insights into Family Members as seen by David Gilbert

DON GIOVANNI (Opera) -- Peter Mattei's Somewhat Subdued Lecher

THE CHAMPION (Opera) -- Emile Griffith's Two Personae from Ryan Speedo Green and Eric Owens.


Other Postings (Click on Apr 21, 2023 in the navigation bar):

THE WHALE (Movie) -- Brendan Fraser Fills The Film with Feeling

THE FABELMANS (Movie) -- Here's What It Was Like Becoming Steven Spielberg

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (Movie) -- Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert Take Us Through Chaos to Clarity
To find a specific work, check the appropriate category in the Indexes on the navigation bar. However, due to technological glitches, the last couple of years' entries have not yet been indexed. You'll have to look on those pages to see what's there.

Want to respond? You can email me at: patrick@dilettantesdiary.com  (If you've sent an email without receiving a response, please try again. Sometimes, when my email system doesn't recognize your address, it sends the letter to bulk mail and it can get deleted acccidentally. It helps if you put a reference to these reviews in the subject line of your email. Thanks)

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