Mountain Views News          Saturday, August 3, 2013

15 Mountain Views News Saturday, August 3, 2013 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 Mountain Views News Saturday, August 3, 2013 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 
JASMINE’S CORNER Book Reviews by Jasmine Kelsey Williams 
DEVELOPING TALENTS: CAREERS FOR IN-
DIVIDUALS WITH ASPERGER SYNDROME 
AND HIGH-FUNCTIONING AUTISM 
By Temple Grandin & Kate Duffy 
We now move from July into August, and this means that we will 
gradually begin to wind down the summer season and start to 
depart from summer reading to stronger themes and this next 
book should do just that. This next choice is also another personal 
recommendation and should hopefully follow the theme of being 
informative yet enlightening and will not be too overbearing 
on you readers. "Developing Talents: Careers for Individuals with 
Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism" is another 
wordy title, but a title that should come in handy for individuals 
such as myself or others who are affected by it who wish to provide a helping hand. 
"Developing Talents" is not just another facts-of-life book from two authors, but also acts as 
guide for those on the autistic spectrum and helps to provide steps, a layout, and even a basic 
foundation to find an area of work they are not just good at, but one that they could excel at 
or even make a career out of. Grandin and Duffy outline nine detailed and precise chapters 
that lay out a mental map of different autism spectrum disorders, how they affect the work 
place, and finding a vocation or job that will match one's unique talents as well as being one 
they can enjoy. 
Chapters 4 or 5 ("Finding a Vocation You Love" and "Searching for an Ideal Job") really help 
in narrowing down one's areas of interest while Chapter 6 helps in pointing doing what you 
do best. Each of these chapters is explained in thorough detail from Grandin and Duffy 
about how each of these steps taken are not just beneficial but can eventually help shape a 
pathway in adult life and learning to become independent on their own, even coping techniques 
for on the job when working with someone who is on the spectrum. 
First printed in 2004, then copyrighted in 2008, and receiving praise from various critics, 
while also receiving praise from Midwest Book Review, "Developing Talents" by Grandin 
and Duffy is not just a beneficial read for young adults and parents, but one that is sure to 
provide confidence in helping to plan a solid future. 
EVERYONE HAS A SECRET! 

Adrianne Marie Hall 
Author – Publisher 

Monrovian native and resident Adrianne Marie Hall was already 
a pretty good wordsmith by the time she finished elementary 
school. As the “surprise” baby who is almost nine years younger 
than her closest sibling, she found lots of time to entertain 
herself inside the pages of colorful children’s books and mystery 
novels. Her childhood penning of poems and short stories was 
inspired by The Twilight Zone, her favorite television show. Over 
the years, this avid read every novel by Stephen King and her 
personal library was filled with the latest best-selling titles by 
other contemporary masters of this genre. 
In 2012, Adrianne made the decision to publish one of her fictional works and to the delight to 
a growing number of readers, “Thresholds: The Novel” was released in paperback and Kindle at 
Amazon.com. The description of the book at her website provides a sense of the cover-to-cover 
adventures and unexpected twists and turns surrounding two key characters. 


The brilliant prism illustration on the Thresholds book cover sheds light on the graphic design 
talents of this author who earned a bachelors degree in Multimedia Design from Mt. Sierra College 
in Monrovia. Always intrigued by human behavior, Adrianne’s went on to earn an associates degree 
in Psychology from Citrus College after graduating Monrovia High School. She continued studies at 
Cal State Fullerton as a young adult until presented with a timely opportunity to move up the career 
ladder in the insurance industry. 

Adrianne’s creative process for story development is as out-of-the-box as the unpredictable story 
lines of murder, mystery and unexplained phenomenon found within her favorite books, movies and 
television shows. One of her fans shared thoughts after finishing Thresholds while enroute to Hawaii, 
“I finished your book on my last six hour flight and found the story very complex and interesting. I 
could not stop because I wanted to find out how all the pieces fit. Let me know when your next book 
is ready. Aloha - Midi (3/22/13) 


Anyone with a Kindle and an Amazon 
Prime Membership can borrow a copy of 
Thresholds for free. Available at Amazon. 
com, Thresholds is almost 500 pages of 
entertainment, from beginning to end. 

A member of Sierra Madre Woman’s Club, 
Adrianne is enjoying life with her spouse as 
an empty nesters now that her three children, 
Kameryn, Annekah and Mackenzie are now 
blazing their own lives as adults. This proud 
new grandmother of Aleigha, already has 
several exciting projects in the works as a 
follow-up to Thresholds. Earlier this year, 
she launched Anthurium Publishing to 
provide a user-friendly, affordable resource 
for other writers to bring their works to 
market. Her company will be presenting 
workshops on self-publishing at Webster’s 
Fine Stationers on September 17th and at 
other local venues in upcoming months. To 
learn more about Thresholds, Anthurium 
Publishing or to contact Adrianne, visit 
www.AnthuriumPublishiing.com. 


SEAN’S SHAMELESS REVIEWS: 

By Sean Kayden 

FRUITVALE STATION 

Written and Directed by: Ryan CooglerRated R for some violence, language throughout and some drug useRelease Date: July 12th, 2013 (limited); July 26th, 2013 (wide) 
On Jan 1st, 2009, in the wee hours of the night, tragedy struck Oakland that would forever change a 
city. Oscar Grant, 22 year-old African American, was shamelessly shot and killed by a transit police 
officer at the BART train station. “Fruitvale Station” is the film based on the last day of Grant’s life. 
You already know the outcome, but “Fruitvale Station’s” retelling of an ordinary man trying to do 
well that will move you and ultimately, leave you shattered. 

Actor Michael B. Jordan, best known for TV roles in both “Friday Night Lights” and “The Wire” as 
well as last year’s superhero film “Chronicle,” gives a subtle yet stirring performance as Oscar. The 
film follows Grant as he tries to navigate through his laborious day. We know he’s strayed away from 
girlfriend (Melonie Diaz) and got caught. However, he loves her dearly and tries to convince her it 
will never happen again. He lost his job at the supermarket for being late and comes up empty trying 
to get rehired. His rent is due and he could sell marijuana (something he was busted and charged for 
a few years prior), but decides he doesn’t want to go down that destructive path again. Grant wants 
to be there for his young daughter. She’s what drives him to become a better person. The scenes 
between the two of them are flawless and poignant. But everyone who comes across Oscar’s radiant 
personality is somehow, some way moved by him. He isn’t a thug. He isn’t a bad human being. He’s 
made mistakes that he’s paid the price for. Still, Oscar is genuinely trying to improve himself for those 
who continually lift him up. 

Writer-director Ryan Coogler’s debut film is simply stunning. His plan of dramatizing the last day of 
Oscar’s life is straightforward, but severely affecting. Coogler’s portrait of Oscar as a troubled young 
man is distressing at times. The style of filmmaking is very raw and never does Coogler glorify the 
man. It’s a heartbreaking tale that never should have happen. It’s deeply upsetting to see trigger-
happy police officers behave in such a despicable way. “Fruitvale Station” never tries to play the race 
card, but lays it out all for the audience to consider what happened as an accident or something 
that could have been avoided entirely. By the time the shooting occurs, we are fully invested in this 
man’s life. While “Fruitvale Station” started off a bit slow, it quickly turns into a powerful, imperative 
story that will resonate with one long after the credits. It will make you angry, sad, touched by the 
turn of events. “Fruitvale Station” is an undeniably small movie that tells a larger story of a man’s life 
unexpectedly coming to an end for really no good reason other than the misguided intentions of 
particular police officers’ definition of “protect and serve.” 

Since the audience is already aware of what happens in the end, the results are a little less painful, 
but nonetheless heartrending. While the movie surely isn’t for everyone and doesn’t scream typical 
summer escapism, “Fruitvale Station” stands tall as the most important film this summer and 
possibly of all 2013. 

Grade: 4.5 out of 5