The magical number?

In January, I wrote a post about how I like to read my books. By that I don't mean where I read or if I like background noise (maybe that will be another post at some time), but the medium I prefer.
At the end of the post I said that I usually read three books at a time these days, a print book, an ebook and a book that I read out loud - mostly digital ones now because it's hard to read to a cat who's lying on your chest and also holding a book with one hand as the other one is obviously needed to pet said cat.

Then I heard a British writer and presenter saying that she reads about seven to eight books at a time. To each their own, but it made me wonder if I would be able to do that - or rather if I would even want that.

Let's first get out of the way that I'm talking about reading for relaxation.
If you study something or research for something, it's not unusual to work with several books at a time, but that kind of reading can mean jumping between chapters, skipping chapters, re-reading parts, etc. I mean reading or listening to a book from the first word to the last (including the prologue or epilogue 😉).

I'm not the first person to write or talk about that, there are a lot of posts and articles on the topic - which is also the reason why I didn't talk about benefits or drawbacks - but I'm sure you will want to know my personal take on it.
Nah, I'm kidding, it was just a topic that came to mind last weekend when I had finished a book and thought about what I should be reading next.
Then I mentioned the three books at once to a friend and she sounded very surprised. I didn't think to ask if she thought that's too few or too many or if she was surprised how stubborn I undoubtedly sounded about the number of three (I asked now, it was the last one).

Yes, I have a folder called "NOW" and no, there are never
more than two books in there.

That's not a number I actively chose, by the way. It just kind of happened because I noticed getting distracted if I tried to read more than three at once (again, not counting something I might use for research). Also they really have to be from different genres. Two vintage crime books, two children's books, two movie-related books ... absolutely a no go for me.
It used to be different when I still commuted because one book would be for the commute, another one for home, and they could be the same genre.

I'm glad that I have found the right routine for myself which doesn't leave me overwhelmed or confused, and I think everyone has to do what works for them.
I'm not a fan of "why you should read two books at once".
If people prefer reading one book after the other, for example because they think they owe the writer their undivided attention, let them do that.
If people need eight books for their happiness, fine by me.
If people like to read a fiction and a non-fiction book on the same topic or set in the same time period to have them bounce off each other, good for them (I rather start with a fiction book and then read a non-fiction if I want to know more). If people thrive on book piles around the house (I don't anymore), great!
If you like to choose between books depending on your mood (very much something I do), enjoy being able to do that.
It was interesting to read that some people felt they had to apologize for reading just one book and others for reading more than one at once. Why is that?

Public domain via pxhere

One benefit mentioned in several articles or posts was that you get through your TBR list more quickly.
I admit that I didn't understand that one completely. Granted, taking a break from one book you are struggling with and reading something easier may give you fresh energy for the first one.
All in all, I need a certain time for a book, though, and how is jumping between books going to change that? Just theoretically speaking, if one books takes me a day and another takes me a day, how do I get through my list more quickly if I alternate between them? Are there people who magically need just one and a half days for both then?
Serious question, maybe you can explain it to me.

I'd love to hear about your own routines and why you chose to read just one book at a time or several at once.

Weekend Traffic Jam - Week 159

Welcome to the Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot!
My posts for the link up will go live on Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. EDT or, if you live in the future like I do, on Fridays at 3:30 a.m. CE(S)T.

The other day my remote control wouldn't turn my TV on anymore. Of course, my first thought were batteries, but I was out of the right size. When I got some, it was so disappointing that it still didn't work. Would you believe that my TV set doesn't have a manual power button ... unless it's invisible? Pulling the plug out didn't do the trick, either.
So I ordered a new remote, they are not expensive, and spent several days - thanks to a public holiday - waiting for it. It arrived on the same day as my new TV stick which came with a remote control of its own.
Guess what! Not only could I use that remote to turn the TV on, but all the other buttons on the old remote worked just fine. The next day the power button went back to working as well. After four days. Figures.
I was so excited to watch my new DVDs ... but found the remote of the player didn't work after it had worked just fine the day before. This time, however, it was the battery. What are the chances?
Do you think that's a secret remote control plot to drive me crazy? Next they will probably try to control me!

Public domain via pxhere

Are you ready for the weekend?

As part of the reboot, we will be featuring a different blog every week.
How about stopping by and saying hello? Let them know we sent you.

This week our spotlight is on Crafty Gardener.

Linda from Crafty Gardener says: "Welcome, I'm glad you stopped by for a visit. Like life, this site, is a collection of many things.
I love crafting and I love gardening … hence my name was created … Crafty Gardener, who in real life is Linda.  Now I’m retired I have more time to do all the things I love to do, and I often wonder how I had time to go to work.  I’ve been sharing my love of gardening and crafting since my site was established in 2004 with my own domain as a gift from my family.
Gardening is just one important part of my life. Family is the most important part.  We have been married 50+ years, have 3 beautiful daughters and handsome son-in-laws and four wonderful and energetic grandchildren that keep us smiling and young!
...
There is also crafting, reading, sewing, genealogy, and all the other little things that make our life interesting and important. You can follow the drop down menus at the top of the page to see lots of my ideas, patterns, recipes, books and more."

Marsha from Marsha in the Middle started blogging in 2021 as an exercise in increasing her neuroplasticity. Oh, who are we kidding? Marsha started blogging because she loves clothes, and she loves to talk or, in this case, write!

Melynda from Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household - The name says it all, we homestead in East Texas, with three generations sharing this land. I cook and bake from scratch, between gardening and running after the chickens, and knitting!

Lisa from Boondock Ramblings shares about the fiction she writes and reads, her faith, homeschooling, photography and more.

Cat from Cat's Wire has what she calls a jumping spider brain. She has many interests and will blog about whatever catches her attention - crafts, books, old movies, collectibles or random things.

Rena from Fine Whatever Blog writes about style, midlife, and the "fine whatever" moments that make life both meaningful and fun. Since 2015, she's been celebrating creativity, confidence, and finding joy in the everyday.


Here are some of my picks from last week's link up.

I wish I could have seen that exhibition, looks like Gail had a lot of fun.

Nicole is enjoying her morning room.

Amalia introduces us to Dawn and Dusk, so cute.

Jeanne made such a beautiful flowering tree mosaic.

Mie found a lovely place to visit - with goats!


Let's link up!

Guidelines:
This link party is for blog posts only. All other links will be deleted.
Please link only blog posts you created yourself. Please link directly to the URL of your blog post and not the main address of your blog.
Please do not link to videos, sales ads, or social media links such as YouTube videos/shorts, Instagram or Facebook reels, TikTok videos, or any other social media based content.
Please do visit other blogs and give the gift of a comment. 

Notice:
By linking with Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot, you assert that the content is your own property and give us permission to share said content if your post or blog is showcased.
We welcome unlimited, family friendly content. This can include opinion pieces, recipes, travel recaps, fashion ideas, crafts, thrifting, lifestyle, book reviews or discussions, photography, art, and so much more!
Thank you for linking up with us! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Silent movies - In Night and Ice

I don't think that I need to tell you much about the RMS Titanic. In the early hours of April 15, 1912 the ocean liner hit an iceberg on her maiden voyage and sank within a few hours.

Now move over, James Cameron! 
The film I present to you today is the second film about the disaster (the first one didn't survive). It was released in 1912 only four months after the sinking of the Titanic and is called "In Nacht und Eis" = "In Night and Ice".

The movie is starting like a newsreel for the cinema.
First, we get shown how the passengers board the ship (and even at that point the intertitles give us examples for who survived and who drowned!).

Next we see how what the passengers do on board - games, walks on the deck and meeting in the "posh 'Café Parisien'".
I'm especially intrigued by the second game where the two men try to, uhm, push one another out of the circle just using their feet?

We also see the crew at work, the Captain, the First Officer on the bridge, a sailor in the crow's nest, the stokers in the boiler room, the wireless operators, while the passengers (the wealthy ones, the others get just a short mention) get ready for a nice evening.
Then the First Officer gets the iceberg warning and from there it gets a little less documentary.

I'm torn about that. On one hand the shock of the people in the café or in the cabins when the ship starts to move got to me more than I expected. I'm usually not one to watch disaster films or documentaries for exactly that reason.
On the other hand we've got this ...

The First Officer and the Captain proved to be real pros (the characters and the actors). A fine piece of overacting. I went from genuinely feeling sorry for the passengers to giggling hysterically in less than two seconds.
You would probably have to watch it yourself to understand why.
They kept running away, together or individually, coming back, looking through the binoculars, grabbing their heads, stretching out their arms, repeat. It was simply too much - well, for me anyhow.

We also get to see the collision of the ship with the iceberg.
This is supposed to have been an 8 meter model. Is it just me who doesn't believe that?

Although people panic and run back and forth a lot, none of the scenes are sensationalist in any way. We don't see people jumping off the ship or drowning. The film doesn't concentrate so much on the horror itself as on bravery and heroism which is very nicely illustrated by the captain calling out to the passengers on the deck: "Be British!" (oh the stereotype) while the band is playing "Nearer, My God, to Thee".

One of the brave crew members is the first wireless operator.
There's a long scene of the wire operators sending out distress messages in Morse, getting up, sitting down, and move levers a lot (no idea if that's how it's done in the way they did, it didn't look very organized and, shame on me, I giggled again).

You see a lot of people running back and forth by this window.

The ship keeps sinking.
 

There's a very touching scene when the Captain releases the first wireless operator from his duty (the second one is about to leave the ship), but we're told they are both ready to go down with the ship and only think of the rescue of the passengers.

In the end, we are informed that the Captain gets pushed overboard by a wave (ignore that there are no such waves in the movie), helps a drowning passenger to a lifeboat, but refuses to get on it himself.
It takes away a little from the effect, though, that he seems to walk in the water instead of swim ...

This is one of the earliest disaster movies and it featured special effects that hadn't been seen like that in German movies before.
The director was 24 year old Romanian Mime Misu who had a rather short film career despite the success of this movie.
"In Nacht und Eis" was filmed in different towns, on a German ocean liner, on moving sets, and on a lake.

It's also interesting that for decades the movie was believed to be lost. During the hype around Cameron's "Titanic" it was mentioned in a newspaper article and several people reacted to that saying that they in fact had copies. I will never cease to be amazed by old treasure turning up like that.
If you are interested in more information on the film, check out the site Titanic's Officers which has info on the officers, but also a lot of articles, one of them about this film. Also, the website owner collaborated with several people to provide a version of the remastered film with English intertitles.

Now you want to know how I liked the movie because you are a bit confused by my conflicting statements?
Well, I actually quite liked it (giggles or not), and although it's 40 minutes long and some of the scenes weren't super exciting - like the ladies getting dressed for the café - I wasn't bored.
Okay, so there was some unintended comic relief, but I felt a bit guilty for giving in to my childish giggling fit. You know how I'm always the one to emphasize that we have to take the age and history of a film into account.
I can't deny having been taken by surprise by the jump from the newsreel vibe to highly dramatic acting, though.

You also have to remember that this was just a few months after the disaster which must have added to the emotions of the audience which wasn't suffering from oversaturation yet as we do today.
There are still people arguing about what exactly happened and why today, and you can imagine how much more different information and opinions there must have been around at the time of filming.
So the film may not be completely accurate, but still a good watch.


Sources and further reading:

1. "In Night and Ice" (with English intertitles) on the YouTube channel "Titanic's Officers"
2. Dan Parkes: "In Nacht und Eis" - "In Night and Ice" - 1912 German Titanic Film. On: "Titanic's Officers" website

A Good Book & a Cup of Tea - June 2026 link party

Welcome to the A Good Book & A Cup of Tea (A Monthly Bookish Link Party)!
This link up is for book and reading posts or anything related to books and reading (even movies based on books!).

Each link party will be open for a month.
My co-hosts for this event are Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and Erin from Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.
You can link up with any of us.

As this is my first time as a co-host and it was short notice, I didn't choose any features from the May link party, but I promise to be better prepared next time.


These are the guidelines:

1. For bloggers, you can link unlimited posts related to books and reading. They can be older posts or newer posts. These can be posts about what you’re reading, book reviews, books you’ve added to your shelf, reading habits, what you’ve been reading, about trips to the bookstore, etc. You get the drift.
2. Link to a specific blog post (URL of a specific post, not just your website). Feel free to link up any older posts that may need some love and attention, too.
3. Please visit at least two other bloggers on this list and comment on their posts. Have fun! Interact! Get some book recommendations.
4. Readers can click the blue button below to visit blog posts.
5. If you add a link you are giving me permission to share and link back to your post(s).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

My May books

This is an overview of the books I have finished in a month (not necessarily started in the same month) and those I have read to Gundel (marked with 😸).
I will be adding a short explanation why I chose a book or how I found it and possibly if it's a re-read candidate, but I'm usually not going to add real reviews or ratings (Gundel also refuses to give ratings). Should you want a little more information on a book you're interested in, though, just let me know.


"Die Jungens von Burg Schreckenstein" by Oliver Hassencamp, first published in 1959

What a surprise for the pupils of an overcrowded boy school when they are told that they are going to move to a boarding school - in a castle!
After having explored "Burg Schreckenstein" (translated in the book as Horror Rock Castle (as a name for their jazz band)), the boys start calling themselves Knights and decide to follow a knightly code.

When I was a child, we - my guess is my brothers - had the first three volumes of this series which Hassencamp wrote between 1959 and 1988 (when he died in a car accident). The series has 27 volumes and has still been popular in Germany in the 2000s, possibly still now. The other day I noticed I had only inherited volume 2 and 3, therefore I bought volume 1 now and re-read it.

"The Gift of Not Belonging: How Outsiders Thrive in a World of Joiners" by Rami Kaminski, first published in 2025

In this book, psychiatrist Dr. Kaminski introduces a new personality type, no introvert, no extrovert, but the otrovert - "one who faces a different direction" according to his definition.

If my copy weren't missing the jacket, you could see a group of green chameleons on a branch and above them a blue one - the otrovert who can mingle with a group better than an introvert, but still stands outside of it as a kind of observer.
My problem with the book is that while some passages seem to describe me, I found others extremely generalizing, sometimes repetitive, sometimes contradictive in the description of what defines "the" otrovert - which I totally am according to the test in the book which I can believe or not just like a personality test in a magazine in a doctor's waiting room as we get no clue what exactly it's based on.
There are anecdotes about patients, but nothing concrete, studies or references, that would make me feel as if this could be more than someone telling me about having a kind of superpower by being different from people who live a more community-based life which the author (who is of course an otrovert) seems to frown upon. This is only one example: "Tuned in to their rich, multilayered inner worlds, they gain access to a fantastically complex universe of thought, memory, and imagination that the communal person cannot access." Come on now, seriously?
So yeah, to me this seemed just like a new drawer to store people in (tempting superpower included), but I don't believe in such drawers. I got the book used and wonder if the previous owner felt the same about it as I did.

"The Silent Bullet" by Arthur B. Reeve, first published in 1910
(Craig Kennedy, Scientific Detective 1)

Craig Kennedy is a professor at Columbia University and he's convinced there should be a professorship in criminal science.
With the help of his journalist friend Walter James - yes, they are flatmates -, he uses his scientific expertise to help out the police and private clients.

I have the "leaping fish" to thank for discovering the "American Sherlock Holmes" (there wasn't much in German, it seems) as someone commented on the video that Coke Ennyday may be a Sherlock Holmes spoof, but that the name is definitely inspired by Professor Kennedy.
Initially the stories were published in "The Cosmopolitan".
This book has 12 stories in which Kennedy uses hidden microphones, lie detectors, a defibrillator, magnets, and more ("Murdoch Mysteries" anyone?).
I still prefer Sherlock Holmes, but it was a fun read, and as Reeve wrote loads more my vintage crime folder has grown again.

"Last Ditch" by Ngaio Marsh, first published in 1977
(Roderick Alleyn 29)

Alleyn's son Ricky is on one of the Channel Islands in order to write a book.
The peace is disturbed, however, when a young woman is found dead after a riding accident. Or wasn't it an accident?

This is still part of my vintage crime project for which I keep getting books by Marsh and Allingham.

"The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus" by Emma Knight, first published in 2025

A coming-of-age book about two friends, Pen and Alice from Canada who study in Edinburgh.

The book was mentioned on a blog and I have to admit that the words octopus (spoiler, it's a metaphor) and Edinburgh made me read it. It was okay, but not substantial enough to be sticking with me for long.

"Photo Finish" by Ngaio Marsh, first published in 1980
(Roderick Alleyn 31)

When his wife Troy is invited to a millionaire's luxury residence on an island in a New Zealand lake to paint the portrait of famous opera singer Isabella Sommita, Alleyn is invited along to look into the affair of a paparazzo following her.
After the performance of an opera written by Sommita's lover, part of the group is stuck on the island due to a heavy storm. Then the singer is found in her room ... murdered ...

This is still part of my vintage crime project and I have now read all 33 Roderick Alleyn books.

"An American Comedy" by Harold Lloyd (in collaboration with Wesley W. Stout), first published in 1928 (this edition was reproduced with minor corrections plus an interview from 1966)

This is the autobiography of Harold Lloyd at the height of his career. Kind of. I found it to be a mix of some life stories without getting too much in details unless they were light enough and stories of how his film career developed and how he developed films. That was actually quite interesting (if a bit dated which is no surprise), but I know there have been things left out (in regards to his accident with a bomb, for example), so I will read a "real" biography when possible.
What I liked was that someone really worked with this copy. There are loads of asterisks, marked paragraphs, and a few marginal notes. To me, it looks like someone tried to research how to do comedy.

I'm having fun with making my way through film-related biographies.

"The Ex Hex" by Erin Sterling, first published in 2021
(Graves Glen 1)

After breaking up with Rhys, the witch Vivienne puts a curse on him. It's not supposed to be serious, but when Rhys comes back to Vivienne's hometown after nine years to charge the town's ley lines, the magic goes crazy because of the curse and both the town and Rhys are in danger.

I found the book on OverDrive by accident and liked the idea of magic going crazy. Unfortunately it was mostly about the love story, but not in a way that captured me. I won't be reading the other books in the series.

"Bury Your Secrets" by Kerry Watts, first published in 2024
(DI Fraser Brodie 1)

A man well liked in the community is murdered in a gruesome way. The next day another body is found. A third man disappears.
DI Brodie and the isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides have to deal with a serial killer - again. Brodie is reminded of the murders his own twin brother has committed decades ago.

The book was recommended on a blog and sounded like one of the police thrillers I like to watch on TV sometimes.
It was a quick read, but "the secret" was mentioned so often that it got boring, and honestly, after not even half of the book I was quite sure I knew who the killer was (I was right). I would probably give the second book in the series a try to see if that improves, but my library doesn't have it, anyway.

"Celia's House" by D. E. Stevenson, first published in 1943 😸

The book spans about 40 years of Dunnian House, a Scottish country estate. There have always lived Dunnes in the house, and the book starts with the unmarried Celia in 1905 and then tells the story of her nephew and his family who move in after Celia's death.

I hadn't known DES before I came across a review of a different book of hers on Liz's blog "Adventures in reading, running, and working from home". I think I marked both books to remind myself that DES wrote a lot, but randomly chose this one first. 
It was gentle, charming, and just what I needed at the moment. Afterwards I found that Liz has a short review of it on her blog, too. It will definitely not be the last book by this author for me.

"A Handful of Time" by Helen Foley, first published in 1961

Frances is asked by the police to travel to Cornwall to identify the body of her friend Fanny who has drowned in a sailing accident.
On the way, she remembers the story of her friendship after meeting as undergraduates in Cambridge in the 30s, of living together and making it through the war - Fanny is Austrian, but has been living in England since she went to school -, of friends and lovers.

I found this book mentioned on "The Neglected Books Page" and thought it sounded interesting - which it was, but eventually it started dragging.

"The Mysterious Mr. Badman : A Yorkshire Bibliomystery" by William Fryer Harvey, first published in 1934

When blanket manufacturer Athelstan Digby offers to mind the bookshop of his hosts while they are out of the house, he doesn't expect three men to ask for the same ominous book within a few hours.
Little does he know about the secret connected with this book, but after a body is found, there's no stopping him from investigating.

This is one of my random finds, a vintage crime with quite a bit of fun mixed in.

"The Cat Who Came in From the Cold" by Deric Longden, first published in 1991 😸

A tiny kitten on a bucket in the neighbor's garden during the rain ... writers Deric and Aileen can't help falling in love.
This is the story of Thermal and his adventures in a Huddersfield neighborhood.

I had an urgent need for a familiar feel good book and this one which started my cat book collection decades ago is always a good choice!

"Robert My Father" by Sheridan Morley, first published in 1993

The biography of British actor Robert Morley written by his eldest son who was a drama and film critic and a writer.

I knew Morley from old movies of course, but I hadn't known about his long career in theater both as actor and playwright. As someone who knows next to nothing about theater, it was sometimes hard for me to wade through lists of unfamiliar names, but the stories made up for it.

"Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths" by Natalie Haynes, first published in 2022

In ten chapters, Haynes features women from classical literature and mythology, for example Pandora, Medea, Medusa, and tells the stories shining a light on them instead on the male point of view.

I had a look at the non-fiction books on OverDrive and picked this one because it sounded interesting. Good choice, I really enjoyed it!


DNF:

"The Frozen River" by Ariel Lawhon, first published in 2025

Midwife Martha Ballard is called to examine the body of a man found in the ice of the frozen river. He's one of two men having been accused of rape and Martha finds he was hanged before he got thrown into the river. Not everyone wants this murder to be solved, but Martha is determined.

I gave up at about a third. I wanted to like Martha for being strong and fighting for justice, but I didn't and even worse, the book started dragging for me.
It's inspired by real life events and the real Martha sounds very fascinating. I'd rather read the biography about her instead of this book.

Weekend Traffic Jam - Week 158

Welcome to the Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot!
My posts for the link up will go live on Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. EDT or, if you live in the future like I do, on Fridays at 3:30 a.m. CE(S)T.

Isn't it amazing how simple pictures like these can take you back in time (my sister also took them in the old neighborhood, well, old for me)?
This used to be part of my way home from my best friend. I could have taken a shorter one, but there was no "zebra stripe" (aka crosswalk) on the busy road there, so I always took a little detour to be on the safe side.
Today I watched a video about how some people read (leave out prologue and epilogue, only read the dialogue ... how weird), and the creator mentioned reading in the street.
That's what I used to do, have my nose in a book on the way home or make up stories for myself which were usually based on favorite books.
I can never see this part of the street without remembering a neighbor kindly warning me not to read while walking and watch my step instead. Yup, that's what I have to do nowadays, but back then I didn't listen 😉
 

Are you ready for the weekend?

As part of the reboot, we will be featuring a different blog every week.
How about stopping by and saying hello? Let them know we sent you.

This week our spotlight is on bushel and a pickle.

Linda from bushel and a pickle says: "Welcome! I’m Linda and I’m so glad you stopped by.
I live a rich and full life in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in a very, very old farmhouse. Bushel & a pickle (named for my daughter’s childhood saying) is my story of life experiences, family, travels and faith."

Marsha from Marsha in the Middle started blogging in 2021 as an exercise in increasing her neuroplasticity. Oh, who are we kidding? Marsha started blogging because she loves clothes, and she loves to talk or, in this case, write!

Melynda from Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household - The name says it all, we homestead in East Texas, with three generations sharing this land. I cook and bake from scratch, between gardening and running after the chickens, and knitting!

Lisa from Boondock Ramblings shares about the fiction she writes and reads, her faith, homeschooling, photography and more.

Cat from Cat's Wire has what she calls a jumping spider brain. She has many interests and will blog about whatever catches her attention - crafts, books, old movies, collectibles or random things.

Rena from Fine Whatever Blog writes about style, midlife, and the "fine whatever" moments that make life both meaningful and fun. Since 2015, she's been celebrating creativity, confidence, and finding joy in the everyday.


Here are some of my picks from last week's link up.

Judee really makes me want to try frozen limonana, it sounds so good!

I think it's great that Mireille is trying to have a solo picnic each week.

Joanne's post about Bryce Canyon gave me a flashback, such beautiful pictures.

Have you ever heard about croissant s'mores? Laura has tried them.

Nancy shows us a modern take on countryside chic.


Let's link up!

Guidelines:
This link party is for blog posts only. All other links will be deleted.
Please link only blog posts you created yourself. Please link directly to the URL of your blog post and not the main address of your blog.
Please do not link to videos, sales ads, or social media links such as YouTube videos/shorts, Instagram or Facebook reels, TikTok videos, or any other social media based content.
Please do visit other blogs and give the gift of a comment. 

Notice:
By linking with Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot, you assert that the content is your own property and give us permission to share said content if your post or blog is showcased.
We welcome unlimited, family friendly content. This can include opinion pieces, recipes, travel recaps, fashion ideas, crafts, thrifting, lifestyle, book reviews or discussions, photography, art, and so much more!
Thank you for linking up with us! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Silent films - Mary, Queen of Tots (Our Gang Comedy)

Do you remember "Our Gang" or maybe they are more familiar to you as "The Little Rascals"?
I think it's about time we had a look at one of the films from this popular series!
Today I got "Mary, Queen of Tots" from 1925 for you.

Public domain via Wikipedia

"Little Mary of the Big House - - Father and mother are always too busy to remember that they love her - -"
Mary is lonely in the big house. Her governess is very strict and doesn't even allow her dolls. Her only friend is the gardener.

After finding Mary in the bathroom with a very wet dog, the governess tells her to stay in her room. Mary kicks a few things with a lot of verve and then sits on her bed crying.

Not to worry, though. Her gardener friend is approached by a lady who makes dolls together with her husband, and he buys four and sneaks into Mary's room to give them to her.
Mary reads to her new friends, but gets tired and falls asleep on the floor. The dolls and two plush animals, a dog and a donkey, come to life and explore the room.

When the governess comes in to check on Mary before going out, she finds the dolls and throws them right into the bin (which is an absolute shame as the dolls look really amazing, also she could have put Mary on her bed ... we don't like her).

Mary wakes up and runs outside to look for her dolls, but she just finds four boys who look like them!

She hugs them which confuses them highly, asks them why they ran away, and takes them back to the big house showing them around. "- - And this is the dining room." I love the reply. "That interests me - Let's eat! - -" (That could have been me.)
While Mary goes to the kitchen for food, the boys - Joe, Jackie, Mickey, and Little Farina - explore the house. They use the tea trolley as a scooter, Farina struggles with a chapeau claque - an opera hat that keeps folding and unfolding by itself -, they all take turns falling down on what Mickey is sure to be a magic rug (in fact just a rug on a very slippery floor), and they get nervous about a very loud wireless shouting HEY at them.
When the governess returns, she's shocked to see the boys who so much look like the dolls she has thrown away. Mickey tells her they have been invited to dinner, but she goes off to fetch the police.
Meanwhile, the gardener has found the dolls in the bin and Mickey explains that they model for the dollmaker couple. He also warns them that the governess will bring back the police.

The boys quickly hide in the kitchen, so the policeman only finds the dolls. He asks Mary if the governess is crazy. She tells him she doesn't know for sure, "mebbe", and he takes the governess away.

In another short it says "Mary - - She causes all the fights in the neighborhood - And there's lots of them - -"
Mary Kornman was the leading female character in the "Our Gang Comedies" from 1922 to 1926. Although this short is from 1925, I know I read somewhere that it might be the story how Mary came to join the gang, if only I knew where!

"Our Gang" was created by Hal Roach who also worked with Laurel and Hardy and with Harold Lloyd.
Roach said that he saw a few kids fighting about the best stick in a yard and thought that although they would have forgotten about those sticks in a few hours, they were so important to them now, just because that's the way kids are. This gave him the idea of a kids and pets series.
While of course dated in some regards, "Our Gang" is simply about kids from a working class neighborhood (which can lead to fights with wealthier kids) - playing, being themselves, full of fantasy, ideas, and enthusiasm, but also innovative in avoiding chores or schoolwork.

Between 1922 and 1944, there were 88 silent shorts, 132 sound shorts, and one feature length film.
Obviously, there were different children involved over such a long time.

We watched "The Little Rascals" on TV when I was a kid, but I don't remember anything (but the dog). I watched a few of the films and chose this one because it's just cute, especially the scene when the dolls come to life and explore Mary's room.
I wouldn't be surprised if they wouldn't pop up on the blog every, now and then ...


Sources and further info:

1. The Our Gang Story: A History of "The Little Rascals". On the YouTube channel of Legend Films
2. Our Gang/The Little Rascals (Partially Lost 1920s Silent Short and Foreign Prints). On: Lost Media Archive