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[John G.]

Six!

[John G.]

That is a wonderful review!!

It is indeed.

[bk]

Tweak away, dear Vixmom.

[George]

New Amazon review for Thrill Ride.  This fellow wrote me on Facebook and told me that he'd been laughing and crying the entire time he'd read the book.  Very gratifying.  He told me that this review was probably incoherent but it just came pouring out - I like its incoherence, frankly.

5.0 out of 5 stars A FUN AND MOVING TRIP BACK IN TIME....a true hollywood dream
ByWebstercaton May 2, 2017
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase

It’s actually difficult for me to write a review for this book, I felt such a personal connection to it. Thrill Ride is Bruce Kimmel’s latest book, and his first foray in the world of fantasy. It has been a long time since I have read a book that engaged me so quickly and completely. I literally found myself both laughing and crying at the insights and observations. The protagonist reminds me a bit of Steve Allen, talking, observing and finding humor in everything he sees. Kimmel has ventured into the territory of Ray Bradbury and Jack Finney, two of my favorite authors, both of whom excelled at writing about time-travel, and created a worthwhile addition to that genre. It’s particularly reminiscent of Time and Again, and Death is a Lonely Business, two wonderful books that I also recommend.

It’s the story of a designer at W.E.D. The year is 1957 and Walt Disney has created a team to design and plan his greatest creation, Disneyland. Our hero is asked by Walt to create compelling concepts for a proposed time-travel ride to be installed in Tomorrowland. Passionate about research, he takes the extra step of actually traveling into the future to come up with workable ideas. While observing the quirks of 2017, he meets a mysterious woman who guides him in his journey of discovery. I’m wary of giving too much away by saying more about the plot.

The writing is clear and straightforward, the characters honest and real, and for those readers too young to remember, the world (and Los Angeles in particular) actually used to be nicer, and the tears that I experienced while reading this were tears of recognition of that truth. Bruce’s personal knowledge of Los Angeles history, and his ability to describe exactly what things were like made me feel like I myself had travelled through time and visited 1957. I felt like strolling down the block to have lunch at Tiny Naylor’s after listening to some records down at Music City. This book is a love-letter to the Los Angeles that was (forget about Lala Land---this is the real thing!). I am so grateful that the Los Angeles that I love has been revived in this wonderful book, and I daresay that nobody could do it as well as Bruce Kimmel.

Must we always be looking at our phones, racking up points on credit cards and putting others down? Must we knock-down buildings (and whole blocks) that don’t have room for a Starbucks? Must we toss out the wonders of the past and press grimly forward, pushing aside anyone or anything that causes us to pause? This books tells us we CAN slow down and take a moment to appreciate our friends over a cup of coffee, the history of our homes, and the good things that remain.

Please read this book and join me in a journey to another time. I particularly recommend it for young folks who are increasingly encouraged to think only of ME and NOW. There is a whole world of discovery that is worth experiencing…in our past.

Sorry about the rambling nature of this review, but, as I said, my connection with the book was so personal it was difficult to step back."

That's great, BK!

[George]

Tonight, I'm back to the theatre to run tracks for Sister Act  Don't judge.  Tracks are just fine.... sometimes you have to.

I've listened to that score more often than a lot. I like a few of the disco numbers.

I saw a college production a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it!

[bk]

Thanks to dear reader George I watched episodes one through four of Feud.  I must say I found almost everything about it dreadful, but then again, I find Ryan Murphy to be emblematic of everything that's wrong with the business today.  The writing is mostly ridiculous and while I don't mind the two leading ladies, the rest of the cast is, well, I don't know what they are.  When Stanley Tucci first appeared on the scene I thought he was okay - but he's such a one-note actor and I don't need to hear that note ever again - he's dreadful in this thing.  I guess that's Catherine Zeta-Jones as Olivia de Havilland - it's like she never bothered to actually watch the person she was portraying.  Then there are just the annoying and really amateur details that are wrong - the copy of Baby Jane they're handing around at the beginning is a softcover with the hardcover cover - only paperbacks were never that size back then nor would it have had the hardback cover on it.  Stupid.  And Producer's Studio?  I don't know where they were but, you know, Producer's Studio is still there (Raleigh) and it's where we shot Nudie Musical and it basically looks the same - why not shoot exteriors there instead of at some stupid warehouse?  And they couldn't take a drive to the house where the film was shot - that neighborhood basically looks the same and so does the house and CGI would take care of the rest.  But it's the endless show business cliches that do the thing in - a Ryan Murphy specialty - I think he really does believe he's a good writer, but, not to me he isn't.  What he IS is everything they love in the TV world of today.  He's also not much of a director and I'm so bored of the visual cliches of today's TV - lots of slow, meaningless camera moves, tilt downs, tilt ups, I mean put the damn camera down and shoot the scene, especially if you're in the world in which this story takes place.

[bk]

What's funny about the Amazon review is that for him the journey was to the past, which is, of course, where the story begins and ends, but is the opposite from the journey of our hero.

[bk]

It's also the first novel for me in which the lead character has no name.

[vixmom]

It's also the first novel for me in which the lead character has no name.

I didn't even realize that .  I keep thinking if the character as being you

[vixmom]

I was born in 1957. So the book also speaks to me as my journey through time and the change I have seen... In many ways it often feels as if my journey from 1957 to 2017 took no more time then it did our hero

[vixmom]

The alarm goes off in 5 1/2 hours

[vixmom]

Goodnight

[bk]

I was born in 1957. So the book also speaks to me as my journey through time and the change I have seen... In many ways it often feels as if my journey from 1957 to 2017 took no more time then it did our hero

There - that's a perfect start for your review!

[bk]

Page six?  Really?

[bk]

Has anyone been watching The Voice?  Our very own Brennley Brown has made the top ten.  She did her first Kritzerland show about four years ago and has been with us many times.  This is very exciting for her.

[Matthew]

Tonight, I'm back to the theatre to run tracks for Sister Act  Don't judge.  Tracks are just fine.... sometimes you have to.

I've listened to that score more often than a lot. I like a few of the disco numbers.

I think it's a great score.  Alan Menken at his best!

[TCB]

Good evening!

[TCB]

Belated Birthday Wishes to DR FJL!!

[TCB]

Continued Health vibes to DR Jrand.

[TCB]

Tonight we have showers and 47 degrees.

[TCB]

Tomorrow we are expecting blue skies and 75 degrees.

[TCB]

Then Thursday the temperature is supposed to be in the upper 70's, with thunder showers.

[TCB]

Such is the Spring in the Pacific Northwet.

[TCB]

Great review, BK.

[George]

Hi, Tom.