Episode 103: Romantic Comedies Part I

In this episode, we review and comment on a ratings-based Rotten Tomatoes list of the 150 best romantic comedies of all time! Tune in for many opinions about romance, comedy, and the intersection of the two in film.

Links

Two Bossy Dames on romantic comedies
The 150 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time, according to Rotten Tomatoes
A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
The Toast: Ways In Which I Believe My Life Will Resemble A Nancy Meyers Film Now That I Am A Homeowner

The Sure Thing (1985)

Woman of the Year (1942)

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Musical Obsessions
Anna: “The Middle” by Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey; “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves
Alene: “The Joke” by Brandi Carlile, “Havana” by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug, “Call the Shots” by Leslie Grace from Miss Bala

Obsessions
Anna: Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke (May 2019)
Alene: The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett, read by Stephen Briggs

Episode 100: Our Namesake! Connie Willis’s BELLWETHER with @papersquared, @twobossydames, and @aswatki1

Can you believe there have been a hundred episodes of Bellwether Friends? Well, there haven’t. THIS is the one hundredth episode! Carolyn, Margaret, Sophie, and Ally joined us to discuss our inspiration and beloved novel Bellwether, by our beloved and inspiring Connie Willis, complete with all the digressions you’ve come to love over our past 99 episodes, readalikes, and other suggestions!

Links
Connie Willis

Bellwether
Audiobook (read by Kate Reading)
YouTube: Technique Critique by Wired
Charles Entertainment Cheese
L.O.L. Surprise! dolls
Owlcrate Jr
Connie Willis on library weeding
Jo Walton on Bellwether
Young Miles by Lois McMaster Bujold
To Say Nothing of the Dog on Episode 31
Cory Doctorow on Bellwether

Exhibit A: Alene’s Bellwether tattoo

Read-/Listen-/Watchalikes
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris
The Office
Level Up by Cathy Yardley
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Desk Set
Intermediate Thermodynamics by Susannah Nix
His Girl Friday
Working Girl
Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia
Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

Each chapter begins with the description of a fad, such as the HULA HOOP

Musical Obsessions
Carolyn: A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (album) by The 1975, “Love Somebody Like You” by Joan
Ally: “Free Man in Paris” by Joni Mitchell
Margaret: “The Heartache Can Wait” by Brandi Carlile
Sophie: “Precious Lord Take My Hand/You’ve Got A Friend” by Aretha Franklin [mention: “Wonder Woman” by Kacey Musgraves]
Anna: “Somebody to Love” by Queen (or George Michael) [or Glee]
Alene: “When Can I See You Again” by Owl City from Wreck-It Ralph

Obsessions
Carolyn: family karaoke night
Ally: Amelia Bloomer Project committee reading
Margaret: NPR and Boston Globe Best Books coverage: The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding, Odd One Out by Nic Stone, Check Please by Ngozi Ukazu, The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang [mention: Fence by C. S. Pacat]
Sophie: Bodyguard (more in Two Bossy Dames)
Anna: Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart (there’s no sex in space!)
Alene: Not Your Sidekick and Not Your Villain by C. B. Lee

@aswatki1, @papersquared, @mrsfridaynext, @twobossydames, @atvpodcast, @sophiebiblio

Pop Culture Happy Hour on The Favourite

Episode 61: The Daughter of Time Deep Dive with @twobossydames

We joined forces with Margaret and Sophie of Two Bossy Dames to take a closer look at the 1951 mystery classic The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. Much cleverness, and many readalikes and watchalikes, ensued. PLUS: A Young Olds discussion of Harry Styles and his debut single.

Links
The Two Bossy Dames wall clock
Simini Blocker
Persuasion Deep Dive
Derek Jacobi reads The Daughter of Time
“Decades After Her Death, Mystery Still Surrounds Crime Novelist Josephine Tey” (Vanity Fair)
History in the Archives by Natalie Zemon Davis
Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire
A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver by E.L. Konigsburg

The Lion in Winter
The White Queen
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
“How Can This Be So Gripping? Josephine Tey’s The Daughter of Time” by Jo Walton
Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
“Five Things We’ve Learned about Richard III Since He Was Found” (CNN)
Richard III by William Shakespeare
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
“Tonypandy” (Wikipedia): “Grant adopts the term “Tonypandy” to describe widely believed historical myths, such as the supposed shootings at the Tonypandy Riots, and believes popular accounts of Richard’s activities to fall into this category.”
Kenyon College
Denison University
Colleges that Change Lives

Reign
Brat Farrar
To Love and Be Wise

Readalikes and Watchalikes
The Hollow Crown (Richard II, Henry IV parts 1 and 2, Henry V)
The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman
Hild by Nicola Griffith

The Usual Suspects
The Singing Detective

Lady Jane
Jo Walton’s Small Change series (Farthing, Ha’penny, Half a Crown)
Hamilton: An American Musical
Richard III: The King in the Car Park
Richard III: Martyr or Monster?
The King’s Grave: The Discovery of Richard III’s Lost Burial Place and the Clues it Holds by Philippa Langley and Michael Jones
The Murders of Richard III by Elizabeth Peters
The Wench is Dead by Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse)
To Prove a Villain by Guy Townsend
The Josephine Tey mysteries by Nicola Upson
O’ Artful Death by Sarah Stewart Taylor

Rear Window
Dorothy Dunnett (start with The Game of Kings)
Val McDermid
Tana French

Musical Obsessions
Margaret: “Let’s Get Out of This Country” by Camera Obscura
Anna: “Fall Apart Again” by Brandi Carlile
Alene: “Welcome to New York” off the Greatest City in the World Spotify playlist
Sophie: “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles

Honorable mention musical obsession

Obsessions

Sophie: Harry Styles/One Direction
Margaret: Please Like Me (see also Disappointing Gay Best Friend)

Anna: An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
Alene: Fleabag