A Race To Splendor
By Ciji Ware

It is 1906 and the dawning of a new century for women. Amelia Hunter Bradshaw is apprenticed to the first woman ever to be licensed and trained as an architect, Julia Morgan. Amelia has trained in Paris and returns to San Francisco to claim her inheritance: the grand Bay View Hotel. But upon Amelia's arrival she discovers that her drunkard of a father has lost the deed to the hotel in a poker match with J.D. Thayer, a well-known cardsharp. Amelia even takes Thayer to court to try and reclaim her hotel but she has been thoroughly swindled. She returns to her job at Julia Morgan's firm and tries to put all thoughts of the Bay View and its new owner out of her mind.  

But 1906 is also the year of the devastating earthquake that destroys the city.

"An Act of God brought this city to its knees..."

The Bay View has been destroyed and its new owner almost killed in the destruction. Amelia's father is also killed in the earthquake and Amelia finds herself feeling utterly alone. But J.D. Thayer doesn't give up easily, he hires Amelia to rebuild the Bay View.  Julia Morgan has also been employed to rebuild the Fairmont, a more lavish and elegant hotel only a few blocks away from the Bay View. Together, the two women plan to rebuild San Francisco and show the world that the city will rise again.

But it is the Gilded Age, a time known for corruption, rampant greed, and racial prejudices. Soon, Amelia finds herself racing Julia for the honor of rebuilding San Francisco's most prominent buildings. Many factors work against Amelia and J.D.: corrupt politicians and business partners, union control, a lack of funds, and of course their growing attraction for each other.

The story also touches on the large Chinese population in San Francisco and the prejudices they faced. Union workers refuse menial labor but then grow angry when Chinese are hired to do the job. Many Chinese women are kidnapped and sold into prostitution. We meet the very real Donaldina Cameron, a Presbyterian missionary who rescued Chinese girls and children from their imprisonments in brothels and opium dens. 

The story was very good. Amelia, while not quite as three dimensional a character as J.D. Thayer, is ambitious and determined and I wanted her to succeed in making a name for herself. J.D. is more complex, he is the prodigal son who strives for his father's approval but is determined to make his own way especially since he cannot respect his father. We learn about his real reason for coveting the Bay View and why he is so determined to surmount all odds and reopen the hotel. You can achieve an excellent grasp of the social situation in San Francisco during the time period, the book is rich in detail and historical fact.    

Ciji Ware has written several other historical fiction novels and some nonfiction books. You can find her at www.cijiware.com

Bad Teacher

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segal, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch

Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, language, drug use

Score: 2.75/4

This is probably how some teachers wish they could act with their students, Cameron Diaz may get away with it but I doubt someone in the real world could.

We first meet Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz) as she prepares to quit teaching forever because she's going to marry her wealthy fiancè. Unfortunately, the fiancè's mother sees Elizabeth for what she is: a gold digger.

So, Elizabeth is forced back into teaching but soon concocts a new plan. The new substitute teacher, Scott Delacorte (Timberlake) happens to be filthy rich and cute. Elizabeth sets her sights on him hoping to buy her ticket out of teaching, her goal is to earn enough money for breast implants; she is convinced that is the only way to snag Scott. Unfortunately, Elizabeth has a rival. Amy Squirrel (Punch) is the overeager teacher across the hall from Elizabeth, she has her sighs set on Scott as well.  Russell Gettis (Segal) is the goofy gym teacher with a big crush on Elizabeth, unfortunately she only has eyes for Scott.

By far my favorite characters were Lynn Davies (Phyllis Smith), an awkward teacher, and Kirk (Eric Stonestreet), Elizabeth's oddball roommate. They both added the comedic one liners that really made the movie cute. Timberlake's dreamy Scott was also funny; at times goofy and at others distant you can't take him too seriously and neither are you meant to.

There are of course the raunchy jokes and sexual innuendos, along with a strange and fully clothed sex scene, expected in this kind of movie but I found myself laughing. All in all I enjoyed this a lot more than Bridesmaids.