After Downton Abbey I Foolishly Expected More From PBS & Mercy Street!

Only the British should be allowed to make costume dramas. The attention to authenticity to the tiniest detail has been a hallmark of Downton Abbey and numerous other British imports since PBS first broadcast the 1970 series The Six Wives of Henry VIII.  Advisors to Downton Abbey monitor the placement of a fork on the dining table. The costumers for Mercy Street could not even manage to place a correct collar on a woman’s dress.

The bodice and skirt should be of the same material & the collar is WRONG!

While it would be foolhardy to expect Hollywood to produce anything resembling authenticity in language, material culture and dress, I had hoped for a bit better from PBS. What is even more disheartening is the accolades in the American media with regard to the alleged authenticity of Mercy Street costumes Vanity Fair and Southern Living, PBS.org and USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/01/18/mercy-street-mary-elizabeth-winstead-hannah-james/78970388/

The costumer, Amy Harrell, has convinced herself. PBS, and the uninformed that the costumes are period correct because she located a bolt of 1870’s fabric on eBay and used a couple of CDV’s for inspiration. That is not research. And 1870’s fabric would not have been used in 1862!

 

Sausage curls/awful dress/ Ugh!

There were also articles stating that Hollywood costume departments were devoid of hoops for the period dresses because of other costume dramas filming concurrently. Hmmm. No thought of contacting a cage maker for living historians to have a few specially made to correct proportions? No thought of spending a couple of extra dollars to have well fitted corsets made for the lead characters? No thought of looking at all of the free excellent museum collections of original garments that could provide guidance for color, cut, fabric, design and fit for a specific year? Furthermore, cage crinolines were not reserved for the wealthy. Women from all walks of life dressed in the fashion of the day, which required a cage.

For me, I couldn’t get beyond the horrendous collars worn by the ladies in the first episode.  Even if this were the best-scripted show on television, I would have been too distracted by the costuming to concentrate.  PBS in particular has a responsibility to the viewing audience to get it right. I’ve already read comments on social media that Civil War re-enactors that do not conduct research but rely on the scholarship of others are getting ideas for new garments based upon what has been depicted on Mercy Street. PBS, in failing to get it right and not caring about authenticity on one of its highly publicized shows does a disservice to history. It is not as if research would have been trying. Just surfing Pinterest would have afforded enough access to original photographs of 1862 to costume the entire series appropriately.

Why not copy the dress n the photo?

I am disappointed. Fortunately, there are seven more episodes of painstakingly researched Downton Abbey left to elevate my spirits and my faith that some still strive for excellence in broadcasting.

A Tribute to Ruth Byer Moore, My Husband’s Grandmother Who Left Us at 103

For the last 11 years I’ve had the pleasure of knowing my husband’s amazing Grandma Moore who I thought of as my surrogate grandparent.  She welcomed me to the family, which for me was the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

 

Grandma was born in 1912 before the sinking of the Titanic.  She was the eldest of three children. Her father died in the 1918 flu pandemic while her younger brother Fred was still in-vitro.  Her mother survived the flu and raised Grandma Ruth, her sister Mary Jane and Fred through the Great Depression. 

This amazing lady was the rock for her 6 children after her husband died in 1962.  She worked hard, raised her children to be successful, and lived independently in her own house until the end. She outlived her friends and her younger siblings who passed shortly after Labor Day last fall. Although her sight and hearing were failing, her mind remained sharp until the final year. She remembered the names of her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great -great - grandchildren.  She was kind but opinionated. Gentle but strong. She drove a car until her early 90’s.  She was well loved.

 

But she got tired and lonely. Living to an advanced age is an honor and a privilege. But it is also lonely. Grandma Ruth had her daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great -grandchildren that had the good fortune to know her. But she outlived her friends, her husband, and her siblings. She was ready to join them.

I will miss Grandma Moore. But while I will mourn, I know that she has lived an amazing life that deserves to be celebrated. My heart is heavy for my husband, my in-laws who lived across the street from Grandma, my sister-in-law and her children, and for all of those who were so touched by her life.  I just feel blessed that for this brief 11 years, I had her in my life.

Downward Facing Death by Michelle Kelly

Downward Facing Death is one of those charming British “cozy” murder mysteries that takes place in a small town and involves eccentric characters that seem familiar and comfortable.

Keeley Carpenter returns to her hometown of Belfrey after traveling the world with the intention of opening a vegetarian Yoga Café and teaching yoga classes to the local folks. Instead of a hearty welcome from old friends she not only finds that her father’s old butcher shop that she plans to convert into her new café and studio has been burned by an arsonist but the dead body of a local ne’er do well is found in the in the ruins.

The story is nicely paced and includes a bit of romance, old grudges, curmudgeonly elders, an endearing pooch, leftover insecurities of youth, misunderstandings and plenty of tea brewing.

This is one of those feel good mysteries that go well with an afternoon in front of the fire in an oversized chair and a nice cup of herbal tea.

This book will be published January 19, 2016 by St. Martin's Press.

I had the good fortune to be given the opportunity to read the galley before publication through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson / A Book Review

One of the pleasures and perks of belonging to Bookbrowse.com is the opportunity to read an occasional Advance Reading Copy of a soon to be published book in exchange for an honest review.  Bookbrowse.com has introduced me to authors I might not otherwise have discovered, which has afforded me hours of pleasure.

The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins will appeal to fans of Anne Perry and C.J. Sansom with the murderous activity occurring during the reign of King George II rather than Victorian or Tudor times.

Thomas Hawkins is a “gentleman” ne’er do well who finds himself strapped to his coffin in a cart jostling along the road to his hanging at Tyburn for a murder he did not commit. While Hawkins pleads his innocence and hopes for a pardon from Queen Caroline for whom he has provided some valuable services, he knows that dead men tell no tales and that his death might prove convenient for the Queen.

The book is well researched, entertaining and gives the reader an intimate look into life in London during the early 18^th Century including the filth, seediness, prodigious interest in porn, fetish brothels, spousal abuse, criminal investigations and the pomp and circumstance of executions. 

Publication Date: March 15, 2016

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Celebrating Today!

As we all know, life throws us curve balls. We never know what tomorrow brings. But I choose to expect the Universe will bring me blessings. I know some of those blessings will be bittersweet. There are some milestones I don’t want to face. But I know I must. Until that day when I must let go of what must come I want to celebrate the joy of having both of my parents and in-laws in my life. I want to give thanks that my husband’s 103-year-old grandmother is still with us.

I give thanks that the changes coming with the acquisition of my company may ultimately be beneficial. This week I was advised that my name is in a box in the new organizational chart. I have a job in the coming year. There will be changes but I am ready to embrace the changes, celebrate the opportunities, and forge ahead with an open mind. I will be reporting to a manager that I like and respect. For that I couldn’t be happier or more grateful. I feel like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon ready to spread my wings to fly into the pollinated flowers and embrace whatever comes.  I’ve come to appreciate that changes are not just inevitable, changes generally brings good fortune if I approach what must come with the right attitude.

Yes the changes will be bittersweet. I’ve been blessed to work for a company that has treated me well. I’ve had the pleasure to work with dynamic, committed individuals who has taught me a lot and given me some enhanced tools so that I can succeed anywhere. But I am committed to press forward and see what the future brings in this new organization. I can feel the energy. The road will likely be rocky. I’ve been through mergers & acquisitions in the past and even in the best of circumstances there will be challenges. But I do believe the future waits with abundant opportunity. I just have to be receptive.