Staff Recommendation #19: Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs

It's the rare spin-off show that lives up to its predecessor. (You remember Friends, but what about Joey?)  When Cheers was cancelled after a spectacular 11-season run, the character of Dr. Frasier Crane -- a stuffy psychiatrist originally brought in to complicate the Sam/Diane relationship -- had become an undeniable part of the show. But he was, perhaps, the last character audiences expected to see in a spin-off series. (When asked in a survey, only 2% of viewers picked Frasier as a character they wanted to see get his own series.)

But perhaps it's precisely the unexpected fun and heart the came from having the character at the center of his own story that made Frasier the powerhouse sit-com it was. Lasting for 11 seasons of its own, the show was the creation of the same writers who created Cheers, and they wisely decided to take the character of Dr. Frasier Crane and give him a show that was entirely different -- and entirely his own.

With stellar casting, snappy writing, and storylines that often employed farce in its most artful form, Frasier is simply a fun show. But it's also a show about family, exploring the relationships between parents and children, between siblings, between spouses, and between the friends that become like family. And in the end -- like all good stories -- Frasier is about its characters.

The show, a long-standing favorite of mine, is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year, having first premiered on September 16, 1993. In honor of the occasion, let's take a closer look at the Frasier family:


-- Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer)

"This is Dr. Frasier Crane -- I'm listening."

On Cheers, Frasier was a practicing psychiatrist who worked at a psychiatric ward in Boston. When the time for a spin-off series came, however, a freshly-divorced Frasier has relocated himself to his home town of Seattle, where he takes up a new career as a Dr. Phil-like radio host.

Out of the office, Frasier is, perhaps, the stereotype of the typical academic: stuffy, pompous, and particular, but also well-read, intelligent, and thoughtful. What balances out Frasier the most, however, is the fact that he's got a big heart. Legitimately caring about his family, his friends, and his listeners, he's got a strong moral compass and almost always tries to do the right thing -- even if it usually backfires on him. He's also a guy that, while actually having some truly good advice for those who ask him for it, is also on a quest to figure out his own life.

His catch phrases might sum him up best. While a bit pithy, they also show a guy who sincerely wants to help those listeners who call in for advice: "I'm listening," and "I wish you all good mental health!"

Best Moment: As both a writer and an older sibling, I'll always have a special place in my heart for the Season 1 episode "Author, Author." It's little brother Niles who has always dreamed of being an author, but when Niles gets the idea of writing a book about sibling relationships, he enlists older brother Frasier to help him out. With a deadline fast approaching, the two brothers lock themselves in a hotel room for 24 hours to hammer out the first few chapters ... and things go about as well as you'd expect them to.

Watch the scene from "Author, Author"

-- Dr. Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce)

"You're a complex little pirate, aren't you?"

Like his brother, Niles is also a psychiatrist in Seattle -- although, rather than hosting a radio show, Niles still has his own private practice. He's married to a woman called Maris (who, much like Norm Peterson's wife, Vera, on Cheers, is much discussed but never seen), though he still harbors a secret crush on his father's physical therapist (more on that in a bit).

Also like his brother, Niles is every bit as pompous and stuffy. He's also even more neurotic than Frasier -- the first thing we ever see Niles do is wipe down his seat at a restaurant table, a la Adrian Monk. His nervous personality and fussy habits make him a comedic masterpiece of a character, but his personal struggles add a touch of relatable humanity that can be a rare thing indeed in your average sit-com.

Best Moment: Nominated for an Emmy every year of the show's run (and taking home four of them), Hyde Pierce's superb comedic timing and acting prowess makes it difficult to pick just one moment. But if forced to choose, my vote has to be for the opening scene of the Season 6 episode "Three Valentines." Opening in Frasier's apartment (which Niles has borrowed for the evening to entertain a date), this nearly-wordless scene plays out like a Charlie Chaplin routine, as Niles's preparations for his date slowly build into a scene of utter catastrophe.

Watch the scene from "Three Valentines."

-- Martin "Marty" Crane (John Mahoney)

"You want to establish this great father-son relationship. Well, that kind of thing takes a couple of years -- not a couple of days." 

Profession-wise, Frasier and Niles take after their mom, who was a research psychiatrist. But Martin Crane is no slouch in the intellect department, having once been a detective on the Seattle police force until an on-the-job injury forced him to retire. At the start of the show, Marty has not sufficiently recovered physically to be able to live on his own, and so he moves in with his newly-relocated son, Frasier.

Significantly more down to earth, practical, and casual than his somewhat-snooty sons, Marty is often at his comedic best when antagonizing Frasier and Niles for their various fussy habits. But even without a psychiatry degree, Marty also has plenty of wisdom on the trials and tribulations of life, which he always offers to his sons when they need it the most. And if he's still not entirely sure how his sons turned out so differently from him, he doesn't love his boys any less for it.

Best Moment: There's often a touch of condescension from Niles and Frasier when they're talking to their blue-collar father -- so it's always fun to watch that condescension come back to haunt them. In this episode, Frasier cajoles his father to play a round of chess with him -- only for his "uneducated" father to promptly beat the pants off him. Slightly daunted, Frasier challenges Marty to game after game, until he finally reaches the late-night moment when he's convinced he's finally defeated his father. Or so it seems for one brief, shining moment. (Marty's nonchalance about the whole thing only adds to the fun.)

Watch the scene from "Chess Pains."

-- Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin)

Niles shouldn't have made fun of Roz while standing in front of her with a newly-purchased antique novel.

While Frasier is primarily a show about family, I do enjoy the addition of Frasier's radio station "office life" -- best personified by Roz, who, over time, becomes like family herself. The executive producer of Frasier's radio show, Roz is smart, sharp, outgoing, and remarkably patient (most of the time). Skilled at her job, Roz must guide new-to-the-airwaves Frasier through his initial days as a radio star, but even after he's learned the ropes, the two go on to form a great partnership.

With an active social life, Roz also has plenty of stories to regale Frasier with -- much to his exasperation (and the audience's amusement). But as time goes on, she also becomes his best friend, someone he has to help him sort out his own personal conundrums (and he's always happy to return the favor for her).

Best Moment: This isn't just my favorite Roz moment, but one of my favorite moments of the whole show. It takes place in the very first episode, "The Good Son," when a despairing Frasier is wondering why his best intentions of growing closer to his father aren't working out the way he wanted them to. The story Roz responds with puts things neatly in perspective -- for Frasier, as well as for the audience.

Watch the scene from "The Good Son."

-- Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves)

"I must confess -- I'm a bit psychic."

Starting as something of a spear-carrier, Daphne is a physical therapist who moves into the Crane household to work with Marty on his post-injury therapy, as well as serving as an unofficial housekeeper. She is, however, quickly made another member of the family, providing some much-needed balance to the tension between father and son. ("Daphne, you can't go," Frasier implores her in one episode, when she's considering moving out. "You have to stay. I've only just recently realised how important you are to us. You see, if you go, Dad and I will kill each other.")

She's got her eccentricities, though in a far different way from the Crane brothers. Born and raised in Manchester, England, she fancies herself as the receiver of flashes of psychic insight and enjoys regaling those around her with unbelievable stories about her wacky family. But she's also funny, insightful, and quite sure of who she is, and is much more outright and forthcoming than the generally more reserved Frasier and Niles.

Speaking of Niles: the not-so-secret crush that Niles harbors for Daphne may have started life as a throwaway joke, but the evolution of their relationship becomes a major component of the show for more than a few seasons.

Best Moment: This is another hard one for me to choose, as Daphne is a favorite character of mine. That said, it has to be in the Season 2 episode "The Innkeepers." Niles and Frasier have gone into the restaurant business together with the purchase of a fancy Italian restaurant. When their entire staff walks off the job on opening night, it's up to the family to carry out the evening's duties. The results are classic -- especially for Daphne, whose practicality proves to be particularly hilarious as she helps prepare the star dish.

Watch the scene from "The Innkeepers."

-- Eddie (Moose & Enzo)

"DA-AD!  I can't eat my breakfast; Eddie's staring at me!"

"Oh, Dad, not Eddie!  He's weird!"  When Marty moves in with his son, he's not about to leave his best friend behind. Eddie, a Jack Russell terrier, quickly becomes the bane of Frasier's existence, climbing up on the furniture and spending long periods of time sitting and staring at Frasier with apparent rapt fascination. Beloved by Martin and tolerated (mostly) by Frasier, Eddie -- like many TV dogs -- seems possessed with an uncommon intelligence that makes for hilarious results.

The role of Eddie was played for many years by "dog actor" Moose (and, later, by Moose's son Enzo, when Moose himself stepped down to "retire"). Impeccably trained, Moose and Enzo both did their duty in making Eddie an undeniable part of the Crane family.

Best Moment: Every time he stares at Frasier.

Watch some of Eddie's best moments in this clip of highlights.

From the Collection: 

-- Frasier on DVD
-- Cheers on DVD

-- Frasier by Jefferson Graham [the making-of book]
-- The Frasier Scripts created by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee [book]
-- My Life as a Dog: By Moose, Who Portrays TV's Eddie by Brian Hargrove [book]

-- So Far ... by Kelsey Grammer [autobiography]

Request via Interlibrary Loan:

-- "Tossed Salads & Scrambled Eggs: And Other Frasier Favorites" [CD soundtrack]



-- Post by Ms. B 

Staff Recommendation #18: The Truth is Still Out There

While I have mentioned in other posts (here and here) about my love of The X Files, I thought it was time to further examine this obsession. And since it's the 20th anniversary of the premiere of the show, it's as good a time as any!

On September 10, 1993 the face of science fiction on television changed. At that time, most of the science fiction shows that had been produced usually dealt with space ships traveling the universe sometime in the future. When Chris Carter created The X Files, he didn't even considered it a science fiction show. He wanted to make a show that would scare people. His goal was to recreate the "thrills and chills" he had, when he was a kid, from shows like The Night Stalker. While the show had a lot of scary episodes, it eventually worked its way into a mythology driven, sci fi classic.

The main premise of The X Files is of the search for one man's missing sister. When he was just a young boy Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) witnessed the abduction of his sister Samantha. Or at least he believes he did. This obsession with the mystery of her disappearance leads him to study psychology at Oxford. He is then recruited by the FBI and graduates from the academy with top honors. His success in his early career and his connections in Congress lead him to start investigating "X Files" or unexplained phenomena.

He is eventually joined by the fresh, new FBI Agent, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), which is where the show starts out. Scully is brought in to observe and report on Mulder, who has a reputation of using unorthodox methods. Their first case takes them to Oregon to investigate the alleged abductions of several teenagers from the same graduating class. The things that they see and learn leaves a powerful impression on Scully, a trained medical doctor. While she is not as eager as Mulder to believe everything is a conspiracy or the result of aliens, she is determined to understand what is happening. Thus begins one of the best partnerships in television history.

To say much more about the episodes would do the show an injustice and give away too much, if you've never watched. While many episodes stand on their own (AKA "freak of the week" episodes), the meat and potatoes of the show are the "mythology" episodes. This is where the viewers slowly start to find out about the government conspiracy concerning the existence of extraterrestrial life and what happened to Mulder's sister. The mythology episodes are what set the show apart. It wasn't a show where you had to watch every single episode to understand what was going on, but the combination of the stand alone episodes and the mythology episodes is what made it interesting.

And despite the fact that the show mostly focuses on Mulder and Scully, The X Files also gave us a great group of supporting characters. From Assistant Director Walter Skinner (who may or may not be on our heroes side) to the Lone Gunmen (a trio of conspiracy nuts) to the Cigarette Smoking Man (definitely not on the heroes side), these characters add humor, suspense and intrigue to the stories.

While it had a slow start in the ratings, by season 4 (1996) The X Files was the highest rated show for FOX. The slow start was partly due to being on Friday nights, but when they made the move to Sunday nights at the beginning of Season 4, their ratings and popularity soared. With that came more demand for all things X Files. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were gracing the covers of magazines and making more and more appearances on all the talk shows.

Another development was the admiration and devotion of the fans, known as X Philes. These devoted fans started fan clubs and shared fan fiction in the early days of the World Wide Web. If they would have had the resources that are available today to obsessed fans, who knows what else they would have done. As it is, there are still plenty of web sites devoted to The X Files maintained by these fans. I am happy to admit that I was one of these fans - I was an early member of the fan club, bought all the books and magazines I could get my hands on and even attended a convention!

At the height of the show's popularity, The X Files: Fight the Future was released as a motion picture in the summer of 1998. The film picked up where season five had ended, but it was done in such a way that anyone would be able to follow the story. Season six picked up where the film ended. This film was concerned with many of the conspiracy theories from the show which played to the die hard fan. (Seven years after the show went off the air another film was released, The X Files: I Want to Believe).

After seven seasons, David Duchovny decided that he was ready to tackle other roles and was written out of the show. In season eight Agent John Doggett (Robert Patrick) steps in as Scully's new partner. Eventually they are joined by Agent Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish). At the end of season nine, Mulder does return, but he faces a military tribunal on charges of murder. After Duchovny left, the show suffered from his loss and ratings for the final two seasons plummeted. The show probably should have found a way to wrap up the story at that point, but from my understanding the network was still making a profit on the show, so it stayed on the air.

So after all that, why do I love this show so much? First of all, I had never seen anything like it before. The idea of their being life on other planets has always fascinated me, as has the many stories of people claiming to have been abducted by aliens. I'm still not sure if or what I believe, but I was thrilled to see a show that treated these ideas as serious. And even though I'm not a fan of horror/slasher films, such as Friday the 13th, I don't mind a bit of scariness and suspense and The X Files delivered on that count. The show had a wonderful crew of writers over the years who wrote some of the best television I've ever seen. Some of them were exciting and suspenseful and many others were a bit outrageous and funny.

But what really kept me coming back, week after week, year after year, was Mulder and Scully. At first it seems that The X Files is Mulder's show, but we soon realize that this is Scully's story as much as Mulder's. I loved that Scully was an intelligent, dedicated and professional woman. She was every bit Mulder's equal and he treated her that way almost from the very beginning. They had their moments of disagreement and serious falling outs, but in the end they knew they could count on each other. Often, they could only rely on each other.

So take my advice, if you've never watched The X Files, take the plunge! And if you have, it's always fun to revisit a show. It's like reconnecting with an old friend.


-- Post by Tracy

Old Timey Music

One of my favorite films is O Brother, Where Art Thou? It's a quirky, beautiful, satire set in the American South during the Great Depression. Three escaped convicts are on a journey to retrieve a stolen treasure that may soon become unaccessible once the valley where it is buried is flooded to build a dam. Along the way they meet many interesting characters. One of the main characters in the film is music. It tells a vital role in the telling of their journey. At one point, they record an "old timey" song "into a can" because they need the money. That song ends up saving their lives.

In the 1930s "Old Timey" music was the beginnings of what we know today as Country music. Much of the music used in the film is authentic to the period and were popular hits of the day. The artists behind those songs were pioneers in the Country and Western genre.

Below are a few of those artists.



-- Jimmie Rodgers

Considered by many to be the "father of country music", Jimmie Rodgers was a pioneer in music history. Born September 8, 1907 in Pine Springs, Mississippi, Rodgers spent his early life in Meridian, Mississippi. By the age of 13 he was working on the railroad. This nomadic life exposed him to a variety of people and musical styles. It also may have contributed to his contracting tuberculosis in 1923. Since this meant he had to leave the railroad business, it gave him more time to concentrate on his music. In 1927 he signed with Victor Records. His music combined folk and blues (and some yodeling) to create another uniquely American sound. One of his hits, "In the Jailhouse Now", was used in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Rodgers also starred in a short film called The Singing Brakeman (1929).

His health continued to fail and in 1933, at the age of 35, he passed away. In 1961 he was one of the first artists to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

-- Roy Acuff

From the "father of country music" to the "king of country music." Roy Acuff, born September 15, 1903 in Tennessee, was one of the most popular country musicians of all time. After an injury forced him to give up his dream of being a professional baseball player, he started playing the fiddle and ended up joining a local traveling group as a musician/comedian/actor. With the success of that tour, Acuff began performing with his brother and a friend on the streets of Knoxville. The band quickly grew in size and by 1936 signed a contract with the American Recording Company. The group, the Smoky Mountain Boys, had one of their biggest hits "Wabash Cannonball" in 1938.

After the success of "Wabash Cannonball", the group was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry radio program. Acuff would be a continued presence at the Opry until the 1990s. His warmth and charm made him a natural for master of ceremonies duties.

Acuff was also a smart business man who formed his own music publishing company Acuff-Rose Publishing in 1942. He realized it made more sense to be his own publisher rather than sell his songs to someone else.

In 1962, Acuff became the first living artist to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.



-- Gene Autry

Gene Autry was known as the "Singing Cowboy" for his many years of playing that role on film, radio and television. Autry was born September 29, 1907 in Texas but grew up in Oklahoma. His musical career began in 1929 with the best selling "That Silvered-Haired Daddy of Mine." By the mid-1930s Autry began his long association with Hollywood. His first film, In Old Santa Fe, had only a brief, but popular, singing performance by Autry. But that was enough to spur him on to making films for the next twenty years. After World War II, Autry made the transition from film to television with such shows as The Gene Autry Show and The Adventures of Champion.

Autry is probably most well known today for his holiday songs, such as "Frosty the Snowman," "Peter Cottontail," and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Probably his most well known song, "Back in the Saddle Again" has been used numerous times in contemporary films, most notably Sleepless in Seattle.

Gene Autry entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1969.



-- Hank Williams

Hank Williams is one of the many country artists who benefited from the early work of Rodgers, Acuff and Autry. Through his brief, but highly prolific career, Hank Williams became the father of contemporary country music. Born in Alabama on September 15, 1923, Williams got his first guitar at the age of 8 and learned to play from a local blues street performer. His honky-tonk, country-blues style was greatly influenced by his early exposure to African-American blues. When he was 12, Williams won a songwriting contest and by the age of 14 had organized his own band.

For the next several years, Williams continued to perform and write, but was not having widespread success. He moved to Nashville and signed a songwriting contract with Acuff-Rose Publishing. In 1947 he signed with MGM Records and recorded "Move It On Over" which was a huge hit for him and his band, The Drifting Cowboys. He joined the Grand Ole Opry, over objections to his hard drinking ways, in 1949. For the next four years Williams would have 27 top ten hits. He also saw many of his songs covered by other performers of the day, such as Tony Bennett and Jo Stafford.

In December of 1952 Williams suffered a heart attack brought on by his excessive drinking. He died January 1, 1953 at the age of 29. More than 25,000 grieving fans attended his funeral in Montgomery, Alabama. He was inducted into the Country Music Association Hall of Fame in 1961, along with Jimmie Rodgers.

His legacy lives on in the musical careers of his son (Hank Williams Jr.), grandson (Hank Williams III) and his granddaughter (Holly Williams).


-- Post by Tracy

The Bee's Knees

I like bees. That's not to say I don't occasionally get a bit nervous when I see one around (stings hurt, after all). But, all things considered, I'm still a fan -- and I'm hardly alone.

There's no denying humanity's fascination with bees. In ancient Greece, bees were considered liaisons of the gods. The ancient Egyptians kept hives afloat and collected nectar from up and down the Nile River. Beekeeping has been going on for millennia, as has the use of honey as a staple of the dinner table. We've built up urban legends around bees. And it just so happens that my favorite fictional detective is well-known by his fans to have eventually retired and taken up a new profession: beekeeping.

Bees have become of increasing interest to us all with reports of growing problems for hives across the nation -- and the world. So as we go into National Honey Month, what better time to learn more about Apis mellifera (the Western honey bee) and our other friendly neighborhood bees?

- Robbing the Bees: A Biography of Honey, the Sweet Liquid Gold That Seduced the World by Holley Bishop.

Bishop's book is not just a biography of honey, but a biography of bees. This book takes a close look at the role bees have paid in our culture and history, and the long obsession humans have had with honey -- our only sweetener for centuries.

- A Book of Bees: And How to Keep Them by Sue Hubbell

It's part beekeeping handbook, part memoir. A beekeeper for fifteen years, the author keeps three hundred hives of bees scattered across farms in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri. (She pays local farmers a gallon of honey a year in "rent" for the property her hives are on.) Dividing the book up into the four seasons of beekeeping ("The Beekeeper's Autumn," "The Beekeeper's Winter"), Hubbell shares her beekeeping experiences in a storytelling style that is as interesting as it is engaging.

- The Beekeeper's Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes and Other Home Uses

The ultimate bee handbook. This "bible" includes the history of the ancient art of beekeeping, a primer on how to embark on one's own beekeeping hobby, and ideas for the dozens of uses for honey and beeswax. Learn how to keep bees, make candles and skin care products, and try your hand at over 100 recipes featuring honey as a star ingredient. It's a perfect starting point for anyone looking to try their hand at beekeeping -- or just a great read for anyone interested in bees.


- The Beekeeper's Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America by Hannah Nordhaus

CCD, or Colony Collapse Disorder, has resulted in beekeepers checking their hives only to find the entire colony dead. Enter John Miller -- a commercial beekeeper who began a trek across the country to try and help heal the hives. Miller went on a mission to deliver hundreds of thousands of bees to affected beekeepers, helping to both restore their livelihood as well as to restore the natural pollinators that our farming industry needs to survive. Here's his story -- and the story of our nation's beekeeping industry.

- Tales from the Hive [DVD]

Broadcast as a segment on PBS's Nova, this documentary used unique camera lenses to capture what life is like inside the hive. The result is an in-depth look at the lives of bees and their colonies. 

- Robotic Bees [Online video]

RoboBees?  One engineer at Harvard's Microrobotics Lab thinks that robotic bees may be the future. The eventual goal (they are projecting a decade-long refinement) is to have these robotic bees work together, much like a real colony. Future duties may include search-and-rescue and environmental monitoring, in addition to assisting in the pollination of crops.

One of Harvard's Microrobotics Lab's "RoboBees"

- Honeybee Collapse [MPL Hot Topic]

Our Hot Topics compile the top articles, op/eds, and reference materials about what's currently, well, buzzing in the media!  One of our latest Topics focuses on the Honeybee Collapse, showcasing news articles, scientific resources, organization websites, and some suggested readings from our Collection, all providing more information on the epidemic bee disappearance.

- Behind the Bee’s Knees: The Origins of Nine Bee-Inspired Sayings [TIME article]

Nowadays, we say something is "the bee's knees" when it's stylish, noteworthy, or simply flat-out cool. But in the late 18th century, it was actually a derogatory term, referring to something that was weak or insignificant -- like the teeny joint in a bumblebee's leg. Look here to find out the stories behind some of our most-used bee metaphors.

- 20 Unusual Uses for Honey [Huffington Post article]

Lip balm. Moisturizer. Hors d'oeuvres. An energy boost. An antiseptic. Honey has more uses than just something to spread on toast. Check out some suggestions here!

- Wild for Bees [website]

This online resource from Burt's Bees includes an app to help you start your own "bee garden" (planting flowers that will attract pollinators), a "No Fear of Stings" brochure (with tips on how to "bee-watch" without anxiety), recipes for healthy meals made with honey and other bee-assisted ingredients, and a quirky video series in which actress Isabella Rossellini demonstrates the lives and duties of the average bee.

-- Post by Ms. B 

Reader's Advisory: Historical Fiction

Do you like your fiction with a dash (or even a lot) of historical accuracy? If so, you've come to the right place. I recently read The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory and it got me to thinking if there were other authors who have as much historical accuracy in their novels as she does. And the answer is, yes.

What exactly is historical fiction? As defined by Joyce G. Saricks in The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction,  it is "a novel set in the past, before the author's lifetime or experience." This can apply to many different types of fiction, including mystery, thriller or adventure. Usually, though, fans of those types of novels don't read them for the historical accuracy.

An historical novel usually examines the life of a real person or a real event. There may not be a lot of information about this person or time, so the author tries to fill in the gaps using their research and their imagination. Fans of this type of fiction are usually interested in history, but don't want to sit down and read a history text book.

So, if you are interested in trying a new genre or are looking for a few new options, take a look at these authors.


-- Margaret George

Margaret George's books have told the lives of many different historical figures, often through the lens of an "autobiography." Her lengthy, yet accessible stories, cover many areas of history. She has written about Henry VIII, Mary Magdalene, Cleopatra and Helen of Troy. Be ready to be totally immersed in the subject's life and their times.

Suggested start: The Autobiography of Henry VIII (1986)



-- Philippa Gregory

The author of over 20 novels, Phillipa Gregory made her mark with The Other Boleyn Girl in 2001. This was the first in a series of books about the Tudor dynasty. It took a look at Mary Boleyn, Anne's sister. While history has recorded much about Anne, there wasn't a lot of information about Mary. Gregory solved that by doing meticulous research into the time period and the Boleyn family and creating an interesting and fascinating life for the "other" Boleyn sister. She continued this success with a series of books about the Plantagenets, an earlier English royal family.

Suggested start: The Other Boleyn Girl (2001)

-- John Jakes

For sweeping sagas about the early years of the United States, you're not going to find a better author than John Jakes. His two most famous series are the Kent Family Chronicles and the North and South Trilogy. The Kent Family Chronicles is an eight book series that follows the lives of the Kent family from before the start of the American Revolution through to the late 19th century. The North and South Trilogy focuses on two families tied by a long friendship that is torn apart because of the Civil War. 

Suggested start: The Bastard (1974).

-- Jeff Shaara

The son of famous Civil War author, Michael Shaara, Jeff Shaara has continued his father's dedication to telling engaging and richly detailed stories of American history. His first book, Gods and Generals, is a prequel to his father's The Killer Angels. Shaara also wrote a sequel to it, The Last Full Measure. This prolific writer has branched out to include series about the American Revolution and World Wars I and II. 

Suggested start: Rise to Rebellion (2001)

-- Irving Stone

Another author who mastered the biographical novel is Irving Stone. These long and leisurely paced novels cover the well known and the not so well known. Stone focused on historical figures he felt had been given an unfair reputation. In these stories he tries to redeem them. His subjects include Vincent Van Gogh, Sigmund Freud, John and Abigail Adams and Charles Darwin. 

Suggested start: The Agony and The Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo (1961)

-- Alison Weir

In a similar vein to Philippa Gregory, Weir focuses on historical royal figures. Her biographical novels are very character driven with a simple, direct style. Her subjects have included Lady Jane Grey, Queen Elizabeth I and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Before writing historical novels, Weir was known for her historical biographies. She has said that she found it very freeing to not have to stick to just the facts while writing fiction. Weir continues to write both types of books.

Suggested start: Innocent Traitor (2006)

-- Post by Tracy

A Suspicious Character

On the morning of August 31, 1888, the body of Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols was discovered in the district of London known as Whitechapel. Suffering from alcoholism, Nichols was estranged from her husband and had been supporting herself through employment at workhouses as well as through prostitution. Her brutal murder remains unsolved to this day.

Yet despite that, you've heard of her killer: Nichols is considered the first victim of the infamous Jack the Ripper.

For having so utterly captured the attention and imagination of so many historians, writers, investigators, actors, and audience members worldwide, there's little we really know about Jack the Ripper. Four other victims were ascribed to the Ripper -- Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly, all impoverished prostitutes -- whose murders occurred over a three-month period. (There may have been other victims as well, a possibility historians still debate to this day.) 

The press referred to the killer as "Leather Apron," until a letter was sent to the police that described details only the murderer would be aware of. The letter was signed "Jack the Ripper."

Jack the Ripper horrified London with his brutal mutilating of his victims' bodies after their deaths. The apparent inability of the police to do anything about him fueled the city's panic (while the newspapers filled their headlines with revulsion and horror). The killings eventually stopped, but the identity of the Ripper was never discovered. (It hasn't stopped people from trying to guess; there are over 100 theories about the Ripper's real identity.)

For better or worse, Jack the Ripper remains an iconic figure in history -- and in the public's imagination -- to this day. Countless history books have been written about the Ripper, as well as fictionalized accounts in novels, television shows, films, and even graphic novels.

Here are five of the most noteworthy works about Jack the Ripper:

 

1. Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson by Lyndsay Faye [historical fiction]

There are hundreds of fictionalized novels about Jack the Ripper. Perhaps it's unsurprising that, of those hundreds, dozens of them are devoted to an irresistible idea for fans of the Victorian era: what if you combined history's most infamous serial killer with the world's most famous fictional detective?

Though Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never pitted his fictional character against the real-life murderer Jack the Ripper, it hasn't stopped dozens of later authors from doing just that. I've read a fair few Holmes-vs.-the-Ripper stories and novels, and I can tell you that Lyndsay Faye's offering, while one of the most recent attempts, is also easily the best.

Thoroughly researching both the known facts behind Jack the Ripper -- as well as keeping her Sherlock Holmes canon straight -- Faye delivers a historical mystery that perfectly blends the factual with the fictional. As Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson face off against a darker evil than any they've encountered before, Faye infuses her story with wit, horror, honor, and friendship. (Just what any Sherlockian fan hopes for in a Holmes pastiche!) Faye even delivers a truly plausible theory on who the Ripper might have been.

Also try:

* A Study in Terror - a 1965 thriller film pitting Holmes against the Ripper.
* Murder by Decree - starring Christopher Plummer as Sherlock Holmes and James Mason as Dr. Watson.

2. From Hell: Being a Melodrama in Sixteen Parts by Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell, and Pete Mullins [graphic novel]

Alongside such names as Neil Gaiman and Grant Morrison, Alan Moore is considered by comic book aficionados to be one of the all-time great comics authors. And while Moore has written plenty of superhero stories, he also has written comic miniseries and graphic novels that blend aspects of classic literature and historical fiction.

Here, Moore delves into Victorian London with his own take on the Jake the Ripper legend. Published in the early 90s, the graphic novel takes its title from one of the letters sent by Jack the Ripper to the authorities. The series itself takes the tack that the Ripper murders actually had a sinister political motive behind them, and that a member of the Royal Family was even involved. (Moore did point out that he did not think this was factually likely; rather, it made for an intriguing story to tell.) Moore's writing is usually, to put it mildly, dark and gritty -- and the violence and gore of From Hell is no exception.

Despite being historically unlikely in terms of the Ripper's identity, Moore and artist Campbell still did their research to try to get the details as accurate as possible. There are also "cameos" from a variety of Victorian and Edwardian celebrities, from Oscar Wilde and Aleister Crowley to William Morris and Joseph Merrick (the Elephant Man).

Also try:

* From Hell -- the 2001 film adaptation starring Johnny Depp.

3. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell [non-fiction]

Patricia Cornwell is best known for her Kay Scarpetta mystery novels. But in 2002, Cornwell -- a former computer analyst at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia -- embarked on a different sort of project. Self-financing her efforts, Cornwell went out to research, examine, and uncover the identity of Jack the Ripper.

Familiar as she was with forensic techniques, Cornwell's intentions were to solve the 19th-century case using 21st-century methods. She gained access to original evidence (including the letters sent by the Ripper to the police), as well as documents and records from the time. She included scientific and law-enforcement experts in her efforts, contacting FBI profilers and forensic scientists, and cumulated her search with an attempt to recover DNA samples from the Ripper himself.

Her conclusion as to the identity of the killer is compelling, though not conclusive enough to stop the endless debates on how accurate her theory may be. Regardless, her study and resultant theory make for a compelling read -- and offer a new possibility as to the Ripper's identity.

Also try:

* The Complete History of Jack the Ripper - by Philip Sugden
* Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History - by Paul Begg
* The Complete Jack the Ripper - by Donald Rumbelow

4. Ripper Street [BBC series]

Set in London's East End six months after the last of the Ripper murders, this BBC television series follows two detectives who are still trying to uncover some answers.

Though it's been six months since the Ripper's last appearance, the killings appear to have started again. Detective Inspector Edmund Reid and Detective Sergeant Bennet Drake join forces with Homer Jackson (a former surgeon and Pinkerton agent) in their quest to find Jack the Ripper and bring him to justice once and for all. Meanwhile, they must deal with the crime and dark secrets of Victorian London.

While each episode of the series features a stand-alone mystery to be solved, there are long-running story arcs that keep the characters' lives -- professional and personal -- tied together. There will be a second season of the show, making now a great time to catch up on what you've missed so far.

Also try:

* The New Exhibit - An episode of The Twilight Zone.
* Wolf in the Fold - An episode of Star Trek: The Original Series.
* Comes the Inquisitor - An episode of Babylon 5.

5. The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog [silent film]

While Hitchcock will always be remembered primarily for his talkies, his early silent films should not be overlooked. This 1927 film, directed by Hitchcock, was based on the work of Marie Belloc Lowndes, who wrote the original story (and later co-authored the play adapted from it).

While the villain of the title is not Jack the Ripper, the character was certainly inspired by him. Known as "the Avenger," the killer targets young blonde women as his victims. While the newspapers are awash with the latest news about the Avenger, the killer himself seems impossible to track down.

The blonde-haired Daisy finds her friends' fears laughable (she decides, for instance, not to wear one of the wigs that her friends are using to camouflage their hair color). Then a mysterious new tenant shows up at Daisy's parents', with his unusual mannerisms and quirks all pointing to an undeniable warning sign. But when Daisy fails to see the danger, those around her become determined to protect her.

It all sounds fairly predictable -- but this is Hitchcock, after all. Things are not all as they seem to be, and the ending is bittersweet and sweet. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled during the newsroom scene for Hitchcock's classic director's cameo.

Also try:

* The Lodger - a similar film released in 1944, directed by John Brahm.



-- Post by Ms. B