Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...a slightly delayed, Christmasy Christmastide edition!

...One of my favorite gifts, sent by a dear friend, was V IS FOR VON TRAPP: A MUSICAL FAMILY ALPHABET. Author William Anderson also wrote the excellent THE WORLD OF THE VON TRAPP FAMILY, as well as good books on Louisa May Alcott and Laura Ingalls Wilder. V IS FOR VON TRAPP is a must for fans of THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

...Catherine Woolley's GINNIE AND GENEVA books are being reprinted by Image Cascade Publishing, which has also republished series such as Lenora Mattingly Weber's BEANY MALONE books and my favorite books by Anne Emery. (Via ConMartin.)

...And speaking of children's books, Another Old Movie Blog has an excellent post up about Children's Books During World War II. She's especially looking for information and memories of such books by those who read them during or shortly after that time period. (As I shared with Jacqueline recently, one of my favorite children's books from WWII is Carolyn Haywood's PRIMROSE DAY.)

...Turning from books to movies, Barrie Maxwell has an excellent bunch of reviews of recent DVDs posted at The Digital Bits. Titles he looked at include DARK CITY, APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER, THE BING CROSBY COLLECTION, BING CROSBY: THE TELEVISION SPECIALS: VOLUME II (Christmas shows), WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY, and THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER.

...And at the New York Times, Dave Kehr reviews recent Bing Crosby releases.

...Livius reviews John Ford's Christmastime film 3 GODFATHERS (1948) at Riding the High Country. This is one I've not yet seen. The Siren also has thoughts on the film.

...Discovering Ida takes a look at BEWARE, MY LOVELY (1952), an Ida Lupino-Robert Ryan film set at Christmas.

...Classic Movie Man lists favorite Christmas films, and there are more at Comet Over Hollywood.

...One of my favorite Christmas discoveries of recent years is HOLIDAY AFFAIR (1949), discussed by Jacqueline at Another Old Movie Blog.

...One of Margaret O'Brien's best films, OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES (1945), has a touching Christmas sequence. Edward G. Robinson and Agnes Moorehead play O'Brien's parents. The film is reviewed at Movie Classics.

...Here's a fun story my dad came across about two devoted Christmas decorators who fell in love.

...The Boston Globe gave an excellent review to AS ALWAYS, JULIA: THE LETTERS OF JULIA CHILD AND AVIS DEVOTO. I got this book for Christmas. :)

...Let's hope the incandescent light bulb ban is promptly repealed, or we're all going to be reading by dingy light from highly toxic CFL bulbs.

...A car from IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) was recently purchased by a Colorado couple. (Via KC at Classic Movies.)

...There are some nice photos in a tribute to the team of Ricardo Montalban and Cyd Charisse at A Noodle in a Haystack.

...Happy 5th Anniversary to Greenbriar Picture Shows!

...We'll end this week with a charming photo of Peter Pan in London Park on Disneyland's Storybook Land Canal ride.

Have a great week!