Life Advice From ‘Downton Abbey’

If you love the characters of this manor house show, then you will likely enjoy these tidbits of life advice.

Robert Crawley, Lord Grantham

“There is no such thing as a marriage between two intelligent people that does not sometimes have to negotiate thin ice.”

Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham

“Principles are like prayers. Noble, of course, but awkward at a party.”

Sybil Crawley

“It’s the gloomy things that need our help. If everything in the garden is sunny, why meddle?”

Mrs. Hughes

“My advice, Daisy, is to go as far in life as God and luck allow.”

Hugh “Shrimpie” MacClare, father of Rose

“Love is like riding or speaking French. If you don’t learn it young, it’s hard to get the trick of it later.”

Cora Crawley, Lady Grantham

“I think accepting change is quite as important as defending the past.”

Carson

“In my opinion, to misquote Doctor Johnson, if you’re tired of style, you are tired of life.”

Isobel Crawley

“Cousin Violet has never let a matter of convenience stand in the way of a principle.”

Mrs. Patmore

“If you must pay money, better to a doctor than an undertaker.”

Branson

“Real love means giving someone the power to hurt you.”

For more drama, check out www.ennymedia.com.

The Breaking Bad Fan Theory That Blew Our Minds

While he played a major role in the series, we ultimately don’t know that much about Gustavo Fring, the ruthless meth distributor and ruler of the fried chicken empire known as Los Pollos Hermanos. While he would ultimately come to regret his involvement with Walter White, there’s no denying his dealing with the notorious Heisenberg brought him quite a bit of benefit at first. But just how to Fring rise to power? What mysterious origins lie behind the Chicken Man?

What we know for certain is that Fring hails from Chile, and that he immigrated to Mexico in the 1980s during the Chilean dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. From there we know he fell in with cartel kingpin Don Eladio, who had one of his men, Hector Salamanca, shoot his longtime friend and crime partner, Maximino "Max" Arciniega in the head. But why didn’t he kill Fring as well? One Reddit fan theory sheds light on the subject, and totally blew us away.

Since Don Eladio has no qualms about killing off his competition, one can only assume Fring had some sort of protection, and fans suspect that protection may have come from the CIA. A possible theory is that Fring was once a Chilean aristocrat who helped the CIA install Augusto Pinochet in power. Once Pinochet became a liability, however, Fring moved to Mexico at the CIA’s behest to infiltrate the drug cartel, which would have allowed him to bypass immigration issues the spotty record of his past may have posed. It’s only a theory, of course, and we may never know the answer, but it sure is fun to think about!

Looking for some dramatic reads? Visit our online library at www.ennymedia.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.

Great 2019 Dramas That Are Based on Books

This year has already brought some great drama to the big screen, and as we gear up for summer blockbuster season it looks like it won’t be slowing down anytime soon. If you’re looking for your next big screen drama fix, look no further than these two recent releases, both based on books and sure to bring on the waterworks.

The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook. Part historical fiction, part love story, The Aftermath transports us to Hamburg, just after the end of World War II, when British Colonel Lewis Morgan and his wife Rachel find themselves with no choice but to share a house with a German widower and his daughter. Rachel finds herself caught between the two men, resulting, of course, in plenty of drama. Starring Keira Knightley, Alexander Skarsgärd, and Jason Clarke, The Aftermath is a dramatic tale of love and tension that’s not to be missed.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott. What happens when Stella, a sick teen awaiting a lung transplant, has to remain five feet away from everyone in order to prevent infections? She falls in love, of course, the object of her affection being Will, another sick teen. Starring Cole Sprouse, Haley Lu Richardson, and Claire Forlani, the novel was adapted for the screen before even arriving in bookstores, which didn’t seem to dampen expectations one bit.

Looking for some dramatic content? Visit our online library at www.ennymedia.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, and available on all your favorite devices.

Martin Scorsese on The Merits of Marvel Movies

He’s nothing short of a legend in the world of film, so when Martin Scorsese has something to say, people tend to listen. In a recent interview with Empire, however, Scrosese shared his views on Marvel movies, which ruffled many a feather:

“I don’t see them,” revealed Scorsese. “I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema. Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

Scorsese’s opinion has come as no surprise to many, but Marvel fans all over the world have clapped back, including some high profile reactions from stars such as Samuel L Jackson and Robert Downey Jr. Well, odds are we won’t be seeing a Scorsese-directed Marvel movie anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean the director has nothing on the go. Anticipation is on overdrive for Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. “The Irishman” is set for a limited theatrical release in November before digital distribution via Netflix. Scorsese is already working on his next film, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” set to star Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.

Looking to catch up with the latest in dramatic content? Visit our online library at www.ennymedia.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.

Interesting Facts About Arthur Miller

American playwright and Essayist Arthur Miller was perhaps best known for 1949’s Death of a Salesman, yet besides his writing the man led a very interesting life. Here are three facts about Arthur Miller that you may find interesting.

His family lost everything in the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Miller’s father, Isidore Miller, had made a name for himself in the textiles industry, operating a women’s clothing factory that employed 400 people. As a result the Millers enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle, which included a summer home in addition to their primary residence in Manhattan, and a chauffeur. All that came to a crashing halt in 1929 however, and young Arthur had to work several menial jobs to pay his way through school.

Marilyn Monroe converted to Judaism for him. Miller left his first wife after an affair with Monroe, and the two were married in 1956 for five years before their divorce in 1961. Monroe was so taken with Miller that she actually converted to Judaism (Miller was Jewish) as a sign of her love and affection.

He wrote the first act of Death of a Salesman in less than a day. After the commercial success of All My Sons, which won Miller his first Tony Awards for Best Author, Miller had a small studio constructed in Roxbury, Connecticut in 1948. In that studio, Miller wrote the entire first act of Death of a Salesman in less than a day, and completed the entire rest of the play within six weeks.

Looking for more dramatic reads? Visit our online library at www.ennymedia.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more, accessible anytime from your favorite devices.

Folk Songs That Were Actually Inspired By Books

It’s no secret that books often serve as inspiration for movies and television, but countless songs have been crafted based on the written word as well. Here are four folk songs that you may not have known were inspired by books, and some quick notes behind their inspiration.

"Hurricane" by Bob Dylan. Inspired by The Sixteenth Round: From Number 1 Contender to Number 45472 by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter

It’s a well-known fact that Dylan’s hit song was inspired by Rubin “Hurricane” Carter’s tragic story, but Carter himself had actually mailed a copy of his autobiography to Dylan, which inspired the poet/musician to pen the tune and raise awareness to his cause.

"Tom Joad" by Woody Guthrie. Inspired by The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

In this case, Guthrie was actually asked to write a song in order to capitalize on the success of the movie, and Guthrie, being a huge Steinbeck fan, jumped at the occasion.

"Bright Eyes" by Art Garfunkel. Inspired by Watership Down by Richard Adams

Although the song was actually written by singer-songwriter Mike Batt, it was Art Garfunkel who recorded and popularised the tune based on Watership Down.

"Both Sides, Now" by Joni Mitchell. Inspired by Henderson and the Rain King by Saul Bellow

A classic folk hit, Mitchell credits the creation of her song to having read the book while on a plane in a very similar scenario to the book’s opening.

Looking for your own inspiration? Visit the wide variety of reads available at www.ennymedia.com.