Chapter One Hundred and Nineteen

  I had an idea for this chapter but the number of books involved began to grow. I then had to find something to use to do this time around. I remembered that over the last few Chapters I've mentioned a couple of books released under the Hard Case Crime imprint - One by Pete Hamill and the other by Stephen King. While scouring my "stacks" for any other book I might have that was released the same I found this - another work by King  but under his Nom de Plume Richard Bachman. He chose to release them this way as a means of getting around his publisher's limitation of 1 book a year. I've said before that I'm not a big fan of King's but these are reminiscent of his early works which, in myopinion, were his best.

Off the Shelf

The Bachman Books - Stephen King ($5.97/$5.95, copyright *1977+1979+1981+1982+1985, **923 pages, Paperback)

I bought this - and first read it - in 1986. In fact, I found the sales slip inside the front cover - Waldenbooks, October 29, 1986. to be honest, I hadn't heard of Bachman before and only picked it up because these 4 novels were released in one volume with King's name in large print on the front cover. I don't think I would've bought them individually under just the Bachman name. Since there's more then 1 book here, I'm going to address them individually.

Rage (*1977, ** 170 pages)

One of King’s earliest works and is definitely raw in many aspects. It is the story of Charlie Decker, the quintessential troubled teen. One day he walks into class, shoots the teacher, and holds the class hostage.  While the police work from the outside to rectify the situation,  King gives us what takes place inside. Charlie and the class start to bond over shared experiences as they discuss various issues and problems. The characters may be stereotypes but that works to King's advantage as he moves the narrative towards what made Charlie do what he did. However, it builds to an ending that I didn't like, much like many of King's later, longer novels.

The Long Walk (*1979, ** 264 pages)

In this one, King takes us into the future when America has become a Totalitarian Society. As a form of entertainment they have an annual contest - a walk involving 100 boys that starts on Presque Isle, Maine and goes until there's only one left.   Ray Garraty is 16 and gets swept up along with the others. The winner gets whatever he wants for the rest of his life. The rules are simple - Keep walking at a steady pace of 4 miles an hour, stay on the road, and don't interfere with the others. You get 3 warnings, then the soldiers following along shoot you. No reason is given in the text. There's very little suspense here and it tends to drag in spots but King fleshes out Ray and the interpersonal relationships he forms with his fellow walkers. You can almost feel the dread and anxiety as fatigue starts to seep in. Not a typical King work but it did hold my interest.

Road Work (*1981, ** 274 pages)

 Barton Dawes' life has been a comfortable, Middle Class one until things take a turn for the worst. Everything he's worked for his entire life - his job, his family, his home - have been taken away from him. He's reduced to living above the Laundry Plant that he works in. Then comes the final straw. A new Highway Extension is going to be built right over the plant and his apartment. Bart is now a man on the edge and finally decides to fight back. I can identify with Bart more then I can with the protagonists of the previous stories but, to me, this is the weakest one. It takes forever to get anywhere with it even though King does another great job at character development. Also, as Bart descends into madness I couldn't help but be reminded of Jack Torrance in "The Shining", one of King's best works.

The Running Man (1982, **217 pages)

King takes us back to the future with this final entry. Well, 2025 to be precise. Ben Richards applies to be a contestant on the top-rated Reality Show "The Running Man". He needs the Billion Dollar prize money in order to get the medicine that his sick daughter needs. It's a pretty simple premise - he just has to stay alive for a month by evading the Hunters who are out to kill him. Complicating this is the fact that he can't trust anyone because almost everyone is watching the show and would turn him in for the reward. This book moves along briskly and King does a great job again with the characters and the set-ups. I have to admit to having seen the movie adaption starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Richard Dawson a long time ago so I did superimpose them onto the characters. (Side Note: When I see the name Ben Richards, I think of Ben Grimm and Reed Richards - 2 of the Fantastic Four. I like to think King did too.) 

Taken together, this is a mixed bag. Pretty much like a short story collection. There's a strong one and a weak one and the others fall somewhere in the middle. It was OK.

I'm still working on the idea I mentioned at the beginning. In fact, I'm reading 2 of the books now and there are 3 more that fall into the concept. They're all pretty short so I'm pretty sure I'll finish them.

That's it for now. The weather's been sort of changeable, today being warm but overcast. Tomorrow is supposedto be warm again and sunny. Then we get cold. That's October for you. The end of the month brings us Halloween

which I hope we can all find some way to enjoy. Next month is November so don't forget to VOTE! Also, Thanksgiving is on it's way and I hope we can find a way to celebrate. Till then,

Wash your hands.

Wear a mask.

Stay socially distant. And ---

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Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen

 It's September and the weather has started to cool down. Now we have another reason to stay inside and read. This month I put down what I was reading to take up a couple of books that tie into some things that happened last month. I've had them for a while and one of them I've even reviewed here many years ago.

Off The Shelf

The Guns of Heaven - Pete Hamill ($.50/$6.99, copyright 1983, 254 pages, Paperback)

Pete Hamill died last month at the age of 85. He was a well-known newspaper columnist in New York who went on to become a pretty popular novelist. I've had several of his books on my shelves for yeas and even started one once but put it aside for some reason I don't recall. I chose this one because it's issued under the Hard Case Crime imprint of pulp noir novels which ties in to a Steven King book I spoke of a couple of months ago. Hamill's main character is Sam Briscoe, an American reporter who visits his aging uncle in Northern Ireland in hopes of getting an interview with a mysterious IRA leader known as Commander Steel. He gets it but in return must deliver an envelope when he gets home to an Irish bar owner in Queens. Up to here, the book has been pretty cut-and-dry but the heat gets turned up quickly. There is a bombing, a kidnapping, and a terrorist threat and Briscoe is the only one who can solve it. Briscoe is pretty well defined but most of the others are cookie-cutter characters playing identifiable parts but Hamill knows his New York and his locations ring true. It was OK.(Side Note: I prefered Jimmy Breslin. He was funnier.)

Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury ($1.25/$1.25, copyright 1962, 215 pages, Paperback)

This is the book that I wrote about years ago. I used to read it around Halloween every year but fell out of the habit. I pulled it out because last month we celebrated Bradbury's 100th Birthday. I could've gone with one of his short story collections but I felt that a full-length novel, even a short one, would be the best way to demonstrate Bradbury's ability to tell a story. Here we have two 13-year old boys growing up as best friends and neighbors in a small town in Illinois. Will Halloway is intelligent, thoughtful, and was born 1 minute before midnight on October 30th. Jim Nightshade is impulsive, impatient, and was born one minute after midnight which makes it October 31st, Halloween. Their quiet, idyllic life is suddenly disrupted by the arrival of a traveling carnival - Cougar and Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show. What follows is a series of unexplained occurrences that draw the boys in. It becomes the classic tale of Good versus Evil with Will's father Charles on one side and the carnival's ringmaster Mr. Dark on the other. I am a big fan of the creepy circus/carnival genre and have read quite a few. This one stands out because of Bradbury's writing - his ability to create a scene that captures the reader by his use of words. True, his characters are stereotypes but he has recreated and refreshed them and his descriptions of the various situations involving the townsfolks and the carnies are striking and memorable. I really enjoyed it.

Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt ($7.99/$7.99, copyright 1996, 460 pages, paperback)

I picked this book up because it was lying under Bradbury's on a shelf and I started to leaf through it. I first read it back in the early '90's and I found myself drawn to it again. This is McCourt's memoir of his youth growing up in Limerick, Ireland. It's given from his perspective first as a child and then grows as he does. It was not an easy life. His father, Malachi, spent whatever money he earned on drink and his mother, Angela, tried her best to hold the family together as they scrounged for food and coal wherever and however they could. But Frank has a soft spot for his father, particularly the stories he tells, and this is the beginning of his own penchant for stories. I won't go into the hardships that he experienced because you need to read the book to understand and appreciate it as it's told. McCourt doesn't sugar-coat anything but his humor shines through in even the worst of times. You can almost hear his brogue and see his smile as he recounts every high and low time. It reminded me of some of the old timers at Goggin's bar in the Northeast Bronx, exaggerating every yarn over a mug or two in order to outdo each other. I enjoyed it. (McCourt wrote a sequel "Tis" about his early years in America as he pursued a teaching career. I have it in the back room. And I understand there's a third volume "Teacher Man" which I may have to get my hands on.)

That's it for this month. I'm going back to the Dickens book I was reading and looking forward to another Bradbury novel I just got which is described as his Homage to the Detective Fiction of writers like Hammett and Chandler. I am also leaning towards that McCourt book in the other room but we'll see about that.

Anyway, today is the first day of Autumn and October is fast approaching. The leaves should start turning and Halloween is just around the corner. Continue to stay safe and ...

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Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen

 When I posted the last Chapter I was in my own apartment and on my own. Well, not completely on my own - I was still dependent on my ex-wife to drive me to appointments and stores. I could walk to a couple of local places but everything else was too far away. That changed when the Physical Therapist and Visiting Nurse signed off and I could drive again. Of course, there are very few places open so I still had a lot of time on my own and I spent a good amount of it reading. The books I finished this month I had read before but I did have to order 2 of them because I couldn't find my copies.

Miscellaneous

Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson ($4.99/$3.99, published 1883, 298 pages, Trade Paperback)

Who doesn't know this story? Jim Hawkins works at his family's Inn. An old seaman, Billy Bones, has taken up residence there and winds up dying unexpectedly. Jim finds an old map in Bones' chest that reveals the location of the notorious pirate Captain Flint's treasure. With the help of Dr. Livesay and Squire Trelawney he sets out aboard the Hispaniola to find the treasure. What follows is a rousing tale that runs the gamut between humor and drama. Stevenson knows how to tell a story and includes some interesting twists. His characters are all well defined specifically my favorite - Long John Silver, ship's cook and chief plotter. I don't remember when I first read this but I do remember seeing the movie on TV. I enjoyed it.

Non-Fiction

In Cold Blood - Truman Capote ($$14.00/$4.29, copyright 1965, 343 pages, Trade Paperback)

I first read this many years ago probably after the movie with Robert Blake came out in 1967. It centers on the brutal murders of the Cutter family in Holcomb, Kansas in 1959. When Capote heard about the crime, he decided to travel to Kansas with his good friend Harper Lee (author of "To Kill a Mockingbird") and write about it. He interviewed everyone and followed the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the two young killers - Perry Smith and Richard "Dick" Hickock. The extensive notes he took resulted in his publishing the book 6 years later. Capote is meticulous and spends a lot of time describing and developing the family, investigators, and particularly the killers. Over the years, it has become a classic in the "True Crime" genre. I have to admit that it did get tiresome at times and I would have to put it down but, in the end, I liked it.

 

Off The Shelf

The Power and the Glory - Graham Greene ($1.65/$1.00, copyright 1940, 301 pages, Paperback)

I'm pretty sure that I first read this in the mid-60's when I'd just started High School. It was a Catholic school and I was still an Altar Server in the parish so I was attracted to the title since it's from the "Our Father". This is not an easy book to read.  It's set in Mexico back in the early 1900's when there was a heavy anti-clerical element running the country. Church lands were being seized, public worship outside of church was banned, and the clergy was persecuted. In some cases, priests were hunted down by the police and executed summarily. Greene gives us here an unnamed priest on the run, being chased by the Lieutenant and his men. He's not a good priest being more interested in his wine then his flock and yet, everywhere he goes, the locals want him to perform religious rites. He tries to ignore them and the poverty and despair that they live with but for how long can he? After all, he is a priest and a human being. That, I think, is Greene's message. He has created some really memorable characters here and his descriptions of the country that the priest flees through is stark and realistic. Again, not an easy book to read but worth it. I liked it.

That's it for now. I'm in the middle of several other books which I hope to tell you about next month. Some, liket hese, I've read before and some I haven't. I'm not sure what September has in store but all we can do is wha twe're doing. Wash our hands, wear our masks, stay home when possible, practice social distancing, and ...

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Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen

Since my last post, I spent about a month at my Ex's house recuperating. During that time I had several different doctor visits, mostly in person but 2 were teleconferences. The Visiting Nurse would stop by once a week and the Physical Therapist would come by 3 times. I was finally strong enough to go back to my own place and I was back on the 17th. Through all of this, my Ex was there to help me and I can't thank her enough. But, let's face it, that was way too much time to impose on someone else.

While I was there, I  tried to stay out of the way and would hang out in the room they let me use. Since I had my laptop I was online a lot and - as a result - ordered a whole bunch of books. To control this impulse, I dipped in and out of several and finally settled on a couple. I've been all over the place with different genres and authors and these 2 books represent the extremes.

Miscellaneous

Actually, I didn't get this one online. When the Main Library here in Woodbridge finally opened, my Ex decided to go and I tagged along. While she spent time in the stacks, I was checking out the Sale Books. She came out with 4 books that she has to return but they didn't cost her anything. I came out with 3 books that I get to keep and they only cost me $1.50 total.  who made out better? Depends upon your point of view. Anyway, this was one of my purchases.

The Colorado Kid - Stephen King ($5.99/$.25, copyright 2005, 178 pages, Paperback)

This is Stephen King's contribution to the Hard Case Crimes imprint which includes such masters of the genre like Lawrence Block, Erle Stanley Gardner, and Donald Westlake. It reminds me of King's work under the Richard Bachman name. Stephanie McCann is from Cincinnati, Ohio and is doing a post-graduate internship at The Weekly Insider on an island off the coast of Maine. There, she's watched over by the 2 reporters/editors who run the place - Vince Teague who is 90 and Dave Bowie who is 65. Steph is writing local fluff pieces but wants to do a real story so the 2 guys tell her about the unsolved mysteries that have occurred on and around the island. One of these grabs Steph's attention. Back in 1980 or so, two high school kids found a body on the beach, a hunk of meat lodged in the throat. Further investigation showed that this was no local and James Cogan was eventually identified as the victim. However, no one could tell how or why he ended up on the East Coast, hailing from Colorado.  Who was James Cogan and what was this Colorado businessman doing in Maine? Steph digs in, with support from her 2 mentors, to uncover the truth. King has crafted an interesting story although the ending, to me, was disappointing but his characters ring true and his descriptions of the locals and the locale are spot-on. It was OK.

While the King book is short and easily carried around this next one is not. The author is know for writing lengthy novels but this one weight 5 pounds. Seriously. I weighed it myself.

 Mason & Dixon - Thomas Pynchon ($17.00/$5.89, copyright 1997, 773 pages, Trade Paperback)

I first read a work of Pynchon's back in my college days because my brother recommended it. I remember enjoying "Gravity's Rainbow" back then but I couldn't tell you what it was about now. That's the kind of work Pynchon creates. Here, he delves into Americana giving us the history of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon who surveyed the disputed boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland from 1763 to 1767 and resolved the conflict by establishing what has become as the Mason-Dixon Line. The story is told by Reverend Wicks Cherrycoke who's telling the story of his travels with the surveyors to his family in 1786. He covers everything from their time in South Africa, through their accomplishments in America, to their triumphant reception in Europe. But he tends to change things from time to time in order to lengthen his stay so you don't always know what's true. Pynchon has a way with words and has created a massive volume that is both fascinating and funny at the same time. As I said about a previous book of Pynchon's that I read - I enjoyed it but I couldn't tell you what it was about.

I haven't ordered another book in about a week. Since I'm home now I can stay out of this heat and dig into the stack I've recently piled up.

Next up is August. Hopefully it won't be as hot as July has been. Until then .....

Stay safe, stay socially distant, wash your hands, wear a mask, and -

Keep reading.

Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen

I mentioned at the end of my last post that I was headed to a Physical Therapy place for a few days. That was Thursday May 21st. Today is Saturday June 20th and I was discharged 2 days ago. It took longer and I'm still gonna have to deal with Visiting Nurses and PT trainers in my home (actually in the home of a friend who took me in for a while). I'm feeling stronger; my stamina and endurance have improved; and my appetite is back big time. The real Plus - in my opinion - is that my concentration is back. I've been reading again and enjoying it.

To celebrate my return, I went back to my younger days and read the following books that I remember enjoying. They're fairly short and I read them quickly. Plus, there's something that they have in common. I saw the movie versions before I read the books.

Miscellaneous

The Island of Doctor Moreau - H. G. Wells ($1.00/$3.98, Published 1896, 104 pages, Paperback)
I'm not completely sure since it's been so long but I think I first saw the 1933 filmed version of this book on a Saturday afternoon watching the "Million Dollar Movie" on Channel 5 (or was it 9? or 11?) with my Dad and siblings. It was made by Paramount Pictures and starred Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, and Bela Lugosi. The plot is pretty simple - Edward Prendick survives a shipwreck only to wind up on a secluded tropical island. Dr. Moreau, the local physician, befriends him and takes Edward into his compound. At first, all is well except that Edward notices that the Locals are all strange and very subservient to the Doctor. Wells describes the Locals very vividly and created a culture for them that keeps them under the Doctor's rule. Eventually, Edward learns exactly what Moreau has been doing and winds up changing things while trying to escape. Wells has written a story that is simple and, yet, is based on some complex matters. His characters are well defined and the descriptions of several of the situations Edward observes rings true. I enjoyed it.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne ($3.99/$3.98, Published 1870, 279 pages, Paperback)
Again, I'm not sure where I first saw the filmed version but I think it was on "The Wonderful World of Disney" on a Sunday night. I was  a Walt Disney Production from 1954 and starred Kirk Douglas, Paul Lucas, and Peter Lorre. Professor Arronnax is a famous French scientist who is asked to look into a strange situation - a mysterious, large, sea creature has been disrupting the shipping lanes and sinking ships. He agrees and sets out with his servant having all the confidence in the world. Unfortunately, that only lasts long enough for the ship he's on to be sunk by the Monster. Fortunately, he and his servant - along with a whaler they befriended on the ill-fated ship - discover that the Monster is, in fact, a giant submarine which then rescues them. In short order, the are introduced to the master of the vessel Captain Neo - a charming man with a sinister motivation. Verne's characters are strongly written and his descriptions of life underwater are fascinating. I enjoyed it.



Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne ($3.00/$3.98, Published 1876, 155 pages, Paperback)
I think I may have first seen this one in a movie theater when I was about 8. It's a 20th Century Fox Production from 1959 starring James Mason, Pat Boone, and Peter Ronson. This, also, is a very simple story - Professor Lidenbrock, an adventurous , geologist finds a manuscript from a 16th Century explorer claiming to have found a route to the Earth's core. He can't resist and sets out with his nephew Axl and a local Icelandic guide, Hans, into an extinct volcano where they come upon  a subterranean world of luminous rocks, ancient forests, and fantastic marine life — a living past that holds the secrets to the origins of human existence. Verne brings his characters to life and paints a vivid picture of the world our explorers discover. I enjoyed it.

Books have a way of helping us escape from the real world for a while and sometimes they let us walk down Memory Lane. Rereading these 3 books got me through my recent hospitalization and reminded me of how simpler things were when I was young.

Well, I've stacked up a lot of books lately (with 3 more coming) that cover a range of genres and I can't wait to get at them.

Today is the 1st Day of Summer and tomorrow is Father's Day. A perfect weekend to spend time with your family. Have fun and ….

Keep Reading.
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Bookmark 4

As Robert Burns has been quoted to say, "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang oft agley."

I was making headway in a few books and actually ordered and received 2 more:

"P. T. Barnum" by P. T. Barnum

"Slaughterhouse 5" by Kurt Vonnegut

The Barnum book is huge and turned out to be tedious. The Vonnegut book turned out to be a study guide ala Cliff Notes. Both went on to the TBR pile. 

I started to get very weak and my interest started to slip again. I found it difficult to concentrate but I did manage to order several more books before being admitted to the hospital. I had them delivered to a friend's house and she brought them over.

"Davey Crocket" by David Crockett (his Autobiography)

"Dracula" by Bram Stoker

"Journey to the Center of the Earth" by Jules Verne

"Tales of Mystery and Imagination" by Edgar Allan Poe

"The Divine Comedy" by Dante (Not just "The Inferno" but all 3 sections in 1 volume.)

I've started the Verne book while waiting for a transfusion. Of course, between the hurry-up-and-wait attitudes of the doctors and the social isolation I find myself surfing my favorite book sites. I jut ordered:

"In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

"The Portable Oscar Wilde"

"The Island of Dr. Moreau" by H. G. Wells

They just hooked me up for the transfusion so I'll go back to Verne for a while. 

I'll be heading to a Physical Therapy Center tomorrow for a couple of days and I have plenty of reading material to fill the down time.

I'll be back again so ..

Keep Reading.

Bookmark 3

I haven't had to do this in a while but I find myself having to take a step back. I finished my treatments a week and a half ago and was actually looking forward to just staying in. I've practiced self-isolation for years and I like the idea of social distanced. But now I find myself with a problem - I can't concentrate.

I have 3 books on the side of my bed:

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea - Jules Verne
The Man From Hell - Barrie Roberts (a Sherlock Holmes pastiche)
A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman (not my usual thing but I read some great reviews and I like it so far)

3 books, 3 different genres.

I was enjoying jumping back and forth between them and was getting close to finishing at least 2 of them. Then, for some reason, I lost my concentration. I try but I can only do a page or two - sometimes only a paragraph or two - before I lose interest.

Is it this virus situation? I don't know. I'm not worried about it. I figure that if I was gonna get it I'd have it by now. Maybe it's because I haven't been able to see my Daughter or Granddaughter. We tried video-conferencing but the sound on my laptop doesn't work which is frustrating.

I've been through stuff before and I'll get through this. I will read my 3 books but I've gotten some more which might take precedence.

The Black Count - Tom Reiss (the story of Alex Dumas whose life became the basis for his son Alexander's The Count of Monte Cristo)
Trinity - Leo Uris
The Agony And The Ecstasy - Irving Stone
The Club of Queer Tales - G. K. Chesterton (a collection of short Detective stories with odd events and odd explanations)
The Life of P. T. Barnum - P. T. Barnum (who wouldn't want to read about the life of America's Show Man written by himself)
 
The last 3 are at my Daughter's house and I've had to use my "phone a friend" to pick them up for me.

Anyway, I'm feeling better about things. I think I'll grab something to eat, maybe do a crossword puzzle, then pick up a book and....

Keep reading.