To quote John Lennon.."Another year over, and a new one just begun". This is the first posting of the third year for this blog, but the last for this calendar year. And I have a real mixed bag of books to tell you about, so here we go..........
Non-fiction
A Monk Swimming - Malachy McCourt ($14.00/$.50, copyright 1998, 290 pages, Trade Paperback)
Malachy is Frank McCourt's brother. Having read Frank's book about their impoverished upbringing in Ireland, I thought that Malachy's tales of his early years in New York would be as interesting. Malachy has some great tales to tell, drops names left and right, and always seems to have a drink in his hand in whatever country he finds himself. Then it hit me, almost at the end, that he still had some baggage from Ireland that he hadn't left behind. It was interesting.
Miscellaneous
Metzger's Dog - Thomas Perry ($13.95/$.25, copyright 1983, 314 pages, Trade Paperback)
Here we have the story of "Chinese" Gordon and his friends who steal a supply of cocaine from a university using it for a study. They also, however, manage to take something that the CIA wants back, and the rest of the book involves attempts by both sides to get what they want. It's described as a "comic thriller", but it is 28 years old and it's not quite as comic or as thrilling as it once must have been. It was interesting.
Creepers - David Morrell ($7.99/$.25, copyright 2005, 356 pages, Paperback)
The premise here is that a reporter joins a group of "urban explorers" while they look through an abandoned, about-to-be-torn-down, hotel in Asbury Park. The original intent is to learn about the history of the building, perhaps to get pictures of ornate furnishings and other things, and never to disturb anything. But nothing goes right. Not everyone is who he says he is, and there are plenty of surprises in store. And it all takes place during one dark and stormy night. I enjoyed it.
Gunman's Rhapsody - Robert B. Parker ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2001, 316 pages, Paperback)
I've written about Parker's other westerns before, but this one is different. It's a version of the Gunfight at the O. K. Corral. There are certain historical events that have interested me, and this is one that I've read up on. Parker gets his facts right, but I'm of the opinion that facts - in this case - take away some of the mystique of the event. Kostner and Quaid or Russell and Kilmer may have been more historically accurate, but I prefer Lancaster and Douglas or Fonda and Mature. It was interesting (I was gonna say it was OK).
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars, The Fall of the Amazing Zalindas - Tracy Mack & Michael Citrin ($16.99/$1.99, copyright 2006, 259 pages, Hard Cover)
Although mentioned in only a handful of stories, the street urchins that populated London were a kind of private army for Sherlock Holmes. He used them to follow people, listen in on conversations, and probably some other not-so-legal things. Here we find Holmes involved in the death of a tight-rope walker, which leads to a breech of the queen's palace and his old enemy, Moriarty. This book is the first in a proposed series that focuses on the Irregulars, so there is much attention paid to Wiggins and his associates. I enjoyed it.
Graphic Novels
Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth - Chris Ware ($19.95/$1.00, published 2000, Trade Paperback)
I've read very few non-super hero graphic novels, but I saw a review last year that said this one had won some awards, so I gave it a try. It was originally published as a series of newspaper strips, then as a section in a self-published book by Ware. It's the story of a middle-aged man trying to get to know his long-missing father, interspersed with past versions of the Corrigan men and their dysfunctional father/son relationships. I found it very depressing, and gave up about a third of the way through. I didn't like it.
That's it for now.
Merry Christmas! And...
Keep reading!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Second Anniversary Issue!!!
That's right, folks. It's been 2 years since I started this blog, and I'm still having fun doing it. This year, I spent some time doing other things so my totals aren't as high but that's the way things go. So here are the books I've read since the last post, and I'll throw in some stuff at the end.
Miscellaneous
The Manhattan Hunt Club - John Saul ($7.99/$.25, 365 pages, copyright 2001, Paperback)
When I started this book, I was expecting a sort of urbanized " The Most Dangerous Game" plot. You know, rich guys hunting humans. In a way, it is, but there's much more here. The terrain is the underground tunnels in New York, populated by the homeless - the forgotten. The hunted is a man wrongly convicted of a violent crime. The characters are well thought out, and there were several surprises towards the end. I enjoyed it.
Series
Jolie Blon's Bounce - James Lee Burke ($7.99/$.50, 449 pages, copyright 2002, Paperback)
I've mentioned Burke's books before, and in particular those centering on Dave Robicheaux. This is one of those. Burke presents him as a flawed cop trying to do the right thing against the odds. Here, he tries to prevent a young, black man from being convicted of the murder of a young, white woman in a part of the South that really hasn't changed all that much since the Civil War. Burke always delivers. I enjoyed it.
Heat Wave - Richard Castle ($7.99/$0, 198 pages, no copyright, Paperback)
Yes, this is a book written by that Richard Castle - from the TV show of the same name. In fact, it's the first in his new series based on his "partnership" with a police woman. I was mildly surprised to see that the Castle-like character - called Rook here - comes off as a bit needy and incompetent, while the female cop - Nikki Heat - is the efficient crime solver. It does read like an episode of the show, but there is decent police work shown. I enjoyed it. (There's no copyright, because they couldn't put the real author's name on it.)
Totals
For those of you keeping score, Here are this years numbers. 1 Sherlock Holmes book, cover price total $9.99, cost to me $0. 22 Series books, cover price total $202.19, cost to me $17.99. 23 Miscellaneous books, cover price total $210.53, cost to me $16.74. My Grand Total is 46 books, total cover price $422.71, cost to me $34.73. That comes out to be 6 books less then last year. My average cost this year is about $.85 per book. Not too bad. (Although I have spent a lot of time playing PC games that I download off of GameHouse which took up a lot of time.)
Stuff At The End
I spent some time this year in paying attention to what goes on around me. Not just the family stuff - a wedding, a christening, etc. - which I'm pretty sure I've mentioned here. But the stuff that impacts our lives - or, at least, my life. What effects us all, we need to pay attention to. If you think Washington is screwing with us, or is no longer representative of us, vote them out. Next year is a big one - politically - so please pay attention.
What effects me - now - is that this is also my 3rd Anniversary as a heart transplant recipient. It was a tough one on my donor's family, and I've been thinking a lot about them and the need for donors, and decided that it was time for me to do something about it. I have volunteered to help out with The Sharing Network and their Donate Life Chapter here in Middlesex County. I'll let you know how that goes.
Here's looking to many more years of doing this so.....
Keep reading.
Miscellaneous
The Manhattan Hunt Club - John Saul ($7.99/$.25, 365 pages, copyright 2001, Paperback)
When I started this book, I was expecting a sort of urbanized " The Most Dangerous Game" plot. You know, rich guys hunting humans. In a way, it is, but there's much more here. The terrain is the underground tunnels in New York, populated by the homeless - the forgotten. The hunted is a man wrongly convicted of a violent crime. The characters are well thought out, and there were several surprises towards the end. I enjoyed it.
Series
Jolie Blon's Bounce - James Lee Burke ($7.99/$.50, 449 pages, copyright 2002, Paperback)
I've mentioned Burke's books before, and in particular those centering on Dave Robicheaux. This is one of those. Burke presents him as a flawed cop trying to do the right thing against the odds. Here, he tries to prevent a young, black man from being convicted of the murder of a young, white woman in a part of the South that really hasn't changed all that much since the Civil War. Burke always delivers. I enjoyed it.
Heat Wave - Richard Castle ($7.99/$0, 198 pages, no copyright, Paperback)
Yes, this is a book written by that Richard Castle - from the TV show of the same name. In fact, it's the first in his new series based on his "partnership" with a police woman. I was mildly surprised to see that the Castle-like character - called Rook here - comes off as a bit needy and incompetent, while the female cop - Nikki Heat - is the efficient crime solver. It does read like an episode of the show, but there is decent police work shown. I enjoyed it. (There's no copyright, because they couldn't put the real author's name on it.)
Totals
For those of you keeping score, Here are this years numbers. 1 Sherlock Holmes book, cover price total $9.99, cost to me $0. 22 Series books, cover price total $202.19, cost to me $17.99. 23 Miscellaneous books, cover price total $210.53, cost to me $16.74. My Grand Total is 46 books, total cover price $422.71, cost to me $34.73. That comes out to be 6 books less then last year. My average cost this year is about $.85 per book. Not too bad. (Although I have spent a lot of time playing PC games that I download off of GameHouse which took up a lot of time.)
Stuff At The End
I spent some time this year in paying attention to what goes on around me. Not just the family stuff - a wedding, a christening, etc. - which I'm pretty sure I've mentioned here. But the stuff that impacts our lives - or, at least, my life. What effects us all, we need to pay attention to. If you think Washington is screwing with us, or is no longer representative of us, vote them out. Next year is a big one - politically - so please pay attention.
What effects me - now - is that this is also my 3rd Anniversary as a heart transplant recipient. It was a tough one on my donor's family, and I've been thinking a lot about them and the need for donors, and decided that it was time for me to do something about it. I have volunteered to help out with The Sharing Network and their Donate Life Chapter here in Middlesex County. I'll let you know how that goes.
Here's looking to many more years of doing this so.....
Keep reading.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Chapter Twenty-four
It's October, and Halloween is just a week away. The leaves are turning, the temperatures are lower, and we'll be "falling back" on the clock pretty soon. This month, I've got a few interesting items for you.
Non-fiction
The Killer Book of True Crime - Tom and Michael Philbin ($14.95/$1.00, 327 pages, copyright 2007, Trade Paperback)
This caught my attention because I've been reading a lot of crime fiction lately. It's broken down into chapters that deal with such diverse topics as Robbery, Organized Crimes, and Mass Murder. The authors also try to lighten things up by adding Q and A's, jargon explanations, and some "Crimes can be funny" sections. I enjoyed it.
Imaginary People, a Who's Who of Modern Fictional Characters - David Pringle ($24.95/$.25, 509 pages, copyright 1987, Hard Cover)
Now who wouldn't want to read through/own something like this? It's a World Almanac Book, and lists characters from books, television and movies in alphabetical order - from Abbott, Judy to Zuckerman, Nathan. I thought it was fascinating, following the cross-referenced characters and their relationships. The only problem with this is that it was compiled in 1987, and obviously does not include all of the modern-day cultural icons of the last 24 years. I enjoyed it.
Series
Ghosts - Ed McBain ($5.99/$.50, 213 pages, copyright 1980, Paperback)
This is subtitled "A Novel of the 87th Precinct", one of that series of police procedurals that McBain (real name Evan Hunter) is most famous for. I haven't read one of these in a long time, but it's easy to fall right in step with, in this case, Detective Steve Carella as he investigates a double murder that may or may not involve ghosts. And, McBain throws in several other members of the detective squad, and what they're working on to boot. I enjoyed it.
Miscellaneous
Don Camillo's Dilemma Giovanni Guareschi ($.50/$.50, 256 pages, copyright 1954, Paperback)
Here's a curious little volume. It's not really a novel, but a series of short stories that pit the Catholic priest of a small town in Italy against it's Communist mayor in a series of amusing little situations. And they all fit snugly together as if they were written this way. I remember reading some of Guareschi's stories as a young, Catholic school boy and enjoying these games of wit. They're kind of dated now, but I still found it enjoyable.
Masques - Bill Pronzini ($4.99/$.25, 269 pages, copyright 1981, Paperback)
Yes, I know, it's Halloween time and this book deals with Mardi Gras but the chills it generates make it acceptable reading for this time of year. The set up is simple - a man vacationing in New Orleans gets a mysterious phone call from someone demanding something that the man doesn't have. Then you add in the mania of Mardi Gras, and mix it with voodoo, and drugs and a couple of surprises at the end that I didn't see coming. I enjoyed it.
I would like to take this opportunity to point out something that I have found interesting. We refer to things as either "true" or "untrue", "real" or "unreal". So, it would appear that the side that is of lesser importance is referred to with the negative prefix (i.e., non-, mal-, mis-, un-, etc.). I find it interesting that when it comes to writing, we have Fiction or Non-fiction. I'm just saying. Just a reminder that next month will be the Second Anniversary issue of this blog. Stay tuned and..
Keep Reading!
Non-fiction
The Killer Book of True Crime - Tom and Michael Philbin ($14.95/$1.00, 327 pages, copyright 2007, Trade Paperback)
This caught my attention because I've been reading a lot of crime fiction lately. It's broken down into chapters that deal with such diverse topics as Robbery, Organized Crimes, and Mass Murder. The authors also try to lighten things up by adding Q and A's, jargon explanations, and some "Crimes can be funny" sections. I enjoyed it.
Imaginary People, a Who's Who of Modern Fictional Characters - David Pringle ($24.95/$.25, 509 pages, copyright 1987, Hard Cover)
Now who wouldn't want to read through/own something like this? It's a World Almanac Book, and lists characters from books, television and movies in alphabetical order - from Abbott, Judy to Zuckerman, Nathan. I thought it was fascinating, following the cross-referenced characters and their relationships. The only problem with this is that it was compiled in 1987, and obviously does not include all of the modern-day cultural icons of the last 24 years. I enjoyed it.
Series
Ghosts - Ed McBain ($5.99/$.50, 213 pages, copyright 1980, Paperback)
This is subtitled "A Novel of the 87th Precinct", one of that series of police procedurals that McBain (real name Evan Hunter) is most famous for. I haven't read one of these in a long time, but it's easy to fall right in step with, in this case, Detective Steve Carella as he investigates a double murder that may or may not involve ghosts. And, McBain throws in several other members of the detective squad, and what they're working on to boot. I enjoyed it.
Miscellaneous
Don Camillo's Dilemma Giovanni Guareschi ($.50/$.50, 256 pages, copyright 1954, Paperback)
Here's a curious little volume. It's not really a novel, but a series of short stories that pit the Catholic priest of a small town in Italy against it's Communist mayor in a series of amusing little situations. And they all fit snugly together as if they were written this way. I remember reading some of Guareschi's stories as a young, Catholic school boy and enjoying these games of wit. They're kind of dated now, but I still found it enjoyable.
Masques - Bill Pronzini ($4.99/$.25, 269 pages, copyright 1981, Paperback)
Yes, I know, it's Halloween time and this book deals with Mardi Gras but the chills it generates make it acceptable reading for this time of year. The set up is simple - a man vacationing in New Orleans gets a mysterious phone call from someone demanding something that the man doesn't have. Then you add in the mania of Mardi Gras, and mix it with voodoo, and drugs and a couple of surprises at the end that I didn't see coming. I enjoyed it.
I would like to take this opportunity to point out something that I have found interesting. We refer to things as either "true" or "untrue", "real" or "unreal". So, it would appear that the side that is of lesser importance is referred to with the negative prefix (i.e., non-, mal-, mis-, un-, etc.). I find it interesting that when it comes to writing, we have Fiction or Non-fiction. I'm just saying. Just a reminder that next month will be the Second Anniversary issue of this blog. Stay tuned and..
Keep Reading!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Special Insert #7 - Some "Modest Porposals"
Some "Modest Proposals on How the Federal Government Can Save Money/Generate Revenues
Politics is not the type of subject that I normally devote an entire Special Insert to. I have ranted in a few past posts, but I thought that this time I'd share some thoughts that I've had recently. I tried sharing these as a Note post on FaceBook, but that whole process is all screwed up.
So...we're into the process of narrowing down which Republican will run against President Obama. Over the next year, we will hear a lot of proposals - from both sides - on how to reduce government spending and/or generate income. I have a few of my own ideas, which I will list now before any of these candidates steals them.
1.) Eliminate Redundancies
They always talk about this, but never give any concrete examples. Well, here's one from me. I asked myself, "Do we really need a North Dakota AND a South Dakota?" And my answer was "NO". Make it one state called Dakota. This eliminates the need for 2 separate state governments; saves them the costs involved there; and saves the Federal Government the money they used to send to both since they won't need it anymore. AND we can do this to the Carolinas and the Virginias.
2.) Services Sharing
This is being tried in many places in nearby areas, but I don't know the results so far so I'm proposing a Pilot Program using the 2 smallest States. I say that the services that the States of Delaware and Rhode Island provide for their citizens be taken over by larger states nearby - say New Jersey and Massachusetts respectively. This would make their state governments obsolete, and the money that is saved there (minus a percentage to the larger states) would allow the Federal Government to hold on to whatever they would normally have sent.
3.) Branding/Naming Rights
There's a lot of money to be made here - consider Citi Field or MetLife Stadium. Of course, it would probably only apply to large corporations or really wealthy people. I propose that we start with the 3 states I mentioned in Article 1 above. Carolina could become Carolina (Rice)tm, Virginia could be Virginia (Slims)tm, and Dakota could be Dakota (Fanning). Pure profit.
ALSO, since we would be eliminating several state governments that would effectively remove them as individual states which would no longer require representation in Washington. This would reduce the Senate by 10%, and open up a lot of prime real estate in D. C. which the Federal Government could now rent to lobbyists. (Since Representatives are based on population, I can't see any changes here.) More income!
I may just be kidding around with these, but don't be surprised if you hear something like these during the debates. And remember....
You heard them here first.
Politics is not the type of subject that I normally devote an entire Special Insert to. I have ranted in a few past posts, but I thought that this time I'd share some thoughts that I've had recently. I tried sharing these as a Note post on FaceBook, but that whole process is all screwed up.
So...we're into the process of narrowing down which Republican will run against President Obama. Over the next year, we will hear a lot of proposals - from both sides - on how to reduce government spending and/or generate income. I have a few of my own ideas, which I will list now before any of these candidates steals them.
1.) Eliminate Redundancies
They always talk about this, but never give any concrete examples. Well, here's one from me. I asked myself, "Do we really need a North Dakota AND a South Dakota?" And my answer was "NO". Make it one state called Dakota. This eliminates the need for 2 separate state governments; saves them the costs involved there; and saves the Federal Government the money they used to send to both since they won't need it anymore. AND we can do this to the Carolinas and the Virginias.
2.) Services Sharing
This is being tried in many places in nearby areas, but I don't know the results so far so I'm proposing a Pilot Program using the 2 smallest States. I say that the services that the States of Delaware and Rhode Island provide for their citizens be taken over by larger states nearby - say New Jersey and Massachusetts respectively. This would make their state governments obsolete, and the money that is saved there (minus a percentage to the larger states) would allow the Federal Government to hold on to whatever they would normally have sent.
3.) Branding/Naming Rights
There's a lot of money to be made here - consider Citi Field or MetLife Stadium. Of course, it would probably only apply to large corporations or really wealthy people. I propose that we start with the 3 states I mentioned in Article 1 above. Carolina could become Carolina (Rice)tm, Virginia could be Virginia (Slims)tm, and Dakota could be Dakota (Fanning). Pure profit.
ALSO, since we would be eliminating several state governments that would effectively remove them as individual states which would no longer require representation in Washington. This would reduce the Senate by 10%, and open up a lot of prime real estate in D. C. which the Federal Government could now rent to lobbyists. (Since Representatives are based on population, I can't see any changes here.) More income!
I may just be kidding around with these, but don't be surprised if you hear something like these during the debates. And remember....
You heard them here first.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Chapter Twenty-three
It's September. And I know that a lot of people have been waiting for it. Baseball fans because the regular season is winding down and the playoffs will start. Football fans because the season has just started. And people like me, who wait for the start of the new, Network TV season. More on that later.
Miscellaneous
Interworld - Neil Gaiman and Michael Reeves ($16.99/$1.00, 239 pages, copyright 2007, Hard Cover)
I grabbed this up when I saw it because it was by Neil Gaiman. Later, I realized that it was for Young Readers. Oh well. Our hero, Joey, finds out that he's a Walker and can travel to other Earths in other dimensions, each slightly different from each other. An interesting idea that falls by the wayside when the authors bring in a war for total control between magic and science with Joey and an army of himselves (each different from each other) trying to prevent it. The authors tried to pitch this originally to TV executives, but no one bit. Maybe it would work better as a graphic novel. It was OK.
Series
Darkness, Take My Hand - Dennis Lehane ($7.99/$.50, 355 pages, copyright 1996, Paperback)
This is the second in Lehane's Patrick Kenzie/Angela Gennaro series, and it is way darker then the first. It starts with a Prologue that sets up the foreboding atmosphere that pervades the book. Sure, it starts with our protagonists still having fun, and involved in a menacing stalker kind of case but it quickly becomes so much more. Mob figures, cops, crazy gunmen, and a serial killer who's been operating off the radar for years weave through this in ways that will keep you guessing. I enjoyed it.
Cold Service - Robert B. Parker ($9.99/$.50, 336 pages, copyright 2005, Paperback)
I've mentioned before what I call the Spenser Effect - where the protagonist has a partner who handles all the really dirty work. No one does it better then the original. In this one, Hawk (the partner) is seriously wounded while trying to protect a family. He seeks revenge. Spenser's moral code demands that he go along. Add in cops, corrupt officials, mobsters, and some amazing dialog and you get a great read. I enjoyed it.
Other Notes
As I mentioned earlier, the new Network TV season has started. (I only have limited, basic service so they are pretty much all I get.) I've seen a few and I have to admit that nothing seems to jump out at me.
I found "Person of Interest" ...interesting There was a good twist in the first episode, but I'll reserve judgement for now.
I thought the first episode of "Prime Suspect" to be incredibly sexist, and unrealistic because of that.
This seems to be a season for funny women. "Two Broke Girls", "New Girl", and "Whitney" had some amusing moments but I probably won't see too much of them due to scheduling.
"The Playboy Club" and Pan Am" seem to the Networks attempt to capitalize on the success of "Mad Men". I don't intend to watch either.
I am looking forward to "Terra Nova" and "Grimm". If they're still around next month, maybe I'll give you my opinion. Till then...
Keep reading.
Miscellaneous
Interworld - Neil Gaiman and Michael Reeves ($16.99/$1.00, 239 pages, copyright 2007, Hard Cover)
I grabbed this up when I saw it because it was by Neil Gaiman. Later, I realized that it was for Young Readers. Oh well. Our hero, Joey, finds out that he's a Walker and can travel to other Earths in other dimensions, each slightly different from each other. An interesting idea that falls by the wayside when the authors bring in a war for total control between magic and science with Joey and an army of himselves (each different from each other) trying to prevent it. The authors tried to pitch this originally to TV executives, but no one bit. Maybe it would work better as a graphic novel. It was OK.
Series
Darkness, Take My Hand - Dennis Lehane ($7.99/$.50, 355 pages, copyright 1996, Paperback)
This is the second in Lehane's Patrick Kenzie/Angela Gennaro series, and it is way darker then the first. It starts with a Prologue that sets up the foreboding atmosphere that pervades the book. Sure, it starts with our protagonists still having fun, and involved in a menacing stalker kind of case but it quickly becomes so much more. Mob figures, cops, crazy gunmen, and a serial killer who's been operating off the radar for years weave through this in ways that will keep you guessing. I enjoyed it.
Cold Service - Robert B. Parker ($9.99/$.50, 336 pages, copyright 2005, Paperback)
I've mentioned before what I call the Spenser Effect - where the protagonist has a partner who handles all the really dirty work. No one does it better then the original. In this one, Hawk (the partner) is seriously wounded while trying to protect a family. He seeks revenge. Spenser's moral code demands that he go along. Add in cops, corrupt officials, mobsters, and some amazing dialog and you get a great read. I enjoyed it.
Other Notes
As I mentioned earlier, the new Network TV season has started. (I only have limited, basic service so they are pretty much all I get.) I've seen a few and I have to admit that nothing seems to jump out at me.
I found "Person of Interest" ...interesting There was a good twist in the first episode, but I'll reserve judgement for now.
I thought the first episode of "Prime Suspect" to be incredibly sexist, and unrealistic because of that.
This seems to be a season for funny women. "Two Broke Girls", "New Girl", and "Whitney" had some amusing moments but I probably won't see too much of them due to scheduling.
"The Playboy Club" and Pan Am" seem to the Networks attempt to capitalize on the success of "Mad Men". I don't intend to watch either.
I am looking forward to "Terra Nova" and "Grimm". If they're still around next month, maybe I'll give you my opinion. Till then...
Keep reading.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Special Insert #6
Yesterday was an anniversary. A somber day. Gray. With all the news coverage of the day's events - and the heightened security measures - it really brought that grim day rushing back. And then....
The sun came out today.
Literally and, I think, figuratively.
To illustrate:
1.) I was in ShopRite and I noticed a manager singing along with the taped music. "Everybody's Talkin'" by Harry Nilson.
2.) I was in WalMart and I noticed a customer singing along with their taped music. "You're Song" by Elton John.
In both cases - not humming, not under their breath...singing. I felt like singing, too. And I know why.
The sun came out today.
And I realized that, although we sometimes mark anniversaries with tears and somber music... anniversaries are for the living.
Personally, there have been a number of anniversaries in my family this year (and I include birthdays in with anniversaries). And there have been "Special Days" - some of these will cause anniversaries of their own and some are just individual milestones that call for celebration. Back in March, I referred to all of these days as swatches in a family's quilt. Special moments - good or bad, black-and-white or colorful - that make up a family's collective memories. That get passed down from generation to generation. Days that are remembered and celebrated.
In February, we had a party for my father-in-law on what would have been his 90th birthday. It had been talked about before he passed away the previous year and it helped as a way to remember him.
In March, my daughter got married. Many anniversaries will follow.
In April, my first great-nephew (grand-nephew?) was Baptised.
In May, My youngest nephew made his First Communion.
In June, my oldest nephew graduated college. And, his parents - my sister and her husband - celebrated their 30th Wedding Anniversary.
We've also had my "second" cousin's 40th Birthday, my 60th Birthday, and my aunt's 70th Anniversary as a nun.
Anniversaries, future anniversaries, and special occasions. All of them celebrations. These are the one's I choose to remember. I acknowledge the others - the sad ones - but I refuse to be overwhelmed by them.
Maybe it's because I - and I'm sure others in the famiy (especially one cousin) - have a more immediate view of life. Life is special, and every day is important, and special days should be celebrated.
Yes, there will be dark and dangerous times. There is still the unknown. But remember....
The sun came out today.
I'm pretty sure it will tomorrow, too.
The sun came out today.
Literally and, I think, figuratively.
To illustrate:
1.) I was in ShopRite and I noticed a manager singing along with the taped music. "Everybody's Talkin'" by Harry Nilson.
2.) I was in WalMart and I noticed a customer singing along with their taped music. "You're Song" by Elton John.
In both cases - not humming, not under their breath...singing. I felt like singing, too. And I know why.
The sun came out today.
And I realized that, although we sometimes mark anniversaries with tears and somber music... anniversaries are for the living.
Personally, there have been a number of anniversaries in my family this year (and I include birthdays in with anniversaries). And there have been "Special Days" - some of these will cause anniversaries of their own and some are just individual milestones that call for celebration. Back in March, I referred to all of these days as swatches in a family's quilt. Special moments - good or bad, black-and-white or colorful - that make up a family's collective memories. That get passed down from generation to generation. Days that are remembered and celebrated.
In February, we had a party for my father-in-law on what would have been his 90th birthday. It had been talked about before he passed away the previous year and it helped as a way to remember him.
In March, my daughter got married. Many anniversaries will follow.
In April, my first great-nephew (grand-nephew?) was Baptised.
In May, My youngest nephew made his First Communion.
In June, my oldest nephew graduated college. And, his parents - my sister and her husband - celebrated their 30th Wedding Anniversary.
We've also had my "second" cousin's 40th Birthday, my 60th Birthday, and my aunt's 70th Anniversary as a nun.
Anniversaries, future anniversaries, and special occasions. All of them celebrations. These are the one's I choose to remember. I acknowledge the others - the sad ones - but I refuse to be overwhelmed by them.
Maybe it's because I - and I'm sure others in the famiy (especially one cousin) - have a more immediate view of life. Life is special, and every day is important, and special days should be celebrated.
Yes, there will be dark and dangerous times. There is still the unknown. But remember....
The sun came out today.
I'm pretty sure it will tomorrow, too.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Chapter Twenty-two
Well, it's almost here - Labor Day, the unofficial end of Summer. This month has certainly been memorable, what with an earthquake and then a hurricane all in the same week. And, on a personal note, a "milestone" birthday, that led to my finding a couple of reminders of my younger days.
(This is also as good a time as any to explain the notations I list for each book I read. The title and author are obvious, and the numbers inside the parentheses are : the cover price/what I paid for the book; the number of pages I read in the book; the copyright year; and whether it is a Hard Cover, Trade Paperback, or regular Paperback.Variations of this may occur if I'm dealing with comic book material or an edition that has no copyright, etc. In the case of a missing cover price, I usually rely on Amazon.com.)
Miscellaneous
The King of Lies - John Hart ($6.99/$5.24, 371 pages, copyright 2006, Paperback)
I read a review last month of Mr. Hart's latest book, which praised him for his writing talent and mentioned the awards he'd received. Then I remembered that I had bought this book shortly after I'd gotten out of the hospital but never got into it. So I dug it out of "The Pile". I admit he does write well, but the main character/narrator in this mystery is such a self-loathing whiner that I couldn't bring myself to care about what happens to him. There were a couple of red herrings that kept the book moving, but the ending seemed pulled from out of the blue and took place mostly off-screen. I didn't like it.
Series
I, Alex Cross - James Patterson ($9.99/ $1.00, 278 pages, copyright 2009, Hard Cover)
This is the series that got me into Patterson in the first place, and one of the few that he writes all by himself. Another set of vicious, psycho murders takes place and it's up to Alex Cross and company to figure it out. This is one that doesn't have such a memorable killer, and a lot of the leg work takes place off-screen, but Patterson brings Cross' family front-and-center with a personal crisis that makes this book very readable. I enjoyed it.
Now for those reminders of my younger days. As I mentioned, I celebrated a birthday this month. To treat myself, I actually went to a couple of second-hand book stores located in neighboring towns and, amazingly, found the following books that bring me back to those "simpler times".
At The Earth's Core - Edgar Rice Burroughs ($12.95/$6.99, 277 pages, published 2000, Trade Paperback)
Finding anything by Burroughs other then the Tarzan or John Carter books is difficult. This is a Commemorative Edition of the first of the Pellucidar stories, which was first published in a magazine in 1914. Instead of the jungles of Africa or an alien planet, Burroughs posits a world inside the Earth. A primitive almost prehistoric world. Again, Burroughs uses the courageous-man-battling-a-strange-world concept to great affect, and leaves the reader wondering what will happen in the next volume. I enjoyed it.
Tom Swift and His Flying Lab - Victor Appleton II ($3.44/$1.00, 208 pages, copyright 1954, Hard Cover)
When I was in Elementary School, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books were popular. I, however, always favored Tom Swift (actually, Tom Swift, Jr. to be precise). This is the first volume in that series, which I remember so fondly. Tom is a scientific genius and these books are filled with his inventions. I'm pretty sure that my enjoyment of Science Fiction started right here. In this book, Tom and his friends use his Flying Lab (the forerunner of the Space Shuttle?) to thwart South American rebels and discover a new type of uranium. I enjoyed it.
One other note - since my last posting, we had to deal with the political brinkmanship in Washington over the Debt Ceiling. I feel very strongly that this was a low moment in American History and we have the politicians in Washington to thank for putting us through it. I'm not singling out any one party - they are all to blame. Please don't forget that there is an election in November. I, for one, do not intend to reelect any of them.
Keep reading.
(This is also as good a time as any to explain the notations I list for each book I read. The title and author are obvious, and the numbers inside the parentheses are : the cover price/what I paid for the book; the number of pages I read in the book; the copyright year; and whether it is a Hard Cover, Trade Paperback, or regular Paperback.Variations of this may occur if I'm dealing with comic book material or an edition that has no copyright, etc. In the case of a missing cover price, I usually rely on Amazon.com.)
Miscellaneous
The King of Lies - John Hart ($6.99/$5.24, 371 pages, copyright 2006, Paperback)
I read a review last month of Mr. Hart's latest book, which praised him for his writing talent and mentioned the awards he'd received. Then I remembered that I had bought this book shortly after I'd gotten out of the hospital but never got into it. So I dug it out of "The Pile". I admit he does write well, but the main character/narrator in this mystery is such a self-loathing whiner that I couldn't bring myself to care about what happens to him. There were a couple of red herrings that kept the book moving, but the ending seemed pulled from out of the blue and took place mostly off-screen. I didn't like it.
Series
I, Alex Cross - James Patterson ($9.99/ $1.00, 278 pages, copyright 2009, Hard Cover)
This is the series that got me into Patterson in the first place, and one of the few that he writes all by himself. Another set of vicious, psycho murders takes place and it's up to Alex Cross and company to figure it out. This is one that doesn't have such a memorable killer, and a lot of the leg work takes place off-screen, but Patterson brings Cross' family front-and-center with a personal crisis that makes this book very readable. I enjoyed it.
Now for those reminders of my younger days. As I mentioned, I celebrated a birthday this month. To treat myself, I actually went to a couple of second-hand book stores located in neighboring towns and, amazingly, found the following books that bring me back to those "simpler times".
At The Earth's Core - Edgar Rice Burroughs ($12.95/$6.99, 277 pages, published 2000, Trade Paperback)
Finding anything by Burroughs other then the Tarzan or John Carter books is difficult. This is a Commemorative Edition of the first of the Pellucidar stories, which was first published in a magazine in 1914. Instead of the jungles of Africa or an alien planet, Burroughs posits a world inside the Earth. A primitive almost prehistoric world. Again, Burroughs uses the courageous-man-battling-a-strange-world concept to great affect, and leaves the reader wondering what will happen in the next volume. I enjoyed it.
Tom Swift and His Flying Lab - Victor Appleton II ($3.44/$1.00, 208 pages, copyright 1954, Hard Cover)
When I was in Elementary School, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books were popular. I, however, always favored Tom Swift (actually, Tom Swift, Jr. to be precise). This is the first volume in that series, which I remember so fondly. Tom is a scientific genius and these books are filled with his inventions. I'm pretty sure that my enjoyment of Science Fiction started right here. In this book, Tom and his friends use his Flying Lab (the forerunner of the Space Shuttle?) to thwart South American rebels and discover a new type of uranium. I enjoyed it.
One other note - since my last posting, we had to deal with the political brinkmanship in Washington over the Debt Ceiling. I feel very strongly that this was a low moment in American History and we have the politicians in Washington to thank for putting us through it. I'm not singling out any one party - they are all to blame. Please don't forget that there is an election in November. I, for one, do not intend to reelect any of them.
Keep reading.
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