I'm a few days off from my usual posting date this month. I've tried to add a new chapter on or about the 21st of each month, but I have a good explanation for being a bit late. As you check through this month's books, you'll see what it is.
Miscellaneous
The Pale Blue Eye - Louis Bayard ($14.95/$1.00, copyright 2006, 413 pages, Trade Paperback)Here we start with a retired NYC police investigator, August Landor, living in a small cottage in upstate New York. He is called in to help solve the death of a cadet at West Point in October of 1830. Since he’s a civilian and limited to where he can go and who he can speak to, he requests the assistance of one of the cadets themselves - Edgar Allen Poe. The chapters are listed as Narratives of Gus Landor with several reports by Poe mixed in, and Bayard does a great job of evoking the time and place, and giving each character a distinctive voice. Another murder takes place, suspects abound, and there is a very unexpected twist at the end. It took me longer to read this particular book because, almost halfway through, I realized that Bayard had laced references to Poe’s works throughout the novel - a bust of Pallas, a reference to the beating of a heart possibly being heard by someone, etc. (sort of like Easter eggs in a video game). I had to go back and make sure that I pick up as many as possible. I enjoyed it.
Inherit the Wind - Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee ($9.95/$.25, copyright [unpublished] 1951, 129 pages, Paperback)
I came across this at a library sale in Rahway and was immediately psyched. I loved the movie with Spencer Tracy, Frederic March, Gene Kelly, and Dick York. I even liked the TV version with Jason Robards, Kirk Douglas, Darren McGavin, and Kyle Secor. This is a fictionalized version of the Scope Trial, pitting Creationists against evolution, Bryant against Darrow. It may have a slightly dated quality to it but - looking around at the current political environment - it’s still pertinent today. I don't really think there's a need to go into what happens as I imagine that you all have seen this in one form or another. I enjoyed it.
Series
Comeback - Richard Stark ($12.00/$1.00, copyright 1997, 292 pages, Trade Paperback)A month or two ago I read and reviewed a Jack Reacher book because Tom Cruise had a movie come out based on the character. I liked the book but not the portrayal, largely because Cruise didn’t fit the physicality. Recently, Jason Statham starred in the movie “Parker” , based on the character by Richard Stark and I decided to read one of these books to see how close the performance might be. Richard Stark is a pseudonym for Donald Westlake, a writer known for his comic take on crime novels. As Stark - perhaps an indication of what he intends - he strips away the comic and gives us a series based on the no-frills exploits of a professional thief. This one is centered on the theft of the take from one of those bible-thumper, arena gatherings. The theft, however, is almost incidental. What happens is the after effects - a double-cross, cops, the bible-thumper and his security people, another crew, etc. They all interact before there's a resolution. Parker is a no-nonsense kinda guy. He doesn't talk much but he knows what needs to be done, and he does it. Statham is an excellent choice to portray him. I enjoyed it.
Faded Coat of Blue - Owen Parry ($6.99/$4.72, copyright 1999, 337 pages, Paperback)
I wrote about another of Parry’s Abel Jones novels last month. I was so impressed by it that I went looking for the first book in the series and found it at a used book store on Inman Avenue in Colonia. In this one, Jones is a Captain in the Union Army working as a clerk in the War Department in Washington. General McClellan himself brings Jones in to investigate the murder of another army officer who happens to have been an avid abolitionist. About a third of the way through, Jones reminisces on his past and we learn how this Welshman’s life has brought him to America and our Civil War; about his background in the English army; about his wife; and how he wound up with a damaged leg. Parry does a masterful job of detailing how life was in Washington in 1861 -
specifically how the poor lived, how the way the Irish were treated, and the corruption rampant among the officers and suppliers. (One thing I forgot to mention last month is that these books are written in the first person, and Parry has an amazing ear for dialect, giving Jones a very unique Welsh voice). There are twists, turns, and some fascinating characters. I enjoyed it.
So, let's recap. All 4 books this month deal with a crime. 3 take place in the past. 2 have the word "Blue" in their title. And 1 is a play rather then a novel.
That's it for February and, hopefully, winter. Spring is on the way. Talk to you next month and...
Keep Reading!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Chapter Thirty-seven
Happy New Year, everybody! Welcome to the first post of 2013. Though it may look like only three books this time, I’m claiming four, as you’ll see in just a bit. To paraphrase Monty Python… And now for some things completely different.
Non-fiction
Married to Laughter - Jerry Stiller($14.00/$.50, copyright 2000, 336, Trade Paperback)
Let me admit up front that I was never a big fan of the act Stiller & Meara. I remember seeing them on the Ed Sullivan show and thinking that they weren't very funny. Of course, I was pretty young and maybe I didn't get the humor in the Irish girl/Jewish guy thing. But having read this autobiography, I have a better appreciation of their relationship. He starts with his early years in Brooklyn and on the lower East Side, where he became fascinated by vaudeville and decided to become an actor, and where he first met Ann Meara. He pursued this choice through his days in the Army, and his time in summer stock and with Joe Papp‘s Shakespeare in the Park, and ultimately to movies and TV (he ends the book after his stint on Seinfeld and just as he gets the call for King of Queens). Through it all, his relationship with - and marriage to - Anne has proved to be his strength. He’s said that she was always the pillar and he the neurotic. It’s part success story, part memoir, part comedy, and part love story. The blurbs call it “laugh out loud” funny. I didn’t think so, but I did enjoy it.
Miscellaneous
The Complete Brigadier Gerard - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ($9.95/Gift Card, Copyright 2005, 380 pages, Trade Paperback)
OK. Anyone reading this knows that I am a fan of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. But did you know that he created other just as famous characters? This collection contains all of the Brigadier Etienne Gerard stories, published in the Strand Magazine between 1894 and 1903, (during the period when Holmes was “dead“.). These stories were originally published as two separate volumes - “The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard” -8 stories -and “The Adventures of Brigadier Gerard” -9 stories - 17 stories in all. Doyle was fascinated by the Napoleonic Wars, and had done a lot of research. These stories are historically accurate but the character is far from Holmes. For the most part, they are told in the first person, and as if by a long-retired soldier living on a pension, passing the time with neighbors. He’s a Gascon, much like D’Artagnan from the Dumas stories - which is to say that he is given to exaggerating his abilities. But, as you read the stories you get to know the character, and the times he lived in. Though Doyle, on several occasions, reduces Gerard to the level of a buffoon, he always brings him back to the survivor who lived through the Napoleonic Wars by trying his best to follow orders even though he doesn‘t always understand them. The mood of the stories run from the joy Gerard feels at riding into action to the grimness of the retreat from Moscow. There is adventure, action, some romance (although Gerard always gets the short end here) and some real comedy. At times, the stories get repetitive - given the limited time/area - but Doyle has a way with words. I enjoyed it.
Series
Bold Sons of Erin - Owen Parry ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2003, 392 pages, Paperback)
Though not the first in the series, this was my introduction to the Abel Jones novels, which are set during the Civil War. Jones is a former sergeant from the English army who, having served in India, has relocated to America and now, as a major in the Union army, is tasked with solving murders and mysteries that may affect the outcome of the war. Abel is a short-statured Welshman - and a Methodist - with a bad leg due to a wound. In this book, he is sent to the coal mining area of Pennsylvania (where he and his family just happened to live) to solve another murder - that of a Union general on a conscription mission among the Irish miners. Parry paints as realistic a picture as possible of how life is for the Irish at that time, as well as how things were during the war. He brings in historical figures such as Lincoln and Seward in Washington, Black Jack Kehoe among the miners, and Meagher at Fredericksburg. And he doesn’t hold back from the carnage that was the Civil War, the incompetence of many of the Union officers, nor the corruption of mine owners and railroad operators. The murder turns out to have twists and turns that swing from Russians (autocrats and revolutionaries) to a parish priest and, even, witches. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
As I said, some different things this month - an autobiography, some non-Holmesian Conan Doyle stories, and a mystery series set during the Civil War. Maybe, in the months to come, I'll be telling you about some other different things I've been reading. Then again....maybe not.
Keep Reading!
Non-fiction
Married to Laughter - Jerry Stiller($14.00/$.50, copyright 2000, 336, Trade Paperback)
Let me admit up front that I was never a big fan of the act Stiller & Meara. I remember seeing them on the Ed Sullivan show and thinking that they weren't very funny. Of course, I was pretty young and maybe I didn't get the humor in the Irish girl/Jewish guy thing. But having read this autobiography, I have a better appreciation of their relationship. He starts with his early years in Brooklyn and on the lower East Side, where he became fascinated by vaudeville and decided to become an actor, and where he first met Ann Meara. He pursued this choice through his days in the Army, and his time in summer stock and with Joe Papp‘s Shakespeare in the Park, and ultimately to movies and TV (he ends the book after his stint on Seinfeld and just as he gets the call for King of Queens). Through it all, his relationship with - and marriage to - Anne has proved to be his strength. He’s said that she was always the pillar and he the neurotic. It’s part success story, part memoir, part comedy, and part love story. The blurbs call it “laugh out loud” funny. I didn’t think so, but I did enjoy it.
Miscellaneous
The Complete Brigadier Gerard - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ($9.95/Gift Card, Copyright 2005, 380 pages, Trade Paperback)
OK. Anyone reading this knows that I am a fan of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. But did you know that he created other just as famous characters? This collection contains all of the Brigadier Etienne Gerard stories, published in the Strand Magazine between 1894 and 1903, (during the period when Holmes was “dead“.). These stories were originally published as two separate volumes - “The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard” -8 stories -and “The Adventures of Brigadier Gerard” -9 stories - 17 stories in all. Doyle was fascinated by the Napoleonic Wars, and had done a lot of research. These stories are historically accurate but the character is far from Holmes. For the most part, they are told in the first person, and as if by a long-retired soldier living on a pension, passing the time with neighbors. He’s a Gascon, much like D’Artagnan from the Dumas stories - which is to say that he is given to exaggerating his abilities. But, as you read the stories you get to know the character, and the times he lived in. Though Doyle, on several occasions, reduces Gerard to the level of a buffoon, he always brings him back to the survivor who lived through the Napoleonic Wars by trying his best to follow orders even though he doesn‘t always understand them. The mood of the stories run from the joy Gerard feels at riding into action to the grimness of the retreat from Moscow. There is adventure, action, some romance (although Gerard always gets the short end here) and some real comedy. At times, the stories get repetitive - given the limited time/area - but Doyle has a way with words. I enjoyed it.
Series
Bold Sons of Erin - Owen Parry ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2003, 392 pages, Paperback)
Though not the first in the series, this was my introduction to the Abel Jones novels, which are set during the Civil War. Jones is a former sergeant from the English army who, having served in India, has relocated to America and now, as a major in the Union army, is tasked with solving murders and mysteries that may affect the outcome of the war. Abel is a short-statured Welshman - and a Methodist - with a bad leg due to a wound. In this book, he is sent to the coal mining area of Pennsylvania (where he and his family just happened to live) to solve another murder - that of a Union general on a conscription mission among the Irish miners. Parry paints as realistic a picture as possible of how life is for the Irish at that time, as well as how things were during the war. He brings in historical figures such as Lincoln and Seward in Washington, Black Jack Kehoe among the miners, and Meagher at Fredericksburg. And he doesn’t hold back from the carnage that was the Civil War, the incompetence of many of the Union officers, nor the corruption of mine owners and railroad operators. The murder turns out to have twists and turns that swing from Russians (autocrats and revolutionaries) to a parish priest and, even, witches. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
As I said, some different things this month - an autobiography, some non-Holmesian Conan Doyle stories, and a mystery series set during the Civil War. Maybe, in the months to come, I'll be telling you about some other different things I've been reading. Then again....maybe not.
Keep Reading!
Monday, December 24, 2012
Chapter Thirty-six
Well, we made it through another calendar year. There were family highs and lows, and national disasters and tragedies. But, at this time of year, we tend to count our blessings and look forward to the New Year. Here's this months selections.
Series
Think of a Number - John Verdon ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2010, 497 pages, Paperback)This is what I believe to be the first of a series. The hero here is Dave Gurney, a retired NYC detective who can't seem to relax in retirement. Gurney is a criminological genius but his personal life sucks. He gets involved with an old acquaintance who’s been getting some threatening mail - whoever sends it asks him to think of a number, then he’s to open the smaller, enclosed envelope which amazingly - reveals the same number. Then the guy gets killed and the killer‘s footprints seem to lead into the middle of a field, then disappear. Unfortunately, this has taken me 136 pages to get here and it takes me another 30 pages or so to see Gurney finally get asked to join the case. By now, I couldn’t care less how the killer pulled off the number trick or the murder. To me, it was taking too long and I just lost interest. Simply put, this new character just isn’t interesting to me. This one goes back on The Pile.
Brother Odd - Dean Koontz ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2006, 430 pages, Paperback)This is the third book in the Odd Thomas series. Odd was a short order cook who happens to see dead people. The operative word here is “see”. They don’t communicate with him. They just seem to hang around with him until he figures out what they need. In this one, he’s taken refuge in a monastery to get away from things that happened in the first two books. . Of course, that never actually works out. He winds up dealing with the monastery staff, a resident ghost who likes to ring the bells, creatures made of bone, a federal agent, and a nut case - all while trying to protect some children in the monastery’s school shortly before Christmas. I enjoyed the first book, I think because the character was new. The second was a little weirder, but the character of Odd rang true. I didn’t enjoy this one as much but the ending leads me to believe that there will be a fourth volume and maybe the Odd character will find some closure. Then again, sometimes, you can take a character a little too far. I’ll have to wait and see. It was OK.
Killing Floor - Lee Child ($7.99/$.50, copyright 1997, 407 pages, Paperback)This is the first of the Jack Reacher novels. Since Tom Cruise is starring in a movie about the character, I decided to check him out. Reacher is a former military policeman who, having left the army, decides to drop off the grid. He carries no ID and travels only by bus, rail, or simply walking. In this book, he’s arrested for a murder just after he enters a town. There’s something going on but he tries not to get involved until it becomes personal. Child builds the plot nicely, mixing in several other murders (some of which Reacher commits), a criminal undertaking that seems far-fetched but is reasonably explained, and an upcoming deadline. Reacher is an interesting, intelligent character (although I'm not sure how Cruise will do). I liked it.
Miscellaneous
The Avengers :Too Many Targets - John Peel & Dave Rogers ($8.95/$.50, copyright 1990, 181 pages, Paperback)These are not the Marvel Universe Avengers. These are the one’s from the BBC. John Steed, Emma Peel, Tara, Mother, etc. Every one of them true to life and a story that plays to their strengths. Someone is killing British agents. They suspect it's someone on the inside. Steed is supposed to believe it is Mother. Mother is supposed to believe it is Steed. The action is spaced out nicely so as to bring the major characters together. The dialog is fun to read. And there's robots. Jolly good fun. I enjoyed it.
Graphic Novels/Comics
Showcase Presents: Rip Hunter, Time Master - Various ($19.99/$5.00, copyright 2012, 511 pages, Trade Paperback) This is one of those collections that I mentioned last month. Rip Hunter is a “B” list character in the DCU who pops up whenever they have a crossover event that involves time travel. In effect, he’s the man. This volume includes Showcase numbers 20, 21, 25 and 26, and Rip’s own magazine numbers 1 through 15. This covers a time period from May 1959 through August 1963 (published bimonthly). They were all written by Jack Miller, one of the unsung bullpen members and includes artist Neil Caddy, Alex Toth, Bill Ely, and Ross Andru. Here, most of the action takes place in the past - the Stone Age, Ancient Egypt, etc. - with some futuristic aliens mixed in every now and then. The cast includes Rip, his good buddy Jeff Smith, his girlfriend bonnie Baxter, and her kid brother Corky. (This seems to have been a theme back then, a girlfriend who’s tough buts gets into trouble and a kid brother.) Again, these become repetitive if read in a single sitting so I spaced them out to 1 a week. I enjoyed it.
That's it for this month - and this year.
I wish you all health and happiness in the New Year.
Keep reading!
Series
Think of a Number - John Verdon ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2010, 497 pages, Paperback)This is what I believe to be the first of a series. The hero here is Dave Gurney, a retired NYC detective who can't seem to relax in retirement. Gurney is a criminological genius but his personal life sucks. He gets involved with an old acquaintance who’s been getting some threatening mail - whoever sends it asks him to think of a number, then he’s to open the smaller, enclosed envelope which amazingly - reveals the same number. Then the guy gets killed and the killer‘s footprints seem to lead into the middle of a field, then disappear. Unfortunately, this has taken me 136 pages to get here and it takes me another 30 pages or so to see Gurney finally get asked to join the case. By now, I couldn’t care less how the killer pulled off the number trick or the murder. To me, it was taking too long and I just lost interest. Simply put, this new character just isn’t interesting to me. This one goes back on The Pile.
Brother Odd - Dean Koontz ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2006, 430 pages, Paperback)This is the third book in the Odd Thomas series. Odd was a short order cook who happens to see dead people. The operative word here is “see”. They don’t communicate with him. They just seem to hang around with him until he figures out what they need. In this one, he’s taken refuge in a monastery to get away from things that happened in the first two books. . Of course, that never actually works out. He winds up dealing with the monastery staff, a resident ghost who likes to ring the bells, creatures made of bone, a federal agent, and a nut case - all while trying to protect some children in the monastery’s school shortly before Christmas. I enjoyed the first book, I think because the character was new. The second was a little weirder, but the character of Odd rang true. I didn’t enjoy this one as much but the ending leads me to believe that there will be a fourth volume and maybe the Odd character will find some closure. Then again, sometimes, you can take a character a little too far. I’ll have to wait and see. It was OK.
Killing Floor - Lee Child ($7.99/$.50, copyright 1997, 407 pages, Paperback)This is the first of the Jack Reacher novels. Since Tom Cruise is starring in a movie about the character, I decided to check him out. Reacher is a former military policeman who, having left the army, decides to drop off the grid. He carries no ID and travels only by bus, rail, or simply walking. In this book, he’s arrested for a murder just after he enters a town. There’s something going on but he tries not to get involved until it becomes personal. Child builds the plot nicely, mixing in several other murders (some of which Reacher commits), a criminal undertaking that seems far-fetched but is reasonably explained, and an upcoming deadline. Reacher is an interesting, intelligent character (although I'm not sure how Cruise will do). I liked it.
Miscellaneous
The Avengers :Too Many Targets - John Peel & Dave Rogers ($8.95/$.50, copyright 1990, 181 pages, Paperback)These are not the Marvel Universe Avengers. These are the one’s from the BBC. John Steed, Emma Peel, Tara, Mother, etc. Every one of them true to life and a story that plays to their strengths. Someone is killing British agents. They suspect it's someone on the inside. Steed is supposed to believe it is Mother. Mother is supposed to believe it is Steed. The action is spaced out nicely so as to bring the major characters together. The dialog is fun to read. And there's robots. Jolly good fun. I enjoyed it.
Graphic Novels/Comics
Showcase Presents: Rip Hunter, Time Master - Various ($19.99/$5.00, copyright 2012, 511 pages, Trade Paperback) This is one of those collections that I mentioned last month. Rip Hunter is a “B” list character in the DCU who pops up whenever they have a crossover event that involves time travel. In effect, he’s the man. This volume includes Showcase numbers 20, 21, 25 and 26, and Rip’s own magazine numbers 1 through 15. This covers a time period from May 1959 through August 1963 (published bimonthly). They were all written by Jack Miller, one of the unsung bullpen members and includes artist Neil Caddy, Alex Toth, Bill Ely, and Ross Andru. Here, most of the action takes place in the past - the Stone Age, Ancient Egypt, etc. - with some futuristic aliens mixed in every now and then. The cast includes Rip, his good buddy Jeff Smith, his girlfriend bonnie Baxter, and her kid brother Corky. (This seems to have been a theme back then, a girlfriend who’s tough buts gets into trouble and a kid brother.) Again, these become repetitive if read in a single sitting so I spaced them out to 1 a week. I enjoyed it.
That's it for this month - and this year.
I wish you all health and happiness in the New Year.
Keep reading!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Third Anniversary Issue!!
Happy November, all! We blew through Halloween pretty quickly - or, rather, Sandy blew through it - and now we're at the threshold to the holiday season. And - more importantly - this is the Third Anniversary of this blog! I have some interesting selections for you this month so let's just dig right in and I'll update you on the numbers later.
Series
Day of Atonement - Faye Kellerman ($7.99/$.5 0, copyright 1991, 373 pages, Paperback)This is one of the early works in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. Decker is an L. A. cop and Lazarus is a woman he met and fell in love with in the first volume. She also happens to be an Orthodox Jew. All of the books in the series involve some aspect of the religious rituals they follow. This one takes place after their wedding and they’re in N. Y. for the holidays. It revolves around a missing boy and a psycho who takes him in. There’s a subplot that involves family, and I think a message that the ending that you look for isn’t always a happy one. I picked it up because of the NY connection, hoping that there’d be some insight into the orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn but, after the set up is taken care of, the second half moves back to L. A. and it wrapped up too quickly It was OK.
No Badge, No Gun - Harold Adams ($8.95/$1.00, copyright 1998, 203 pages,Paperback) This is one of the Carl Wilcox mysteries that Mr. Adams has produced. Wilcox is an ex-con, sign painter during the Great Depression, who - sometimes - gets involved in mysteries in order to make some extra money. In this one, he’s hired to solve the rape and murder of a young girl in a small town. I am usually a sucker for a mystery that takes place in some era other then the modern age so I was drawn to the setting/time frame but, unfortunately, these don’t really have an impact on the story. I have to admit that I found this hard to get through. Basically, it just plods along. Wilcox talks to people and gathers information. I didn’t like it.
Miscellaneous
Yeats is Dead! - Joseph O'Conner, ed. ($12.95/$.25, copyright 2001, 257 pages, Paperback)
Mr. O’Connor is only the editor of this truly Irish novel. It’s actually written by 15 Irish writers, each of them taking a chapter. Starting with Roddy Doyle and ending with Frank McCourt it tells the story of an eclectic collection of Dubliners - from cops to crooks - on the hunt for the long-lost last novel of James Joyce. This was a real joy to read as each writer adds his/her own twists while maintaining the integrity of the whole (although there were a couple of chapters that could‘ve been tweaked). It’s too long to make into a decent movie, but would make an excellent mini-series along the lines of an old Alec Guinness comedy or a toned-down Monty Python script. I enjoyed it.
The Postcard Killers - James Patterson and Liza Marklund ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2010, 402 pages, Paperback)Here’s another book from the Patterson “studio”. This one revolves around some serial murderers running around in some of the famous cities in Europe. They’re being chased by an NYPD detective who’s daughter was one of the first victims. Most of the book takes place in Sweden and Marklund, being a writer from there, gives it some local color. It has the usual Patterson short-chapter approach, alternating between the cop, the killers, and a Swedish newswoman who gets involved. I found that it didn’t really get going until about 1/3 of the way through. It had some interesting twists, but the ending wraps up some of the details in an off-handed manner. It was OK.
Comic Books
I know, I said that I wouldn't be buying these collections because they were just too pricey but I came across a used book store in Metuchen who had a few priced very reasonably. Here's the first one I've finished.
Showcase Presents - Various writers/artists ($19.99/$5.00, copyright 2012, 539 pages, Trade Paperback)I have been a comic book fan all of my life. I was lucky enough to actually start to be able to read when the Silver Age started in 1956, and even more lucky to have parents who didn’t mind that the material was comics just as long as I (and my brothers and sisters) were reading. At that time comics were still being printed but consisted mostly of war, scifi, western, and romance genres. And then National Comics (who later changed their name to DC) had an idea. They started a publication called Showcase. Here they could test out some new character ideas. This volume contains the first 21 issues starting from March/April 1956 to July/August 1959. It’s an interesting mix. There’s a couple of issues dealing with a fireman. There’s one about frogmen in WW2. There’s a couple starring The Space Ranger. These fit in with the times. But mixed in are characters that have carried on into the DC Universe. Lois Lane, of course, has been a character in the long-running Superman books but takes center stage in a few issues of her own. And we have the creation of some new memorable characters - The Challengers of the Unknown, Adam Strange, and Rip Hunter. But the most important character to appear here is Barry Allen - The Flash. Appearing for the first time in issues 4 (Sept/Oct 1956) and later in issues 8, 13, and 14. The Silver Age is considered to have started when he got his own magazine. It's an interesting, eclectic mix and includes the works of Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino, Curt Swan, Jack Kirby, Gardner Fox, Wally Woods, and Gil Kane. I enjoyed it immensely.
Numbers
This year, the numbers break down as follows: 15 Series books, cover prices $154.27, my costs $8.75. 23 Miscellaneous books, cover prices $239.30, my costs $10.95. 6 Graphic Novel/Comic books, cover prices 91.90, my costs $6.00. 2 Non-fiction books, cover prices $27.00, my costs $1.50. 3 Sherlock Holmes books, cover prices $44.99, my costs $3.24. Totals this year are 49 books, cover prices $557.46, my costs $30.44, average cost per book $.62. Three year totals 147 books, cover prices $1630.45, my costs $118.71. average cost per book $.81.
And it's all still a lot of fun.
That's it for this month. Just a reminder....Thanksgiving is in 3 days. This year, after what has happened in the last few works (some of it personal, too), I know that I have a lot to be grateful for. Let's not lose that feeling of gratitude amid the onrush of Christmas commercialism that seems to be starting earlier and earlier each year.
Keep Reading!
Series
Day of Atonement - Faye Kellerman ($7.99/$.5 0, copyright 1991, 373 pages, Paperback)This is one of the early works in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. Decker is an L. A. cop and Lazarus is a woman he met and fell in love with in the first volume. She also happens to be an Orthodox Jew. All of the books in the series involve some aspect of the religious rituals they follow. This one takes place after their wedding and they’re in N. Y. for the holidays. It revolves around a missing boy and a psycho who takes him in. There’s a subplot that involves family, and I think a message that the ending that you look for isn’t always a happy one. I picked it up because of the NY connection, hoping that there’d be some insight into the orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn but, after the set up is taken care of, the second half moves back to L. A. and it wrapped up too quickly It was OK.
No Badge, No Gun - Harold Adams ($8.95/$1.00, copyright 1998, 203 pages,Paperback) This is one of the Carl Wilcox mysteries that Mr. Adams has produced. Wilcox is an ex-con, sign painter during the Great Depression, who - sometimes - gets involved in mysteries in order to make some extra money. In this one, he’s hired to solve the rape and murder of a young girl in a small town. I am usually a sucker for a mystery that takes place in some era other then the modern age so I was drawn to the setting/time frame but, unfortunately, these don’t really have an impact on the story. I have to admit that I found this hard to get through. Basically, it just plods along. Wilcox talks to people and gathers information. I didn’t like it.
Miscellaneous
Yeats is Dead! - Joseph O'Conner, ed. ($12.95/$.25, copyright 2001, 257 pages, Paperback)
Mr. O’Connor is only the editor of this truly Irish novel. It’s actually written by 15 Irish writers, each of them taking a chapter. Starting with Roddy Doyle and ending with Frank McCourt it tells the story of an eclectic collection of Dubliners - from cops to crooks - on the hunt for the long-lost last novel of James Joyce. This was a real joy to read as each writer adds his/her own twists while maintaining the integrity of the whole (although there were a couple of chapters that could‘ve been tweaked). It’s too long to make into a decent movie, but would make an excellent mini-series along the lines of an old Alec Guinness comedy or a toned-down Monty Python script. I enjoyed it.
The Postcard Killers - James Patterson and Liza Marklund ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2010, 402 pages, Paperback)Here’s another book from the Patterson “studio”. This one revolves around some serial murderers running around in some of the famous cities in Europe. They’re being chased by an NYPD detective who’s daughter was one of the first victims. Most of the book takes place in Sweden and Marklund, being a writer from there, gives it some local color. It has the usual Patterson short-chapter approach, alternating between the cop, the killers, and a Swedish newswoman who gets involved. I found that it didn’t really get going until about 1/3 of the way through. It had some interesting twists, but the ending wraps up some of the details in an off-handed manner. It was OK.
Comic Books
I know, I said that I wouldn't be buying these collections because they were just too pricey but I came across a used book store in Metuchen who had a few priced very reasonably. Here's the first one I've finished.
Showcase Presents - Various writers/artists ($19.99/$5.00, copyright 2012, 539 pages, Trade Paperback)I have been a comic book fan all of my life. I was lucky enough to actually start to be able to read when the Silver Age started in 1956, and even more lucky to have parents who didn’t mind that the material was comics just as long as I (and my brothers and sisters) were reading. At that time comics were still being printed but consisted mostly of war, scifi, western, and romance genres. And then National Comics (who later changed their name to DC) had an idea. They started a publication called Showcase. Here they could test out some new character ideas. This volume contains the first 21 issues starting from March/April 1956 to July/August 1959. It’s an interesting mix. There’s a couple of issues dealing with a fireman. There’s one about frogmen in WW2. There’s a couple starring The Space Ranger. These fit in with the times. But mixed in are characters that have carried on into the DC Universe. Lois Lane, of course, has been a character in the long-running Superman books but takes center stage in a few issues of her own. And we have the creation of some new memorable characters - The Challengers of the Unknown, Adam Strange, and Rip Hunter. But the most important character to appear here is Barry Allen - The Flash. Appearing for the first time in issues 4 (Sept/Oct 1956) and later in issues 8, 13, and 14. The Silver Age is considered to have started when he got his own magazine. It's an interesting, eclectic mix and includes the works of Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino, Curt Swan, Jack Kirby, Gardner Fox, Wally Woods, and Gil Kane. I enjoyed it immensely.
Numbers
This year, the numbers break down as follows: 15 Series books, cover prices $154.27, my costs $8.75. 23 Miscellaneous books, cover prices $239.30, my costs $10.95. 6 Graphic Novel/Comic books, cover prices 91.90, my costs $6.00. 2 Non-fiction books, cover prices $27.00, my costs $1.50. 3 Sherlock Holmes books, cover prices $44.99, my costs $3.24. Totals this year are 49 books, cover prices $557.46, my costs $30.44, average cost per book $.62. Three year totals 147 books, cover prices $1630.45, my costs $118.71. average cost per book $.81.
And it's all still a lot of fun.
That's it for this month. Just a reminder....Thanksgiving is in 3 days. This year, after what has happened in the last few works (some of it personal, too), I know that I have a lot to be grateful for. Let's not lose that feeling of gratitude amid the onrush of Christmas commercialism that seems to be starting earlier and earlier each year.
Keep Reading!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Chapter Thirty-five
I’m going to start this month with the book that I was still reading when I posted the last Chapter. It is the book that got me to finally decide to go online to place an order. Barnes & Noble’s carried it but not in stock so I went to one of their in-store terminals. They had it listed for $17.95 and I was going to use a Gift Card that I’d received. While looking it up, I noticed an option called Dealer Network which took me to several associated book outlets that connected to Barnes & Noble. I wound up getting it for about $4.50 (not out-of-pocket). This copy’s condition is classified by the bookseller site as “Used - Very Good”. Amazon has no Used copies of this edition listed, but does price a New copy at $120.88. Pretty good buy on my part.
Miscellaneous
The Sunlight Dialogues - John Gardner ($6.95/Gift Card, copyright 1972, 746 pages, Paperback)I’ve been looking for this book for a while - on and off - but got serious once I picked up a copy of Gardner’s "Grendel" about a month ago. I’d read this book first just after it was published, and it’s stayed with me all these years. It is set in the 1960‘s and it’s the story of the Chief of Police (Clumly) in a small town in upstate NY (Batavia) and how he deals with the disruptions caused by an eccentric character who invades his town (The Sunlight Man). Sunlight has been arrested for painting the word “LOVE“ across a road and is being held in jail pending a psychiatric exam. Revolving around this core are subplots involving other townsfolk and other crimes. Gardner brings each member of this huge cast to life - even the stereotypes - and this creates the daily life of Batavia that Clumly is trying to maintain. It’s order versus chaos, tradition versus change and Gardner does it justice. To be honest, some 35 years later, I found it hard at times to wade through some of the conversations between Clumly and Sunlight (and Sunlight‘s ramblings to others) that give the book it‘s name. I guess I’m not as idealistic as I once was. It was OK.
Castleview - Gene Wolfe ($13.95/$.50, copyright 1990, 278 pages, Trade Paperback)I picked this up because the cover illustration has a castle superimposed over a small town street, and one of the jacket blurbs references “Idylls of the King“. I thought this would be Wolfe’s attempt to merge Camelot with Midwestern America. Maybe it was. I don’t know. A family moves into Castleview (named for the apparition of a castle that appears from time to time). There’s a murder, car accidents, scenes in a hospital, scenes at a camp for girls, characters that move in and out and..oh, yes..some people die then come back. There is an attempt to explain it involving the world of fairies but there are too many situations left hanging to make any real sense of it. It’s well written, but ultimately not worth reading.
The Q Document - James Hall Roberts ($.60/$.50, copyright 1964, 224 pages, Paperback)
As I read this I couldn’t help but visualize it as a movie from the late 40’s/early 50’s. It is the story of a scholar - an educated man - with a recent tragedy in his past who is hired by a “business” man in Japan to verify a set of documents which may - or may not - topple Christianity. There are really only 4 main characters. I see a young Vincent Price as the scholar, Sidney Greenstreet as the businessman, an older Lauren Bacall as the writer, and Peter Lorre as the priest (only because of the one scene with Greenstreet). There isn’t any action, as would be expected today. Instead there is a steady increase in the tension and in how things move inexorably to the end regardless of what the scholar tries. The “revelation” doesn’t take place until the last few pages and is totally unexpected and actually sounds plausible. I thoroughly enjoyed it. (Interestingly, there really is a Q Document Theory. Similarities in the Gospels of Mark and Luke have led scholars to extrapolate that there is a missing source document containing the actual teachings of Jesus. This theory originated in Germany and "Q" stands for the german word "quelle" which means "source".)
Thanks to the Gift Card givers for the chance to pick up some books I've been looking for (you know who you are). The Holiday season unofficially kicks off at the end of the month so - Happy Halloween to all! And..............
Keep Reading!
Miscellaneous
The Sunlight Dialogues - John Gardner ($6.95/Gift Card, copyright 1972, 746 pages, Paperback)I’ve been looking for this book for a while - on and off - but got serious once I picked up a copy of Gardner’s "Grendel" about a month ago. I’d read this book first just after it was published, and it’s stayed with me all these years. It is set in the 1960‘s and it’s the story of the Chief of Police (Clumly) in a small town in upstate NY (Batavia) and how he deals with the disruptions caused by an eccentric character who invades his town (The Sunlight Man). Sunlight has been arrested for painting the word “LOVE“ across a road and is being held in jail pending a psychiatric exam. Revolving around this core are subplots involving other townsfolk and other crimes. Gardner brings each member of this huge cast to life - even the stereotypes - and this creates the daily life of Batavia that Clumly is trying to maintain. It’s order versus chaos, tradition versus change and Gardner does it justice. To be honest, some 35 years later, I found it hard at times to wade through some of the conversations between Clumly and Sunlight (and Sunlight‘s ramblings to others) that give the book it‘s name. I guess I’m not as idealistic as I once was. It was OK.
Castleview - Gene Wolfe ($13.95/$.50, copyright 1990, 278 pages, Trade Paperback)I picked this up because the cover illustration has a castle superimposed over a small town street, and one of the jacket blurbs references “Idylls of the King“. I thought this would be Wolfe’s attempt to merge Camelot with Midwestern America. Maybe it was. I don’t know. A family moves into Castleview (named for the apparition of a castle that appears from time to time). There’s a murder, car accidents, scenes in a hospital, scenes at a camp for girls, characters that move in and out and..oh, yes..some people die then come back. There is an attempt to explain it involving the world of fairies but there are too many situations left hanging to make any real sense of it. It’s well written, but ultimately not worth reading.
The Q Document - James Hall Roberts ($.60/$.50, copyright 1964, 224 pages, Paperback)
As I read this I couldn’t help but visualize it as a movie from the late 40’s/early 50’s. It is the story of a scholar - an educated man - with a recent tragedy in his past who is hired by a “business” man in Japan to verify a set of documents which may - or may not - topple Christianity. There are really only 4 main characters. I see a young Vincent Price as the scholar, Sidney Greenstreet as the businessman, an older Lauren Bacall as the writer, and Peter Lorre as the priest (only because of the one scene with Greenstreet). There isn’t any action, as would be expected today. Instead there is a steady increase in the tension and in how things move inexorably to the end regardless of what the scholar tries. The “revelation” doesn’t take place until the last few pages and is totally unexpected and actually sounds plausible. I thoroughly enjoyed it. (Interestingly, there really is a Q Document Theory. Similarities in the Gospels of Mark and Luke have led scholars to extrapolate that there is a missing source document containing the actual teachings of Jesus. This theory originated in Germany and "Q" stands for the german word "quelle" which means "source".)
Thanks to the Gift Card givers for the chance to pick up some books I've been looking for (you know who you are). The Holiday season unofficially kicks off at the end of the month so - Happy Halloween to all! And..............
Keep Reading!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Chapter Thirty-four
I have made a change this month. Not to what I read but to how I go about acquiring the books that I post about. Piqued your curiosity? I hope so, but you'll have to wait just a bit while I run through the following:
Series
On the Wrong Track - Steve Hockensmith ($12.95/$.50, copyright 2007, 290 pages, Trade Paperback)This is the second book in the Amlingmeyer Brothers series. They’re 2 one-time cattle drovers in the Old West of the late 1800’s who’ve taken a shine to the Sherlock Holmes stories (believing him to be as real as the Western heroes and villains pumped up in the dime novels popular at the time) and decide to do some “detectifying” of their own. Here they take jobs as railroad detectives and get mixed up with murders, train robbers, and other western stereotypes. There are gun fights and out-of-control trains to keep the plot moving at a quick pace. It’s told with an eye for detail, and an ear for a good laugh. I enjoyed it.
Kill Alex Cross - James Patterson ($14.99/$1.00, copyright 2011, 364 pages, Trade Paperback)I’ve written about Patterson's Alex Cross series before. In this one, Cross has to deal with the kidnapping of the President’s children while Washington, D. C. is being panicked by terrorist attacks. Patterson’s style holds true here - short, snappy chapters bouncing between the good guys and the bad, with a dash of domestic drama/life for Detective Cross. (And he's brought back a strong supporting character who's been missing for several volumes.) It’s a formula that has served Patterson well. I enjoyed it.
Graphic Novels
Cardboard - Doug Tenniel ($12.99/$0, copyright 2012, 283 pages, Trade Paperback)I read this graphic novel in a couple of hours, while “helping out” at a Book Fair so I didn't actually purchase it but I'm including it anyway. It revolves around an out-of-work, recently widowed construction worker (Mike) trying to keep things together while raising his young son (Cam). It’s the boy’s birthday and all the dad can afford is a cardboard box. But it’s magic cardboard. Soon they have created a cardboard man named Bill who, not surprisingly, comes to life. What follows involves a jealous, rich kid (Marcus) who steals the cardboard, monsters threatening to take over, and heroics by humans young and old (and cardboard). Of course, this is really aimed at a young audience, so good triumphs and lessons are learned, and there’s a nice twist at the end. The art work is appealing, and the dialog rings true. I enjoyed it.
SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
In one of the early chapters I mentioned that I knew I could buy books online but that the thrill was in finding them on my own. Well, thirty-some-odd chapters later I found myself with three books that I knew I was never going to find on my own. But still I persisted until last month, when I got a couple of gift cards for my birthday - one to Barnes & Noble and one was a TD Bank card. Long story short...I've decided to join the 21st Century and ordered all three books online and I got good prices for them. So, here are two of them. I 'm still reading the third, and hope to have it for next month's post.
Miscellaneous
The Man Without a Country & Other Stories - - Edward Everett Hale ($4.99/Gft Card, published 1995, 175 pages, Paperback) This is actually out of print and although published by Wordsworth American Classics is no longer listed in their catalog. I am guessing at the cover price based on similar works that they carry. I’ve been looking for this one since Sept. of 2011 when I learned that Cliff Robertson died. I remembered seeing him in a televised version back in the 60's that has stayed with me all these years. It is the story of Philip Nolan who, through a mistaken allegiance and a bad temper, is sentenced to never see or hear of the United States again. I have to admit that I was surprised to find out that it was such a short story and yet I found it a powerful one. “The Man…” was written in 1863, and this volume includes other stories written between 1842 and 1866. Like any collection, some of the stories are really good and some not so much. These cover an interesting range of topics, some humorously. It’s a mixed bag. As a whole, it was OK. To me, it was worth it and I really did enjoy “The Man…”.
Comic Books
Showcase Presents: Challengers of The Unknown, Vol. 1 - Jack Kirby and others ($16.99/GC, published 2006, 544 pages, Trade Paperback) This volume starts with the first appearance of the Challengers in the January/February 1957 issue of Showcase (#6) and ends with the December 1960/January 1961 issue of Challengers of The Unknown (#17) - their own titled magazine. In all, 21 issues comprising the introduction of the Challengers to the DC Universe. I’ve been chasing this down since the end of 2009 when I came across a copy of Volume 2 in a comic book store in Oakhurst. The Challengers' philosophy of “We’re living on borrowed time.” resonated with me. (Since, at times, I’ve felt the same way.) To my knowledge, Jack Kirby - one of the true greats in comic book history - was the creative force behind the Challengers, drawing every issue up to and including Challengers #8, and writing most of the stories in their own magazine. The writing in the Showcase issues is attributed to Dave Wood, and the pencil work for Challengers #9 onward is by Bob Brown. Back then these were bimonthly publications. In every issue Ace, Rocky, Prof and Red (and sometimes June) would be faced with some scientific/alien/magical menace that would take all of their combined skills to defeat. I would recommend that these should be read over a period of time (say 1 a week/month) as they tend to get repetitive. Still, I found it very enjoyable.
That's it for now. Stayed tuned for next month when I'll tell you about the second book I ordered through Barnes & Noble's Dealer Network. Until then..........
Keep Reading!
Series
On the Wrong Track - Steve Hockensmith ($12.95/$.50, copyright 2007, 290 pages, Trade Paperback)This is the second book in the Amlingmeyer Brothers series. They’re 2 one-time cattle drovers in the Old West of the late 1800’s who’ve taken a shine to the Sherlock Holmes stories (believing him to be as real as the Western heroes and villains pumped up in the dime novels popular at the time) and decide to do some “detectifying” of their own. Here they take jobs as railroad detectives and get mixed up with murders, train robbers, and other western stereotypes. There are gun fights and out-of-control trains to keep the plot moving at a quick pace. It’s told with an eye for detail, and an ear for a good laugh. I enjoyed it.
Kill Alex Cross - James Patterson ($14.99/$1.00, copyright 2011, 364 pages, Trade Paperback)I’ve written about Patterson's Alex Cross series before. In this one, Cross has to deal with the kidnapping of the President’s children while Washington, D. C. is being panicked by terrorist attacks. Patterson’s style holds true here - short, snappy chapters bouncing between the good guys and the bad, with a dash of domestic drama/life for Detective Cross. (And he's brought back a strong supporting character who's been missing for several volumes.) It’s a formula that has served Patterson well. I enjoyed it.
Graphic Novels
Cardboard - Doug Tenniel ($12.99/$0, copyright 2012, 283 pages, Trade Paperback)I read this graphic novel in a couple of hours, while “helping out” at a Book Fair so I didn't actually purchase it but I'm including it anyway. It revolves around an out-of-work, recently widowed construction worker (Mike) trying to keep things together while raising his young son (Cam). It’s the boy’s birthday and all the dad can afford is a cardboard box. But it’s magic cardboard. Soon they have created a cardboard man named Bill who, not surprisingly, comes to life. What follows involves a jealous, rich kid (Marcus) who steals the cardboard, monsters threatening to take over, and heroics by humans young and old (and cardboard). Of course, this is really aimed at a young audience, so good triumphs and lessons are learned, and there’s a nice twist at the end. The art work is appealing, and the dialog rings true. I enjoyed it.
SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
In one of the early chapters I mentioned that I knew I could buy books online but that the thrill was in finding them on my own. Well, thirty-some-odd chapters later I found myself with three books that I knew I was never going to find on my own. But still I persisted until last month, when I got a couple of gift cards for my birthday - one to Barnes & Noble and one was a TD Bank card. Long story short...I've decided to join the 21st Century and ordered all three books online and I got good prices for them. So, here are two of them. I 'm still reading the third, and hope to have it for next month's post.
Miscellaneous
The Man Without a Country & Other Stories - - Edward Everett Hale ($4.99/Gft Card, published 1995, 175 pages, Paperback) This is actually out of print and although published by Wordsworth American Classics is no longer listed in their catalog. I am guessing at the cover price based on similar works that they carry. I’ve been looking for this one since Sept. of 2011 when I learned that Cliff Robertson died. I remembered seeing him in a televised version back in the 60's that has stayed with me all these years. It is the story of Philip Nolan who, through a mistaken allegiance and a bad temper, is sentenced to never see or hear of the United States again. I have to admit that I was surprised to find out that it was such a short story and yet I found it a powerful one. “The Man…” was written in 1863, and this volume includes other stories written between 1842 and 1866. Like any collection, some of the stories are really good and some not so much. These cover an interesting range of topics, some humorously. It’s a mixed bag. As a whole, it was OK. To me, it was worth it and I really did enjoy “The Man…”.
Comic Books
Showcase Presents: Challengers of The Unknown, Vol. 1 - Jack Kirby and others ($16.99/GC, published 2006, 544 pages, Trade Paperback) This volume starts with the first appearance of the Challengers in the January/February 1957 issue of Showcase (#6) and ends with the December 1960/January 1961 issue of Challengers of The Unknown (#17) - their own titled magazine. In all, 21 issues comprising the introduction of the Challengers to the DC Universe. I’ve been chasing this down since the end of 2009 when I came across a copy of Volume 2 in a comic book store in Oakhurst. The Challengers' philosophy of “We’re living on borrowed time.” resonated with me. (Since, at times, I’ve felt the same way.) To my knowledge, Jack Kirby - one of the true greats in comic book history - was the creative force behind the Challengers, drawing every issue up to and including Challengers #8, and writing most of the stories in their own magazine. The writing in the Showcase issues is attributed to Dave Wood, and the pencil work for Challengers #9 onward is by Bob Brown. Back then these were bimonthly publications. In every issue Ace, Rocky, Prof and Red (and sometimes June) would be faced with some scientific/alien/magical menace that would take all of their combined skills to defeat. I would recommend that these should be read over a period of time (say 1 a week/month) as they tend to get repetitive. Still, I found it very enjoyable.
That's it for now. Stayed tuned for next month when I'll tell you about the second book I ordered through Barnes & Noble's Dealer Network. Until then..........
Keep Reading!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Chapter Thirty-three
Interestingly enough, the majority of the male members of my immediate family have been born in August. My late father, myself, my younger brother, two of my nephews and a nephew-by-association. By my count that leaves a brother, two nephews, a brother-in-law and a son-in-law. More then half of the males in my immediate family are August babies. How about that?
Of course, this really has nothing to do with this month's posting. It's just something that I found interesting. Much like at least a couple of the books listed below.
Series
Flood - Andrew H. Vachss ($4.50/$.25, copyright 1985, 344 pages, Paperback)
I wrote about several of Vachss’ books a couple of months ago. This is the first in that series about Burke, an ex-con and unlicensed PI who travels in the NY underworld and deals primarily with cases involving child molestation and abuse. I enjoyed the first Burke book I read (which happened to be the 2nd in the series) . The second one I read, and now this one, were somewhat unsatisfying. This one has the cast of characters dealing with a murderous child molester and a brutal pimp, but there’s nothing new here. I like the supporting cast of characters, but here they are only introduced, not really defined. Later volumes give them life. It was OK.
Non-fiction
The Lost Continent - Bill Bryson ($13.00/$1.00, copyright 1989, 299 pages, Trade Paperback)
I picked this book up because of it’s title, as anyone who knows me would understand. Then I saw the sub-title - “Travels in Small Town America”. Still, I read a few random passages, flipping pages, and I was hooked. This is one person's account of his travels through middle America, starting and ending in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, I found that his vision of small town America is described with such humor and warmth that you want to go there. Then you find that it becomes a bit repetitive. Maybe this would’ve worked best as a series of newspaper/magazine articles or a sort of Charles Kurault “On the Road” type of TV thing. I have to admit that I skimmed through the last third of it. It was OK.
Miscellaneous
Bad Men - John Connolly ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2004, 451 pages, Paperback)
Connolly is the author of the Charlie Parker series, one or two of which I’ve mentioned here before. This is a stand-alone and combines elements of two distinct suspense novel formats. On one hand, we have the abused wife escaping her criminal husband with a lot of his money. Of course, he’s escaped from prison, gathered a gang of killers, and is hunting her down. On the other hand, we have the small island community - cut off from the mainland - that has a horrible tragedy buried in it’s past. Only a few people, including the island’s 7-foot deputy, can feel what’s happening. The two hands slam together in a great story that keeps the surprises going until the end. I enjoyed it.
Grendel - John Gardner ($10.95/$1.00, copyright 1971, 174 pages, Trade Paperback)
Put simply, this is just a retelling of the Beowulf story from the monster’s - Grendel’s - perspective. But this book can’t be read simply. Of course, if you know the Beowulf story, you know how it ends and Gardner stays true to the story, but he has a great time getting there. Grendel screams, yells, cries, and waxes rhapsodic for the length of the book, passing his judgement on Hrothgar and his Danes as representatives of all men. Good vs. evil, intelligence vs. ignorance, there's a lot under the surface here. At times funny, at times tragic, it is always entertaining. I enjoyed it.
Well. August is just about over, and September is only 10 days away. In about a month, Summer will end and Autumn will start. I don't know about you, but this year I'm looking forward to it. Till next time.....
Keep Reading.
Of course, this really has nothing to do with this month's posting. It's just something that I found interesting. Much like at least a couple of the books listed below.
Series
Flood - Andrew H. Vachss ($4.50/$.25, copyright 1985, 344 pages, Paperback)
I wrote about several of Vachss’ books a couple of months ago. This is the first in that series about Burke, an ex-con and unlicensed PI who travels in the NY underworld and deals primarily with cases involving child molestation and abuse. I enjoyed the first Burke book I read (which happened to be the 2nd in the series) . The second one I read, and now this one, were somewhat unsatisfying. This one has the cast of characters dealing with a murderous child molester and a brutal pimp, but there’s nothing new here. I like the supporting cast of characters, but here they are only introduced, not really defined. Later volumes give them life. It was OK.
Non-fiction
The Lost Continent - Bill Bryson ($13.00/$1.00, copyright 1989, 299 pages, Trade Paperback)
I picked this book up because of it’s title, as anyone who knows me would understand. Then I saw the sub-title - “Travels in Small Town America”. Still, I read a few random passages, flipping pages, and I was hooked. This is one person's account of his travels through middle America, starting and ending in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, I found that his vision of small town America is described with such humor and warmth that you want to go there. Then you find that it becomes a bit repetitive. Maybe this would’ve worked best as a series of newspaper/magazine articles or a sort of Charles Kurault “On the Road” type of TV thing. I have to admit that I skimmed through the last third of it. It was OK.
Miscellaneous
Bad Men - John Connolly ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2004, 451 pages, Paperback)
Connolly is the author of the Charlie Parker series, one or two of which I’ve mentioned here before. This is a stand-alone and combines elements of two distinct suspense novel formats. On one hand, we have the abused wife escaping her criminal husband with a lot of his money. Of course, he’s escaped from prison, gathered a gang of killers, and is hunting her down. On the other hand, we have the small island community - cut off from the mainland - that has a horrible tragedy buried in it’s past. Only a few people, including the island’s 7-foot deputy, can feel what’s happening. The two hands slam together in a great story that keeps the surprises going until the end. I enjoyed it.
Grendel - John Gardner ($10.95/$1.00, copyright 1971, 174 pages, Trade Paperback)
Put simply, this is just a retelling of the Beowulf story from the monster’s - Grendel’s - perspective. But this book can’t be read simply. Of course, if you know the Beowulf story, you know how it ends and Gardner stays true to the story, but he has a great time getting there. Grendel screams, yells, cries, and waxes rhapsodic for the length of the book, passing his judgement on Hrothgar and his Danes as representatives of all men. Good vs. evil, intelligence vs. ignorance, there's a lot under the surface here. At times funny, at times tragic, it is always entertaining. I enjoyed it.
Well. August is just about over, and September is only 10 days away. In about a month, Summer will end and Autumn will start. I don't know about you, but this year I'm looking forward to it. Till next time.....
Keep Reading.
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