It's just past the middle of September and the weather is starting to moderate, which I like. I'm dog-sitting again for a few days (not the same dog as last month) and I wound up packing a couple of books that I wasn't already reading. I'm not sure that I'll finish any more before the end of the month so I'll let you know what I did.
Miscellaneous
the curious incident of the dog in the night-time - Mark Haddon ($12.00/$4.48, copyright 2003, 221 pages, Trade Paperback)
Christopher John Francis Boone is a fifteen year old boy who lives with his father, loves animals, and doesn't understand human emotions-including his own. He's Autistic but seems to be High-Functioning although that's not specifically mentioned. He comes across the body of his neighbor Mrs. Shears' dog, Wellington, with a pitchfork sticking out of it. Christopher loves animals so he tries to help but gets accused of the crime. Once this is straightened out, he decides to investigate just like Sherlock Holmes. He's good with facts and math but not so good with human interaction. He follows a trail that takes him on a trip away from his familiar routine, including dealing with buying a train ticket. His comfortable life begins to unravel as the clues he uncovers and records in his book lead him back to his own home. Haddon does a good job with all the characters but his depiction of Christopher is great. I have a young relative who's High-Functioning and this rings true. I enjoyed it. (FYI, I didn't make a mistake with the title, it actually is all in lower case.)
The Night Of The Hunter - Davis Grubb ($1.95/$5.98*, copyright 1953, 220 pages, Paperback)
This is the basis for one of my favorite movies and the only one that the great actor Charles Laughton ever directed. The reviews at the time were so bad that he never directed again. Too bad really because it's now considered a Classic and is, in my opinion, the best role Robert Mitchum ever played. In a small town in Ohio, Willa Harper is raising her two children Pearl and John, alone because her husband Ben has been executed for killing 2 people while stealing $10,000 from a bank. The thing is, no one knows what happened to the money. Ben's cell mate Henry "Preacher" Powell tried to get it out of him but couldn't. When he's released, Preacher heads to Ohio to woo Willa in the hopes of finding the money. They get married but the kids get wise to his game, figure things out, and run away. Of course, Preacher follows and the chase is on. Grubb has created some very interesting characters but I have to admit that I visualized them as they were in the movie.(In case you didn't figure it out, Robert Mitchum was Preacher.) I enjoyed it and recommend it.
That's it for now.
I'll still be here tomorrow dog-sitting but I do need to do a few other things. I have to swing by my apartment to feed the cat and pick up my mail. I need to fill up my gas tank and check the air in my front passenger-side tire. I need to spend some time with my Granddaughter. And I need to get back to the book I'll be starting in just a few minutes. I'll let you know how that goes next time. Until then ….
Keep Reading.
