Today was sort of representative of the month of July so far. It was overcast and rainy this morning, pleasant and sunny this afternoon, and now hazy and hot. According to the reports for tomorrow, it's going to be really hot. In fact, they're calling for 90-degree temperatures and high humidity. I'll be out early to get whatever I need done then I'll be home, in front of the fan, with a book.
Here are the ones that caught my interest this month.
Off The Shelf - Biography
My Wicked, Wicked Ways - Errol Flynn ($1.50/$1.50, copyright 1959, 383 pages, Paperback)
With all the commotion about stars and starlets in the popular press today it was refreshing to read about someone who is more interesting, at least to me. Although I have heard the wickedness admitted to in Flynn's biography may be (and probably was) exaggerated, by all measures it is more exciting that anything any actor or actress today could dream up. I thought the best part of this book was the first half- which covers Flynn's life up to his rise to popularity. It is a great collection of stories about a young man growing up in Tasmania who happily seeks adventure in New Guinea and the South Pacific. Here he was a health official, a gold prospector, a captain of a ship, slave trader, hunter, guide, and overseer of a coconut farm. He fought briefly as a volunteer in the Chinese army against the invading Japanese. He stood trial for murder, and was shot and stabbed. He was seduced by older women, and stole their jewelry before leaving in the night. He fought cannibals in the jungle. Unfortunately, the second half isn't as interesting as it describes Flynn's older years when his life took a downward spiral into debt and alcohol. Still, I really enjoyed it.
Series
Resolution - Robert B. Parker ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2008, 321 pages)
This is the second in a limited series revolving around two gun men in the Old West - Everett Hitch and Virgil Cole. Hitch is riding solo when he arrives in the town of Resolution and takes a job at the Blackfoot saloon as a security guy working for the owner Amos Wolfson. Wolfson is intent on buying up as much of the town and surrounding land as he can, and he's made enemies of the local ranchers and Eamon O'Malley, Resolution's other financial baron, who is also making moves at a major land grab. Cole rides in just as the action starts to build and, of course, sides with Hitch.
Although Parker concentrates on the relationship between the two friends, he paints an interesting picture of an Old West town being born. The shifting fortunes of the populace bounce back and forth between Wolfson and O'Malley as each of them squares off to become top dog of Resolution with Hitch and Cole in the middle. This is a very quick read and - as are many of Parker's works - consists mostly of dialog. I enjoyed it.
Sharpe's Escape - Bernard Cornwell($7.99/$.50, copyright 2004, 447 pages, Paperback)
I read several books in this series many years ago and was happily surprised to find this one while on one of my library runs. Set in 1810, the story finds the British Army in Portugal executing a strategic retreat from the overconfident French forces in Spain. Lord Wellington has ordered the land stripped of all food so that the massive French army will overextend itself and face severe logistical problems when it does finally engage the British. Early on, now-Captain Richard Sharpe and his men stumble across a cache of foodstuffs at a signaling tower. He destroys the supplies, creating enemies out of the two brothers who were going to sell it to the French. What follows is some really vintage Cornwall with lots of derring-do, close calls, and fighting - on both large and small scales. And Cornwall doesn't slack on the human element, throwing in Sharpe's camaraderie with his men, dislike for his fellow officers, and - of course - a young lady for Sharpe to rescue. I enjoyed it.
That's it for this month. I've got an idea for next month but we'll see how that goes. It's still summer out there so stay cool, stay hydrated, and ..
Keep reading.
