‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ Arrives

[ad_1]

If you ask kids who grew up reading Judy Blume, they’ll tell you what they learned from each of Blume’s books; the taboo rites of the passage of each book are introduced; probably even where they were, physically and developmentally, when they first stumbled upon this information. He probably remembers the exact page number of the paperback he passed down in high school that he opened the most.

I recently read her classic, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” before seeing the film adaptation that opened this week, 52 years after the book’s publication.

In my memories, “Margaret” is mainly about puberty, especially about her first period. I remember very well the famous scenes when Margaret first encountered the sanitary napkin and when she and her friends were practicing to “get out of those baby bras,” saying, “We have to – we have to – we have to increase our breasts!”

As I re-read the book, I was struck not only by the big Moments, but also by the many small, almost insignificant things that I inadvertently took into account in my understanding of the world.

There’s an early scene where Margaret’s father is injured while mowing the lawn and Margaret goes out into the yard “to look for a limb,” if the doctor can sew it back together.

I stopped for a moment. This scene is as real to me as one of my own memories. When I read the book as a teenager, it was the first time I heard about the gruesome surgical procedure. I don’t actively think about it anymore, but “you always have to look for the body part” is part of the smart aleck understanding of the world, a bit of wisdom, never question. I never linked this knowledge back to any book or source.

“Margaret” also convinced me that wearing loafers with socks made one “look like a baby” and that maybe a special label was made for a homemade sweater that said “Made Expressly for You … by Grandma.” A small detail, certainly not the main theme of the book, not what I tell adults when I “walk away” from reading it.

“Margaret” movie – which you must see if you love the book, or love the first film of director Kelly Fremon Craig, “Edge of Seventeen” – full of these details, moments that change the young reader quietly. Watching it, I felt a little electrical connection that was made between my childhood brain and my adult brain, between the data that has been inputted decades ago and the coherent knowledge that has become.

📚 “Trust” (Tuesday): In this novel by Hernan Diaz, now available in paperback, the life of an early 20th-century New York financier is told from four different perspectives. Named one of The Times’ 10 best books of 2022, we call “Trust” a “pleasant pursuit.”

🍿 “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Friday): One of the few directors to jump back and forth between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe, James Gunn takes another swing with Star Lord and Co. before taking Superman back to life. Expect jokes, classic rock songs and mild profanity.

Whether you’re planning a spring party or want to make yourself something special for dinner this weekend, Anna Francese Gass’s hearty artichoke carbonara might just be the way to go. In a clever recipe, she adds an easy nighttime pasta by stirring in canned or frozen artichokes, adding flavor and texture without the effort. For a vegetarian version, skip the pancetta and caramelize some onions or mushrooms in the pan. Then top each bowl with a raw egg yolk for the silkiest carbonara sauce imaginable.

Unless you’re a year-round iced coffee hound, you probably make the annual transition from hot drip to cold brew. At the coffee shop, it can be a splurge, but at home, switching to cold drinks can save you money. A good cold brewer, like OXO’s Wirecutter selection, can take the rough edges out of cheap, mediocre beans, producing a sweet, smooth concentrate that will last all week. I even like to make the same pitch twice – the coffee pros may disagree, but the results are good, especially with a splash of milk. – Marguerite Preston

New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers, NHL playoffs: These two teams are so close that you can see one arena from the roof of the other without a skyscraper. Maybe that’s why they have each looked comfortable in away games: Rangers started the series with two blowout wins in Newark, and then the Devils won two games in Manhattan. The Devils now lead the series, 3-2, and can advance with a win tonight. Good news for them: The Games are in New York. 8 pm Eastern on ABC.

  • The Islanders – another New York team – were eliminated last night by the Carolina Hurricanes. The Dallas Stars defeated the Minnesota Wild.

  • The Boston Bruins’ historic season is in trouble: After last night’s loss, they head into Game 7 against the Florida Panthers.

The word from yesterday’s Spelling Bee is excitement. Here is today’s puzzle.

What were the 10 hardest and easiest words from last week’s Spelling Bees? See our list here.

[ad_2]

Source link

Leave a Reply