In the hopeful wake of the recent presidential election it can be easy to forget that there are those present in our country who believed that they would never be alive to see the election of an African-American president. The stories of these citizens, whom President Obama himself referred to as “an important part of the American narrative”, have been captured by journalist
Shauna Jamieson Carty in her first non-fiction effort entitled “Praying In The Moment: Reflections On The Election of President Barack Obama”.
Startling tales of experiencing discrimination and dealing with disadvantage are relayed earnestly in the interviews of members of the historical
Second Baptist Church in Roselle, New Jersey. One interviewee vividly recounts viewing a horrific act of violence committed against her family as a small child in the south and admits to fervently praying for the then President-Elect’s safety prior to his inauguration.
Not just for film buffs or comic book aficionados “The Art
and Making of the Dark Knight Trilogy” is a crisp and vibrant behind the scenes
look at the telling of Christopher Nolan's interpretation of the classic tale
of Batman. The images shown on the glossy pages will appeal to anyone remotely
interested in the saga. And the thoughtful attention to detail show how Nolan
and his staff created character driven scenes not only through the stunning previously unreleased photography but through
comprehensive explanation of concept as well.
It may be visually striking but this is a far cry from an
overpriced picture book for one’s coffee table. It truly explains the process
of executing not only the director’s vision but that of everyone involved. From
the casting to the construction of intricate sets to the designing of a fresh
yet functional Bat mobile, each challenge reveals just how much time, energy, and
resources went into producing such well received and widely respected films. 
With
a star studded cast and an Academy Award winning director the adaption of Don
Winslow’s novel “Savages” showed why the fiction writer with the cult like
following has caught the attention of the main stream literary world. The film
like the novel told the story of three California natives who enter the
marijuana business and go up against a Mexican drug cartel with vigor. But
while it served up excitement it failed to answer the question on the minds of
readers and moviegoers across the nation. Just how did Ben, Chon, and O become
“three people in love”? That question is answered in Winslow’s “The Kings of
Cool”.
