Page 2 June 27, 2019
Author Spotlight: Phaedra Patrick
or doing her neighbor’s laundry. But when a
peculiar book of fairytales appears in her life
with a dedication by her beloved grandmother
who mysteriously died years before, Martha’s
world begins to change. As she unravels the
story behind the book, Martha discovers a
family secret that will shake her perception of
The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick.
her past and allow her to reshape her future.
I also enjoyed Patrick’s other novels, Rise &
Shine Benedict Stone and The Curious Charms of
Arthur Pepper, which help remind us that people
are often not what they seem and, given the
chance, they can surprise us in wonderful ways.
To check out Patrick’s fiction titles, please
visit the library to apply for your free library
card. These titles would also qualify for our
Adult Summer Reading Program, where you
can win prizes and attend great events! For
more information or to sign-up, please stop
by the Reference Desk. •
Reviewed by Kristina Kora-Beckman,
Librarian, El Segundo Public Library
This week, I’m reviewing English fiction
writer Phaedra Patrick, whose poignant, charming
novels are full of heart. Her characters are
everyday people grappling with tough personal
situations like infidelity, infertility and losing
a long-time spouse, but find hope and support
in often unexpected ways.
Patrick’s latest, The Library of Lost and Found,
weaves storytelling, mystery and self-discovery
into a satisfying tale. For decades, volunteer
librarian Martha Storm has prided herself on
her usefulness to others, be it caring for her
aging parents, hemming her nephew’s pants
Entertainment
Check It Out Film Review
Rise & Shine Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick. Kristina Kora-Beckman.
Yesterday Review:
Imagine There’s No Beatles
By Ryan Rojas for www.cinemacy.com
Imagine there’s no Beatles... That’s the
concept behind Yesterday, the latest film
from director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire),
which considers waking up in a
universe where the Fab Four and all of their
world-changing music never existed. Based
on a story by Jack Barth and screenplay by
Richard Curtis (Love Actually), Yesterday is
a crowd-pleasing hit that mostly plays to its
feel-good emotions, but will no doubt connect
with Beatles fans.
Jack (newcomer Himesh Patel) is a struggling
musician, playing his original songs to
unimpressed crowds at empty boardwalks
and coffee shops, except for his friend and
manager Ellie (Lily James) who might harbor
more than friendly feelings for him. Jack’s
ready to call it quits when a power surge
strikes across the globe, landing Jack in the
hospital. Presented with a guitar the following
morning, Jack strums out a rendition of Paul
McCartney’s “Yesterday.” When he finishes,
his audience isn’t just pleased: they’re utterly
speechless, asking Jack when did he write
such a beautiful song. Jack, bewildered, soon
finds that not only have they never heard the
song before, but that he’s living in a world
in which The Beatles didn’t exist.
As a film, Yesterday is crafted fully on feelgood
vibes, making for an easy-watching and
ultimately pleasing time (to watch the film
surrounded by people laughing and enjoying
the same moments is probably the best way
to do it). The reveal of the twist in the first
act creates many memorable moments that
are the film’s most special parts. And there’s
also a good onscreen ensemble to provide
charm as well. Ed Sheeran (as himself) makes
more than a cameo here and Kate McKinnon
steals the show when she arrives as Jack’s
sleazy agent. While Himesh as Jack is goodto
serviceable in the role, Lily James relays
full star-power onscreen, providing all of the
heart that the film has to offer.
Having said that, Yesterday has a large
hurdle it needs to clear and one that I’m not
sure it committed to taking on fully: how do
you represent arguably the best pop songs
ever written to an audience in a way that will
showcase how brilliant they are as well as
the songwriting on display? The angle that
Yesterday seems to take is that Jack “writes”
these more than well-structured songs under
time crunches – in some cases, instantly. And
while I was enjoying tapping my feet to songs
like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Back
in the USSR,” I wasn’t blown away by any
new perspective on any song here (save for
the inclusion of “The Long and Winding
Road,” whose time-stopping performance was
what the film needed even more of overall).
Perhaps somewhat ironically (although
maybe not un-coincidentally), Yesterday
doesn’t chart any new territory, staying
surface-level on the themes of authenticity
and not doing any more inventive storytelling.
There’s some fun that’s had with Jack
trying to remember all of the lyrics to some
of the more obtusely colorful songs, but what
would it have been like if Jack put his own
twist on any of these songs? How would The
Beatles more psychedelically-sounding and
paradigm-shifting songs affect this modern
culture, and what would the state of the world
even look like if we were deprived of songs
like “Let it Be” and “Hey Jude?” Perhaps that
version of the movie would have more aptly
been titled “Tomorrow Never Knows,” and
we as an audience will have to enjoy those
thoughts on our own. But what we have is
Yesterday and the pleasing yet familiar stylings
that come with it.
116 min. Yesterday is rated PG-13 for
suggestive content and language. Opening
in theaters everywhere this Friday. •
Himesh Patel in Yesterday. Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Ryan Rojas.
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