Miscellaneous
'Tis - Frank McCourt ($14.00/$.50, copyright 1999, 367 pages, Trade Paperback)
I enjoyed McCourt's first part of his memoir - "Angela's Ashes" - so I was happy to come across this at a Library sale. He starts this one as a young man at 19 years old and has left Ireland to find his future in New York. He talks about a lot - specifically his Army service and his educational experience, ending up as a teacher. McCourt has this uncanny ability of making simple dialogue catchy and witty but the first half kind of drags. The second half of the book, however, is much better. Angela McCourt, the mother, pays a visit to her sons in the US: Frank, now a high school teacher, Malachy, a bar owner, Michael, an American soldier and Alphie, living in Manhattan. What the brothers do when she passes explains the title of the first book and brings a kind of closure. There's a third volume to this memoir - "Teacher Man" - which I'll be keeping an eye out for. It was OK.
Off the ShelfI enjoyed McCourt's first part of his memoir - "Angela's Ashes" - so I was happy to come across this at a Library sale. He starts this one as a young man at 19 years old and has left Ireland to find his future in New York. He talks about a lot - specifically his Army service and his educational experience, ending up as a teacher. McCourt has this uncanny ability of making simple dialogue catchy and witty but the first half kind of drags. The second half of the book, however, is much better. Angela McCourt, the mother, pays a visit to her sons in the US: Frank, now a high school teacher, Malachy, a bar owner, Michael, an American soldier and Alphie, living in Manhattan. What the brothers do when she passes explains the title of the first book and brings a kind of closure. There's a third volume to this memoir - "Teacher Man" - which I'll be keeping an eye out for. It was OK.
I was looking through my TBR pile for something else and came across this book. Given the current political situation I decided to reread it. It follows the formula of Knebel's successful "Seven Days in May" - a loyal subordinate begins doubting his larger-than-life superior, and must persuade a skeptical establishment about his doubts before the nation suffers irreparable damage. President Mark Hollenbach is at the top of his game on the eve of his campaign for a second term. But a scandal has disgraced his vice-president, so he needs a new running mate, and turns to first-term senator Jim MacVeagh. But as the President courts MacVeagh at the Presidential Retreat he reveals confidential plans for his next administration, MacVeagh begins doubting the President's judgment, then his sanity. MacVeagh reluctantly confides his doubts to a few colleagues, who doubt MacVeagh more than they doubt the President. But when the President schedules a summit with the wily Soviet leader, the question of Hollenbach's mental health becomes critical, and MacVeagh must air the doubts that may bring him down instead of Hollenbach. It's been over 40 years since this was first published but it feels pretty timely now. I enjoyed it.
Series
The Houdini Specter - Daniel Stashower ($12.95/$1.00, copyright 2012, 210 pages, Trade Paperback)
I've always been interested in Houdini so, when I came across this at a library sale, I snapped it up. It turned out to be the second in a series that Stashower has been writing but it stands well on it's own.The year is 1898 and Harry Houdini is twenty-four years old and is still confined to dime museums where he performs tricks that he feels are beneath him. Then, he gets a break - Biggs, a journalist and friend of Harry’s brother Dash, has been present at a spiritualist’s gathering where he’s witnessed what to him seem inexplicable occurrences. A Medium, Lucius Craig, has attached himself to a vulnerable and very wealthy widow with a promise that he will be able to contact her recently deceased husband. When Harry and Dash are invited to join in during the next séance in order to expose what must be a fraud they are only too happy to comply, sure in the conviction that Craig won’t be able to produce any tricks they aren’t capable of themselves. When, during the séance, Craig – who has been securely tied to a chair by Harry - doesn’t just produce a free-floating ghost but also has that apparition kill one of the other participants with a knife, even Harry and Dash are astonished. Still convinced that they are dealing with a charlatan they proceed to investigate. An investigation during which Harry embarrasses himself once or twice and Dash nearly ends up as a victim himself. The solution seemed implausible to me but Stashower is also a magician and explains everything in his note at the end. The story is told from Dash's point of view so you not only get to experience the mystery but you get a glimpse into the complicated character that Houdini was. I enjoyed it.
Today is the First Day of Winter and it's seasonably cold but at least it's not snowing. It's only a few days until Christmas and I'm looking forward to this one. It will be my Granddaughter's second but the first one she'll really enjoy.
Merry Christmas to all of you and ...
Keep reading.
