Best this month Quartet
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
After his incomparable career as a screen and stage star, Dustin Hoffman makes his debut as a film director with this old-fashioned drama set in a retirement home for musi- cians. It’s a thoughtful medita- tion on aging and the possibili- ties for the transformation of elders who have open hearts and open minds.
Pauline Collins (left) and Maggie Smith star in Quartet— can the performers patch up their dif- ferences in time for the gala concert?
Four residents of the retire- ment community were opera singers who worked together in the past and share many common memories. Two of them were briefly married until she abandoned him for a more prosperous career on the road. Asked to perform together in the annual celebration of Giuseppe Verdi’s birthday, the four have to overcome their fears and disappointments and prac- tice forgiveness to once more engage in the art that has blessed them throughout their lifetimes. The ending will surprise you and the top-notch performances by Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Pau-
Here Come the Humpbacks!
For those lucky enough to have the experience, it’s a great thrill to see whales in their natural habitats.
This picture book is the next best thing for children. Written by April Pulley Sayre and illustrated by
The Brussats pub- lish the website www. SpiritualityandPractice. com where you can find more information about the items reviewed in this column.
Jamie Hogan, the book follows a mother humpback and her calf on the great annual whale swim from the Caribbean to summer feeding grounds off the coast of New England and back, one of the longest migrations of any mammal. Sayre provides information on how humpback whales got their name, sing and breathe. She also points out the dangers they face, including ocean pollution (Charlesbridge,
www.charlesbridge.com).
42 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
line Collins and Billy Connolly will enchant you (The Weinstein Company, PG-13—brief strong language, suggestive humor).
The Life of the Body: Physical Well-Being and Spiritual Formation
The body is the temple of God and must be treated with ten- der loving care and respect. Jesus had a body just like us, and he models ways for us to live “more fully integrated in
body and heart.” That is the premise of this Christian resource by Valerie E. Hess, coordinator of music ministries for Trinity Lutheran Church in Boulder, Colo., and Lane M. Arnold, a spiritual director. Wise stewardship of our body means paying close attention to what we eat, the amount of exer- cise we do, our sleep patterns and our physical maintenance. Hess and Arnold call self-care a godly activity and issue a challenge to us to try to engage our bodies in both corporate worship and private prayer. We get a sense from them how important our flesh is as they delve into a theology of food, cultural messages about the body, the ache of suffering and pain, the need to have a wellness plan and more. Hess and Arnold have given added value to the book with four appendixes, including a study guide and “Holy Habits for the Whole Body” (IVP Press,
www.ivpress.com).
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