More is More

Author Hutton Wilkinson is a dear friend. His book is full of great anecdotes and stories about Tony Duquette and his Hollywood cronies. (Hutton was Tony’s business partner for over 30 years.) It’s a wonderful tribute to Duquette, who is one of the all time legends in interior and scenic design.

The Moonstone

T.S. Elliot described Wilkie Collins’ book as the first and greatest English detective novel. The book deals with the theft of a large and magnificent diamond stolen from an Indian shrine.

Valide

Barbara Chase-Riboud’s Valide is a novel of love and slavery set in the confines of the Sultan’s harem during the reign of Abdulhamid I in 18th c. Constantinople.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Edward FitzGerald’s translation was reissued on the 150th anniversary of The Rubaiyat’s original publication. It was written by the astronomer and poet, Omar Khayyam, born in the later half of the 11th century. It tells the story of love and surrender and is a great book, full of wisdom and beauty. It is inspiring to me.

The Knife Thrower’s Assistant: Memoirs of a Human Target

Ronnie Claire Edwards tells this hilarious and vivid story of her true life adventures as an actual assistant. Claire was formerly an actress on the TV show, “The Waltons”. Her talent for telling tall-tales is reminiscent of Mark Twain.