The BOOK of JOAN by Melissa Rivers-A Daughter's Swan Song for Mom

It's been more than 2 years since the tragic & untimely death of Joan Ribers which robbed us of a fearless & funny entertainer & mother unlike any other.  Time flies with laughter and Joan's energy & audacity made time ripple in her quake.  I was delighted reading about the close bond between mother & daughter although contentious, was smothered in unconditional love.  The defining moments & devastating setbacks are well known as was her relentless tenacity, drive & courage to overcome all obstacles.  What makes this memoir by he daughter so warm & touching is that it is told by the only one who knew her as mom & loved her most.  Like a good comedy routine, some jokes hits, some missed & some senarios pushed the border line.  For me, the most off-putting thing was the ediotr who prewssed her card in Melissa's hand at the funeral.  (Of course, had she not, we may may not have this insightful, stirring perspective of someone whose life touched so many.)  Melissa's upbringing was unconventional providing fodder for hilarity and aspersions.  What struck home were the anecdotes all children agonize over with one's own parents.  "She instinctively knew what buttons to push - she installed."  Joan's view of being a celebrity, "No downside fo fame - it's all great."  Mom's mantra, "If you really want something, you'd better be prepared to work hard for it."  I recommend thi candid, loving tribute to a maverick & a great dame.  I especially admire Joan's modus operandi to life, "Say yes to everything."

The REVENANT -The Book the Movie is Based Upon Which Tells of Our Nation's Early History

Michael Punke's relentless exploration of the unsettled & unchartered terrorities west of the Mississippi, west of Missouri trapping, tracing & trying to survive in the wild is an amazing tale of our nation's early history in all it's glory & shame.  Punke's novel based on historical facts and individuals. The story is driven by the irrepressible Hugh Glass.  His eminent skills as a survivalist, hunter & innovater made him a valuable travelling companion.  The time frame is the 1820's.  The book captures the wanderlust and awe of chartering unknown terrority and the indomitable & resourceful skills Glass possessed.  Both the novel (it is a fictionalized account) and the movie reveal the natural beauty of the landscape, the unknown civilizations & wilderness.   The harsh environment & weather made life almost impossible to bare.  The bear attack in the film is factual and Glass' survival miraculous.  His nemesis, Fitzgerald, is a historic figure and was the motivating drive of Glass' journey.  "With the confidence of a relentless predator, Glass knew that his quarry {Fitzgerald} lay somewhere before, nearer & nearer…Glass would find Fitzgerald, because he would never rest until he did."  The unknown civilizations were numerous native Indian tribes whose way of life would meet their demise at the hands of the barbaric & insatiable white men in the not too distant future.   Punke is a writer and Depty of US Trade Rep.  His childhood in Wyoming was filled with outdoor wilderness activities; canoeing, fishing & hunting.  For Punke there were done for sport.  In the early 19th C they were a matter of survival.  "Don't look too far ahead.  The goal each day is tomorrow morning.