I love October but it has always been a sort of strange month. Maybe that's because Autumn finally starts to settle in, the days get shorter and cooler, and the trees blaze with color. Maybe it's because the month ends with the creepily funny holiday, Halloween. For whatever reason, I love it.
This October I only have two books to tell you about, which is kind of strange by itself, but there's a story behind each one.
Sherlock Holmes
I read an article last month that Ian McKellen (Gandolf, Magneto) was going to play Holmes in a screen adaptation of a book. Of course I was interested and I immediately went to my favorite online discount book site. I found it and ordered it for about $3.50 (no shipping and handling). I got the acknowledgement email and they charged my account. The next day I got an email that they couldn't fill the order and would recredit my account. Oh well.
I then went to another online discount bookseller that I knew about and found the book at about $5.50 (no shipping and handling). I ordered it, they emailed a confirmation and charged my account. Two days later, I got an email that the book had shipped. Three days after that, I got another email that they couldn't fill the order and would recredit my account.
I went to Amazon. I found the book, but they charge shipping and handling. It was going to cost $7.90 but I had a gift card balance. I ordered it and they confirmed. This time I got the book.
A Slight Trick of The Mind - Mitch Cullin ($13.95/Gift Card, copyright 2005, 253 pages, Trade Paperback)
This is about Holmes at the age of 93. All of his close acquaintances are long gone, and he's living out his days at his home in the Sussex Downs with his gardens and his bees - and a housekeeper and her son. The book moves seamlessly between this life, Holmes' visit to Japan after World War 2, and his attempt to finish a manuscript of an investigation he undertook in 1902. These are all interesting in themselves but Cullin has woven a thread through all 3 about how people deal with the loss of loved ones and - ultimately - leads to Holmes' "slight trick". I have to admit that it took me longer then usual to read this because I found myself stopping frequently to consider what was going on. I enjoyed it.
Miscellaneous
I first came across this book in the late 60's and actually got into the habit of reading it every October for reasons that will become obvious. I got out of the habit several years ago but, while rearranging some stuff to make some more room on the shelves, I found it again.
Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury ($1.25/owned, copyright 1962, 215 pages, Paperback)
This is, in my opinion, the perfect Halloween book. It's the story of 2 boys - James and William - who were born two minutes apart. William at 11:59 PM October 30th and James at 12:01 AM October 31st. They are best friends and neighbors but total opposites, living in a small town in Midwest America in the late 20's. Just as they're about to turn 14 a carnival comes to town. A carnival that offers to show you what it is that you really want. It's a great story but what makes this book really work is Bradbury's ability to make you feel the crispness of an autumn day or the eeriness of a dark night. I enjoyed it.
Well, the government has decided to play nice for the rest of the year so we should have a stress free holiday season to look forward to. Enjoy it and ...
Keep reading.
