Well, May has come in big-time. We haven't had much rain and we've had some really summer-like days. Also, the pollen counts have been very high so I've been really itchy lately. It's a good thing I have a stack of books to take my mind off things.
Series
The Price of Blood - Declan Hughes ($13.99/ $.50, copyright 2008, 312 pages, Trade Paperback)
This is, I think, the third of Hughes' Ed Loy series. Loy was a private investigator in L. A., who came home to Dublin to deal with his mother's passing and wound up staying. In this one, Loy is asked by Father Vincent Tyrell to solve the disappearance of a jockey who worked for the prominent racehorse trainer, F. X. Tyrell - the priest's brother. He also takes on a case, assisting Joe Leonard in catching some vandals. As Ed Loy pursues the Leonard case, he discovers a body dumped, a body with some shocking details and a piece of paper that might relate to his jockey case. When Loy looks closer into the history of the jockey, the body count increases. Hughes takes the reader into the midst of contemporary Irish life in Dublin during the Christmas Season and introduces a cast of interesting characters - and you can practically hear the Dublin accent in his dialogs. I enjoyed it.
Retribution - Stuart M. Kaminsky ($6.99/$.50, copyright 2001, 227 pages, Paperback)
I wrote about one of Kamisky's Tobey Peters series last month and was pleasantly surprised to come across this book. The protagonist is Lew Fonseca - a one-time investigator in Chicago who lost his wife and, sinking into depression, dropped everything and moved to Sarasota where he works as a process server for a law firm and just wants to be left alone. Of course, that doesn't happen. This time around, he's trying to find out what happened to a young runaway named Adele. She is somehow connected to a very solitary and eccentric bestselling author and the loss of some valuable manuscripts. Kaminsky's style is lean and taut, with no wasted words and he's created a compelling mystery. My complaint is that this is the second book in the series and most of the recurring characters were introduced in the first so, when they appear here, Kaminsky doesn't give any back-story - which would have been helpful. And I didn't really find any of them to be very sympathetic either. It was OK.
Miscellaneous
Shame The Devil - George Pelecanos ($7.50/$.50, copyright 2000, 374 pages, Paperback)
In 1995, two crooks hit a pizza place in Washington, D. C. which they know is a front for a gambling ring. They're after the money but things go wrong and they wind up killing everyone there and running over a small boy while they get away. Now it's three years later and the killers are coming back. Pelecanos gives us how the surviving family members are doing by having them get together on a regular basis to help each other out. Nick Stefanos - bartender and part-time investigator - gets pulled in and has to deal with all of it. Pelecanos has created some great characters and they interact well. He moves the story along by jumping between several of the characters - including the killers - in each chapter and he knows how to throw in some surprises. I enjoyed it.
Up next - June and Father's Day. My first as a Grandfather.
Till then, enjoy yourselves and ....
Keep reading.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Monday, April 20, 2015
Chapter Sixty-one
Well, we made it to April and some really nicer, warmer weather. Oh sure, we've had some rain and wind to contend with but any day that's it's not snowing or below freezing is a good one to me. Here's this month's listing.
Non-fiction
Great American Scandals - Michael Farqhar ($14.00/$.50, copyright 2003, 317 pages, Trade Paperback)
This volume is subtitled .. "Tantalizing True Tales of Historic Misbehavior by the Founding Fathers and Others Who Let Freedom Swing". For those who are looking for the stories history books can't tell, this a book for you - it has some great accounts of dueling, murder, affairs, insane mother's and wife's, treason, and other scandalous behavior by our founding fathers and other highly esteemed people. You will read of feuds amongst our countries founding fathers, an attempt to steal one of our former President's graves, and the many prejudicial comments made by former President Nixon, among other things. I admit to having a problem with how Farqhar arranges the chapters and, at times he does get repetitive and his writing style is pretty dry. It was OK.
Miscellaneous
Now You See It - Richard Matheson ($12.95/$.50, copyright 1995, 220 pages, Trade Paperback)
Have you ever seen the play or movie "Deathtrap"? This is a lot like that. The Great Delacorte is a famous magician who's summoned his agent to his home to discuss the future - and to take revenge for the agents' affair with his wife. It all takes place in one room - the Magic Room -and this really is one of those books where nothing is what it seems to be. I had a bit of a problem getting started but it quickly becomes one of those books that you keep reading because you have to find out what happens. I enjoyed it.
Series
Last month I mentioned that I'd come across a book from a series that I'd read years ago - a Lew Archer book by Ross MacDonald. Serendipitously, I just came across two books from two other series from way back when.
The Fala Factor - Stuart M. Kaminsky ($4.99/$.25, copyright 1984, 214 pages, Paperback)
It's 1942 and private detective Toby Peters is hired by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to retrieve the President's beloved pooch, Fala. Mrs. Roosevelt believes Fala was snatched and a substitute left in his place. This quirky plot is a trademark of Kaminsky's Toby Peters series - a famous person (mostly actors in previous volumes) hires the down-on-his luck detective to help them. What really works in this series is the supporting cast - Jeremy, the janitor, poet, and sometimes muscle; his best friend Gunther who's a "little person"; Shelly Minck, the dentist he rents office space from; and his brother Phil, a real detective with the LAPD who has anger issues. Not that much mystery to the plot but Kaminsky has a lot of fun with it. I read most of these over 30 years ago and they still hold up. I enjoyed it.
McNally's Puzzle - Lawrence Sanders ($6.99/$.25, copyright 1996, 343 pages, Paperback)
Bird store owner Hiram Gottschalk is a wealthy widower with a paranoid son and heir, twisted twin daughters, and several shady employees. As the owner of Parrots Unlimited, Hiram believes that his life is in danger, so he hires playboy-turned-Palm Beach private investigator Archy McNally and his sidekick Binky to protect him. Of course, Hiram soon turns up dead and Archy's left to figure out who and how. I read Sanders' "Deadly Sins" series many years ago and I enjoyed it. And I had read one or two of the McNally books way back when. I have to admit, however, that I did have some trouble getting back into the style of the writing, largely because Sanders paints McNally as effete and somewhat pedantic. It was annoying at first, but I did eventually get used to the character and Sanders has created an interesting set of characters and a pretty good mystery. I liked it.
Special Announcement!!!
This month has also brought me, personally, another "New Chapter" - my first grandchild - a beautiful little girl - who was born on Easter Sunday. She made here debut on April 5th at 11:39 P. M. weighing 8 lbs., 9 oz. and measuring 20 inches. Maybe in a few months I'll have to add a new category - Children's Books.
Till next month ...
Keep reading.
Non-fiction
Great American Scandals - Michael Farqhar ($14.00/$.50, copyright 2003, 317 pages, Trade Paperback)
This volume is subtitled .. "Tantalizing True Tales of Historic Misbehavior by the Founding Fathers and Others Who Let Freedom Swing". For those who are looking for the stories history books can't tell, this a book for you - it has some great accounts of dueling, murder, affairs, insane mother's and wife's, treason, and other scandalous behavior by our founding fathers and other highly esteemed people. You will read of feuds amongst our countries founding fathers, an attempt to steal one of our former President's graves, and the many prejudicial comments made by former President Nixon, among other things. I admit to having a problem with how Farqhar arranges the chapters and, at times he does get repetitive and his writing style is pretty dry. It was OK.
Miscellaneous
Now You See It - Richard Matheson ($12.95/$.50, copyright 1995, 220 pages, Trade Paperback)
Have you ever seen the play or movie "Deathtrap"? This is a lot like that. The Great Delacorte is a famous magician who's summoned his agent to his home to discuss the future - and to take revenge for the agents' affair with his wife. It all takes place in one room - the Magic Room -and this really is one of those books where nothing is what it seems to be. I had a bit of a problem getting started but it quickly becomes one of those books that you keep reading because you have to find out what happens. I enjoyed it.
Series
Last month I mentioned that I'd come across a book from a series that I'd read years ago - a Lew Archer book by Ross MacDonald. Serendipitously, I just came across two books from two other series from way back when.
The Fala Factor - Stuart M. Kaminsky ($4.99/$.25, copyright 1984, 214 pages, Paperback)
It's 1942 and private detective Toby Peters is hired by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to retrieve the President's beloved pooch, Fala. Mrs. Roosevelt believes Fala was snatched and a substitute left in his place. This quirky plot is a trademark of Kaminsky's Toby Peters series - a famous person (mostly actors in previous volumes) hires the down-on-his luck detective to help them. What really works in this series is the supporting cast - Jeremy, the janitor, poet, and sometimes muscle; his best friend Gunther who's a "little person"; Shelly Minck, the dentist he rents office space from; and his brother Phil, a real detective with the LAPD who has anger issues. Not that much mystery to the plot but Kaminsky has a lot of fun with it. I read most of these over 30 years ago and they still hold up. I enjoyed it.
McNally's Puzzle - Lawrence Sanders ($6.99/$.25, copyright 1996, 343 pages, Paperback)
Bird store owner Hiram Gottschalk is a wealthy widower with a paranoid son and heir, twisted twin daughters, and several shady employees. As the owner of Parrots Unlimited, Hiram believes that his life is in danger, so he hires playboy-turned-Palm Beach private investigator Archy McNally and his sidekick Binky to protect him. Of course, Hiram soon turns up dead and Archy's left to figure out who and how. I read Sanders' "Deadly Sins" series many years ago and I enjoyed it. And I had read one or two of the McNally books way back when. I have to admit, however, that I did have some trouble getting back into the style of the writing, largely because Sanders paints McNally as effete and somewhat pedantic. It was annoying at first, but I did eventually get used to the character and Sanders has created an interesting set of characters and a pretty good mystery. I liked it.
Special Announcement!!!
This month has also brought me, personally, another "New Chapter" - my first grandchild - a beautiful little girl - who was born on Easter Sunday. She made here debut on April 5th at 11:39 P. M. weighing 8 lbs., 9 oz. and measuring 20 inches. Maybe in a few months I'll have to add a new category - Children's Books.
Till next month ...
Keep reading.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Chapter Sixty
Yesterday was the official start of Spring and - of course - it snowed. Today, thankfully, was warm enough to melt whatever fell (at least where I live) so I will welcome Spring with open arms. Here are the books that held my interest over the last month.
Series
The Instant Enemy - Ross MacDonald - ($4.50/$.50, copyright 1968, 212 pages, Paperback)
I haven't read one of McDonald's Lew Archer novels in over 30 years so I was very happy to come across this one in a library in Metuchen. He's summoned to the Woodland Hills home of Keith Sebastian and his wife Bernice. Their 17 year old daughter has run away and they want him to find her without involving the police. He wends his way up and down much of the California coast looking to unravel the truth behind the shocking series of events that rapidly ensue. MacDonald paints a vivid picture of California - both the sunny and the seamy side. I enjoyed it.
Miscellaneous
Confessional - Jack Higgins ($6.99/$.50, copyright 1985, 293 pages, Paperback)
The main character in this book is Liam Devlin who is semi-retired from the IRA and working as a professor of English literature at Trinity College in Dublin. The KGB has placed a deep-cover operative in Ireland (code name Cuchulain), where he's killed both Protestants and Catholics at
key times, in order to maintain the state of strife and distrust that exists in Northern Ireland.
Now, the jig is up and they decide to put him out of commission. They fail, and now he has no
where to run and nowhere to hide. In a last act of desperation, he sets his sights on the Pope, who'll soon be visiting England. Devlin, working in conjunction with the IRA and Brigadier Charles Ferguson, must stop him. It's slow going at first, setting things up, but the action picks up near the end, Cuchulain is unmasked and his romp through Great Britain, one step ahead of Devlin and Ferguson, is the best part of the book. I enjoyed it.
Non-fiction
101 Greatest Films Of Mystery & Suspense - Otto Penzler ($14.00/$.50, copyright 2000, 304 pages, Trade Paperback)
This is, of course, one man's opinion. However, when that man is the owner of The Mysterious Bookshop in Manhattan and the founder of The Mysterious Press and The Armchair Detective Library his opinion carries a lot of weight. Since this book was copyrighted in 2000, there are no recent movies. The ones here date from 1929 ("Bulldog Drummond") up to 1997 ("L. A. Confidential") and Penzler does a great job of listing the actors, directors, etc. as well as thumb nailing a synopsis. What I found enjoyable was what he's called a "Did You Know?" section where he goes into some of the background of how and why the movies were made and he ends each entry with what he considered to be the "Best Line" in the movie. I enjoyed it.
So, the mornings are starting to get brighter, the days warmer, and the sunsets later. It's time to forget this past winter and look forward to the summer. And don't forget to ....
Keep reading!
Series
The Instant Enemy - Ross MacDonald - ($4.50/$.50, copyright 1968, 212 pages, Paperback)
I haven't read one of McDonald's Lew Archer novels in over 30 years so I was very happy to come across this one in a library in Metuchen. He's summoned to the Woodland Hills home of Keith Sebastian and his wife Bernice. Their 17 year old daughter has run away and they want him to find her without involving the police. He wends his way up and down much of the California coast looking to unravel the truth behind the shocking series of events that rapidly ensue. MacDonald paints a vivid picture of California - both the sunny and the seamy side. I enjoyed it.
Miscellaneous
Confessional - Jack Higgins ($6.99/$.50, copyright 1985, 293 pages, Paperback)
The main character in this book is Liam Devlin who is semi-retired from the IRA and working as a professor of English literature at Trinity College in Dublin. The KGB has placed a deep-cover operative in Ireland (code name Cuchulain), where he's killed both Protestants and Catholics at
key times, in order to maintain the state of strife and distrust that exists in Northern Ireland.
Now, the jig is up and they decide to put him out of commission. They fail, and now he has no
where to run and nowhere to hide. In a last act of desperation, he sets his sights on the Pope, who'll soon be visiting England. Devlin, working in conjunction with the IRA and Brigadier Charles Ferguson, must stop him. It's slow going at first, setting things up, but the action picks up near the end, Cuchulain is unmasked and his romp through Great Britain, one step ahead of Devlin and Ferguson, is the best part of the book. I enjoyed it.
Non-fiction
101 Greatest Films Of Mystery & Suspense - Otto Penzler ($14.00/$.50, copyright 2000, 304 pages, Trade Paperback)
This is, of course, one man's opinion. However, when that man is the owner of The Mysterious Bookshop in Manhattan and the founder of The Mysterious Press and The Armchair Detective Library his opinion carries a lot of weight. Since this book was copyrighted in 2000, there are no recent movies. The ones here date from 1929 ("Bulldog Drummond") up to 1997 ("L. A. Confidential") and Penzler does a great job of listing the actors, directors, etc. as well as thumb nailing a synopsis. What I found enjoyable was what he's called a "Did You Know?" section where he goes into some of the background of how and why the movies were made and he ends each entry with what he considered to be the "Best Line" in the movie. I enjoyed it.
So, the mornings are starting to get brighter, the days warmer, and the sunsets later. It's time to forget this past winter and look forward to the summer. And don't forget to ....
Keep reading!
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Chapter Fifty-nine
Well, we've reached the last week of February and I've had my fill of snow and really cold weather. But I think the worst days were the gray ones - and that was most of the month. Fortunately, there's always a book around to occupy my time.
Miscellaneous
The Murder of King Tut - James Patterson and Martin Dugard (L6.99/$.50, copyright 2009, 326 pages, Trade Paperback)
This has been referred to as a non-fiction novel and is yet another example of the Patterson Book Mill's ability to expand it's horizons. Patterson and Dugard did a great deal of research to put this together and it reads well, using Paterson's patented quick, short chapters approach. It jumps back and forth between the present day (research), the late 19th and early 20th century (the discovery of Tut's tomb by Howard Carter and others), and the 1300's B. C. (Tut's time). It's an interesting book but - in the end - speculation (and they never positively identify the actual murderer). It was OK.
Mine - Robert McCammon ($5.95/$.50, copyright 1990, 487 pages, Paperback)
Last year, I wrote about McCammon's novel "Boy's Life" and how much I enjoyed it. When I saw this in the Edison library I had to pick it up. McCammon usually tends more towards the traditional monsters, vampires, etc.; but here, he has taken on the human monster. Mary Terrell is an overweight and aging hippie, unstable and unable to let go of her past as a member of a radical and violent group. She kidnaps a baby from a hospital and the real mother, Laura Clayborne, goes after them. What we are left with is a fingernail-biting chase across three thousand miles, with close calls and near misses and horrific anxiety at every turn. I liked it.
Hammett - Joe Gores ($1.95/$1.95, copyright 1975, 253 pages, Paperback)
I've enjoyed Dashiell Hammett's books and I'm always up for a hard-boiled detective story. The fictional Hammett in Joe Gores' book was a detective and Pinkerton agent who's been writing for a while. He gets pulled back into the business when a former partner is killed. Gores paints a great picture of a vibrant and very corrupt California in the 1920's, and even has Hammett taking the streetcar instead of driving as he goes on dates or meets a contact in his investigation. He gives us the San Francisco that Hammett wrote about where the town is run by the cops, the crooks, and the big rich, and everything is for sale. I enjoyed it.
That's it for now. The weatherman just said we should be warming up over the coming weekend (which will lead us into March.)
Keep Reading!
Miscellaneous
The Murder of King Tut - James Patterson and Martin Dugard (L6.99/$.50, copyright 2009, 326 pages, Trade Paperback)
This has been referred to as a non-fiction novel and is yet another example of the Patterson Book Mill's ability to expand it's horizons. Patterson and Dugard did a great deal of research to put this together and it reads well, using Paterson's patented quick, short chapters approach. It jumps back and forth between the present day (research), the late 19th and early 20th century (the discovery of Tut's tomb by Howard Carter and others), and the 1300's B. C. (Tut's time). It's an interesting book but - in the end - speculation (and they never positively identify the actual murderer). It was OK.
Mine - Robert McCammon ($5.95/$.50, copyright 1990, 487 pages, Paperback)
Last year, I wrote about McCammon's novel "Boy's Life" and how much I enjoyed it. When I saw this in the Edison library I had to pick it up. McCammon usually tends more towards the traditional monsters, vampires, etc.; but here, he has taken on the human monster. Mary Terrell is an overweight and aging hippie, unstable and unable to let go of her past as a member of a radical and violent group. She kidnaps a baby from a hospital and the real mother, Laura Clayborne, goes after them. What we are left with is a fingernail-biting chase across three thousand miles, with close calls and near misses and horrific anxiety at every turn. I liked it.
Hammett - Joe Gores ($1.95/$1.95, copyright 1975, 253 pages, Paperback)
I've enjoyed Dashiell Hammett's books and I'm always up for a hard-boiled detective story. The fictional Hammett in Joe Gores' book was a detective and Pinkerton agent who's been writing for a while. He gets pulled back into the business when a former partner is killed. Gores paints a great picture of a vibrant and very corrupt California in the 1920's, and even has Hammett taking the streetcar instead of driving as he goes on dates or meets a contact in his investigation. He gives us the San Francisco that Hammett wrote about where the town is run by the cops, the crooks, and the big rich, and everything is for sale. I enjoyed it.
That's it for now. The weatherman just said we should be warming up over the coming weekend (which will lead us into March.)
Keep Reading!
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Chapter Fifty-eight
Happy New Year to you all! It's been kind of a strange winter so far. We've had some slightly warm days alternating with some really cold days; not much snow but some icing conditions; and a couple of storms in the upcoming forecast. just your typical January, I guess. Good weather to curl up with a good book, though. Here's a couple that you might be interested in checking out.
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes And The Sacred Sword - Frank Thomas ($2.95/$.25, copyright 1980, 240 pages, Paperback)
This has a great twist on a standard beginning. Holmes and Watson are home on a typical, dreary London evening when one of Holmes' "associates" comes in with a dying man. The "associate" said that the man had asked for Holmes so he brought him right over. Before they can get any information from the dying man he gasps out .."They found it." .. and dies. Holmes realizes that the man wasn't looking for him but for his brother, Mycroft. This makes it political and turns out to involve a problem with a potential uprising in the Middle East. The rest of the book involves the search for Mohammad's battle sword - the "Sacred Sword" - and a race across two continents against a master criminal who wants it for his own reasons. Thomas does a good job with Holmes and some other familiar characters but I thought he treated Watson more like the Nigel Bruce version. Still, I enjoyed it.
Miscellaneous
Joyland - Stephen King ($12.95/$.50, copyright 2013, 283 pages, Trade Paperback)
I gave up on King years ago for several reasons, one of which was that I didn't think he was able to write a decent ending. I picked this one up because it's centered around a carnival and I'm a sucker for carnivals. (Sadly, this did not turn out to be a traveling carnival filled with weird acts.) Here we have a young man, Devin Jones, who takes a summer job in Joyland, a stationary carnival in North Carolina. He makes friends with a couple of the other "Greenies" - Tom and Erin - and they do everything from clean-up duty through wearing "The Fur" - a dog suit of Howie the Happy Hound, the park's mascot. I loved the carny language King uses (and, thankfully, explains). There's also a minor ghost story and Devin becomes obsessed with a string of unsolved murders. But it's more of a coming-of-age story then anything else, and - in my opinion - more of a Bachman book. To me, it felt padded and could have done with some editing and the ending was too abrupt. It was okay.
This next book needs some explanation.
When I was a kid back in the early '50's, we didn't have the electronics or social media of today (obviously). What we had was black-and-white TV and books to keep us entertained - when we weren't outside playing with our friends. Anyway, my 2 maternal aunts were nuns - Sisters of St. Dominic out of Blauvelt, N. Y. - and would come by to visit several times a year. (Side Note: My Aunt Katherine is 92 and still causing trouble at the Mother House.) One Christmas - I think when I was about 8 - they brought my older brother and I two books, both - of course - with a religious connection. One was "Fighting Father Duffy" about the chaplain with the Fighting 69th during World War II. The other was this one which I serendipitously came across while looking up something else on one of the discount book sites that I visit from time to time ..........
Percy Wynn, or Making a Boy of Him - Fr. Francis J. Finn, S. J. ($9.00*/$3.31, copyright 1893, 248 pages, Paperback)
Percy is a young man who's been raised by overprotective parents and 10 older sisters. He's been kept from the company of other young boys but, due to circumstances, has now been thrust into an all male school. Fr. Flynn uses a cast of other boys, led by Tom Playfair (not too subtle a name) and his friends - representing fine, upstanding young Catholic boys - and Charlie Richards and his friends - representing the bullies - to educate Percy and the young reader in how to become a good person. I admit that this book is outdated and probably will not appeal to anyone outside of my generation. The world has changed a lot since I first read this and Percy's effeminate mannerisms would now be seen in a different light. (As would a priest writing about an all boy's school, I would imagine.) Still, there's an anachronistic element to this book that lured me in and a nostalgia that made me smile. I enjoyed it.
* I couldn't find a cover price on this volume so I took the new book price from Amazon.
Up next is February and you may find me start reviewing a lot of children's books since the Baby Shower for my first Grandchild - a girl - will be on Valentine's Day.
Till then, keep warm and ....
Keep reading.
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes And The Sacred Sword - Frank Thomas ($2.95/$.25, copyright 1980, 240 pages, Paperback)
This has a great twist on a standard beginning. Holmes and Watson are home on a typical, dreary London evening when one of Holmes' "associates" comes in with a dying man. The "associate" said that the man had asked for Holmes so he brought him right over. Before they can get any information from the dying man he gasps out .."They found it." .. and dies. Holmes realizes that the man wasn't looking for him but for his brother, Mycroft. This makes it political and turns out to involve a problem with a potential uprising in the Middle East. The rest of the book involves the search for Mohammad's battle sword - the "Sacred Sword" - and a race across two continents against a master criminal who wants it for his own reasons. Thomas does a good job with Holmes and some other familiar characters but I thought he treated Watson more like the Nigel Bruce version. Still, I enjoyed it.
Miscellaneous
Joyland - Stephen King ($12.95/$.50, copyright 2013, 283 pages, Trade Paperback)
I gave up on King years ago for several reasons, one of which was that I didn't think he was able to write a decent ending. I picked this one up because it's centered around a carnival and I'm a sucker for carnivals. (Sadly, this did not turn out to be a traveling carnival filled with weird acts.) Here we have a young man, Devin Jones, who takes a summer job in Joyland, a stationary carnival in North Carolina. He makes friends with a couple of the other "Greenies" - Tom and Erin - and they do everything from clean-up duty through wearing "The Fur" - a dog suit of Howie the Happy Hound, the park's mascot. I loved the carny language King uses (and, thankfully, explains). There's also a minor ghost story and Devin becomes obsessed with a string of unsolved murders. But it's more of a coming-of-age story then anything else, and - in my opinion - more of a Bachman book. To me, it felt padded and could have done with some editing and the ending was too abrupt. It was okay.
This next book needs some explanation.
When I was a kid back in the early '50's, we didn't have the electronics or social media of today (obviously). What we had was black-and-white TV and books to keep us entertained - when we weren't outside playing with our friends. Anyway, my 2 maternal aunts were nuns - Sisters of St. Dominic out of Blauvelt, N. Y. - and would come by to visit several times a year. (Side Note: My Aunt Katherine is 92 and still causing trouble at the Mother House.) One Christmas - I think when I was about 8 - they brought my older brother and I two books, both - of course - with a religious connection. One was "Fighting Father Duffy" about the chaplain with the Fighting 69th during World War II. The other was this one which I serendipitously came across while looking up something else on one of the discount book sites that I visit from time to time ..........
Percy Wynn, or Making a Boy of Him - Fr. Francis J. Finn, S. J. ($9.00*/$3.31, copyright 1893, 248 pages, Paperback)
Percy is a young man who's been raised by overprotective parents and 10 older sisters. He's been kept from the company of other young boys but, due to circumstances, has now been thrust into an all male school. Fr. Flynn uses a cast of other boys, led by Tom Playfair (not too subtle a name) and his friends - representing fine, upstanding young Catholic boys - and Charlie Richards and his friends - representing the bullies - to educate Percy and the young reader in how to become a good person. I admit that this book is outdated and probably will not appeal to anyone outside of my generation. The world has changed a lot since I first read this and Percy's effeminate mannerisms would now be seen in a different light. (As would a priest writing about an all boy's school, I would imagine.) Still, there's an anachronistic element to this book that lured me in and a nostalgia that made me smile. I enjoyed it.
* I couldn't find a cover price on this volume so I took the new book price from Amazon.
Up next is February and you may find me start reviewing a lot of children's books since the Baby Shower for my first Grandchild - a girl - will be on Valentine's Day.
Till then, keep warm and ....
Keep reading.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Chapter Fifty-seven
Officially, winter comes in tomorrow but I'm pretty sure, temperature-wise, that it's been here for a couple of weeks. The only good thing to come out of this season - besides Christmas, of course - is that the nights are longer so there's more time to cover up in bed and read. Here are some suggestions for you.
Series
Boca Knights - Steven M. Forman ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2009, 331 pages, Paperback)
This is Forman's first novel and the start of a new series. Our hero, Eddie Perlmutter, is a 60-year old,
retired Boston cop who suffers with arthritis so his friends convince him to move to Florida for the
warmth. He settles in to the resort life in Boca Raton taking a job at one of the local golf courses. That doesn't work out but he stumbles upon a Russian counterfeiting ring and that changes everything. Soon he's got a P. I. License and he gets involved in a murder and with some tough skin-head types. It's funny at times, crass at times, but it's always interesting and it has a great ending. I enjoyed it.
Year Of The Tiger - Jack Higgins ($6.99/$.50, copyright 1996, 259 pages, Paperback)
I've posted about several of Higgins' works that I've come across before and liked. Several of them have been centered on Paul Chevasse, a member of England's "secret" service. This is another one and revolves around his rescue of an important scientist being held as a prisoner by the Chinese in Tibet. I'm a fan of Higgins and he's put in plenty of action and intrigue but this one is very similar to the one where Chevasse rescued the Dalai Lama which I read recently. It was OK.
Non-fiction
History's Last Stand - Gerard and Patricia Del Re ($10.00/$1.00, copyright 1993, 210 pages, Trade Paperback)
Every once in a while, I pick up a non-fiction book because there's something about it that grabs me. This one has thumb-nail entries of how some of history's empires ended; how some Presidents and Rulers left office (or died); how some famous people met infamous ends; and other interesting endings. Some of these I knew and others I didn't. I have to say it was a bit pedantic and I was hoping for some more of the "famous last words" kind of thing. It was OK.
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much - Allison Hoover Bartlett ($15.00/$.50, copyright 2009, 256 pages, Trade Paperback)
Bartlett has gone to great lengths to present the story of Ken Sanders, a book store owner and self-
appointed book thief catcher and his most infamous catch -John Gilkey. It's an interesting story, and Bartlett tells it from both sides - having interviewed both of the principles. You get to feel Sanders' passion to catch the thief but, somehow, she's not able to explain Gilkey's desire. I've been a bookie for years and I can understand - on a certain level - why he would covet a particular book but Bartlett doesn't offer any insight as to why he does it. It was OK.
So, Merry Christmas .... Happy New Year .... and
Keep reading.
Series
Boca Knights - Steven M. Forman ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2009, 331 pages, Paperback)
This is Forman's first novel and the start of a new series. Our hero, Eddie Perlmutter, is a 60-year old,
retired Boston cop who suffers with arthritis so his friends convince him to move to Florida for the
warmth. He settles in to the resort life in Boca Raton taking a job at one of the local golf courses. That doesn't work out but he stumbles upon a Russian counterfeiting ring and that changes everything. Soon he's got a P. I. License and he gets involved in a murder and with some tough skin-head types. It's funny at times, crass at times, but it's always interesting and it has a great ending. I enjoyed it.
Year Of The Tiger - Jack Higgins ($6.99/$.50, copyright 1996, 259 pages, Paperback)
I've posted about several of Higgins' works that I've come across before and liked. Several of them have been centered on Paul Chevasse, a member of England's "secret" service. This is another one and revolves around his rescue of an important scientist being held as a prisoner by the Chinese in Tibet. I'm a fan of Higgins and he's put in plenty of action and intrigue but this one is very similar to the one where Chevasse rescued the Dalai Lama which I read recently. It was OK.
Non-fiction
History's Last Stand - Gerard and Patricia Del Re ($10.00/$1.00, copyright 1993, 210 pages, Trade Paperback)
Every once in a while, I pick up a non-fiction book because there's something about it that grabs me. This one has thumb-nail entries of how some of history's empires ended; how some Presidents and Rulers left office (or died); how some famous people met infamous ends; and other interesting endings. Some of these I knew and others I didn't. I have to say it was a bit pedantic and I was hoping for some more of the "famous last words" kind of thing. It was OK.
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much - Allison Hoover Bartlett ($15.00/$.50, copyright 2009, 256 pages, Trade Paperback)
Bartlett has gone to great lengths to present the story of Ken Sanders, a book store owner and self-
appointed book thief catcher and his most infamous catch -John Gilkey. It's an interesting story, and Bartlett tells it from both sides - having interviewed both of the principles. You get to feel Sanders' passion to catch the thief but, somehow, she's not able to explain Gilkey's desire. I've been a bookie for years and I can understand - on a certain level - why he would covet a particular book but Bartlett doesn't offer any insight as to why he does it. It was OK.
So, Merry Christmas .... Happy New Year .... and
Keep reading.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Fifth Anniversary Post!!!
I know! Right! I'm kind of surprised that I've been doing this for 5 years! OK ... I would still have been reading for the last 5 years but my having a car has let me visit some libraries that I wouldn't have been able to get to otherwise and I wouldn't have been able to blog about them if I didn't have this laptop. So, first, this month's selections.
Series
NYPD Red - James Patterson and Marshall Karp ( $10.00/$.50, copyright 2012, 360 pages, Paperback)
This is the latest series out of the Patterson workshop and it's a doozy. NYPD Red is an elite squad who's primary responsibility is to protect the rich and famous. Detective Zach Jordan has worked it for years and he and his new partner - and former lover - Kylie McDonald are faced with a serial killer. It's Hollywood on the Hudson time and some of the powerful people are being killed - dramatically. The killer is very well prepared and stages some dramatic escapes, and there is some great character development here. Like all of Patterson's books, the chapters are short and the action keeps on intensifying. I enjoyed it.
Odd Hours - Dean Koontz ($9.99/$.25, copyright 2008, 397 pages, Paperback)
This is the fourth in Koontz's Odd Thomas series and I understand he intends it to run to seven volumes. Odd is a fry-cook with a special power - he sees ghosts. They don't speak to him but he feels compelled to help them resolve whatever keeps them here. And he gets visions of upcoming tragedies that he tries to prevent. Here, Odd is working as a personal chef to a retired actor in a place called Magic Beach. His vision leads him to a mysterious, pregnant woman and gets him involved in a plot to smuggle nuclear weapons into California. There are the usual assortment of strange characters that Odd deals with, and some of them are very interesting, but I found Koontz's mixing of the supernatural with a real-world situation felt forced. And he's left a lot of open questions, which I guess will be answered in the next three volumes. I don't think I'll be looking for them. I have to say that I was disappointed with this.
Miscellaneous
Boy's Life - Robert R. McCammon ($5.99/$1.99, copyright 1991, 578 pages, Paperback)
This is the story of Cory Mackenson, an 11-year-old boy living in Zephyr, Alabama. It starts when he's helping his father with the early morning milk deliveries and they come across a dead man - an obviously murdered man. This imbues the book, and it creeps in from time to time, but it's not the main focus. This is the story of a young boy's coming-of-age, and McCammon fills in with the joys and tragedies that life holds. He gives us Cory and his friends as they go to movies, ride their bikes, play baseball, and camp out. And he shows us how Cory and his family and friends deal with racism, bullying, and death. I've read several of McCammon's earlier works and I'd thought of him as a "horror" writer, and he does include some elements here but they're seen through Cory's eyes and that makes them sort of magical. If you haven't read this book, go out right now and get yourself a copy. I love it.
Totals
There's a couple of things I feel that I should say here. Firstly, I no longer mention books that I start but don't finish. My opinion shouldn't cloud yours. Secondly, I tend to read several books at the same time. So when you see that I've read a 500 page book in a month along with other books you should imagine a carry-over effect.
Now to the numbers ....
Series - 20 books, $198.57 total cover price, $23.68 actual cost.
Miscellaneous - 13 books, $150.84 total cover price, $23.04 actual cost.
Graphic Novels -2 books, $17.98 total cover price, $.25 actual cost.
Sherlock Holmes - 4 books, $38.98 total cover price, $2.50 actual cost.
Ten Books/Off The Shelf - 2 books, $3.45 total cover price, $3.45 actual cost.
Yearly Total - 41 books, $409.82 total cover price, $52.92 actual cost.
Five Year Total - 228 books, $2429.82 total cover price, $230.93 actual cost.
I would like to acknowledge the fact that my parents allowed my brothers and sisters and I to read whatever we wanted to. This included comic books which - growing up in the early '50's - were restricted under the Comics Code. (And my Dad always read my Mad Magazine when I was finished with it.)
Anyway.
I have another - more personal - anniversary coming up in a few days. Thanksgiving is just a week away. Christmas is coming up quickly. It's cold out so find yourself a good book to cuddle up with and ..
Keep reading.
Series
NYPD Red - James Patterson and Marshall Karp ( $10.00/$.50, copyright 2012, 360 pages, Paperback)
This is the latest series out of the Patterson workshop and it's a doozy. NYPD Red is an elite squad who's primary responsibility is to protect the rich and famous. Detective Zach Jordan has worked it for years and he and his new partner - and former lover - Kylie McDonald are faced with a serial killer. It's Hollywood on the Hudson time and some of the powerful people are being killed - dramatically. The killer is very well prepared and stages some dramatic escapes, and there is some great character development here. Like all of Patterson's books, the chapters are short and the action keeps on intensifying. I enjoyed it.
Odd Hours - Dean Koontz ($9.99/$.25, copyright 2008, 397 pages, Paperback)
This is the fourth in Koontz's Odd Thomas series and I understand he intends it to run to seven volumes. Odd is a fry-cook with a special power - he sees ghosts. They don't speak to him but he feels compelled to help them resolve whatever keeps them here. And he gets visions of upcoming tragedies that he tries to prevent. Here, Odd is working as a personal chef to a retired actor in a place called Magic Beach. His vision leads him to a mysterious, pregnant woman and gets him involved in a plot to smuggle nuclear weapons into California. There are the usual assortment of strange characters that Odd deals with, and some of them are very interesting, but I found Koontz's mixing of the supernatural with a real-world situation felt forced. And he's left a lot of open questions, which I guess will be answered in the next three volumes. I don't think I'll be looking for them. I have to say that I was disappointed with this.
Miscellaneous
Boy's Life - Robert R. McCammon ($5.99/$1.99, copyright 1991, 578 pages, Paperback)
This is the story of Cory Mackenson, an 11-year-old boy living in Zephyr, Alabama. It starts when he's helping his father with the early morning milk deliveries and they come across a dead man - an obviously murdered man. This imbues the book, and it creeps in from time to time, but it's not the main focus. This is the story of a young boy's coming-of-age, and McCammon fills in with the joys and tragedies that life holds. He gives us Cory and his friends as they go to movies, ride their bikes, play baseball, and camp out. And he shows us how Cory and his family and friends deal with racism, bullying, and death. I've read several of McCammon's earlier works and I'd thought of him as a "horror" writer, and he does include some elements here but they're seen through Cory's eyes and that makes them sort of magical. If you haven't read this book, go out right now and get yourself a copy. I love it.
Totals
There's a couple of things I feel that I should say here. Firstly, I no longer mention books that I start but don't finish. My opinion shouldn't cloud yours. Secondly, I tend to read several books at the same time. So when you see that I've read a 500 page book in a month along with other books you should imagine a carry-over effect.
Now to the numbers ....
Series - 20 books, $198.57 total cover price, $23.68 actual cost.
Miscellaneous - 13 books, $150.84 total cover price, $23.04 actual cost.
Graphic Novels -2 books, $17.98 total cover price, $.25 actual cost.
Sherlock Holmes - 4 books, $38.98 total cover price, $2.50 actual cost.
Ten Books/Off The Shelf - 2 books, $3.45 total cover price, $3.45 actual cost.
Yearly Total - 41 books, $409.82 total cover price, $52.92 actual cost.
Five Year Total - 228 books, $2429.82 total cover price, $230.93 actual cost.
I would like to acknowledge the fact that my parents allowed my brothers and sisters and I to read whatever we wanted to. This included comic books which - growing up in the early '50's - were restricted under the Comics Code. (And my Dad always read my Mad Magazine when I was finished with it.)
Anyway.
I have another - more personal - anniversary coming up in a few days. Thanksgiving is just a week away. Christmas is coming up quickly. It's cold out so find yourself a good book to cuddle up with and ..
Keep reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)