Explore This: Amazing and Unusual Heights, the Existence of Hannibal Lecter, a Hundred Years of Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese’s Body of Work & Additional Topics.

      Summer has arrived, bringing with it a plethora of books in our latest selection that are perfect for taking to the beach. Just be prepared for some curious glances if you're engrossed in a book about Hannibal Lecter while relaxing by the pool.

      **A Place Both Wonderful and Strange** by Scott Meslow (Running Press)

      The passing of David Lynch in early 2025 has led to a surge of new publications, many connected to the monumental Lynch-Mark Frost television creation, *Twin Peaks*. Scott Meslow’s *A Place Both Wonderful and Strange: The Extraordinary Untold Story of Twin Peaks* stands out as one of the best. While we're familiar with many of these narratives—the project's initial development as *Northwest Passage*, its season one triumph and subsequent downfall, followed by the film *Fire Walk With Me* and later revival as *The Return*—Meslow's writing brings a refreshing perspective. He devotes considerable attention to *The Return*, making *Wonderful and Strange* a vital part of the *Peaks* legacy. Reflecting on episode 18, he queries, “What does it all mean? Has Jowday triumphed or faced defeat? Regardless, what’s the price? Is this an end, a start, or simply a cycle?” These queries continue to resonate with fans of *Twin Peaks*.

      **Hannibal Lecter: A Life** by Brian Raftery (Simon & Schuster)

      Brian Raftery, known for his work *Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen*, brings a humorous and spirited approach to exploring the life of Thomas Harris’ most disturbing and brilliant character, Hannibal Lecter. Raftery delves into the reclusive Harris's life, his literary achievements, and the adaptations that followed in film and television. He boldly opens *Hannibal Lecter: A Life* discussing Donald Trump’s obsession with “the late, great Hannibal Lecter.” Raftery contemplates why Trump fixated on a fictional “cannibal with a double-digit body count”: “[B]oth are unapologetically id-driven, pursuing their desires without hesitation or remorse.” Equally intriguing: “By the time Trump started praising Hannibal the Cannibal in interviews and speeches, both men had been notorious for decades — so much so that they had redefined themselves.”

      **A Century of Hitchcock: The Man, the Myths, the Legacy** by Tony Lee Moral (University Press of Kentucky)

      Tony Lee Moral’s *A Century of Hitchcock* demonstrates that there remains much to discuss regarding the iconic director of *Vertigo* and *Psycho*. While the entirety of Hitchcock’s career is addressed here, the most intriguing aspect of *A Century of Hitchcock* is its examination of what transpired with the master’s legacy after his death. I found part three, titled “Hitchcock’s Legacy,” particularly engrossing. The narrative surrounding Donald Spoto’s sensational and still-contentious biography, *The Dark Side of Genius*, is especially notable. Spoto—and *The Birds* and *Marnie* star Tippi Hedren—do not emerge well from this portrayal. “More of a narrative architect than an honest biographer,” Moral asserts, “Spoto crafted the stories he shared to fit his personal ideology.” Moral concludes that Hitchcock’s “reputation will be swayed by cultural changes and the biographers who narrate his story.”

      **Karmic Winds: Reflections of the Smartest Guy in Hollywood** by Peter Hoffman (Rare Bird Books)

      The memoir genre often thrives on tales from “Hollywood insiders,” and I particularly enjoy when these insiders are producers or studio executives. Peter Hoffman, who served as president of Carolco Pictures at its zenith during the Rambo, *Total Recall*, *Terminator 2: Judgment Day*, and *Basic Instinct* periods, is a prime subject. As is common with these narratives, it ended in calamity, with Hoffman even serving time in federal prison. However, Carolco’s success is undeniable, and Hoffman was there firsthand. In a memoir full of spicy anecdotes, my favorite might be the one where Hoffman demanded that *Terminator 2*, already behind schedule, be completed and ready for release within ten weeks to meet its July 4 deadline. James Cameron objected, reportedly asking for his name to be removed from the credits. Hoffman noted that Cameron did not have the “Alan Smithee” clause in his contract. “I hung up and sweated,” Hoffman shares. Cameron completed the film in the timeframe but “never forgave me for my insistence.”

      **Intimate Audrey: An Authorized Biography** by Sean Hepburn Ferrer and Wendy Holden (Grand Central)

      It has been over thirty years since Audrey Hepburn passed, yet she still embodies grace—both in front of the camera and beyond. Her life has been documented many