Well, the Winter's finally over - although I gotta admit it was a pretty mild one. Today is the first day of Spring, we've passed St. Patrick's Day, and we've got a couple of week's of Lent left. I hope you all get to enjoy the upcoming seasons (and sorry to all you allergy sufferers out there). I only have three books to tell you about this time, but it's an example of quality over quantity.
Series
Bronx Tales - Joseph Teller ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2009, 366 pages, Paperback)
This is one of the early works in the Jaywalker series. He's a defense lawyer whose name is actually Harrison J. Walker, but everyone calls him Jaywalker ( which, I have to admit, annoyed me after a while). It is a flashback dealing with one of his earliest cases - a multiple rape case. There are some interesting angles here, but too much time spent on legal details and procedures. To be honest, I picked it up because it had "Bronx" in the title, and there are some references to local areas I recognized. The ending was interesting, but too pat and too quick. It was OK.
Sherlock Holmes
Dust and Shadow - Lyndsay Faye ($14.00/$1.00, copyright 2009, 322 pages, Trade Paperback)
My fascination with the Holmes mythos should be known to anyone who actually reads this blog. Here, we add in that greatest of all English mysteries - the Jack the Ripper case! Yes, I know, there are any number of Holmes/Ripper novels already in print, but here we have something unusual - a new slant on who the Ripper was. And it is the first novel written by a young woman who has given new life to Holmes, Watson, Lestrade and the other characters and their interactions. I enjoyed it.
Old Favorites
Tai-Pan - James Clavell ($3.25/$2.20. copyright 1966, 734 pages, Paperback)
I mentioned the last time that I'd come across a couple of books that I'd read years and years ago, and was going to reread. This is one of them, and I have to admit that I've read this at least twice before. Clavell may be more famous for his epic novel Shogun, which was made into an excellent mini-series on television.( And there was a movie made of this book that I've never seen that didn't do so well.) For my money, this is Clavell's best work. He deals here with the British taking over Hong Kong, the China Traders and their dealings with the Chinese, opium smuggling, and their rivalries. This book has everything - action, adventure, intrigue, humor, history, and romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who likes a good story.
Like I said, quality over quantity (if you discount the first book). Hopefully, I'll have some more great stuff to tell you about in the upcoming months.
Keep reading.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Chapter Twenty-seven
I hope I don't jinx things by saying this, but so far it's been a very mild winter and we're expecting that the next couple of days may be near 60. And it's Leap Year, so here's an early Happy Birthday shout out to anyone out there born on February 29th. What I have for you this month is an interesting mixed bag.
Series
Faceless Killers - Henning Mankell ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2003, 369 pages, Paperback)
This is the first in the Kurt Wallander series, a police procedurals set in Sweden. There's a cover blurb suggesting that if you liked "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", you'll like this book. To me, the only similarities are the setting and the weather. Wallander is a police inspector trying to solve a brutal double murder while also trying to prevent a witch hunt against immigrants. Oh, and he's dealing with several personal crises, including a possibly senile father, an absent daughter, and a wife who's left him. It was OK.
The Reapers - John Connolly ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2008, 515 pages. Paperback)
This is part of the grim and gritty Charlie Bird series, but deals mostly with two characters who have played supporting roles in the past. Louis and Angel are killers, and have been payed very well, in the past, for their services. They are also gay lovers, though that isn't pertinent to this story. Here we learn a lot about Louis' past, and how it is now catching up with him, and how he and his friends deal with it. It's a good read, but if you're not familiar with the series I think you'd have a hard time trying to catch up on what's happening. I enjoyed it.
Miscellaneous
Dead Even - Brad Meltzer ($7.99/$.50, copyright 1998, 529 pages, Paperback)
I've read several of Meltzer's books, and I've always found the underlying premises to be a little strained. Here we have a wife on her first day as an Assistant District Attorney snatching a case that was earmarked for one of her superiors, hoping that it will keep her from getting let go do to upcoming budget cuts. It looks like a simple robbery, but soon things get tricky. And to make matters worse, her husband is hired as the Defense Attorney. There are death threats, outside influences, and more murders to complicate the situation. I enjoyed it.
Make Love, the Bruce Campbell Way - Bruce Campbell ($23.95/$.50, copyright 2005, 309 pages, Hard Cover)
That's right, I said Bruce Campbell. THE Bruce Campbell. Star of the Evil Dead movies, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., and Burn Notice. (OK..maybe only co-star of Burn Notice). Who could pass this up? Especially at this price! This is an account of his involvement in the Mike Nichols movie "Let's Make Love!" starring Richard Gere. Actually, I'm pretty sure Campbell made this whole thing up, but who wouldn't want to spend a few hours listening to his stories over a couple of cold ones? I enjoyed it.
End Notes
Over the last week, I came across a couple of books that I read many years ago. They're by different authors; deal with different subject matters; and I read them at different stages in my life. They got me to thinking, and I've decided to change things up at times and reread one or two of my personal favorites. Not back-to-back, but added into the mix. We'll see how that works. Happy Mardis Gras, and......
Keep Reading.
Series
Faceless Killers - Henning Mankell ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2003, 369 pages, Paperback)
This is the first in the Kurt Wallander series, a police procedurals set in Sweden. There's a cover blurb suggesting that if you liked "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", you'll like this book. To me, the only similarities are the setting and the weather. Wallander is a police inspector trying to solve a brutal double murder while also trying to prevent a witch hunt against immigrants. Oh, and he's dealing with several personal crises, including a possibly senile father, an absent daughter, and a wife who's left him. It was OK.
The Reapers - John Connolly ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2008, 515 pages. Paperback)
This is part of the grim and gritty Charlie Bird series, but deals mostly with two characters who have played supporting roles in the past. Louis and Angel are killers, and have been payed very well, in the past, for their services. They are also gay lovers, though that isn't pertinent to this story. Here we learn a lot about Louis' past, and how it is now catching up with him, and how he and his friends deal with it. It's a good read, but if you're not familiar with the series I think you'd have a hard time trying to catch up on what's happening. I enjoyed it.
Miscellaneous
Dead Even - Brad Meltzer ($7.99/$.50, copyright 1998, 529 pages, Paperback)
I've read several of Meltzer's books, and I've always found the underlying premises to be a little strained. Here we have a wife on her first day as an Assistant District Attorney snatching a case that was earmarked for one of her superiors, hoping that it will keep her from getting let go do to upcoming budget cuts. It looks like a simple robbery, but soon things get tricky. And to make matters worse, her husband is hired as the Defense Attorney. There are death threats, outside influences, and more murders to complicate the situation. I enjoyed it.
Make Love, the Bruce Campbell Way - Bruce Campbell ($23.95/$.50, copyright 2005, 309 pages, Hard Cover)
That's right, I said Bruce Campbell. THE Bruce Campbell. Star of the Evil Dead movies, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., and Burn Notice. (OK..maybe only co-star of Burn Notice). Who could pass this up? Especially at this price! This is an account of his involvement in the Mike Nichols movie "Let's Make Love!" starring Richard Gere. Actually, I'm pretty sure Campbell made this whole thing up, but who wouldn't want to spend a few hours listening to his stories over a couple of cold ones? I enjoyed it.
End Notes
Over the last week, I came across a couple of books that I read many years ago. They're by different authors; deal with different subject matters; and I read them at different stages in my life. They got me to thinking, and I've decided to change things up at times and reread one or two of my personal favorites. Not back-to-back, but added into the mix. We'll see how that works. Happy Mardis Gras, and......
Keep Reading.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Chapter Twenty-six
Looking back at the last chapter, I noticed that the authors I spoke of were all new to me (except Robert B. Parker, but his was an "historical" western which is different from his usual work). This month, I seem to have picked books by authors that I've spoken about in the past, one of which is an entry in a familiar series.
Series
9 Dragons - Michael Connelly ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2009, 449 pages, Paperback)
This is a recent addition to the excellent Harry Bosch series. Harry gets involved with the murder of a Chinese liquor store owner, and it quickly becomes complicated. For one thing, his daughter gets kidnapped in Hong Kong, where she lives with her mother (I must've missed a few volumes since this was a surprise to me). Of course, Harry has to go after her. Several real surprises, some excellent action sequences, and Connelly's great grasp of people and locations. However, I did think that the ending was a little rushed. I enjoyed it.
Hour Game - David Baldacci ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2004, 590 pages, Paperback)
Baldacci's books tend to be based in Washington, D. C., or on characters who have ties to that area. Here he gives us 2 former Secret Service agents - one male (the older Sean King), one female (the younger Michelle Maxwell) - who now operate as private detectives in a small Virginia town. They get involved in a serial killer situation where the killer is copying other past serial killers - Son of Sam, the Zodiac Killer, etc - while also investigating a burglary case. There are some very interesting developments, and the main characters are well drawn, but others are merely caricatures of southern archetypes and some questions are left unanswered. It was OK.
Miscellaneous
True Detectives - Jonathan Kellerman ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2009, 462 pages, Paperback)
I am a fan of Kellerman's Alex Delaware series featuring Detective Milo Sturgis, and they make what amounts to cameo appearances here. The main characters are Moses Reed, an uptight, white Detective, and Aaron Fox, a stylish, black Private Detective. They both get involved in a cold missing person's case. Oh, and they're also half-brothers who's fathers had been police partners, and, of course, they don't get along. Kellerman tries, but it never rings true and I didn't find anything likable about the main characters. I didn't like it.
King Con - Stephen J. Cannell ($6.99/$.50, copyright 1997, 419 pages, Paperback)
Stephen J. Cannell, of course, was the creator of several of the more popular TV series' including "The Rockford Files" and "The A-Team". Here he gives us the King of Con men - Beano Bates - who runs afoul of a vicious mob boss and the bosses equally vicious but crazier brother. Beano sets out to get even by running a con on the brothers, with the help of his family of crooks and grifters, and a prosecuting attorney who wants the mob boss behind bars. Some of the situations and set-ups seem far-fetched, but I've seen similar ones shown on those news programs that warn us about what to watch out for, so...maybe Cannell had an inside source. It's a little too long, but I enjoyed it.
I came across this quote from Tom Clancy recently.."The difference between fact and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." Makes sense to me.
Keep reading.
Series
9 Dragons - Michael Connelly ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2009, 449 pages, Paperback)
This is a recent addition to the excellent Harry Bosch series. Harry gets involved with the murder of a Chinese liquor store owner, and it quickly becomes complicated. For one thing, his daughter gets kidnapped in Hong Kong, where she lives with her mother (I must've missed a few volumes since this was a surprise to me). Of course, Harry has to go after her. Several real surprises, some excellent action sequences, and Connelly's great grasp of people and locations. However, I did think that the ending was a little rushed. I enjoyed it.
Hour Game - David Baldacci ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2004, 590 pages, Paperback)
Baldacci's books tend to be based in Washington, D. C., or on characters who have ties to that area. Here he gives us 2 former Secret Service agents - one male (the older Sean King), one female (the younger Michelle Maxwell) - who now operate as private detectives in a small Virginia town. They get involved in a serial killer situation where the killer is copying other past serial killers - Son of Sam, the Zodiac Killer, etc - while also investigating a burglary case. There are some very interesting developments, and the main characters are well drawn, but others are merely caricatures of southern archetypes and some questions are left unanswered. It was OK.
Miscellaneous
True Detectives - Jonathan Kellerman ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2009, 462 pages, Paperback)
I am a fan of Kellerman's Alex Delaware series featuring Detective Milo Sturgis, and they make what amounts to cameo appearances here. The main characters are Moses Reed, an uptight, white Detective, and Aaron Fox, a stylish, black Private Detective. They both get involved in a cold missing person's case. Oh, and they're also half-brothers who's fathers had been police partners, and, of course, they don't get along. Kellerman tries, but it never rings true and I didn't find anything likable about the main characters. I didn't like it.
King Con - Stephen J. Cannell ($6.99/$.50, copyright 1997, 419 pages, Paperback)
Stephen J. Cannell, of course, was the creator of several of the more popular TV series' including "The Rockford Files" and "The A-Team". Here he gives us the King of Con men - Beano Bates - who runs afoul of a vicious mob boss and the bosses equally vicious but crazier brother. Beano sets out to get even by running a con on the brothers, with the help of his family of crooks and grifters, and a prosecuting attorney who wants the mob boss behind bars. Some of the situations and set-ups seem far-fetched, but I've seen similar ones shown on those news programs that warn us about what to watch out for, so...maybe Cannell had an inside source. It's a little too long, but I enjoyed it.
I came across this quote from Tom Clancy recently.."The difference between fact and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." Makes sense to me.
Keep reading.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Chapter Twenty-five
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!
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!
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.
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