October 2021 – Page 6

Staying active

Bailey Lett honored for social justice work

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire has named Brenda Bailey Lett its 2021 Citizen of the Year. Since moving from Chicago to the Granite State in 1993, Lett has been involved in numerous local and national social justice efforts and co-authored a book, Race Between Us: Racism — A Human Experience, which explores how people from different backgrounds can break down barriers to have honest dialogue about racism. Lett will receive the award at the 15th annual Black New England Conference Awards Dinner at Saint Anselm College in Manchester on Saturday, Oct. 23. Visit blackheritagetrailnh.org/black-new-england-conference for information about the conference and how to attend, either in person or virtually.

What kinds of social justice work have you done in New Hampshire?

I participated with the Outreach for Black Unity in Nashua … and the Manchester NAACP … and in creating the Ujima Collective, starting with [organizing] a commemoration of the death of Martin Luther King … to talk about why he was assassinated. We [held] film festivals and workshops, and worked with other organizations. … I was involved with the Greater Manchester Black Scholarship Foundation … and with the We Are One Festival, which [was created] with the combined efforts of the African Caribbean Celebration and the Latino Festival. I would say that, overall, the work I’ve done has been really [focused on] creating community.

What have you done on a national level?

I’m pretty heavily involved in the reparations movement. … I started out as a member-at-large on the N’COBRA [National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America] board, then became a life member. I was elected as the national secretary and served three two-year terms. Now I’m serving as the treasurer … [until] next year. … For me, reparations isn’t just about getting a paycheck. It’s really about repair … because it’s 2021, and people of African descent are still being treated poorly.

What inspired your book, Race Between Us?

When I was working at the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, a co-worker of mine [Laurielee Woodlock Roy], a woman of European descent, and I … became friends. … She went and did racism training at the People’s Institute … and it was then that she finally understood what racism really is. Then, she told me, she started seeing it everywhere. We ended up writing that book together, which is a parallel of our lives. … We realized that we had very similar lives. … Even though the melanin in our skin was different, we had many of the same issues in terms of being human. The book [centers on] the human experience, and racism as a human experience.

What keeps you going?

What keeps me going is that I’m committed to giving back as much as I can, in love and support of people, and not just people who look like me, but people who are also committed to this concept of truth. … I’ve been very fortunate to have a family that has supported and loved and provided for me; they’ve kept me going, as well, especially my grandchildren … because they are the next generation, and my job now, as an elder, is to support them [in the way that] I was supported, and to instill in them the values that I have received.

What does New Hampshire need most right now in terms of social justice?

I think the biggest need is the truth … and the truth is that, many times, people of African descent are not treated in the same way as people of European descent. … Eliminating racism is very difficult to do when people are not even clear on what racism is … so dealing with the truth, as difficult as it can be sometimes, is the only path.

What can the next generation do to build on the work you’ve done?

My hope for the next generation is that, when you hear a microaggression or someone is saying things in an effort to demean or dehumanize you, whether it’s meant to be taken seriously or taken as a joke, stop it where it happens. Respond with the truth. Be prepared so that, in that moment, you’re able to let that person know in a respectful and positive way that they insulted you, and that you are not to be played with or toyed with, because you are just as valuable and important as they are.

Featured photo: Brenda Bailey Lett. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 21/10/21

Covid-19 update	As of Oct 11	As of Oct 18
Total cases statewide	125,743	129,663
Total current infections statewide	3,941	4,430
Total deaths statewide	1,499	1,524
New cases	3,689 (Oct. 5 to Oct. 11)	3,920 (Oct. 12 to Oct. 18)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	1,015	1,210
Current infections: Merrimack County	474	522
Current infections: Rockingham County	718	683

Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

During an Oct. 13 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that New Hampshire had averaged more than 500 new infections of Covid-19 per day over the previous week, with the total number of deaths from the virus now exceeding 1,500 since March 2020. “To put this in perspective, in the last week there have been a total of 17 deaths that have been Covid-19-related that have been identified and reported out. The vast majority of these deaths are occurring outside of long-term care facilities, which is very different from the early days of the pandemic,” Chan said. As of Oct. 18 there were 4,430 active infections and 178 hospitalizations.

Also on Oct. 13, New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Taylor Caswell issued a statement following the U.S. federal government’s announcement that it will lift border restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers from Canada. “Our tourism industry has been anxiously awaiting this news for months,” Caswell said in part. “We are excited to welcome back our Canadian friends very soon and we fully expect to see an increase in visitation to the state in the coming months when our neighbors from the north return.” According to the announcement from U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, the easing of restrictions is expected to occur in two phases, beginning in November with the admittance of fully vaccinated travelers to enter the U.S. from Canada and Mexico at land and ferry points of entry for non-essential reasons. Then, by early January 2022, all foreign nationals entering the country will be required to provide proof of vaccination, regardless of essential travel.

Last week, advisors to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration unanimously voted to recommend booster shots for both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, during respective meetings on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15, according to press releases. Booster doses had been approved for the Pfizer vaccine late last month. As with Pfizer, recommended booster doses for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines apply to individuals over the age of 65 and to at-risk individuals.

Vax money, protest

On Oct. 13, the New Hampshire Executive Council rejected $27 million in federal funding to boost the state’s vaccination effort, according to a report from WMUR. All four Republicans on the council voted against the funds, the report said, despite Gov. Chris Sununu urging them to accept them. After the vote, he issued a statement: “… Today’s vote by members of my own party on the Executive Council was a total disservice to the constituents we serve,” he wrote. “The vote showed a reckless disregard for the lives we are losing while they turn away the tools our state needs to fight and win this battle against Covid.” According to the WMUR report, some councilors questioned language attached to the funds, worrying it could force the state to comply with federal vaccine mandates. The governor said it was not the case and pointed out the council had already accepted other grants earlier this year with the same language included.

During the meeting, nine of the protesters who were there opposing mask and vaccine mandates were arrested after state police told them that if they disrupted the meeting, there would be arrests. “The individuals arrested at today’s Governor and Council meeting failed to comply with a lawful order from the New Hampshire State Police and intentionally disrupted the meeting,” state police said in a press release sent out after the meeting.

School forums

The Manchester School District is inviting the community to a series of forums on long-term planning for the district’s facilities. The first two forums were held Oct. 19, and the next two are scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 21, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at McDonough Elementary School and Wednesday, Oct. 27, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Highland-Goffe’s Falls Elementary. According to a press release, the forums are the next step in a process of developing a long-term plan for school facilities in the city. Earlier this year Superintendent John Goldhardt presented recommendations based in part on recently completed studies of facilities and city demographics, the release said. Goldhardt wrote to the board that years of avoiding making difficult decisions on school facilities means that the district is “left with … aging buildings that are costly to operate and are not suitable as a modern educational facility.” His recommendations include consolidation of high schools, creation of magnet schools, continuation of the move to the 5-8 model for middle schools and renovation of elementary schools. Anyone with questions about the forums can email communications@mansd.org; use the subject line “Facilities forums.”

Transgender bills

Last week Republicans on the House Education Committee voted on party lines against a bill that would require schools to update documents and software to include the option of identifying a student as non-binary, then moved to recommend killing the bill outright. Rep. Joshua Query (D-Manchester), Vice Chair of the Stonewall Democrats and Chair of the LGBTQ+ Legislative Caucus, released a statement after the vote: “A huge population of Granite State students would benefit from this simple bill. As one of two non-binary legislators in the country, I can attest how crucial this legislation is and how life-affirming an acknowledgment of gender identity can be to a non-binary student. If this was an option when I was a student, it could have allowed me to come to terms with my gender earlier in life.” But the committee also rejected legislation that would have allowed transgender girls to be banned from participation in all-female athletics. According to a report from WMUR, the House Education Committee voted unanimously to declare the bill “inexpedient to legislate.” The Republican sponsor of the bill said legislation was “not ready for prime time” but concerns over protecting girls’ sports remain, the report said.

Reports to IRS

Last week, New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella and 19 other Attorneys General sent a letter to President Biden and Secretary Yellen opposing the Biden administration’s proposal to require all banks, credit unions and financial institutions to report information to the IRS on every bank account that has a balance of at least $600 and exceeds $600 per year in transactions, according to a press release from the Office of the Attorney General. Meanwhile, Gov. Chris Sununu sent a letter urging members of New Hampshire’s congressional delegation to oppose the proposal as well, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office.

United Way

Granite United Way and the Greater Seacoast Region are aligning service areas to achieve greater community impact, according to a press release, with the full alignment expected to be completed by Jan. 1. Patrick Tufts, president and CEO of Granite United Way, said in the release that the partnership is a natural evolution that will allow them to leverage their collective resources. Some of the Greater Seacoast team’s strengths include fostering early childhood development, advancing housing stability, supporting youth, capacity and systems building, strategic planning and strong volunteer engagement, the release said.

For the past few weeks Dartmouth’s Family Medicine Residency at Concord Hospital has been participating in the Frontline Healthcare Worker Project Pilot, an effort that combines arts and medicine to help promote wellness in frontline health care workers who are experiencing stress and trauma. According to a press release, the program was created by Newfields, New Hampshire-based nonprofit Articine and features short guided experiences like meditations, breathing exercises and artist performances, accessed via smart devices. The effectiveness and interest of different video experiences will be assessed at the end of the pilot, with the goal of expanding the program to health care organizations throughout the country, the release said.

The New Hampshire Institute of Politics & Political Library at Saint Anselm College in Manchester has resumed its Bookmark Series of speakers in person after an 18-month hiatus, according to a press release. Coming up next, Washington Examiner correspondent and author David M. Drucker will discuss his book In Trump’s Shadow on Tuesday, Oct. 26, and on Monday, Nov. 1, author Sasha Issenberg will speak with the Institute’s executive director, Neil Levesque, about his recent book, The Engagement: America’s Quarter-Century Struggle over Same-Sex Marriage. Both events start at 6 p.m. and are free and open to the public with advance registration; masks are required. Visit anselm.edu/nhiop.

Nashua High School South is hosting a regional college fair for any junior or senior from southern New Hampshire on Monday, Oct. 25, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. According to a press release, more than 100 colleges and universities will be represented at the fair, including local colleges like UNH, Keene State College, Plymouth State University, Nashua Community College and Rivier University.

Getting to Victory Day

I like to hike and to write. Both activities demand focus. One foot, or one word, in front of another. The effort distracts me from problems and surfaces memories and ideas.

As if the foliage on the Kancamagus Highway weren’t glorious enough, I recently hiked the Champney Falls Trail up Mt. Chocorua. Golden, orange and red leaves floated down from the treetops. Balsam and damp moss scented the air. Just out of sight the waterfall hummed like a highland bagpipe. Poking my poles into the leaves in search of solid ground, I picked my way among the rocks and roots. I was thinking about my mother.

Chocorua was the last big mountain my mother climbed before multiple sclerosis confined her to lower ground. Due to that disease, even her vinyl kitchen floor proved rough terrain on bad days. Remembering her determination to enjoy life and help others despite her condition, I backtracked in my mind to the stories she told us of growing up in the Depression and World War II. As a child in rural New Hampshire, she didn’t know that much about the interplay of economic, political and military forces at work. What she did understand from a young age was that she and her family and neighbors could make a difference. They needed to help with “the war effort.” They could, and did, grow victory gardens for food self-sufficiency; collect and donate scrap metal and rags; save quarters to buy war bonds; and make do with rationing. My grandmother sometimes served “peanut butter oatmeal chops” for supper. My mother knew it was her patriotic duty not to complain.

As in the 1940s, the U.S.A. now faces multiple fronts: the Covid pandemic, substance abuse, and mental health crises; financial precariousness; economic, educational and racial disparities; political stalemate; and, above all, climate change. Where are the 21st-century equivalents of those ebullient World War II posters urging Americans to do their part? Too few of us are getting the message that there is something we each can do. Too many are obsessed with protecting individual rights and ignoring societal responsibilities. Our republic is in dire danger. What to do? For starters, just get vaccinated.

I have to pause, breathing in-in-in and out-out-out. Above the treeline, granite boulders loom between me and the summit, grating my knees as I scramble up. But at the top, the blue sky, the distant lakes, the company of the other mountains, steadies me. Everything seems possible — even the resolution of our nation’s problems. It is not enough to hike, though. I have to write.

Susan Hatem, former Director of Programs and Grant Making at New Hampshire Humanities, is a CASA of NH guardian ad litem and a connector, mentor and writer. Email her at susanh8m@gmail.com.

Retro Games – 10/14/21

View entire selection throughout the years here

Retro Games – 10/14/21

Arcade games, bowling, Dungeons & Dragons… they were fun way back when, and they’re still fun today. Find out where to go to play some classic games, plus how they’ve changed over the years.

Also on the cover, follow the Great New Hampshire Autumn Tour with the Hippo’s exclusive pull-out map, p. 24 & 25. And try some new beers or old favorites at Manchester Brewfest, p. 26, and fresh bagels at the new Simit Cafe, p. 27.

News & Notes 21/10/14

Covid-19 update As of Oct 4 As of Oct 11Total cases statewide 122,054 125,743Total current infections statewide 3,502 3,941Total deaths ...

Shooting for the stars

SNHU student recognized for civic leadership Jonathan Weinberg, a Concord resident and student at Southern New Hampshire University, will be ...

Sox in the playoffs

Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball

The baseball playoffs are underway, having gotten started nicely when the Sox croaked the Yanks 6-2 in the play-in game ...

Quality of Life 21/10/14

Yeah, you heard that right That boom you heard Sunday might have been a meteor, scientists are saying. According to ...

This Week 21/10/14

man in costume paddling in giant pumpkin boat

Big Events October 14, 2021 and beyond Friday, Oct. 15 It’s a big weekend for local theater with two plays ...

Retro Games

Arcades, bowling alleys and game shops to level up your game night High scores Classic video gaming at New Hampshire’s ...

Art all week

man spray painting graffiti mural onto wall made of cellophane

Virtual interaction for Nashua’s annual event For the second year, ArtWeek Nashua is going to be a mainly virtual event, ...

The Art Roundup 21/10/14

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • Handmade by women: Girls at Work (200 Bedford St., Manchester), ...

Winter storage

wooden basket of potatos on stand in front of table displaying corn

Tips for putting away veggies Like any industrious squirrel, I am getting food stored and ready for winter. Even if ...

Kiddie Pool 21/10/14

Family fun for the weekend Early tricks and treats Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia; visitthefarm.com) will begin three ...

Treasure Hunt 21/10/14

antique decorative silver bowl with bird foot stand

Dear Donna, Can you provide me any information on this item? It’s a wood church bank with a slot on ...

On The Job – Kamini Jorgensen

portrait of a young dark skinned woman smiling in front of a body of water

Kamini Jorgensen Nonprofit events coordinator Kamini Jorgensen recently joined Stay Work Play NH, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting New Hampshire ...

The Weekly Dish 21/10/14

News from the local food scene • Bookstore cafe reopens: Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) has refitted and ...

Brews by the river

man behind event table pouring beer sample

Manchester Brewfest returns Normally held in late July, the Manchester Brewfest is a fall affair this year — the event ...

Bagels and beyond

cafe coffee maker pouring coffee into cardboard cup

Simit Cafe opens in Nashua Remzi Kahya grew up working at his father’s shop, the Bagel Cafe on Hanover Street ...

In the kitchen with Victoria Mellen

portrait of woman in front of wooden background

Victoria Mellen of Derry is the owner of Mama V’s Kitchen (mamavskitchen@yahoo.com, and on Facebook @mamavskitchennh), a weekly meal prep ...

Apple pie cookies

Looking at the name of this recipe, you may think, “Now I know what I will do with all the ...

The Secret Exit

counter top with martini glass, drink shaker, and slices of lemon

The first time I made my new commute, I used a GPS app to get to work and spent my ...

Santa Lucia sips

three bottles of wine on gray background

This California region’s wines deserve a closer look When one thinks of American wines, what first come to mind are ...

Album Reviews 21/10/14

Shakespeare & the Blues, Rhapsodic (Nouveau Electric Records) This was presented to me as an example of avant trip-hop; I ...

Chasing Eden, A Book of Seekers by Howard Mansfield

Chasing Eden, A Book of Seekers by Howard Mansfield (Bauhan Publishing, 216 pages) Sy Montgomery and Howard Mansfield, who live ...

No Time To Die (PG-13)

No Time To Die (PG-13) Daniel Craig appears to be having some actual fun as James Bond in the long ...

The Music Roundup 21/10/14

Local music news & events • Wicked funny: Headlining a standup comedy showcase, Nick Giasullo is a Boston funny man ...

Grumpy but grinning

Q & A with Rick Wakeman Along with his work with Yes and a large catalog of solo albums, Rock ...

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Grumpy but grinning

Q & A with Rick Wakeman

Along with his work with Yes and a large catalog of solo albums, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Rick Wakeman has made music with everyone from David Bowie to Black Sabbath. He even played A&R man when he steered theatrical rockers The Tubes to A&M Records. At his upcoming show in Derry, Wakeman will perform and reminisce about his life, often reprising the standup comedy skills that made him a hit at Yes’s 2017 Hall of Fame induction. Wakeman spoke with the Hippo via Zoom from his home in England.

How did things go for you during the pandemic?

Well, it wasn’t good, but having said that, it wasn’t good for anybody…. I played the piano every day, but there were some days I thought to myself, how long is this going to go on for? I’m just playing the piano and I don’t know why…. The thing that brought everything home to me was … I lost 19 friends from Covid. That hit home very hard.

Will these shows be your first live audience experience since shutdown?

Yeah, they are [except for] a few weeks ago. When restrictions lifted here, I phoned my great friends at the Ronnie Scott club in London and said … I need to play in front of an audience, however small. … I didn’t plan anything to say; I walked on stage, went up to the microphone and without thinking I went, ‘Wow, there’s real people!’ [And] somebody shouted back, ‘Yeah, and there’s somebody on stage — it doesn’t get any better!’

Are you really grumpier this time around?

It’s grumpy but actually funny. … It won’t offend. There are a lot of things to be grumpy about [but] I’m not going to make a meal of the whole Covid thing. I want people to have fun. There will be a moment where I remember a few friends. It’s just going to be so great to walk out and play for my friends — pretty much everywhere I go in America I’ve got friends.

Tell me about working with Black Sabbath.

When they were putting Sabbath Bloody Sabbath together, we were in the same complex of studios. … Ozzy said we’ve got some synthesizer, mini-Moog lines we want, would you come and do it? I said I’d love to. So I went into the studio just after midnight. The entire band and engineers were comatose, they were completely out of it, there were quite a few bottles lying around. The taper was there, and was looking terrified. … He said, ‘I can play you the track; Ozzy said you’d know what to do,’ [and] I recorded it. Then Ozzy opened his eyes and looked at me. I can’t repeat the exact words he said, but he basically went, that’s perfect. He actually went, ‘That’s f-ing great!’

How are you choosing songs for this tour?

I’m at the stage right now where I’ve got a short list [of 20 songs, and] 10 will have to go. Having said that … sometimes I can throw everything out the window…. It’s happened on a few occasions. I’m certain there will be a few I haven’t played before. It’s a mixture of certain pieces that people in the nicest sense like to hear when I come along, a few they might not expect, and a few total surprises.

What’s the status of Anderson Wakeman Rabin?

I’d like to think something over the next few years will happen for sure, because none of us are getting any younger and we all love what we do … I mean, I love playing Yes music, it’s my life, so obviously if the offers come in and Jon and Trev are up for it, yeah, I’m sure there will be stuff.

How’d you discover The Tubes?

I first saw them in the ’70s. I think it was Halloween and we had a night off in San Francisco. I went out to this club where the Tubes were playing. … There was a lot of drinking and noise. Not a lot of people were taking notice [and] I thought it was a shame that at the time people weren’t really listening to them. Fee Waybill walked off and I thought, is he gone? He came back on completely naked and sang the next song — yeah, that got their attention. He went, now you’re listening. And I thought, I liked you before, I love you guys now. After, I asked, who are you signed to? They said nobody will touch us, they’re all frightened of us. I said, I’ll get you a deal, I promise you. I flew down to L.A. and saw Jerry Moss [and] he said yeah, we know all about The Tubes. Everybody’s a bit frightened of them. I said they are fantastic, so so good. He said, I’ll tell you what, Rick, we’ll sign them, but the deal is you produce them. … Problem was, I’m solidly on tour with Yes [so] someone else came in. Of course, they had a massive album. We remain friends.

Rick Wakeman – The Even Grumpier Old Rock Star Tour

When: Thursday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m.
Where: Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry
Tickets: $55 and $60 at tupelohall.com

Featured photo: Rick Wakeman. Courtesy photo.

The Music Roundup 21/10/14

Local music news & events

• Wicked funny: Headlining a standup comedy showcase, Nick Giasullo is a Boston funny man recently re-transplanted from Arizona after moving there a few years back during the hottest time of the year. A schoolteacher by day, he practices his craft on his students, then jokes about them in his set. Giasullo is a past winner of his hometown’s quick retort Snap Battles, so his crowd work is also first-rate; Mike Koutrobis features. Thursday, Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m., Millyard Brewery, 25 E. Otterson St., Nashua, $15 at eventbrite.com.

• Island dude: After pivoting from baseball to reality television’s Love Island, Josh Goldstein is back home and part of a dance party at Manchester’s newest restaurant/bar. DJ Stixx provides the rhythms and beats, while Goldstein, who played second base for the team that went to the Division 2 World Series in Hawaii, whips up the house energy. It’s unclear whether his love interest from the show, Shannon St. Clair, will join him. Friday, Oct. 15, 8 p.m., Soho Bistro & Lounge, 20 Old Granite St., Manchester, sohonh.com.

• Local lights: An effort from the team that produced events at New England College, Pembroke City Limits offers two stellar area acts, NEMA-nominated Will Hatch & Co. along with rootsy Concord veterans the Dusty Gray Band; Derek Astles of Rippin’ E Brakes opens. It’s the first of many shows in the new space, an old barn with a layout that organizers insist “bleeds fun” — a bonfire is scheduled when twilight expires. Saturday, Oct. 16, 6 p.m., Oktoberfest, 250 Pembroke St., Pembroke, $10 donation requested.

• Celtic circle: The Capital City’s most music-centric location has acoustic Irish music to start the week, with guitars, pennywhistles and bodhrans. Other than trivia on Tuesdays, each day is tuneful, with a midweek open mic night, Thursday drum circle and Saturday afternoon jam. Weekend nights always include local performers — upcoming is blues from Road House on Friday and Mr. Nick on Saturday. Monday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m., Area 23, 254 N. State St., Unit H (Smokestack Center), Concord, thearea23.com.

• Guitar hero: After a stint in the band Citizen Zero, guitarist Sammy Boller went solo, releasing the all-instrumental LP Kingdom of the Sun in 2020. His playing prowess was established in 2012, when Joe Satriani named Boller the winner in Guitar Center’s Master Satriani competition. He headlines a show that includes Afterimage, Wired for Sound, The New Noise, Defined Perspective, Earthmark and Abel Blood. Wednesday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St, Manchester, $12 at eventbrite.com.

No Time To Die (PG-13)

No Time To Die (PG-13)

Daniel Craig appears to be having some actual fun as James Bond in the long pandemic-delayed No Time To Die, allegedly his last time out as the character.

I’ll admit that at some point fairly early in this movie I stopped trying to follow the plot and decided to just enjoy the ride — the zippy European cars, the well-choreographed fights, the handsome Daniel Craig. And I think that’s fine; something about Craig’s performance here is looser and more energetic than, say, Spectre, this movie’s predecessor from 2015. The movie doesn’t need you to think very hard about who this guy is and how he’s connected to that guy from the previous movie to be in and enjoy the moment. Craig’s performance plays into this; he sells some of the jokes and dry humor of Bond better than in previous movies. He gets more fight scenes that seem to have some visual wit and show off his super agent abilities without making him seem like an unharmable robot. When Ana de Armas shows up as an agent on a mission with Bond, she feels just right, just this side of silly, and with a kind of buddy/mentor-mentee/fan chemistry with Bond.

Also, the plot here, like the plot of so many Bond movies, is kind of a jumble of: ridiculously fortified yet easy to breach compounds, shadowy people pulling the strings, not one but three villains, at least two shadowy international organizations whose evil scheme is overly complicated, strife within and between intelligence agencies, moments when Bond has to Go It Alone and a song by a current big deal pop star (Billie Eilish). All the standard Bond stuff. The movie has nice little callbacks to this-iteration-of-Bond characters past, like Vesper (Eva Green) and original M (Judi Dench). There are some fun surprises that aren’t super surprising, there are some fun shots of Bond in beach locales.

More specifically (but still very roughly): The movie opens with Bond and Madeleine Swan (Léa Seydoux), his love interest from Spectre (and yes I did have to look that up because vague familiarity is all that registered for me), on a sunny holiday in some sunny seaside European town. Actually, the movie opens with a flashback of a traumatic event from Madeleine’s childhood and then the sunny European vacation, all cars on cliffside roads and swanky hotels. But then Bond is nearly killed — first by a bomb and then by a bunch of hitmen, one of whom helpfully drives a motorcycle, allowing him to get kicked off his motorcycle and Bond to do some fun motorcycle stunts. Spectre is behind this, which he knows because they have literally left a card with their symbol on it, and Bond is certain that Madeleine is working for them and has helped to trap him. He decides to trust her just enough to get her safely on a train but not enough to ever see her again.

Five years later, Bond seems just fine with his new retirement life in what I think is Jamaica when American CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright, always fun) shows up to tempt him into One More Mission. Felix and the CIA but not British intelligence are looking for a scientist, Obruchev (David Dencik), who has developed a scary weapon and was kidnapped from/sold-out MI 6 (or maybe a little of both). They think Spectre has him in Cuba and they know that Bond is still hot to bring down Spectre, still in operation even though big boss Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) is in prison. Bond isn’t interested — or at least he isn’t that interested until a lady whom Wikipedia tells me is named Nomi (Lashana Lynch) seems to pick Bond up at a club but is really just there to tell him that she’s MI 6 and that he needs to stay out of this whole Cuba/Obruchev thing. Naturally, that’s when Bond decides to get involved.

(Without giving away too much about Nomi — like the reason why I didn’t remember her name — she adds a really fun element to the story and becomes a strong part of the adventure.)

It’s not important to know too much more going in. My favorite Bond Scooby gang of M (Ralph Fiennes), Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), Q (Ben Whishaw) and Bill Tanner (Rory Kinnear) is back. We get the assistant to the regional manager villain in the form of Primo (Dali Benssalah), who occasionally tips over the line into goofy but it’s fine. In addition to Blofeld, we get another Big Bad in a character played by Rami Malek. There are some fun locations — aforementioned vacation Europe, London of course, Jamaica, Cuba, a forest in northern Europe, a no-holds-barred bad guy lair that combines an almost futuristic minimalism with mid-century Soviet stylings, on an island.

What else could you want from a Bond movie? This movie is two hours and 43 minutes long and I saw it in (totally unnecessary) 3D and I still had fun.

Maybe Craig was struck with some “leave it all out on the field” burst of excitement for this character, maybe this movie leaned in to all the best parts of Bond and wasn’t encumbered by trying to build some ongoing story, maybe that Bond documentary available via Apple (Being James Bond — it’s about 45 minutes long and worth a watch) actually helped me get excited about the franchise again. Whatever combination of movie magic and the pandemic-related drought of big event movies gave this movie its sparkle, the result is a long but highly watchable mix of action and nostalgia helmed by a thoroughly engaging leading man — and a solid final chapter to an overall strong run of Bond films. B+

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, brief strong language and some suggestive material, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga with a screenplay by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Cary Joji Fukunaga and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, No Time To Die is two hours and 43 minutes long and is distributed in theaters by MGM. Want more Craig as Bond? The four previous films — 2006’s Casino Royale, 2008’s Quantum of Solace, 2012’s Skyfall and 2015’s Spectre — are all available to rent or own. Spectre and Skyfall are also streaming on Hulu. Paramount + currently has Skyfall.

FILM

Venues

Bank of NH Stage in Concord
16 S. Main St., Concord
225-1111, banknhstage.com

Chunky’s Cinema Pub
707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com

The Music Hall
28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth
436-2400, themusichall.org

O’neil Cinemas
24 Calef Hwy., Epping
679-3529, oneilcinemas.com

Red River Theatres
11 S. Main St., Concord
224-4600, redrivertheatres.org

The Strand
20 Third St., Dover
343-1899, thestranddover.com

Shows

• Poltergeist (PG, 1982) part of the Film Frenzy $5 Classics series at O’neil Cinemas with multiple daily screenings through Thursday, Oct. 14.

• House on Haunted Hill (1959) screening on Thursday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. at Red River Theatres.

• Night of the Creeps (R, 1986) at The Strand on Thursday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m. Tickets cost $6.

• Small Engine Repair(R, 2021) screening at The Music Hall in Portsmouth on Thursday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15.

• 21+ Trivia Night for Hocus Pocus at Chunky’s in Manchester on Thursday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m. Reserve a seat with the purchase of a $5 food voucher.

• Bergman Island (R, 2021) screening at Red River Theatres Friday, Oct. 15, and Saturday, Oct. 16, at 1, 4, & 7 p.m. and Sunday Oct. 17, at 4 and 7 p.m.

• Lamb (R, 2021) at Red River Theatre Friday, Oct. 15, through Sunday, Oct. 17, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.

• I’m Your Man (R, 2021) screening at Red River Theatres Friday, Oct. 15, through Sunday, Oct. 17, at 4:30 p.m.

• Beetlejuice (PG, 1986) screening at The Strand on Friday, Oct. 15, 7 p.m. Tickets cost $6.

• Dead Alive (R, 1992) screening at The Strand in Dover on Friday, Oct. 15, 9 p.m. Tickets cost $6.

• Falling For Figaro (NR, 2020) screening at The Music Hall on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15.

• Disney Zombies (TV-G, 2018) at The Strand on Saturday, Oct. 16, 3 p.m. Tickets cost $6.

• Raphaell Revealed (NR, 2020) screening at Red River Theatres on Sunday, Oct. 17, at 1 p.m.

• National Theatre Live Cyrano de Bergerac, a broadcast of a play from London’s National Theatre, screening at the Bank of NH Stage on Sunday, Oct. 17, at 12:30 p.m. Tickets $15 ($12 for students).

• Frankenweenie (PG, 2012) at the Rex Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. with a portion of the proceeds going to Motley Mutts Rescue. Tickets cost $12.

• The Shining (R, 1980) part of the Film Frenzy $5 Classics series at O’neil Cinemas with multiple screenings Monday, Oct. 18, through Thursday, Oct. 21.

• The Nightmare Before Christmas (PG, 1993) at the Rex Theatre on Monday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m.

Tickets cost $12.

The Silence of the Lambs

Fathom Events will hold 30th anniversary screenings of 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs from director Jonathan Demme starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins on Sunday, Oct. 17, and Wednesday, Oct. 20. The film will screen at Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem at 3 p.m. and Regal Fox Run in Newington at 3 and 7 p.m. on Oct. 17 and at both theaters on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. Get tickets via Fathom at fathomevents.com.

Featured photo: No Time To Die. Courtesy photo.

Chasing Eden, A Book of Seekers by Howard Mansfield

Chasing Eden, A Book of Seekers by Howard Mansfield (Bauhan Publishing, 216 pages)

Sy Montgomery and Howard Mansfield, who live in Hancock, are the first couple of nonfiction in New Hampshire, really in all of New England.

Montgomery is a naturalist known for her books on animals and the people who love them, to include an octopus at the New England Aquarium (Soul of an Octopus) and a Wilbur-like pig that she raised (The Good, Good Pig). Her latest, The Hummingbird’s Gift (Atria, 96 pages), introduced Brenda Sherburn, a California woman who rescues and rehabilitates hummingbirds.

Less prolific as a writer but equally engaging is her husband, Mansfield, whose books cover a wider range of topics. His body of work includes a book entirely about sheds (and, of course, simply called Sheds), a collection of essays called Summer Over Autumn, and books about landmarks (The Bones of the Earth) and the strong lure of our homes (Dwelling in Possibility). Mansfield plumbs history to tell obscure stories, while exploring our attachment to places and things. His latest is Chasing Eden, A Book of Seekers, released by Peterborough’s Bauhan Publishing. He pivots here to study people: the strange and stubborn characters of American history who took advantage of the Founding Fathers’ urging to pursue happiness, even when to the rest of the world they might look a little bit crazy.

“We are all a little wild here with numberless projects of social reform,” Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote to a friend in 1840, and Mansfield uses the quote to explain the restless searching of Americans in the 19th century. Of course, it didn’t end with the new century. “Our agitation has not ceased; it has taken different forms,” Mansfield writes, noting that at any given time 500,000 people are on planes. The world is full of “tourists, travelers, voyagers, sojourners, pilgrims.” Some of us are traveling for work or family obligations, yes. But others, he argues, are looking for more existential things; we are seeking to reclaim our own personal Eden.

In three sections — one on freedom, one on peace, one on God — Mansfeld introduces a disparate band of Eden-chasers, from a disheveled, smelly group of zealots known as the “Vermont Pilgrims” to the Tennessee abolitionist dubbed “the accidental Moses” to the better-known (and presumably better-smelling) Pilgrims who famously dined with the Wampanoag tribe and unknowingly gave us Thanksgiving (and Black Friday sales).

It was a daunting task, to gather these unconnected acorns of history and find the common, exhilarating theme, but Mansfield does so masterfully, and with each chapter, leaves the reader wondering, how did I not know that before?

How did I not know about the Mummyjums, the religious sect that did not believe in changing their clothes or bathing but somehow managed to poach followers from other small cults as they traveled around the country? (“The mayor of Cincinnati, concerned about the spread of smallpox, asked that they camp a mile from the city,” Mansfield writes.)

How did I not know about the Black doctor, Albert Johnston, who practiced for much of his life in New Hampshire, by “passing” for white, until his racial background was revealed when he tried to join the Navy just before the U.S. joined World War II? The story will make your blood boil, especially when the Navy sends a letter suggesting he join the war effort as a fireman or carpenter.

And how did I not know that iconic “This Car Climbed Mt. Washington” bumper stickers have been around since the 1930s and that then they were “a badge of honor in an era when radiators overheated on the way up and brakes overheated on the way down.” And that people from all over the world write and request new stickers when theirs wear out.

But for all of Mt. Washington’s fame, the time people spend at the summit reveals something a bit disturbing about our Eden-chasing. Mansfield interviewed Howie Wemyss, general manager of the auto road, who told him that the average stay at the top is 45 minutes.

“That’s a lot for an American,” Mansfield replied. Especially for the site of the “world’s worst weather.”

The staff has tried promotions designed to coax visitors into staying a while longer, even just an hour. But then people ask, Wemyss said, “Do we have to stay an hour?”

Eden, apparently, has a short shelf life, even when people spend hours or days to get to it. But Mansfield doesn’t dwell on this. Instead, he peels back these and other hidden bits of American history in his easy-going, what’s-the-hurry style that probes every corner of a story Chasing Eden is a thoroughly New England book, even when it ventures outside the region, perfect for fall evenings by a fire. A

Book Notes

The 1993 movie Hocus Pocus, against all odds, has become a Halloween cult classic, and a sequel is being filmed for Disney+ in Massachusetts.

So I know you’re thinking: But is there a cookbook?

Amazingly enough, there is. The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook (Ulysses Press, 144 pages) by Bridget Thoreson is a testament to American capitalism. It appears to be heavy on the pumpkin recipes, seasonal treats (squash ravioli and baked apples) and clever titles (“I Smell Scrod!” and “Blood of Owl Soup”).

“This book is a celebration of Hocus Pocus, its characters, and of course, its big musical number for no apparent reason,” Thoreson writes. As they say, if you like this kind of thing, you will love this sort of thing.

As for other seasonal fare, there’s not much new out except for Witches, Then and Now (Centennial Books, 192 pages), edited by Shari Goldhagen, which looks to be a thin history of witch lore.

Dolly Alderton’s Ghosts (Fig Tree, 336 pages) looked promising, until the synopsis revealed there’s nothing spooky about it. It’s a novel about a thirty-something food writer who gets ghosted by a man who said he wanted to marry her.

For an actual ghost story revisit 2020’s The Regrets (Little, Brown & Co., 304 pages), which is a strikingly original novel by Amy Bonnaffons about a man who dies in an accident but is sent back to Earth because he is deemed “insufficiently dead.” He’s given a list of instructions, all supposed to keep him from incurring regrets. “Ghost falls in love with a human” has been done, but rarely as hauntingly as this.

Finally, 2018 gave us What October Brings: A Lovecraftian Celebration of Halloween (Celaeno Press, 332 pages), a satisfying collection of stories and verse about the spooky season from the pen of the late H.P. Lovecraft.

Lovecraft was a New Englander who wrote science fiction and horror that didn’t become widely popular until after his death at age 46 in 1937. His work is now cult classic, like Hocus Pocus, but also beautiful: “The palette of Fall roars against the dark hills, the trees still clothed in finery, hanging on, perhaps, for the ball, the festival, All Hallow’s Eve.”

It’s a paperback, but still a great coffee-table book for the season.

Book Events

Author events

• HOWARD MANSFIELD Author presents Chasing Eden: A Book of Seekers. Thurs., Oct. 14, 6:30 p.m. Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord). Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• R.A. SALVATORE AND ERIKA LEWIS Authors present The Color of Dragons. Tues., Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m. Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord). Tickets cost $5. Space is limited, and registration is required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• WENDY GORTON Author presents 50 Hikes with Kids: New England. Virtual event hosted by The Toadstool Bookshops of Peterborough, Nashua and Keene. Via Zoom. Sun., Oct. 24, 2 p.m. Visit toadbooks.com.

• RAVI SHANKAR Author presents Correctional. Virtual event hosted by Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. Wed., Oct. 27, 7 p.m. Via Zoom. Registration required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• CATHERYNNE M. VALENTE Author presents Comfort Me With Apples. Virtual event hosted by Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. Fri., Oct. 29, 7 p.m. Via Zoom. Registration required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• KEN FOLLETT Author presents Never. Virtual event with author discussion and audience Q&A, hosted by The Music Hall in Portsmouth. Sun., Nov. 14, 1 p.m. Tickets cost $36 and include a book for in-person pickup at The Music Hall. Visit themusichall.org or call 436-2400.

Poetry

• DOWN CELLAR POETRY SALON Poetry event series presented by the Poetry Society of New Hampshire. Monthly. First Sunday. Visit poetrysocietynh.wordpress.com.

• SLAM FREE OR DIE Series of open mic nights for poets and spoken-word artists. Stark Tavern, 500 N. Commercial St., Manchester. Weekly. Thursday, doors open and sign-ups beginning at 7 p.m., open mic at 8 p.m. The series also features several poetry slams every month. Events are open to all ages. Cover charge of $3 to $5 at the door, which can be paid with cash or by Venmo. Visit facebook.com/slamfreeordie, e-mail slamfreeordie@gmail.com or call 858-3286.

Book Clubs

• BOOKERY Online. Monthly. Third Thursday, 6 p.m. Bookstore based in Manchester. Visit bookerymht.com or call 836-6600.

• GIBSON’S BOOKSTORE Online, via Zoom. Monthly. First Monday, 5:30 p.m. Bookstore based in Concord. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com/gibsons-book-club-2020-2021 or call 224-0562.

• GOFFSTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY 2 High St., Goffstown. Monthly. Third Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. Call 497-2102, email elizabethw@goffstownlibrary.com or visit goffstownlibrary.com

• NASHUA PUBLIC LIBRARY Online. Monthly. Second Friday, 3 p.m. Call 589-4611, email information@nashualibrary.org or visit nashualibrary.org.

Album Reviews 21/10/14

Shakespeare & the Blues, Rhapsodic (Nouveau Electric Records)

This was presented to me as an example of avant trip-hop; I really didn’t hear much in the way of traditional trip-hop until “Wanton Phrases,” the third song on this full-length from a New Orleans trio comprising Cassie Watson Francillon on concert harp, Cam Smith on drums and electronics and Bryan Webre (Lost Bayou Ramblers and Michot’s Melody Makers) on bass and electronics. Anyway, that song is more of a Portishead trip, which was what I’d expected the whole set to be, but that’s where the “avant” comes in. These folks are big on jazz and start off the album with a bright, showery and very busy shoegaze-ish joint called “Past Is Prologue,” then proceed to reinvent early-years Yes with “Emerald Glowing Figure.” None of these people sing, which is usually a red flag to me, but there’s no denying that they have great chemistry and can concoct accordingly. “The Mechanics Of Distance” is really good, almost an organic idea of Aughts dubstep, Francillon’s harp fleshing it out to terrific effect. A+

Spencer Cullum, Coin Collection (Full Time Hobby Records)

This burgeoning pedal-steel legend is a semi-obscure commodity only because, you know, he’s a pedal steel guitarist. But he’s been around the block quite a bit, contributing to records from Deer Tick, Kesha, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton and of course his own duo, Steelism. Cullum has free rein to do whatever in this album, and that’s basically what you get, a lot of whatever. I’d been led to expect some prog-rock, and there’s a little of that, but this guy is more into krautrock and park-bench folk, so the stretch of antique techno that shows up on “Dieterich Buxtehude” (and thus thankfully provides a very welcome break from the mostly Beatles-in-Norwegian-Wood-mode self-indulgence) is missed the minute it’s gone. He’s got a girl singer who sucks, if that appeals to you, which it might of course; in other words what you get here is Sufjan Stevens with a few random attempts at Kraftwerk, some dissonant boy-girl duetting and, you know, some cool but not terribly complicated pedal steel runs. Enjoy, or whatnot. B

PLAYLIST

• All ahead flank, ye swabs, to Oct. 15, when we will spy new albums coming straight at us from somewhere on the starboard side, and some of you will ignore everything I say and actually purchase some of these albums, which will get you keel-hauled for disobeying my direct orders to avoid them like radioactive whales! No, I’m kidding, if that money’s burning a hole in your pocket, please spend it on rock ’n’ roll albums instead of shoving it in a big coffee can in your basement or donating it to the homeless, because buying bad albums is your constitutional right. You even have the right to be a little rascal and buy Coldplay’s new album, Music Of The Spheres, and there’s nothing I can do about it, but I’ll go through the dutiful motions regardless and go listen to the trailer. Ah, how cute, it steals from Flock Of Seagulls, and Gary Glitter and LMFAO. This is so awful, but I will blame it on their producer, Max Martin, who has been spread super-thin for years now, writing literally half the Billboard hits that the other two or three go-to guys didn’t (Katy Perry stuff, The Weeknd stuff, Taylor Swift stuff, all of it) (no, I’m not kidding, music is hopelessly commercialized, and the big record companies believe the public is too stupid to appreciate tunes that weren’t written by a small handful of songwriting hacks). This is all wrong in so many ways that I’m almost left speechless, but the punchline is that this is some sort of concept album, because the guys “wanted to create their own solar system” and put that into music. Are you with me so far? Do you understand how bad this is for music and art? No? OK, then, carry on.

• Ha ha ha ha, I can’t believe it, it’s my ancient nemesis, The Darkness, with some stupid new album! The only reason these British numskulls ever got a record contract in the first place was that some record company executive became convinced by The Darkness’ manager that after several years of awful Strokes clone bands, what the public needed was a really bad Led Zeppelin imitation, which is exactly what The Darkness is. But somehow, even though we critics tried to stop you, people bought their albums, and things rapidly snowballed out of control, and the next thing you knew we had something even worse than The Darkness: Wolfmother! But we are here on business, specifically the new Darkness album Motorheart, so let’s get this out of the way as quickly as we can, by listening to the title track! Lol, lol, holy moley, I can’t stand it, first it sounds exactly like Spinal Tap, then Dillinger Escape Plan for 10 seconds, and then comes some horrible, lame riff, and the guy sings in this really stupid high-pitched falsetto. You have to hear this, it’s literally the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.

• Wait, a new album from old hippy-Latin-rock band Santana? Let me see if Carlos Santana is even still alive, because this could just be a tribute thing, like the Count Basie Orchestra, stand by. Huh, yes, he is. He’s only 74; I thought he was a lot older, because he literally played at the first Woodstock festival, back when electricity came from dinosaurs running on treadmills. The new full-length is Blessings And Miracles, and its single, “Move,” is basically a retrofitted version of his 1999 hit “Smooth.” It’s OK I suppose.

• We’ll finish all this nonsense with Lately, the new LP from Nashville country-folk-rock singer Lilly Hiatt! If this sounds exactly like Sheryl Crow we’re done for the day. Nope, just boring and kind of amateurish, so we’re still done.

If you’re in a local band, now’s a great time to let me know about your EP, your single, whatever’s on your mind. Let me know how you’re holding yourself together without being able to play shows or jam with your homies. Send a recipe for keema matar. Message me on Twitter (@esaeger) or Facebook (eric.saeger.9).

Month: October 2021

Staying active

News & Notes 21/10/21

Getting to Victory Day

Retro Games – 10/14/21

Retro Games – 10/14/21

Grumpy but grinning

The Music Roundup 21/10/14

No Time To Die (PG-13)

Chasing Eden, A Book of Seekers by Howard Mansfield

Album Reviews 21/10/14

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