Summer is a perfect time for escapism — beach reads, fantasy TV, live theatre at the beach or under the stars — and it’s especially important this summer, with divisive and dirty politics and never-ending international conflicts dominating the airwaves and front pages.
Watching dragons kill princesses on House of the Dragon is so much nicer than watching attempted assassinations of former American presidents over and over on the news.
I managed to escape reality for a few hours earlier this month at a Rolling Stones concert, but even as I sang along to tunes like You Can’t Always Get What You Want or Wild Horses, I couldn’t help but compare Mick Jagger’s moves to Joe Biden’s debate performance just one week earlier. Jagger, 80, came out ahead in my estimation, but then he is eight months younger.
The only sour note in the concert, aside from Jagger suggesting we eat beaver tails and mispronouncing Nanaimo bars, was when the crowd booed him for saying something nice about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Those boos are reflective of a trend that shows people are itching for change.
Why else would British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak call a snap election and be swept from power in a Labour landslide that was the worst Conservative defeat in his country’s history, during the same summer French President Emmanuel Macron also called a snap election, which swung wildly from right to left and ended up with no clear majority.
In Canada, that same discontent is behind calls for Trudeau’s resignation prior to next year’s federal election.
For those trying to avoid thinking about this political uncertainty, another great escape I’ve enjoyed this summer is the novel All the Colors of the Dark, by Chris Whitaker. Whitaker wrote the masterful 2021 novel We Begin at the End, which I loved, so I knew when he had a new book out, I had to read it. It didn’t disappoint.
All the Colors of the Dark is 595 pages of insightful and twisty love story, missing persons mystery and serial killer thriller all rolled into one juicy tale about a little boy, Patch, who is missing an eye and a little girl who will do anything for him. If you’re looking for a book to take to the beach this summer — one with a bit of heft, both literary and in page count — I highly recommend All the Colors of the Dark.
Our collective anxiety plays out in one TV show I recently binge-watched with my husband — The Bear. The third season of this highly acclaimed and award-winning series came out this month on Disney+ and recently broke the record for Emmy nominations for a comedy.
This series alone is worth the subscription price. It’s about the Berzatto family restaurant, formerly a run-down sandwich joint known as The Beef. Second son Carmen — or Carmy, as he’s called — Berzatto returns home to Chicago to run the restaurant after the death of his older brother.
Carmy has a dream to turn The Beef into The Bear, a fine-dining establishment worthy of a Michelin star. I won’t share any spoilers, but let’s just say season three is controversial and might be considered a little surreal, but in a good way. Anyone who has worked in a restaurant, or been raised by an alcoholic parent, or has suffered insecurity is going to find something to relate to here.
Even if you can’t relate, this show is chock full of super stars putting in guest appearances, including a stellar Jamie Lee Curtis as Carmy’s mom and Olivia Colman as one of Carmy’s mentors. This is escapism at its finest; enjoy.
With elections in the U.S. and B.C. election both approaching this fall, I expect the headlines to continue their alarming nature. That’s why I plan to check out Theatre Under the Stars in Stanley Park — they’re running Cats and School of Rock — and Bard on the Beach, with four Shakespeare plays, as the summer progresses. That, along with the second half of House of the Dragon and several books on hold at the public library, should keep me firmly distracted.
Tracy Sherlock is a freelance journalist who writes about education and social issues. Read her blog or email her [email protected].
