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.
Monday, September 26, 2011
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.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Chapter Twenty-one
I was going to hold off on this posting for another day or two, until I finished the book I am reading right now. Then it dawned on me that I could tie some of this month's books into last months posting AND tie all of this month's books in together also. Pretty cool, but you have to pay attention.
Series
The Hunt Club - John Lescroart ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2006, 512 pages, paperback)
Lescroart is the author of the Dismas Hardy series of mysteries, and this is the first in a new series for him. He, however, hedges his bet by using characters from the Hardy series and even brings in Hardy himself a time or two. The main character, Wyatt Hunt, is a private investigator. Here he's involved in a murder and a missing persons case. The cases are interesting with a couple of good red herrings, but I feel like I've seen the character before in series' by Harlan Coben and Robert Tanenbaum.It was interesting.
Miscellaneous
Hardcase - Dan Simmons ($6.99/$.50, copyright 2001, 277 pages, paperback)
The "hardcase" in question is a former private investigator named Joe Kurtz who did something that got him prison time. He's out, and he's trying to get back on his feet and he's tied up with the mob, a crooked cop, psycho murderers, and smuggling. Through it all he is judge, jury, and executioner - a throwback to the Mike Hammer days. It was OK.
The Forever War - Joe Haldeman ($6.99/$.25, copyright 1974, 254 pages, paperback)
This is one of those humans-versus-aliens war stories where the actual fight scenes are limited. Instead, the focus is on a particular human, William Mandella, and his experiences - particularly back on earth. The catch is that the spaceships that carry Mandella and crew to and from battles use Black Hole-like portals so that what they experience as weeks and months actually adds up to years and centuries. Some of the future is jarring, yet Haldeman doesn't spend enough time on the civilian side to make it really interesting. It was OK.
Quantum Leap: Prelude - Ashley McConnell ($4.99/$.50, copyright 1994, 247 pages, paperback)
That's right, Quantum Leap, as in the TV series. I wasn't a faithful fan of the show, but I did see enough of the reruns to appreciate it. Here are Sam and Al before that first leap, undergoing what led up to it. In fact, the book ends with Sam's taking that first one. The interaction between the 2 main characters is great - I could see Bakula and Stockwell saying the words - but I didn't relate to the other characters, and I felt like there was no real resolution to the situation created in the book. It was interesting.
Tie-ins
Did you figure them out? Well, last month I mentioned what I called the Spencer Effect - where the hero has a side-kick who does the dirty work. Simmon's book goes back to when the pulps were being published and the main character did whatever he had to do. (I know, this one is a reach.)
AND, both the Haldeman and McConnell books deal with Time Travel - in one aspect or another. These tie in beautifully with the Time Travel anthology I mentioned last time around.
Not too bad, but how to tie this month's selections together? Check out the next category.
Great Books
The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe - ($16.00/$1.00, 1975 edition, 1026 pages, Trade Paperback)
OK, class, have you figured it out? Well, the first two selections this month deal with Private detectives. Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is considered to be the first detective story. The next two selections deal with Time Travel, and Poe's " Three Sundays in a Week" was actually included in the afore-mentioned Time Travel anthology. TADA! Seriously, I obviously did not read every story or poem in this book, but I did enjoy several of the classics. A collection like this is meant to be dipped into from time to time, and savored. Perhaps on "..a midnight dreary..". I enjoyed it.
Keep reading.
Series
The Hunt Club - John Lescroart ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2006, 512 pages, paperback)
Lescroart is the author of the Dismas Hardy series of mysteries, and this is the first in a new series for him. He, however, hedges his bet by using characters from the Hardy series and even brings in Hardy himself a time or two. The main character, Wyatt Hunt, is a private investigator. Here he's involved in a murder and a missing persons case. The cases are interesting with a couple of good red herrings, but I feel like I've seen the character before in series' by Harlan Coben and Robert Tanenbaum.It was interesting.
Miscellaneous
Hardcase - Dan Simmons ($6.99/$.50, copyright 2001, 277 pages, paperback)
The "hardcase" in question is a former private investigator named Joe Kurtz who did something that got him prison time. He's out, and he's trying to get back on his feet and he's tied up with the mob, a crooked cop, psycho murderers, and smuggling. Through it all he is judge, jury, and executioner - a throwback to the Mike Hammer days. It was OK.
The Forever War - Joe Haldeman ($6.99/$.25, copyright 1974, 254 pages, paperback)
This is one of those humans-versus-aliens war stories where the actual fight scenes are limited. Instead, the focus is on a particular human, William Mandella, and his experiences - particularly back on earth. The catch is that the spaceships that carry Mandella and crew to and from battles use Black Hole-like portals so that what they experience as weeks and months actually adds up to years and centuries. Some of the future is jarring, yet Haldeman doesn't spend enough time on the civilian side to make it really interesting. It was OK.
Quantum Leap: Prelude - Ashley McConnell ($4.99/$.50, copyright 1994, 247 pages, paperback)
That's right, Quantum Leap, as in the TV series. I wasn't a faithful fan of the show, but I did see enough of the reruns to appreciate it. Here are Sam and Al before that first leap, undergoing what led up to it. In fact, the book ends with Sam's taking that first one. The interaction between the 2 main characters is great - I could see Bakula and Stockwell saying the words - but I didn't relate to the other characters, and I felt like there was no real resolution to the situation created in the book. It was interesting.
Tie-ins
Did you figure them out? Well, last month I mentioned what I called the Spencer Effect - where the hero has a side-kick who does the dirty work. Simmon's book goes back to when the pulps were being published and the main character did whatever he had to do. (I know, this one is a reach.)
AND, both the Haldeman and McConnell books deal with Time Travel - in one aspect or another. These tie in beautifully with the Time Travel anthology I mentioned last time around.
Not too bad, but how to tie this month's selections together? Check out the next category.
Great Books
The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe - ($16.00/$1.00, 1975 edition, 1026 pages, Trade Paperback)
OK, class, have you figured it out? Well, the first two selections this month deal with Private detectives. Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is considered to be the first detective story. The next two selections deal with Time Travel, and Poe's " Three Sundays in a Week" was actually included in the afore-mentioned Time Travel anthology. TADA! Seriously, I obviously did not read every story or poem in this book, but I did enjoy several of the classics. A collection like this is meant to be dipped into from time to time, and savored. Perhaps on "..a midnight dreary..". I enjoyed it.
Keep reading.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Chapter Twenty
Summer is here again, and I'm back to my stride with the number of books read this past month. And, I've got a little something extra to talk about at the end of this posting, so let's jump right in.......
Miscellaneous
Mr. Shivers - Robert Jackson Bennett ($7.99/$.50, 324 pages, copyright 2010, paperback)
What drew me to this book was that it takes place during the Great Depression so I naturally expected something like "The Grapes of Wrath" - one of my favorite reads. The main character is riding the rails, but not in search of work. He's out to find the person who killed his daughter. What I thought would be a straight-forward revenge story veered into the supernatural. I figured out the ending about 3/4 of the way through. It was interesting.
The Night Gardener - George Pelecanos ($7.50/$.50, 431 pages, copyright 2006, paperback)
I've been wanting to read something by Pelecanos for some time now. I've read a lot of praise for his work - both as a novelist and as a writer and producer of "The Wire". This one deals with a series of murders in Washington, DC in 1985 and how - 20 years later - they have effected 3 police officers who were at the scene of the last one. Their lives have gone in different directions, and they now find themselves facing what could be the return of the killer. I found the ending very satisfying. I enjoyed it.
Time Machines - Bill Adler, ED. ($13.00/$.50, 382 pages, copyright 1998, Trade Paperback)
This is an anthology of "The Best Time Travel Stories Ever Written"..their words, not mine. I gotta be honest, I don't usually pick up anthologies. Now I remember why. I managed to get through about 7 of the 21 stories in the collection before giving up. They just got too technical, and I found myself struggling to keep at it. I didn't like it.
Series
The Big Bamboo - Tim Dorsey ($7.99/$.50, 367 pages, copyright 2006, paperback)
The first Tim Dorsey book I read - a couple of months back - blew me away. It was hysterically funny. Now here was another one starring his homicidal hero, Serge Storm. This one runs from Florida to Hollywood, involves movie-making, kidnapping, the Yakuza, and an oil-land con game. Unfortunately, it did get as confusing as it sounds, it could've been funnier, and Serge came across as really crazy instead of neurotically eccentric. It was OK.
These next 2 books - parts of different series' - share a similarity. I'm gonna call it the Spencer effect. When Private Eye novels started, they came out of the Pulp magazines of the 50's. The P. I. was a loner with a sense of humor and a code of honor, but he could also be judge, jury, and executioner. Think Marlowe, Spade, Hammer. Now we still have the honorable, quick-with-a-snappy-retort hero who agonizes over his moral code, but the dirty work - the real violence, the killing, the "wet works" - are done by the side-kick. Think Spencer and Hawk. These next two books are perfect examples of this change.
Deal Breaker - Harlan Coben ($7.99/$.50, 343 pages, copyright 1995, paperback)
This is the first in the Myron Bolitar series. He's a sport's agent who just happens to have an unexplained, mysterious background with the Federal Government (FBI, CIA?). And, his side-kick is a rich, preppy, closet homicidal maniac named Win (who also was Myron's partner during government service). Here they deal with a missing girl, a new client, and some ties to his past that Myron tries to make right. I enjoyed it.
Stalking the Angel - Robert Crais ($7.99/$.50, 260 pages, copyright 1989, paperback)
This, I believe, is the second in the Elvis Cole series. Cole is a Vietnam Veteran turned P. I.. This case involves a stolen work of Japanese philosophy, a kidnapping, and the Yakuza. The "wet works" involves Cole, but is primarily handled by Cole's partner, Joe Pike. I enjoyed it.
(ASIDE: What are the odds of two books in the same month involving kidnappings and the Yakuza?)
DVD
Here's that something special I mentioned.
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Errol Flynn? No. Kevin Costner? No. Russell Crowe? No. Richard Greene? YES!
That's right. Richard Greene, in the 1955-starting TV series that ran for about 3 or 4 years. I was part of the first generation to grow up with TV and this was one of the first non-juvenile shows I remember. This DVD - found at a library sale for $4 - has 4 episodes from that series, including the very first one. Interestingly, it was made in England with an English cast which added to it's authenticity. It's in glorious black-and-white, though the sound quality is poor, and the first episode is grainy in parts - possible due to being filmed out-of-doors. The sword fighting is laughable, but Robin and his band of outlaws - including Little John, Friar Tuck, and Maid Marian - constantly make fools out of the Sheriff of Nottingham and his minions. They even outwit Prince John in one episode. I couldn't wait to read the stories the series was based on. Excellent.
Enjoy the summer and....
Keep reading.
Miscellaneous
Mr. Shivers - Robert Jackson Bennett ($7.99/$.50, 324 pages, copyright 2010, paperback)
What drew me to this book was that it takes place during the Great Depression so I naturally expected something like "The Grapes of Wrath" - one of my favorite reads. The main character is riding the rails, but not in search of work. He's out to find the person who killed his daughter. What I thought would be a straight-forward revenge story veered into the supernatural. I figured out the ending about 3/4 of the way through. It was interesting.
The Night Gardener - George Pelecanos ($7.50/$.50, 431 pages, copyright 2006, paperback)
I've been wanting to read something by Pelecanos for some time now. I've read a lot of praise for his work - both as a novelist and as a writer and producer of "The Wire". This one deals with a series of murders in Washington, DC in 1985 and how - 20 years later - they have effected 3 police officers who were at the scene of the last one. Their lives have gone in different directions, and they now find themselves facing what could be the return of the killer. I found the ending very satisfying. I enjoyed it.
Time Machines - Bill Adler, ED. ($13.00/$.50, 382 pages, copyright 1998, Trade Paperback)
This is an anthology of "The Best Time Travel Stories Ever Written"..their words, not mine. I gotta be honest, I don't usually pick up anthologies. Now I remember why. I managed to get through about 7 of the 21 stories in the collection before giving up. They just got too technical, and I found myself struggling to keep at it. I didn't like it.
Series
The Big Bamboo - Tim Dorsey ($7.99/$.50, 367 pages, copyright 2006, paperback)
The first Tim Dorsey book I read - a couple of months back - blew me away. It was hysterically funny. Now here was another one starring his homicidal hero, Serge Storm. This one runs from Florida to Hollywood, involves movie-making, kidnapping, the Yakuza, and an oil-land con game. Unfortunately, it did get as confusing as it sounds, it could've been funnier, and Serge came across as really crazy instead of neurotically eccentric. It was OK.
These next 2 books - parts of different series' - share a similarity. I'm gonna call it the Spencer effect. When Private Eye novels started, they came out of the Pulp magazines of the 50's. The P. I. was a loner with a sense of humor and a code of honor, but he could also be judge, jury, and executioner. Think Marlowe, Spade, Hammer. Now we still have the honorable, quick-with-a-snappy-retort hero who agonizes over his moral code, but the dirty work - the real violence, the killing, the "wet works" - are done by the side-kick. Think Spencer and Hawk. These next two books are perfect examples of this change.
Deal Breaker - Harlan Coben ($7.99/$.50, 343 pages, copyright 1995, paperback)
This is the first in the Myron Bolitar series. He's a sport's agent who just happens to have an unexplained, mysterious background with the Federal Government (FBI, CIA?). And, his side-kick is a rich, preppy, closet homicidal maniac named Win (who also was Myron's partner during government service). Here they deal with a missing girl, a new client, and some ties to his past that Myron tries to make right. I enjoyed it.
Stalking the Angel - Robert Crais ($7.99/$.50, 260 pages, copyright 1989, paperback)
This, I believe, is the second in the Elvis Cole series. Cole is a Vietnam Veteran turned P. I.. This case involves a stolen work of Japanese philosophy, a kidnapping, and the Yakuza. The "wet works" involves Cole, but is primarily handled by Cole's partner, Joe Pike. I enjoyed it.
(ASIDE: What are the odds of two books in the same month involving kidnappings and the Yakuza?)
DVD
Here's that something special I mentioned.
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Errol Flynn? No. Kevin Costner? No. Russell Crowe? No. Richard Greene? YES!
That's right. Richard Greene, in the 1955-starting TV series that ran for about 3 or 4 years. I was part of the first generation to grow up with TV and this was one of the first non-juvenile shows I remember. This DVD - found at a library sale for $4 - has 4 episodes from that series, including the very first one. Interestingly, it was made in England with an English cast which added to it's authenticity. It's in glorious black-and-white, though the sound quality is poor, and the first episode is grainy in parts - possible due to being filmed out-of-doors. The sword fighting is laughable, but Robin and his band of outlaws - including Little John, Friar Tuck, and Maid Marian - constantly make fools out of the Sheriff of Nottingham and his minions. They even outwit Prince John in one episode. I couldn't wait to read the stories the series was based on. Excellent.
Enjoy the summer and....
Keep reading.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Chapter Nineteen
Back to basics. I was in the middle of what would've been the fourth book in this months posting when I came across something that I just couldn't resist. I've still got 4 books to tell you about, just not the 4 I had intended.
Series
Run for Your Life - James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge ($9.99/$.50, 338 pages, copyright 2009, paperback)
This is a new series from the Patterson "stable". The main character is a NYC Detective, widowed, with 10 kids (all adopted), an Irish nanny, and a grandfather who joined the priesthood at a late age. It's a typical Patterson thriller - fast paced, short chapters, and a great villain. Since several of his series' have co-authors, I'm wondering if he thinks up the basic outline and has the other writer fill it in. Sort of like how Stan Lee "wrote" all of those comics in the 60's (although Patterson does share the credit). I enjoyed it.
Non-fiction
A Doughboy With the Fighting 69th - Albert M. Ettinger and A. Churchill Ettinger ($5.99/$.50, 260 pages, copyright 1992, paperback)
One of the earliest books I remember reading was "Fighting Father Duffy" (I think that was the title). My aunts gave it to my brother and I when we were in grammar school. Father Duffy was the chaplain for the Fighting 69th, and the book, as I recall, dealt with his career with them during World War I. This book is a war-time biography of Al Ettinger based on his stories as remembered by his son. It wasn't quite what I expected, considering Ettinger senior seemed to have had a pretty good time "Over There". (Note: The number of pages I list for any book reflects the number of pages I read. I do not read biographies of authors, extracts from future works, or - as is the case here - appendices that give historical background that doesn't interest me.) It was OK.
Miscellaneous
Appaloosa - Robert B. Parker ($7.99/$.50, 290 pages, copyright 2005, paperback)
That's right..Robert B. Parker also wrote westerns in addition to his Spenser and Jesse Stone mysteries. The 2 main characters - Cole and Hitch - are, basically, gunmen who hire themselves out to towns that need lawmen. The interaction between these 2 is handled very well, the story line is compelling, and I found the ending to be excellent. I didn't see the movie, but I can recommend the book. I enjoyed it.
The Lost Continent - Edgar Rice Burroughs ($3.99/$.50, 131 pages, copyright 1915, paperback)
This was the find that I couldn't wait to read. I have been looking - on and off - for something by Burroughs other then a Tarzan or John Carter book. (I know, I can go to Amazon and find them but that doesn't have the same thrill of discovery.) Here we have a future world, after the Great War, where the Americas keep away from what was Europe. A navy crew, however, gets into some trouble and winds up crossing the forbidden borders. The cover is somewhat misleading (as most of them were back then) but the adventures of the main character in this forgotten continent were fun to read. I enjoyed it.
End Notes
Everything ends - good, bad, or indifferent. Here's an example of each.
Smallville - This show was on for 10 years, and I admit to being hooked on it for about the first 4. Then I would watch sporadically for the next 4, and all but stopped for the last 2. However, I did turn in for the last 45 minutes of the final episode and I gotta say it was worth it. What more could you ask for - flying, The Suit, saving the world - it had it all. Was it a little hokey? Yeah, but it was also the perfect way to end the series. Good.
Wizard Magazine - I have been a subscriber to this magazine for most of the last 12 or 15 years. As I've said in the past, the price of comics, and now even Trade Editions, has increased to the point that I can't afford to indulge too often. I relied on Wizard to give me my monthly dose of "what's going on in comics". Unfortunately, the magazine has been cancelled. That, by itself, was disappointing, but the people at WizardWorld who owned the magazine never notified their subscribers, never made an attempt to compensate them for outstanding subscriptions, and don't respond to emails. Bad.
The Event - I have always been a fan of science-fictiony shows, and this one had promise. Unfortunately, there was an incredibly long winter break - running, I think from before Thanksgiving until sometime in mid-February. This all but killed the show, to me. Plus, there was no character that I particularly identified with/cared about. Yes, they had some great twists, but it ultimately lost it's fan base when it failed to get renewed. Indifferent.
That's it.
Keep reading.
Series
Run for Your Life - James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge ($9.99/$.50, 338 pages, copyright 2009, paperback)
This is a new series from the Patterson "stable". The main character is a NYC Detective, widowed, with 10 kids (all adopted), an Irish nanny, and a grandfather who joined the priesthood at a late age. It's a typical Patterson thriller - fast paced, short chapters, and a great villain. Since several of his series' have co-authors, I'm wondering if he thinks up the basic outline and has the other writer fill it in. Sort of like how Stan Lee "wrote" all of those comics in the 60's (although Patterson does share the credit). I enjoyed it.
Non-fiction
A Doughboy With the Fighting 69th - Albert M. Ettinger and A. Churchill Ettinger ($5.99/$.50, 260 pages, copyright 1992, paperback)
One of the earliest books I remember reading was "Fighting Father Duffy" (I think that was the title). My aunts gave it to my brother and I when we were in grammar school. Father Duffy was the chaplain for the Fighting 69th, and the book, as I recall, dealt with his career with them during World War I. This book is a war-time biography of Al Ettinger based on his stories as remembered by his son. It wasn't quite what I expected, considering Ettinger senior seemed to have had a pretty good time "Over There". (Note: The number of pages I list for any book reflects the number of pages I read. I do not read biographies of authors, extracts from future works, or - as is the case here - appendices that give historical background that doesn't interest me.) It was OK.
Miscellaneous
Appaloosa - Robert B. Parker ($7.99/$.50, 290 pages, copyright 2005, paperback)
That's right..Robert B. Parker also wrote westerns in addition to his Spenser and Jesse Stone mysteries. The 2 main characters - Cole and Hitch - are, basically, gunmen who hire themselves out to towns that need lawmen. The interaction between these 2 is handled very well, the story line is compelling, and I found the ending to be excellent. I didn't see the movie, but I can recommend the book. I enjoyed it.
The Lost Continent - Edgar Rice Burroughs ($3.99/$.50, 131 pages, copyright 1915, paperback)
This was the find that I couldn't wait to read. I have been looking - on and off - for something by Burroughs other then a Tarzan or John Carter book. (I know, I can go to Amazon and find them but that doesn't have the same thrill of discovery.) Here we have a future world, after the Great War, where the Americas keep away from what was Europe. A navy crew, however, gets into some trouble and winds up crossing the forbidden borders. The cover is somewhat misleading (as most of them were back then) but the adventures of the main character in this forgotten continent were fun to read. I enjoyed it.
End Notes
Everything ends - good, bad, or indifferent. Here's an example of each.
Smallville - This show was on for 10 years, and I admit to being hooked on it for about the first 4. Then I would watch sporadically for the next 4, and all but stopped for the last 2. However, I did turn in for the last 45 minutes of the final episode and I gotta say it was worth it. What more could you ask for - flying, The Suit, saving the world - it had it all. Was it a little hokey? Yeah, but it was also the perfect way to end the series. Good.
Wizard Magazine - I have been a subscriber to this magazine for most of the last 12 or 15 years. As I've said in the past, the price of comics, and now even Trade Editions, has increased to the point that I can't afford to indulge too often. I relied on Wizard to give me my monthly dose of "what's going on in comics". Unfortunately, the magazine has been cancelled. That, by itself, was disappointing, but the people at WizardWorld who owned the magazine never notified their subscribers, never made an attempt to compensate them for outstanding subscriptions, and don't respond to emails. Bad.
The Event - I have always been a fan of science-fictiony shows, and this one had promise. Unfortunately, there was an incredibly long winter break - running, I think from before Thanksgiving until sometime in mid-February. This all but killed the show, to me. Plus, there was no character that I particularly identified with/cared about. Yes, they had some great twists, but it ultimately lost it's fan base when it failed to get renewed. Indifferent.
That's it.
Keep reading.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Chapter 18
I haven't read a lot this past month, and there's a reason for that. In fact, I was tempted for a while to do another Special Insert because of what's been occupying my time. Thankfully, I waited long enough, and I'll explain that at the end of this entry. So, let's start with a quote from Rene Descartes.
"The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries."
Non-fiction
The Crusades - Michael Paine ($13.00/$1.00, 144 pages, copyright 2005, pocket-sized Hard Cover)
This is how I like my history - the entirety of the crusades, in less then 150 pages. No elaboration on socio-economic situations, no family trees, and no segues into the personalities of individuals. As Joe Friday used to say, "Just the facts, ma'am." I enjoyed it.
Series
The Goliath Bone - Mickey Spillane with Max Allan Collins ($23.00/$.50, 274 pages, copyright 2008, Trade Paperback)
This is an uncorrected proof copy of the last Mike Hammer novel. In fact, Spillane died in 2006 but left notes with Collins in order to have this one completed. It deals with an archaeological find - the thigh bone of the biblical Goliath - and how various factions will stop at nothing to claim it for their own. The dialog and the established Spillane characters ring true, but this takes place in Manhattan in "real time" (post September '11) and I had a hard time picturing Mike Hammer still kicking ass in his 90's. It was OK.
Sherlock Holmes
The War of the Worlds - Manly W. Wellman and Wade Wellman ($9.95/ Gift Card, 226 pages, copyright 2009, Trade Paperback)
This is part of a series called The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, where different authors attempt to add to Conan Doyle's legacy. This one takes the H. G. Wells classic and posits how Holmes would have been involved. It includes several of the usual Holmes associates - obviously including Watson. What makes this fun is that it includes that other Conan Doyle-created character - Professor George Challenger (main character in The Lost World, among other stories). The ending is obvious, but the fun is in following how the characters react/interact to situations/each other. I enjoyed it.
EXPLANATION
April is Donate Life Month. Without going into too much detail here, I contacted the Governor of New Jersey's office on Thursday, March 31st, to see if they would issue some sort of statement. I got no answer by Tuesday, April 5th, so I resent my request. When you make a request like this, you have to pick a "topic" from their list. Having thought about it overnight, I resent my request on Wednesday, April 6th, using a different topic. Due to this change, I got an email on Thursday the 7th which included the official New Jersey Donate Life Month proclamation. I thanked the Governor's office the same day, but reiterated my request that someone issue a statement - something that would go out to the public. No response. I emailed the Governor's office again on Tuesday the 12th. By Thursday the 14th, I still had no response. At that point, I emailed everybody I can effect with my vote - 2 U. S. Senators, 1 U. S. Representative, 1 State Senator, and 2 State Assemblymen. By Monday the 18th, I'd received 3 system-generated "thanks, and we'll be in touch" responses.
That was when I decided to just drop it. My blood pressure was running high, and I didn't see anything else I could do.
Today, I got an email from my State Senator's Office with a copy of the Press Release they issued in support of Donate Life Month. No one else has responded.
Will the Press release get published? I don't know. Is my Senator up for re-election? Does he mean it? I don't know. Is there a moral to this? I don't know. All I know is that I reached someone, and he said something. That's all I wanted.
I repaid a little of what I owe.
Postscript
April 26th. Late today I got a phone call from the Governor's office - in fact, from the person I had been emailing. He apologized for the delay, and for the fact that his office had no plans to issue any statement at this time. He said that I was welcome to contact the office at any time to see if they could arrange a future statement or appearance. I told him that I appreciated his response, and we left it at that.
To be honest, anyone or any organization can do the same thing - contact the Governor's Office about a statement or appearance. But I got a response, and that was all I was really looking for.
Apologia
Also, I asked above whether my State Senator really meant the Press Release his office issued. The answer is "Yes". He is the co-sponsor of the New Jersey Hero's Act, which mandated the teaching of the need for organ donations to grades 9 through 12, and required the Motor Vehicles Corp. to make more of an effort to get people to sign up.
Keep reading, and think about signing up as an organ donor.
"The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries."
Non-fiction
The Crusades - Michael Paine ($13.00/$1.00, 144 pages, copyright 2005, pocket-sized Hard Cover)
This is how I like my history - the entirety of the crusades, in less then 150 pages. No elaboration on socio-economic situations, no family trees, and no segues into the personalities of individuals. As Joe Friday used to say, "Just the facts, ma'am." I enjoyed it.
Series
The Goliath Bone - Mickey Spillane with Max Allan Collins ($23.00/$.50, 274 pages, copyright 2008, Trade Paperback)
This is an uncorrected proof copy of the last Mike Hammer novel. In fact, Spillane died in 2006 but left notes with Collins in order to have this one completed. It deals with an archaeological find - the thigh bone of the biblical Goliath - and how various factions will stop at nothing to claim it for their own. The dialog and the established Spillane characters ring true, but this takes place in Manhattan in "real time" (post September '11) and I had a hard time picturing Mike Hammer still kicking ass in his 90's. It was OK.
Sherlock Holmes
The War of the Worlds - Manly W. Wellman and Wade Wellman ($9.95/ Gift Card, 226 pages, copyright 2009, Trade Paperback)
This is part of a series called The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, where different authors attempt to add to Conan Doyle's legacy. This one takes the H. G. Wells classic and posits how Holmes would have been involved. It includes several of the usual Holmes associates - obviously including Watson. What makes this fun is that it includes that other Conan Doyle-created character - Professor George Challenger (main character in The Lost World, among other stories). The ending is obvious, but the fun is in following how the characters react/interact to situations/each other. I enjoyed it.
EXPLANATION
April is Donate Life Month. Without going into too much detail here, I contacted the Governor of New Jersey's office on Thursday, March 31st, to see if they would issue some sort of statement. I got no answer by Tuesday, April 5th, so I resent my request. When you make a request like this, you have to pick a "topic" from their list. Having thought about it overnight, I resent my request on Wednesday, April 6th, using a different topic. Due to this change, I got an email on Thursday the 7th which included the official New Jersey Donate Life Month proclamation. I thanked the Governor's office the same day, but reiterated my request that someone issue a statement - something that would go out to the public. No response. I emailed the Governor's office again on Tuesday the 12th. By Thursday the 14th, I still had no response. At that point, I emailed everybody I can effect with my vote - 2 U. S. Senators, 1 U. S. Representative, 1 State Senator, and 2 State Assemblymen. By Monday the 18th, I'd received 3 system-generated "thanks, and we'll be in touch" responses.
That was when I decided to just drop it. My blood pressure was running high, and I didn't see anything else I could do.
Today, I got an email from my State Senator's Office with a copy of the Press Release they issued in support of Donate Life Month. No one else has responded.
Will the Press release get published? I don't know. Is my Senator up for re-election? Does he mean it? I don't know. Is there a moral to this? I don't know. All I know is that I reached someone, and he said something. That's all I wanted.
I repaid a little of what I owe.
Postscript
April 26th. Late today I got a phone call from the Governor's office - in fact, from the person I had been emailing. He apologized for the delay, and for the fact that his office had no plans to issue any statement at this time. He said that I was welcome to contact the office at any time to see if they could arrange a future statement or appearance. I told him that I appreciated his response, and we left it at that.
To be honest, anyone or any organization can do the same thing - contact the Governor's Office about a statement or appearance. But I got a response, and that was all I was really looking for.
Apologia
Also, I asked above whether my State Senator really meant the Press Release his office issued. The answer is "Yes". He is the co-sponsor of the New Jersey Hero's Act, which mandated the teaching of the need for organ donations to grades 9 through 12, and required the Motor Vehicles Corp. to make more of an effort to get people to sign up.
Keep reading, and think about signing up as an organ donor.
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