"Joe Gould's Secret" with Ian Holm and Stanley Tucci

This is the wonderful story of both Joe Gould (Ian Holm) and Joseph Mitchell (Stanley Tucci). While the former was a noted street person of New York's Greenwich Village back in it's real Bohemian days, the latter was a former newspaper reporter for the Morning World, the Herald Tribune, and the World-Telegram, eventually landing at The New Yorker as a feature writer, with an emphasis on eccentric people in New York City. But, beneath their superficial differences, these two men were both really the same.

Joe Gould, with his superior intellect and intelligence, did not fit in with the world in which he lived. He was educated, and on occassion, could be most charming. But his usual modus operandi was to roam about the city, ranting and raving about the "aural/oral History" that he was writing. This history was to be comprised of the everyday conversations of the people with which Mr. Gould found himself interacting with during the course of his daily rounds to his usual haunts. He claimed that these conversations held more insight into the human condition than all the history books combined. And, in a way, he was right. A quick look at Studs Terkel's books, especially "Working" and "The Good War", which are both "oral histories", lends creedence to this.

Mr. Gould's play on words notwithstanding, the "aural/oral" histories are both pretty much in the same genre. One is an overheard conversation (aural), while the other is a person speaking, either in answer to a question posed, or just telling their own story (oral). Both are valid, and insightful forms of history, and highly enjoyable for the reader.

Joseph Mitchell also felt disconnected from the world into which he was born. Born to Averette and Elizabeth Mitchell, who were cotton and tobacco traders in North Carolina, and whose income would help support the younger Mitchell throughout his life, even while working at The New Yorker, he never felt at home there. After moving to New York in the 1920's, he married photographer Therese Jacobsen in 1931, and they would remain together for the rest of their lives. They had two daughters, Nora and Elizabeth. Mrs. Mitchell passed away in 1980,and Mr. Mitchell passed away in 1996.

The film follows Mr. Mitchell as he embarks on a journey through New York in the 1940's, a time during which Allen Ginsberg was writing "Howl", and the McCourt Brothers were beginning their individual migrations to America. It was a time of coffee houses and poetry readings, beatniks and jazz.

Fascinated by Joe Gould's intellect, as well as his way of making a living, Mr. Mitchell follows him to every party, poetry reading and failed interview. Along the way Mr. Gould solicits money for "The Joe Gould Fund", which is supposed to be a contribution towards the publication of his "Aural History", but which everyone knows is just money for Mr. Gould to eat and drink with.

The real meat of this movie is in the similarities that draw these two vastly different men together. Eventually, after trying to get a look at the written portions of the "Aural History", Mr. Mitchell finds that there is no such thing. It is all a product of Mr. Gould's slightly skewed imagination. But Mr. Mitchell keeps the secret, and the legend, alive, going so far as to help others as they continue to search for the history, which he knows does not exist.

With standout performances by both Ian Holms' as Joe Gould, and Stanley Tucci as Joseph Mitchell, this film captures the essence of a very special place and time in New York. The costume designs, sets and scenery are all superb, creating a flawless background to this unique, and true sory.

David Streitfeld, a writer for the Washington Post, quoted Mr. Mitchell in Newsday, August 27th, 1992 as having said of his strange obsession with Mr. Gould; "You pick someone so close that, in fact, you are writing about yourself. Joe Gould had to leave home because he didn't fit in, the same way I had to leave home because I didn't fit in. Talking to Joe Gould all those years, he became me in a way, if you see what I mean."

I do, Mr. Mitchell, and I believe that so many others feel the same way. Remember that Thomas Wolfe, another great writer from North Carolina, once wrote, "You Can't Go Home Again." And, in an uncanny sense of irony, this film serves to drive that point home.

"Thick As Thieves" by Steve Geng

This is one of those books that was kind of gazing at me from the library shelf, as if asking me to pick it up. I did. The first line got me hooked right away. "Winter in Philadelphia, 1946." That's all it took for me to take this one home. I have a weakness for books about the years I grew up in when told from the perspective of someone a few years older than myself. It helps explain some of the things which I witnessed, but did not understand at 4 or 5 years old.

Steve and his sister Veronica are the children of Colonel Geng, a career Army Officer. His assignments take them to Italy, Paris, New York and then Florida during the late 1950's and 1960's. It was a time of experimentation for the whole world. Mr. Geng and his sister had a front seat to some of it.

But lying beneath the surface is a hidden, dysfunctional family. The Colonel is rigid and unyielding with his children. He is their father but never manages to become their Dad. With his unrelenting sarcasm and lack of faith in his children,he kind of reminds me of my own father.

The two children deal with things in very different ways. Veronica hides in her world of books and freinds. Steve gets high and begins a life of "boosting", which consists of going from town to town and shoplifting large quantities of merchandise from shopping malls. As his drug use increases he takes larger risks to support his habit.

Veronica goes on to become a celebrated author at The New Yorker during the 1980's and Steve eventually goes through a stint in the Army, a term in jail, a couple of re-habs and then down to Florida to help care for his dying father. It is through this relationship, caring for the man he once despised, that he comes to terms with his demons and reconciles his life.

He also becomes involved in local theater groups and goes on to star in several character roles on "Miami Vice." Through his years of drug use he contracts AIDS. Through a twelve step program he learns to deal with both.

When his sister passes away at age 55, without his knowing she'd been ill, he starts to fall apart. The theater helps him deal with her loss. And in the end it all comes together with the realization that we are all simply who we are. Even the ones that hurt us without meaning to. We're all human, and all imperfect. That's the lesson that we all need to learn, that before we can forgive ourselves, we must forgive the others.