Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Saturday, December 7, 2013, 2:00 PM, San Leandro Main Library

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Meet the Author

Maria Semple was born in Santa Monica in 1964. Her father was a screenwriter and wrote the pilot for the Batman television series. Her family lived in Spain, Los Angeles, and Aspen. She attended boarding schoole at Choate Rosemary Hall and received a BA from Barnard College. After graduation, she became a screenwriter for television series including Beverly Hills, 90210; Mad About You; and Arrested Development. In addition to Where'd You Go, Bernadette, she has written another novel, This One is Mine. She lives in Seattle with her partner, George Meyer, and their daughter and teaches writing. Below is a brief video clip of Semple talking about her novel.



Scenes from Seattle

Queen Anne Hill as seen from the Space Needle
The structure at the crest of the hill is the former Queen Anne High School, which has been turned into apartments, but it could just as well be "Straight Gate."


Queen Anne-style house
Possibly the model for Audrey Griffin's "white castle."


Craftsman-style house in Seattle.
Bernadette is not impressed.


Inside the Space Needle
 Seattle icon and scene of the birthday lunch for Bee's friend Kennedy.


Cliff Mass, Meteorologist
Seattle fixture and Bernadette and Bee's favorite weatherman.


Dale Chihuly chandelier in Seattle
Perhaps similar to the one Bernadette fell asleep under at the compounding pharmacy.

Antartica

Ushuaia, Argentina
The jumping-off point for tours of Antarctica.
  


An Antarctic iceberg
 One of the colorful kind that caught Bernadette's attention.

Swimming in the volcanic fumarole on Deception Island.
Notice the tourists in the red parkas. I first heard about this place when watching a Jacques Cousteau special about 30 years ago or so and has been on my bucket list ever since. I was so angry with Bee when she refused an opportunity to swim in the hot springs.

The gift shop at Port Lockroy
This is where Bee met the two English girls. Bernadette was not here.


An Adelie penguin rookery
These parents have chicks and are not fighting.

Palmer Station, Antarctica
Apparently the most coveted research post in Antarctica.

Your Humble Narrator

The story is pieced together from the viewpoint of Bernadette's daughter, Bee, short for...

Balakrishina
The blue, flute-playing baby Krishna.

Director Stanley Kubrick
This is what I imagine Bee's "Kubrick" face looked like.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing the pictures! I look forward to sharing them at my bookclub.

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