Miscellaneous
Of Mice And Men - John Steinbeck ($.25/$8.00, copyright 1937, 107 pages, Paperback)
I am a big Steinbeck fan so picking this up was a no-brainer. I read this years ago and have seen the movie and TV versions but a classic like this always deserves to be revisited. This is the story of a two men who work as itinerant farm laborers, drifting from job to job in California. Lennie is the gentle giant, physically strong but mentally deficient. George is the "smart" one who guides and protects Lennie but also depends on him for companionship. Together, they have a dream to someday buy a place of their own where they can grow crops and raise rabbits and live happily ever after. They've had some problems in the past but now have new jobs on a new farm but, as the title implies .. "The best laid plans ...".It's a short book but Steinbeck has created some memorable characters and the ending - even though I knew what it would be - still has an impact. (My only objection is the cover price. $8.00 for 107 pages! Ridiculous.) I really enjoyed it.
The Daughter Of Time - Josephine Tey ($.25/$2.95, copyright 1951, 205 pages, Paperback)
This has always been one of my favorites. Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard is recovering in the hospital when a friend gets him interested in Richard III and the death of his Nephews. Did he really order them killed in the Tower of London, or was he unjustly implicated as part of a massive smear campaign? This is different from the other Mysteries that I've reviewed before because the detective work involved is all just good historical research which I found fascinating Tey has her opinion and she works up to it logically. I really enjoyed it.
The Black Swan - Rafael Sabatini ($.25/$1.50, copyright 1931, 217 pages, Paperback)
I have yet to read a Sabatini novel I didn't enjoy. It's the story of Charles de Bernis, an aide to Henry Morgan, Governor of Jamaica. He's sailing home to a well-deserved retirement on a ship that's also carrying the Governor's daughter when they run into the last pirate at large - Tom Leach. To save their lives he convinces Leach that he's turned against Morgan and that the lady is under his protection. What follows is an adventure fraught with peril and suspense as our hero tries to balance his story and actions against a pirate determined to double-cross him at the first chance he gets. Sabatini again creates some memorable characters and when he describes a sword fight, you hear and see every clash, grunt and splash. I really enjoyed it.
The Osterman Weekend - Robert Ludlum ($.25/$1.50, copyright 1972, 336 pages, Paperback)
I've always thought that Ludlum's earlier books were his best so I was happy to find this one again. It's the story of John Tanner, a TV news executive who is summoned to Washington one day and told by a CIA operative that one or more of his best friends, the Ostermans, the Cardones and the Tremaynes is a traitor. They are all gathering for the weekend at Tanner's house in suburban New Jersey and Tanner's job is to get the traitors to reveal themselves so the CIA can swoop in and deal with them. Ludlum gives us an ordinary person who's thrown into extraordinary circumstances and must get by on his own wits. It's a quick and easy read, the suspense grows nicely, and - unlike most of Ludlum's other books - everything occurs in one place. I enjoyed it.
Two Years Before The Mast - Richard Henry Dana, Jr. ($.25/$2.50, printed 1964, 371 pages, Paperback)
Last month I wrote about "White-Jacket" by Herman Melville, this month I came across this. While attending Harvard as a young man, Dana found his eyesight became weak and his health declining. He decided that salt air and plain hard work would be the cure so, for two years, he served as a common sailor aboard a clipper ship, the Alert. He was given no special treatment, living in the forecastle, eating the mess of salt beef and common hardtack, risking his life and serving under a captain crueler than most. Like Melville, Dana was able to write in such a way as to re-create the life on board a sailing ship, down to the smallest details and that's what makes this book so real - you can feel the cold of Tierra del Fuego, taste the salt beef, and feel the wind and damp. I really enjoyed it.
I spent $2.00 that day so I still have 3 more books to go but next month is September and I'll be back to Babysitting. I'm planning on helping my Granddaughter with the Alphabet and some Beginning Words. Still, I'm sure I'll find the time to read a book or two for myself.
Enjoy the rest of the Summer and ...
Keep reading.
I am a big Steinbeck fan so picking this up was a no-brainer. I read this years ago and have seen the movie and TV versions but a classic like this always deserves to be revisited. This is the story of a two men who work as itinerant farm laborers, drifting from job to job in California. Lennie is the gentle giant, physically strong but mentally deficient. George is the "smart" one who guides and protects Lennie but also depends on him for companionship. Together, they have a dream to someday buy a place of their own where they can grow crops and raise rabbits and live happily ever after. They've had some problems in the past but now have new jobs on a new farm but, as the title implies .. "The best laid plans ...".It's a short book but Steinbeck has created some memorable characters and the ending - even though I knew what it would be - still has an impact. (My only objection is the cover price. $8.00 for 107 pages! Ridiculous.) I really enjoyed it.
The Daughter Of Time - Josephine Tey ($.25/$2.95, copyright 1951, 205 pages, Paperback)
This has always been one of my favorites. Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard is recovering in the hospital when a friend gets him interested in Richard III and the death of his Nephews. Did he really order them killed in the Tower of London, or was he unjustly implicated as part of a massive smear campaign? This is different from the other Mysteries that I've reviewed before because the detective work involved is all just good historical research which I found fascinating Tey has her opinion and she works up to it logically. I really enjoyed it.
The Black Swan - Rafael Sabatini ($.25/$1.50, copyright 1931, 217 pages, Paperback)
I have yet to read a Sabatini novel I didn't enjoy. It's the story of Charles de Bernis, an aide to Henry Morgan, Governor of Jamaica. He's sailing home to a well-deserved retirement on a ship that's also carrying the Governor's daughter when they run into the last pirate at large - Tom Leach. To save their lives he convinces Leach that he's turned against Morgan and that the lady is under his protection. What follows is an adventure fraught with peril and suspense as our hero tries to balance his story and actions against a pirate determined to double-cross him at the first chance he gets. Sabatini again creates some memorable characters and when he describes a sword fight, you hear and see every clash, grunt and splash. I really enjoyed it.
The Osterman Weekend - Robert Ludlum ($.25/$1.50, copyright 1972, 336 pages, Paperback)
I've always thought that Ludlum's earlier books were his best so I was happy to find this one again. It's the story of John Tanner, a TV news executive who is summoned to Washington one day and told by a CIA operative that one or more of his best friends, the Ostermans, the Cardones and the Tremaynes is a traitor. They are all gathering for the weekend at Tanner's house in suburban New Jersey and Tanner's job is to get the traitors to reveal themselves so the CIA can swoop in and deal with them. Ludlum gives us an ordinary person who's thrown into extraordinary circumstances and must get by on his own wits. It's a quick and easy read, the suspense grows nicely, and - unlike most of Ludlum's other books - everything occurs in one place. I enjoyed it.
Two Years Before The Mast - Richard Henry Dana, Jr. ($.25/$2.50, printed 1964, 371 pages, Paperback)
Last month I wrote about "White-Jacket" by Herman Melville, this month I came across this. While attending Harvard as a young man, Dana found his eyesight became weak and his health declining. He decided that salt air and plain hard work would be the cure so, for two years, he served as a common sailor aboard a clipper ship, the Alert. He was given no special treatment, living in the forecastle, eating the mess of salt beef and common hardtack, risking his life and serving under a captain crueler than most. Like Melville, Dana was able to write in such a way as to re-create the life on board a sailing ship, down to the smallest details and that's what makes this book so real - you can feel the cold of Tierra del Fuego, taste the salt beef, and feel the wind and damp. I really enjoyed it.
I spent $2.00 that day so I still have 3 more books to go but next month is September and I'll be back to Babysitting. I'm planning on helping my Granddaughter with the Alphabet and some Beginning Words. Still, I'm sure I'll find the time to read a book or two for myself.
Enjoy the rest of the Summer and ...
Keep reading.
