Well, we made it through another calendar year. There were family highs and lows, and national disasters and tragedies. But, at this time of year, we tend to count our blessings and look forward to the New Year. Here's this months selections.
Series
Think of a Number - John Verdon ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2010, 497 pages, Paperback)This is what I believe to be the first of a series. The hero here is Dave Gurney, a retired NYC detective who can't seem to relax in retirement. Gurney is a criminological genius but his personal life sucks. He gets involved with an old acquaintance who’s been getting some threatening mail - whoever sends it asks him to think of a number, then he’s to open the smaller, enclosed envelope which amazingly - reveals the same number. Then the guy gets killed and the killer‘s footprints seem to lead into the middle of a field, then disappear. Unfortunately, this has taken me 136 pages to get here and it takes me another 30 pages or so to see Gurney finally get asked to join the case. By now, I couldn’t care less how the killer pulled off the number trick or the murder. To me, it was taking too long and I just lost interest. Simply put, this new character just isn’t interesting to me. This one goes back on The Pile.
Brother Odd - Dean Koontz ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2006, 430 pages, Paperback)This is the third book in the Odd Thomas series. Odd was a short order cook who happens to see dead people. The operative word here is “see”. They don’t communicate with him. They just seem to hang around with him until he figures out what they need. In this one, he’s taken refuge in a monastery to get away from things that happened in the first two books. . Of course, that never actually works out. He winds up dealing with the monastery staff, a resident ghost who likes to ring the bells, creatures made of bone, a federal agent, and a nut case - all while trying to protect some children in the monastery’s school shortly before Christmas. I enjoyed the first book, I think because the character was new. The second was a little weirder, but the character of Odd rang true. I didn’t enjoy this one as much but the ending leads me to believe that there will be a fourth volume and maybe the Odd character will find some closure. Then again, sometimes, you can take a character a little too far. I’ll have to wait and see. It was OK.
Killing Floor - Lee Child ($7.99/$.50, copyright 1997, 407 pages, Paperback)This is the first of the Jack Reacher novels. Since Tom Cruise is starring in a movie about the character, I decided to check him out. Reacher is a former military policeman who, having left the army, decides to drop off the grid. He carries no ID and travels only by bus, rail, or simply walking. In this book, he’s arrested for a murder just after he enters a town. There’s something going on but he tries not to get involved until it becomes personal. Child builds the plot nicely, mixing in several other murders (some of which Reacher commits), a criminal undertaking that seems far-fetched but is reasonably explained, and an upcoming deadline. Reacher is an interesting, intelligent character (although I'm not sure how Cruise will do). I liked it.
Miscellaneous
The Avengers :Too Many Targets - John Peel & Dave Rogers ($8.95/$.50, copyright 1990, 181 pages, Paperback)These are not the Marvel Universe Avengers. These are the one’s from the BBC. John Steed, Emma Peel, Tara, Mother, etc. Every one of them true to life and a story that plays to their strengths. Someone is killing British agents. They suspect it's someone on the inside. Steed is supposed to believe it is Mother. Mother is supposed to believe it is Steed. The action is spaced out nicely so as to bring the major characters together. The dialog is fun to read. And there's robots. Jolly good fun. I enjoyed it.
Graphic Novels/Comics
Showcase Presents: Rip Hunter, Time Master - Various ($19.99/$5.00, copyright 2012, 511 pages, Trade Paperback) This is one of those collections that I mentioned last month. Rip Hunter is a “B” list character in the DCU who pops up whenever they have a crossover event that involves time travel. In effect, he’s the man. This volume includes Showcase numbers 20, 21, 25 and 26, and Rip’s own magazine numbers 1 through 15. This covers a time period from May 1959 through August 1963 (published bimonthly). They were all written by Jack Miller, one of the unsung bullpen members and includes artist Neil Caddy, Alex Toth, Bill Ely, and Ross Andru. Here, most of the action takes place in the past - the Stone Age, Ancient Egypt, etc. - with some futuristic aliens mixed in every now and then. The cast includes Rip, his good buddy Jeff Smith, his girlfriend bonnie Baxter, and her kid brother Corky. (This seems to have been a theme back then, a girlfriend who’s tough buts gets into trouble and a kid brother.) Again, these become repetitive if read in a single sitting so I spaced them out to 1 a week. I enjoyed it.
That's it for this month - and this year.
I wish you all health and happiness in the New Year.
Keep reading!
Monday, December 24, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Third Anniversary Issue!!
Happy November, all! We blew through Halloween pretty quickly - or, rather, Sandy blew through it - and now we're at the threshold to the holiday season. And - more importantly - this is the Third Anniversary of this blog! I have some interesting selections for you this month so let's just dig right in and I'll update you on the numbers later.
Series
Day of Atonement - Faye Kellerman ($7.99/$.5 0, copyright 1991, 373 pages, Paperback)This is one of the early works in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. Decker is an L. A. cop and Lazarus is a woman he met and fell in love with in the first volume. She also happens to be an Orthodox Jew. All of the books in the series involve some aspect of the religious rituals they follow. This one takes place after their wedding and they’re in N. Y. for the holidays. It revolves around a missing boy and a psycho who takes him in. There’s a subplot that involves family, and I think a message that the ending that you look for isn’t always a happy one. I picked it up because of the NY connection, hoping that there’d be some insight into the orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn but, after the set up is taken care of, the second half moves back to L. A. and it wrapped up too quickly It was OK.
No Badge, No Gun - Harold Adams ($8.95/$1.00, copyright 1998, 203 pages,Paperback) This is one of the Carl Wilcox mysteries that Mr. Adams has produced. Wilcox is an ex-con, sign painter during the Great Depression, who - sometimes - gets involved in mysteries in order to make some extra money. In this one, he’s hired to solve the rape and murder of a young girl in a small town. I am usually a sucker for a mystery that takes place in some era other then the modern age so I was drawn to the setting/time frame but, unfortunately, these don’t really have an impact on the story. I have to admit that I found this hard to get through. Basically, it just plods along. Wilcox talks to people and gathers information. I didn’t like it.
Miscellaneous
Yeats is Dead! - Joseph O'Conner, ed. ($12.95/$.25, copyright 2001, 257 pages, Paperback)
Mr. O’Connor is only the editor of this truly Irish novel. It’s actually written by 15 Irish writers, each of them taking a chapter. Starting with Roddy Doyle and ending with Frank McCourt it tells the story of an eclectic collection of Dubliners - from cops to crooks - on the hunt for the long-lost last novel of James Joyce. This was a real joy to read as each writer adds his/her own twists while maintaining the integrity of the whole (although there were a couple of chapters that could‘ve been tweaked). It’s too long to make into a decent movie, but would make an excellent mini-series along the lines of an old Alec Guinness comedy or a toned-down Monty Python script. I enjoyed it.
The Postcard Killers - James Patterson and Liza Marklund ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2010, 402 pages, Paperback)Here’s another book from the Patterson “studio”. This one revolves around some serial murderers running around in some of the famous cities in Europe. They’re being chased by an NYPD detective who’s daughter was one of the first victims. Most of the book takes place in Sweden and Marklund, being a writer from there, gives it some local color. It has the usual Patterson short-chapter approach, alternating between the cop, the killers, and a Swedish newswoman who gets involved. I found that it didn’t really get going until about 1/3 of the way through. It had some interesting twists, but the ending wraps up some of the details in an off-handed manner. It was OK.
Comic Books
I know, I said that I wouldn't be buying these collections because they were just too pricey but I came across a used book store in Metuchen who had a few priced very reasonably. Here's the first one I've finished.
Showcase Presents - Various writers/artists ($19.99/$5.00, copyright 2012, 539 pages, Trade Paperback)I have been a comic book fan all of my life. I was lucky enough to actually start to be able to read when the Silver Age started in 1956, and even more lucky to have parents who didn’t mind that the material was comics just as long as I (and my brothers and sisters) were reading. At that time comics were still being printed but consisted mostly of war, scifi, western, and romance genres. And then National Comics (who later changed their name to DC) had an idea. They started a publication called Showcase. Here they could test out some new character ideas. This volume contains the first 21 issues starting from March/April 1956 to July/August 1959. It’s an interesting mix. There’s a couple of issues dealing with a fireman. There’s one about frogmen in WW2. There’s a couple starring The Space Ranger. These fit in with the times. But mixed in are characters that have carried on into the DC Universe. Lois Lane, of course, has been a character in the long-running Superman books but takes center stage in a few issues of her own. And we have the creation of some new memorable characters - The Challengers of the Unknown, Adam Strange, and Rip Hunter. But the most important character to appear here is Barry Allen - The Flash. Appearing for the first time in issues 4 (Sept/Oct 1956) and later in issues 8, 13, and 14. The Silver Age is considered to have started when he got his own magazine. It's an interesting, eclectic mix and includes the works of Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino, Curt Swan, Jack Kirby, Gardner Fox, Wally Woods, and Gil Kane. I enjoyed it immensely.
Numbers
This year, the numbers break down as follows: 15 Series books, cover prices $154.27, my costs $8.75. 23 Miscellaneous books, cover prices $239.30, my costs $10.95. 6 Graphic Novel/Comic books, cover prices 91.90, my costs $6.00. 2 Non-fiction books, cover prices $27.00, my costs $1.50. 3 Sherlock Holmes books, cover prices $44.99, my costs $3.24. Totals this year are 49 books, cover prices $557.46, my costs $30.44, average cost per book $.62. Three year totals 147 books, cover prices $1630.45, my costs $118.71. average cost per book $.81.
And it's all still a lot of fun.
That's it for this month. Just a reminder....Thanksgiving is in 3 days. This year, after what has happened in the last few works (some of it personal, too), I know that I have a lot to be grateful for. Let's not lose that feeling of gratitude amid the onrush of Christmas commercialism that seems to be starting earlier and earlier each year.
Keep Reading!
Series
Day of Atonement - Faye Kellerman ($7.99/$.5 0, copyright 1991, 373 pages, Paperback)This is one of the early works in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. Decker is an L. A. cop and Lazarus is a woman he met and fell in love with in the first volume. She also happens to be an Orthodox Jew. All of the books in the series involve some aspect of the religious rituals they follow. This one takes place after their wedding and they’re in N. Y. for the holidays. It revolves around a missing boy and a psycho who takes him in. There’s a subplot that involves family, and I think a message that the ending that you look for isn’t always a happy one. I picked it up because of the NY connection, hoping that there’d be some insight into the orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn but, after the set up is taken care of, the second half moves back to L. A. and it wrapped up too quickly It was OK.
No Badge, No Gun - Harold Adams ($8.95/$1.00, copyright 1998, 203 pages,Paperback) This is one of the Carl Wilcox mysteries that Mr. Adams has produced. Wilcox is an ex-con, sign painter during the Great Depression, who - sometimes - gets involved in mysteries in order to make some extra money. In this one, he’s hired to solve the rape and murder of a young girl in a small town. I am usually a sucker for a mystery that takes place in some era other then the modern age so I was drawn to the setting/time frame but, unfortunately, these don’t really have an impact on the story. I have to admit that I found this hard to get through. Basically, it just plods along. Wilcox talks to people and gathers information. I didn’t like it.
Miscellaneous
Yeats is Dead! - Joseph O'Conner, ed. ($12.95/$.25, copyright 2001, 257 pages, Paperback)
Mr. O’Connor is only the editor of this truly Irish novel. It’s actually written by 15 Irish writers, each of them taking a chapter. Starting with Roddy Doyle and ending with Frank McCourt it tells the story of an eclectic collection of Dubliners - from cops to crooks - on the hunt for the long-lost last novel of James Joyce. This was a real joy to read as each writer adds his/her own twists while maintaining the integrity of the whole (although there were a couple of chapters that could‘ve been tweaked). It’s too long to make into a decent movie, but would make an excellent mini-series along the lines of an old Alec Guinness comedy or a toned-down Monty Python script. I enjoyed it.
The Postcard Killers - James Patterson and Liza Marklund ($9.99/$.50, copyright 2010, 402 pages, Paperback)Here’s another book from the Patterson “studio”. This one revolves around some serial murderers running around in some of the famous cities in Europe. They’re being chased by an NYPD detective who’s daughter was one of the first victims. Most of the book takes place in Sweden and Marklund, being a writer from there, gives it some local color. It has the usual Patterson short-chapter approach, alternating between the cop, the killers, and a Swedish newswoman who gets involved. I found that it didn’t really get going until about 1/3 of the way through. It had some interesting twists, but the ending wraps up some of the details in an off-handed manner. It was OK.
Comic Books
I know, I said that I wouldn't be buying these collections because they were just too pricey but I came across a used book store in Metuchen who had a few priced very reasonably. Here's the first one I've finished.
Showcase Presents - Various writers/artists ($19.99/$5.00, copyright 2012, 539 pages, Trade Paperback)I have been a comic book fan all of my life. I was lucky enough to actually start to be able to read when the Silver Age started in 1956, and even more lucky to have parents who didn’t mind that the material was comics just as long as I (and my brothers and sisters) were reading. At that time comics were still being printed but consisted mostly of war, scifi, western, and romance genres. And then National Comics (who later changed their name to DC) had an idea. They started a publication called Showcase. Here they could test out some new character ideas. This volume contains the first 21 issues starting from March/April 1956 to July/August 1959. It’s an interesting mix. There’s a couple of issues dealing with a fireman. There’s one about frogmen in WW2. There’s a couple starring The Space Ranger. These fit in with the times. But mixed in are characters that have carried on into the DC Universe. Lois Lane, of course, has been a character in the long-running Superman books but takes center stage in a few issues of her own. And we have the creation of some new memorable characters - The Challengers of the Unknown, Adam Strange, and Rip Hunter. But the most important character to appear here is Barry Allen - The Flash. Appearing for the first time in issues 4 (Sept/Oct 1956) and later in issues 8, 13, and 14. The Silver Age is considered to have started when he got his own magazine. It's an interesting, eclectic mix and includes the works of Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino, Curt Swan, Jack Kirby, Gardner Fox, Wally Woods, and Gil Kane. I enjoyed it immensely.
Numbers
This year, the numbers break down as follows: 15 Series books, cover prices $154.27, my costs $8.75. 23 Miscellaneous books, cover prices $239.30, my costs $10.95. 6 Graphic Novel/Comic books, cover prices 91.90, my costs $6.00. 2 Non-fiction books, cover prices $27.00, my costs $1.50. 3 Sherlock Holmes books, cover prices $44.99, my costs $3.24. Totals this year are 49 books, cover prices $557.46, my costs $30.44, average cost per book $.62. Three year totals 147 books, cover prices $1630.45, my costs $118.71. average cost per book $.81.
And it's all still a lot of fun.
That's it for this month. Just a reminder....Thanksgiving is in 3 days. This year, after what has happened in the last few works (some of it personal, too), I know that I have a lot to be grateful for. Let's not lose that feeling of gratitude amid the onrush of Christmas commercialism that seems to be starting earlier and earlier each year.
Keep Reading!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Chapter Thirty-five
I’m going to start this month with the book that I was still reading when I posted the last Chapter. It is the book that got me to finally decide to go online to place an order. Barnes & Noble’s carried it but not in stock so I went to one of their in-store terminals. They had it listed for $17.95 and I was going to use a Gift Card that I’d received. While looking it up, I noticed an option called Dealer Network which took me to several associated book outlets that connected to Barnes & Noble. I wound up getting it for about $4.50 (not out-of-pocket). This copy’s condition is classified by the bookseller site as “Used - Very Good”. Amazon has no Used copies of this edition listed, but does price a New copy at $120.88. Pretty good buy on my part.
Miscellaneous
The Sunlight Dialogues - John Gardner ($6.95/Gift Card, copyright 1972, 746 pages, Paperback)I’ve been looking for this book for a while - on and off - but got serious once I picked up a copy of Gardner’s "Grendel" about a month ago. I’d read this book first just after it was published, and it’s stayed with me all these years. It is set in the 1960‘s and it’s the story of the Chief of Police (Clumly) in a small town in upstate NY (Batavia) and how he deals with the disruptions caused by an eccentric character who invades his town (The Sunlight Man). Sunlight has been arrested for painting the word “LOVE“ across a road and is being held in jail pending a psychiatric exam. Revolving around this core are subplots involving other townsfolk and other crimes. Gardner brings each member of this huge cast to life - even the stereotypes - and this creates the daily life of Batavia that Clumly is trying to maintain. It’s order versus chaos, tradition versus change and Gardner does it justice. To be honest, some 35 years later, I found it hard at times to wade through some of the conversations between Clumly and Sunlight (and Sunlight‘s ramblings to others) that give the book it‘s name. I guess I’m not as idealistic as I once was. It was OK.
Castleview - Gene Wolfe ($13.95/$.50, copyright 1990, 278 pages, Trade Paperback)I picked this up because the cover illustration has a castle superimposed over a small town street, and one of the jacket blurbs references “Idylls of the King“. I thought this would be Wolfe’s attempt to merge Camelot with Midwestern America. Maybe it was. I don’t know. A family moves into Castleview (named for the apparition of a castle that appears from time to time). There’s a murder, car accidents, scenes in a hospital, scenes at a camp for girls, characters that move in and out and..oh, yes..some people die then come back. There is an attempt to explain it involving the world of fairies but there are too many situations left hanging to make any real sense of it. It’s well written, but ultimately not worth reading.
The Q Document - James Hall Roberts ($.60/$.50, copyright 1964, 224 pages, Paperback)
As I read this I couldn’t help but visualize it as a movie from the late 40’s/early 50’s. It is the story of a scholar - an educated man - with a recent tragedy in his past who is hired by a “business” man in Japan to verify a set of documents which may - or may not - topple Christianity. There are really only 4 main characters. I see a young Vincent Price as the scholar, Sidney Greenstreet as the businessman, an older Lauren Bacall as the writer, and Peter Lorre as the priest (only because of the one scene with Greenstreet). There isn’t any action, as would be expected today. Instead there is a steady increase in the tension and in how things move inexorably to the end regardless of what the scholar tries. The “revelation” doesn’t take place until the last few pages and is totally unexpected and actually sounds plausible. I thoroughly enjoyed it. (Interestingly, there really is a Q Document Theory. Similarities in the Gospels of Mark and Luke have led scholars to extrapolate that there is a missing source document containing the actual teachings of Jesus. This theory originated in Germany and "Q" stands for the german word "quelle" which means "source".)
Thanks to the Gift Card givers for the chance to pick up some books I've been looking for (you know who you are). The Holiday season unofficially kicks off at the end of the month so - Happy Halloween to all! And..............
Keep Reading!
Miscellaneous
The Sunlight Dialogues - John Gardner ($6.95/Gift Card, copyright 1972, 746 pages, Paperback)I’ve been looking for this book for a while - on and off - but got serious once I picked up a copy of Gardner’s "Grendel" about a month ago. I’d read this book first just after it was published, and it’s stayed with me all these years. It is set in the 1960‘s and it’s the story of the Chief of Police (Clumly) in a small town in upstate NY (Batavia) and how he deals with the disruptions caused by an eccentric character who invades his town (The Sunlight Man). Sunlight has been arrested for painting the word “LOVE“ across a road and is being held in jail pending a psychiatric exam. Revolving around this core are subplots involving other townsfolk and other crimes. Gardner brings each member of this huge cast to life - even the stereotypes - and this creates the daily life of Batavia that Clumly is trying to maintain. It’s order versus chaos, tradition versus change and Gardner does it justice. To be honest, some 35 years later, I found it hard at times to wade through some of the conversations between Clumly and Sunlight (and Sunlight‘s ramblings to others) that give the book it‘s name. I guess I’m not as idealistic as I once was. It was OK.
Castleview - Gene Wolfe ($13.95/$.50, copyright 1990, 278 pages, Trade Paperback)I picked this up because the cover illustration has a castle superimposed over a small town street, and one of the jacket blurbs references “Idylls of the King“. I thought this would be Wolfe’s attempt to merge Camelot with Midwestern America. Maybe it was. I don’t know. A family moves into Castleview (named for the apparition of a castle that appears from time to time). There’s a murder, car accidents, scenes in a hospital, scenes at a camp for girls, characters that move in and out and..oh, yes..some people die then come back. There is an attempt to explain it involving the world of fairies but there are too many situations left hanging to make any real sense of it. It’s well written, but ultimately not worth reading.
The Q Document - James Hall Roberts ($.60/$.50, copyright 1964, 224 pages, Paperback)
As I read this I couldn’t help but visualize it as a movie from the late 40’s/early 50’s. It is the story of a scholar - an educated man - with a recent tragedy in his past who is hired by a “business” man in Japan to verify a set of documents which may - or may not - topple Christianity. There are really only 4 main characters. I see a young Vincent Price as the scholar, Sidney Greenstreet as the businessman, an older Lauren Bacall as the writer, and Peter Lorre as the priest (only because of the one scene with Greenstreet). There isn’t any action, as would be expected today. Instead there is a steady increase in the tension and in how things move inexorably to the end regardless of what the scholar tries. The “revelation” doesn’t take place until the last few pages and is totally unexpected and actually sounds plausible. I thoroughly enjoyed it. (Interestingly, there really is a Q Document Theory. Similarities in the Gospels of Mark and Luke have led scholars to extrapolate that there is a missing source document containing the actual teachings of Jesus. This theory originated in Germany and "Q" stands for the german word "quelle" which means "source".)
Thanks to the Gift Card givers for the chance to pick up some books I've been looking for (you know who you are). The Holiday season unofficially kicks off at the end of the month so - Happy Halloween to all! And..............
Keep Reading!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Chapter Thirty-four
I have made a change this month. Not to what I read but to how I go about acquiring the books that I post about. Piqued your curiosity? I hope so, but you'll have to wait just a bit while I run through the following:
Series
On the Wrong Track - Steve Hockensmith ($12.95/$.50, copyright 2007, 290 pages, Trade Paperback)This is the second book in the Amlingmeyer Brothers series. They’re 2 one-time cattle drovers in the Old West of the late 1800’s who’ve taken a shine to the Sherlock Holmes stories (believing him to be as real as the Western heroes and villains pumped up in the dime novels popular at the time) and decide to do some “detectifying” of their own. Here they take jobs as railroad detectives and get mixed up with murders, train robbers, and other western stereotypes. There are gun fights and out-of-control trains to keep the plot moving at a quick pace. It’s told with an eye for detail, and an ear for a good laugh. I enjoyed it.
Kill Alex Cross - James Patterson ($14.99/$1.00, copyright 2011, 364 pages, Trade Paperback)I’ve written about Patterson's Alex Cross series before. In this one, Cross has to deal with the kidnapping of the President’s children while Washington, D. C. is being panicked by terrorist attacks. Patterson’s style holds true here - short, snappy chapters bouncing between the good guys and the bad, with a dash of domestic drama/life for Detective Cross. (And he's brought back a strong supporting character who's been missing for several volumes.) It’s a formula that has served Patterson well. I enjoyed it.
Graphic Novels
Cardboard - Doug Tenniel ($12.99/$0, copyright 2012, 283 pages, Trade Paperback)I read this graphic novel in a couple of hours, while “helping out” at a Book Fair so I didn't actually purchase it but I'm including it anyway. It revolves around an out-of-work, recently widowed construction worker (Mike) trying to keep things together while raising his young son (Cam). It’s the boy’s birthday and all the dad can afford is a cardboard box. But it’s magic cardboard. Soon they have created a cardboard man named Bill who, not surprisingly, comes to life. What follows involves a jealous, rich kid (Marcus) who steals the cardboard, monsters threatening to take over, and heroics by humans young and old (and cardboard). Of course, this is really aimed at a young audience, so good triumphs and lessons are learned, and there’s a nice twist at the end. The art work is appealing, and the dialog rings true. I enjoyed it.
SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
In one of the early chapters I mentioned that I knew I could buy books online but that the thrill was in finding them on my own. Well, thirty-some-odd chapters later I found myself with three books that I knew I was never going to find on my own. But still I persisted until last month, when I got a couple of gift cards for my birthday - one to Barnes & Noble and one was a TD Bank card. Long story short...I've decided to join the 21st Century and ordered all three books online and I got good prices for them. So, here are two of them. I 'm still reading the third, and hope to have it for next month's post.
Miscellaneous
The Man Without a Country & Other Stories - - Edward Everett Hale ($4.99/Gft Card, published 1995, 175 pages, Paperback) This is actually out of print and although published by Wordsworth American Classics is no longer listed in their catalog. I am guessing at the cover price based on similar works that they carry. I’ve been looking for this one since Sept. of 2011 when I learned that Cliff Robertson died. I remembered seeing him in a televised version back in the 60's that has stayed with me all these years. It is the story of Philip Nolan who, through a mistaken allegiance and a bad temper, is sentenced to never see or hear of the United States again. I have to admit that I was surprised to find out that it was such a short story and yet I found it a powerful one. “The Man…” was written in 1863, and this volume includes other stories written between 1842 and 1866. Like any collection, some of the stories are really good and some not so much. These cover an interesting range of topics, some humorously. It’s a mixed bag. As a whole, it was OK. To me, it was worth it and I really did enjoy “The Man…”.
Comic Books
Showcase Presents: Challengers of The Unknown, Vol. 1 - Jack Kirby and others ($16.99/GC, published 2006, 544 pages, Trade Paperback) This volume starts with the first appearance of the Challengers in the January/February 1957 issue of Showcase (#6) and ends with the December 1960/January 1961 issue of Challengers of The Unknown (#17) - their own titled magazine. In all, 21 issues comprising the introduction of the Challengers to the DC Universe. I’ve been chasing this down since the end of 2009 when I came across a copy of Volume 2 in a comic book store in Oakhurst. The Challengers' philosophy of “We’re living on borrowed time.” resonated with me. (Since, at times, I’ve felt the same way.) To my knowledge, Jack Kirby - one of the true greats in comic book history - was the creative force behind the Challengers, drawing every issue up to and including Challengers #8, and writing most of the stories in their own magazine. The writing in the Showcase issues is attributed to Dave Wood, and the pencil work for Challengers #9 onward is by Bob Brown. Back then these were bimonthly publications. In every issue Ace, Rocky, Prof and Red (and sometimes June) would be faced with some scientific/alien/magical menace that would take all of their combined skills to defeat. I would recommend that these should be read over a period of time (say 1 a week/month) as they tend to get repetitive. Still, I found it very enjoyable.
That's it for now. Stayed tuned for next month when I'll tell you about the second book I ordered through Barnes & Noble's Dealer Network. Until then..........
Keep Reading!
Series
On the Wrong Track - Steve Hockensmith ($12.95/$.50, copyright 2007, 290 pages, Trade Paperback)This is the second book in the Amlingmeyer Brothers series. They’re 2 one-time cattle drovers in the Old West of the late 1800’s who’ve taken a shine to the Sherlock Holmes stories (believing him to be as real as the Western heroes and villains pumped up in the dime novels popular at the time) and decide to do some “detectifying” of their own. Here they take jobs as railroad detectives and get mixed up with murders, train robbers, and other western stereotypes. There are gun fights and out-of-control trains to keep the plot moving at a quick pace. It’s told with an eye for detail, and an ear for a good laugh. I enjoyed it.
Kill Alex Cross - James Patterson ($14.99/$1.00, copyright 2011, 364 pages, Trade Paperback)I’ve written about Patterson's Alex Cross series before. In this one, Cross has to deal with the kidnapping of the President’s children while Washington, D. C. is being panicked by terrorist attacks. Patterson’s style holds true here - short, snappy chapters bouncing between the good guys and the bad, with a dash of domestic drama/life for Detective Cross. (And he's brought back a strong supporting character who's been missing for several volumes.) It’s a formula that has served Patterson well. I enjoyed it.
Graphic Novels
Cardboard - Doug Tenniel ($12.99/$0, copyright 2012, 283 pages, Trade Paperback)I read this graphic novel in a couple of hours, while “helping out” at a Book Fair so I didn't actually purchase it but I'm including it anyway. It revolves around an out-of-work, recently widowed construction worker (Mike) trying to keep things together while raising his young son (Cam). It’s the boy’s birthday and all the dad can afford is a cardboard box. But it’s magic cardboard. Soon they have created a cardboard man named Bill who, not surprisingly, comes to life. What follows involves a jealous, rich kid (Marcus) who steals the cardboard, monsters threatening to take over, and heroics by humans young and old (and cardboard). Of course, this is really aimed at a young audience, so good triumphs and lessons are learned, and there’s a nice twist at the end. The art work is appealing, and the dialog rings true. I enjoyed it.
SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
In one of the early chapters I mentioned that I knew I could buy books online but that the thrill was in finding them on my own. Well, thirty-some-odd chapters later I found myself with three books that I knew I was never going to find on my own. But still I persisted until last month, when I got a couple of gift cards for my birthday - one to Barnes & Noble and one was a TD Bank card. Long story short...I've decided to join the 21st Century and ordered all three books online and I got good prices for them. So, here are two of them. I 'm still reading the third, and hope to have it for next month's post.
Miscellaneous
The Man Without a Country & Other Stories - - Edward Everett Hale ($4.99/Gft Card, published 1995, 175 pages, Paperback) This is actually out of print and although published by Wordsworth American Classics is no longer listed in their catalog. I am guessing at the cover price based on similar works that they carry. I’ve been looking for this one since Sept. of 2011 when I learned that Cliff Robertson died. I remembered seeing him in a televised version back in the 60's that has stayed with me all these years. It is the story of Philip Nolan who, through a mistaken allegiance and a bad temper, is sentenced to never see or hear of the United States again. I have to admit that I was surprised to find out that it was such a short story and yet I found it a powerful one. “The Man…” was written in 1863, and this volume includes other stories written between 1842 and 1866. Like any collection, some of the stories are really good and some not so much. These cover an interesting range of topics, some humorously. It’s a mixed bag. As a whole, it was OK. To me, it was worth it and I really did enjoy “The Man…”.
Comic Books
Showcase Presents: Challengers of The Unknown, Vol. 1 - Jack Kirby and others ($16.99/GC, published 2006, 544 pages, Trade Paperback) This volume starts with the first appearance of the Challengers in the January/February 1957 issue of Showcase (#6) and ends with the December 1960/January 1961 issue of Challengers of The Unknown (#17) - their own titled magazine. In all, 21 issues comprising the introduction of the Challengers to the DC Universe. I’ve been chasing this down since the end of 2009 when I came across a copy of Volume 2 in a comic book store in Oakhurst. The Challengers' philosophy of “We’re living on borrowed time.” resonated with me. (Since, at times, I’ve felt the same way.) To my knowledge, Jack Kirby - one of the true greats in comic book history - was the creative force behind the Challengers, drawing every issue up to and including Challengers #8, and writing most of the stories in their own magazine. The writing in the Showcase issues is attributed to Dave Wood, and the pencil work for Challengers #9 onward is by Bob Brown. Back then these were bimonthly publications. In every issue Ace, Rocky, Prof and Red (and sometimes June) would be faced with some scientific/alien/magical menace that would take all of their combined skills to defeat. I would recommend that these should be read over a period of time (say 1 a week/month) as they tend to get repetitive. Still, I found it very enjoyable.
That's it for now. Stayed tuned for next month when I'll tell you about the second book I ordered through Barnes & Noble's Dealer Network. Until then..........
Keep Reading!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Chapter Thirty-three
Interestingly enough, the majority of the male members of my immediate family have been born in August. My late father, myself, my younger brother, two of my nephews and a nephew-by-association. By my count that leaves a brother, two nephews, a brother-in-law and a son-in-law. More then half of the males in my immediate family are August babies. How about that?
Of course, this really has nothing to do with this month's posting. It's just something that I found interesting. Much like at least a couple of the books listed below.
Series
Flood - Andrew H. Vachss ($4.50/$.25, copyright 1985, 344 pages, Paperback)
I wrote about several of Vachss’ books a couple of months ago. This is the first in that series about Burke, an ex-con and unlicensed PI who travels in the NY underworld and deals primarily with cases involving child molestation and abuse. I enjoyed the first Burke book I read (which happened to be the 2nd in the series) . The second one I read, and now this one, were somewhat unsatisfying. This one has the cast of characters dealing with a murderous child molester and a brutal pimp, but there’s nothing new here. I like the supporting cast of characters, but here they are only introduced, not really defined. Later volumes give them life. It was OK.
Non-fiction
The Lost Continent - Bill Bryson ($13.00/$1.00, copyright 1989, 299 pages, Trade Paperback)
I picked this book up because of it’s title, as anyone who knows me would understand. Then I saw the sub-title - “Travels in Small Town America”. Still, I read a few random passages, flipping pages, and I was hooked. This is one person's account of his travels through middle America, starting and ending in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, I found that his vision of small town America is described with such humor and warmth that you want to go there. Then you find that it becomes a bit repetitive. Maybe this would’ve worked best as a series of newspaper/magazine articles or a sort of Charles Kurault “On the Road” type of TV thing. I have to admit that I skimmed through the last third of it. It was OK.
Miscellaneous
Bad Men - John Connolly ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2004, 451 pages, Paperback)
Connolly is the author of the Charlie Parker series, one or two of which I’ve mentioned here before. This is a stand-alone and combines elements of two distinct suspense novel formats. On one hand, we have the abused wife escaping her criminal husband with a lot of his money. Of course, he’s escaped from prison, gathered a gang of killers, and is hunting her down. On the other hand, we have the small island community - cut off from the mainland - that has a horrible tragedy buried in it’s past. Only a few people, including the island’s 7-foot deputy, can feel what’s happening. The two hands slam together in a great story that keeps the surprises going until the end. I enjoyed it.
Grendel - John Gardner ($10.95/$1.00, copyright 1971, 174 pages, Trade Paperback)
Put simply, this is just a retelling of the Beowulf story from the monster’s - Grendel’s - perspective. But this book can’t be read simply. Of course, if you know the Beowulf story, you know how it ends and Gardner stays true to the story, but he has a great time getting there. Grendel screams, yells, cries, and waxes rhapsodic for the length of the book, passing his judgement on Hrothgar and his Danes as representatives of all men. Good vs. evil, intelligence vs. ignorance, there's a lot under the surface here. At times funny, at times tragic, it is always entertaining. I enjoyed it.
Well. August is just about over, and September is only 10 days away. In about a month, Summer will end and Autumn will start. I don't know about you, but this year I'm looking forward to it. Till next time.....
Keep Reading.
Of course, this really has nothing to do with this month's posting. It's just something that I found interesting. Much like at least a couple of the books listed below.
Series
Flood - Andrew H. Vachss ($4.50/$.25, copyright 1985, 344 pages, Paperback)
I wrote about several of Vachss’ books a couple of months ago. This is the first in that series about Burke, an ex-con and unlicensed PI who travels in the NY underworld and deals primarily with cases involving child molestation and abuse. I enjoyed the first Burke book I read (which happened to be the 2nd in the series) . The second one I read, and now this one, were somewhat unsatisfying. This one has the cast of characters dealing with a murderous child molester and a brutal pimp, but there’s nothing new here. I like the supporting cast of characters, but here they are only introduced, not really defined. Later volumes give them life. It was OK.
Non-fiction
The Lost Continent - Bill Bryson ($13.00/$1.00, copyright 1989, 299 pages, Trade Paperback)
I picked this book up because of it’s title, as anyone who knows me would understand. Then I saw the sub-title - “Travels in Small Town America”. Still, I read a few random passages, flipping pages, and I was hooked. This is one person's account of his travels through middle America, starting and ending in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, I found that his vision of small town America is described with such humor and warmth that you want to go there. Then you find that it becomes a bit repetitive. Maybe this would’ve worked best as a series of newspaper/magazine articles or a sort of Charles Kurault “On the Road” type of TV thing. I have to admit that I skimmed through the last third of it. It was OK.
Miscellaneous
Bad Men - John Connolly ($7.99/$.50, copyright 2004, 451 pages, Paperback)
Connolly is the author of the Charlie Parker series, one or two of which I’ve mentioned here before. This is a stand-alone and combines elements of two distinct suspense novel formats. On one hand, we have the abused wife escaping her criminal husband with a lot of his money. Of course, he’s escaped from prison, gathered a gang of killers, and is hunting her down. On the other hand, we have the small island community - cut off from the mainland - that has a horrible tragedy buried in it’s past. Only a few people, including the island’s 7-foot deputy, can feel what’s happening. The two hands slam together in a great story that keeps the surprises going until the end. I enjoyed it.
Grendel - John Gardner ($10.95/$1.00, copyright 1971, 174 pages, Trade Paperback)
Put simply, this is just a retelling of the Beowulf story from the monster’s - Grendel’s - perspective. But this book can’t be read simply. Of course, if you know the Beowulf story, you know how it ends and Gardner stays true to the story, but he has a great time getting there. Grendel screams, yells, cries, and waxes rhapsodic for the length of the book, passing his judgement on Hrothgar and his Danes as representatives of all men. Good vs. evil, intelligence vs. ignorance, there's a lot under the surface here. At times funny, at times tragic, it is always entertaining. I enjoyed it.
Well. August is just about over, and September is only 10 days away. In about a month, Summer will end and Autumn will start. I don't know about you, but this year I'm looking forward to it. Till next time.....
Keep Reading.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Special Insert # Eight - Something I Don't Understand
They say that the older you get, the more you tend to think about your own mortality. Well, I'll be 61 tomorrow and, having come pretty damn close to it almost 4 years ago, I don't pay much attention to Death. And yet I find myself addressing this topic because it just hit pretty damn close to home and I realize that I have some questions.
In literature, Death has been seen differently by different people.
Emily Dickinson wrote of it:
" Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;"
Giving the impression that you can try to ignore Death but you have to accept him .
Dylan Thomas had a different take:
"Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
Giving the impression that although you can't ignore Death you sure as hell can fight him.
These seem to be opposing views of the same subject. What does that mean? To me it means that, perhaps Death is different for each of us, that rules can't be applied to him.
Now, let me point out a few people who I've posted about on FaceBook since the beginning of June. See if you can guess what they have in common.
June 2 - Richard Dawson, 79, TV actor/host
June 5 - Ray Bradbury, 91, writer
June 8 - Frank Cady, 96, TV actor
July 3 - Andy Griffith, 86, actor
July 8 - Ernest Borgnine, 95, actor
July 23 - Sally Ride, 61, astronaut
July 24 - Sherman Hemsley, 74, TV actor
August 1 - Gore Vidal, 86, writer
August 12 - Joe Kubert, 85, artist
That's right. Every one of these represents a piece of my life, a chip out of the bedrock of my past. These actors, writers, and the one astronaut entertained and enthralled me as I grew up. And, of course, they all died recently.
Also, every one of them has died at a fairly advanced age. They had the chance to live the lives they wanted. They had the chance to take risks, make mistakes, love and be loved.
They had the chance.
This brings me to my point. Over the weekend a member of the family died. There was no horrible accident; there had been no lengthy illness; in fact, there had been no sign of illness at all. He, simply, died.
He was 25. He didn't get to have the chance. And I don't understand.
Look at that list of names again. These were famous people. During those same 10 weeks there were hundred of others who died, regular people who were not as famous, but they had the chance. Why should this one young man on the threshold of life be the one to die, to lose the chance? Why?
I don't know.
If it had been due to an accident or an illness we would still grieve but there would be an answer. Here, we don't have one. Just a hole where a young man used to be. A son, a brother, a nephew, a cousin, a friend. Why?
I don't know.
As Christians - as Catholics - we're told that God works in mysterious ways. There are hymns and prayers, there will be a homily, all meant to provide comfort, to give solace. We accept the words, because we've been raised that way. Do they help? When I think of the grieving parents, I have my doubts. After all, what can you do? Kneel before the altar begging and weeping, or stand there yelling and cursing? I don't think it would make a difference. And it wouldn't change anything. I was raised in the New Testament of Faith, Hope, Charity, and Love. This seems so Old Testament to me. A test of Faith? Why?
I don't know.
I'm a parent, too. I can pretend to know what they are going through but I know, deep down, that I really can't. And, frankly, I don't want to. I don't want to lose my child. Ever. I don't know what it would do to me. But I can see what it's doing to them and it breaks my heart.
The way I see it, it comes down to this. The natural order should be that you live your life, raise your family, grow old, and when you die your children bury you. A parent should never have to bury a child. It isn't natural.
But there are no rules in Death. And those questions I have...well, there really is only one. Why? And the answer is...
I don't know.
And this will remain something I don't understand.
Rest in peace, Daniel.
In literature, Death has been seen differently by different people.
Emily Dickinson wrote of it:
" Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;"
Giving the impression that you can try to ignore Death but you have to accept him .
Dylan Thomas had a different take:
"Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
Giving the impression that although you can't ignore Death you sure as hell can fight him.
These seem to be opposing views of the same subject. What does that mean? To me it means that, perhaps Death is different for each of us, that rules can't be applied to him.
Now, let me point out a few people who I've posted about on FaceBook since the beginning of June. See if you can guess what they have in common.
June 2 - Richard Dawson, 79, TV actor/host
June 5 - Ray Bradbury, 91, writer
June 8 - Frank Cady, 96, TV actor
July 3 - Andy Griffith, 86, actor
July 8 - Ernest Borgnine, 95, actor
July 23 - Sally Ride, 61, astronaut
July 24 - Sherman Hemsley, 74, TV actor
August 1 - Gore Vidal, 86, writer
August 12 - Joe Kubert, 85, artist
That's right. Every one of these represents a piece of my life, a chip out of the bedrock of my past. These actors, writers, and the one astronaut entertained and enthralled me as I grew up. And, of course, they all died recently.
Also, every one of them has died at a fairly advanced age. They had the chance to live the lives they wanted. They had the chance to take risks, make mistakes, love and be loved.
They had the chance.
This brings me to my point. Over the weekend a member of the family died. There was no horrible accident; there had been no lengthy illness; in fact, there had been no sign of illness at all. He, simply, died.
He was 25. He didn't get to have the chance. And I don't understand.
Look at that list of names again. These were famous people. During those same 10 weeks there were hundred of others who died, regular people who were not as famous, but they had the chance. Why should this one young man on the threshold of life be the one to die, to lose the chance? Why?
I don't know.
If it had been due to an accident or an illness we would still grieve but there would be an answer. Here, we don't have one. Just a hole where a young man used to be. A son, a brother, a nephew, a cousin, a friend. Why?
I don't know.
As Christians - as Catholics - we're told that God works in mysterious ways. There are hymns and prayers, there will be a homily, all meant to provide comfort, to give solace. We accept the words, because we've been raised that way. Do they help? When I think of the grieving parents, I have my doubts. After all, what can you do? Kneel before the altar begging and weeping, or stand there yelling and cursing? I don't think it would make a difference. And it wouldn't change anything. I was raised in the New Testament of Faith, Hope, Charity, and Love. This seems so Old Testament to me. A test of Faith? Why?
I don't know.
I'm a parent, too. I can pretend to know what they are going through but I know, deep down, that I really can't. And, frankly, I don't want to. I don't want to lose my child. Ever. I don't know what it would do to me. But I can see what it's doing to them and it breaks my heart.
The way I see it, it comes down to this. The natural order should be that you live your life, raise your family, grow old, and when you die your children bury you. A parent should never have to bury a child. It isn't natural.
But there are no rules in Death. And those questions I have...well, there really is only one. Why? And the answer is...
I don't know.
And this will remain something I don't understand.
Rest in peace, Daniel.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Chapter Thirty-two
My usual routine is to read whatever number of books I can, and post an entry here, typically by the 24th of the month. Looking back, I realized that I tend to soften my opinion of a book as the month wears on. Basically, I may not like/hate it as much when I post as I did when I finished it. To change that, I've taken to keeping notes in Word so you get my honest opinion.
Miscellaneous
Gentlemen of the Road - Michael Chabon ($14.00/$.50, copyright 2007, 206 pages, Trade Paperback)
I’ve read several of Chabon’s works in the past. They have all been different - different characters, even different genres. Here we have two disparate adventurers - Zelikman and Amram - plying their “trade” wherever the road takes them in a past time somewhere around 950 AD. True to type for these kinds of stories, they wind up involved in rescuing a member of a royal family and saving a kingdom all while trying to make a few dinars. I wanted to like this, but Chabon has a tendency towards really long run-on sentences and he comes on pretty heavy with the fact that a lot of his characters are Jewish. (Also, he dedicates the book to Michael Moorcock when he obviously owes more to Fritz Leiber. AND this was originally serialized in the New York Times so, in my mind, the cover price isn‘t justified.). It was OK.
White Sky, Black Ice - Stan Jones ($15.00/$.50, copyright 1999, 264 pages, Trade Paperback)
An interesting premise. The main character, Nathan Active, is an Alaskan State Trooper looking into a string of suicides by Eskimos. He's also a native-born Eskimo who was given up for adoption to a white couple but now finds himself serving in the town of his birth. I was hoping for some fish-out-of-water stuff, maybe some Northern Exposure stuff. Definitely some Alaskan nature/harsh weather stuff. Jones glosses over all of it. There's some interesting stuff here but I figured it out early. It was OK.
Alex Cross's Trial - James Patterson & Richard Dilallo ($9.99, $.50, copyright 2009, 392 pages, Paperback)
And the Patterson Machine keeps on rolling them out. I'm listing this one under Miscellaneous because I don't believe it should be classified as part of Patterson's Alex Cross series. In part, because he has a co-writer, in part because it is supposed to be a book written by Alex Cross about something that happened to his ancestor. It revolves President Theodore Roosevelt sending a friend, Ben Corbett, down to Mississippi to investigate reports about lynching, and what happens when he gets there. I have to admit that having read all of the Alex Cross books, I found it a bit difficult remembering that the main character wasn't black. But there are scenes involving local color, violence, and court rooms that ring true. I was reminded at times of the movies To Kill A Mockinbird and Inherit the Wind. I enjoyed it.
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter - Seth Grahame-Smith ($13.99/$5.99/Gift Card*, copyright 2010, 336 pages, Trade Paperback)
OK. I don't see how I can talk too much about this since the title pretty much tells it all. What I will say is that it is well written, mixes first and third person narratives (sometimes confusingly) to keep the story moving forward, and actually makes sense as you read through it. Unfortunately, I couldn't agree with the ending, but I did enjoy it. (*The cover price was $13.99 but it was reduced to $5.99 and I used what was left on a gift card.)
Something Special
Aaron Burr - Samuel H. Wandell and Meade Minnigerode
I'm guessing that you've noticed that there are no particulars about this work. That's because I haven't read it yet. I mention it because, once in a great while, you can find something interesting. As I've said, I usually confine myself to libraries, but once in a while I do check out used book stores. Particularly when I'm looking for something specific. I was looking for a copy of Edward Hale's "The Man Without a Country" and didn't have any luck. But I did buy this. A 2 volume, hard cover, biography of a very interesting character in early American history, copyright 1925. I paid $10.00 for the 2 of them. When I got home, I checked out Amazon. Collector's editions were selling for $75.00, used for $30.00. Not a bad investment. I hope it reads well.
Anyway, it's mid-July, it's very warm, and you should stay cool and..........
Keep reading.
Miscellaneous
Gentlemen of the Road - Michael Chabon ($14.00/$.50, copyright 2007, 206 pages, Trade Paperback)
I’ve read several of Chabon’s works in the past. They have all been different - different characters, even different genres. Here we have two disparate adventurers - Zelikman and Amram - plying their “trade” wherever the road takes them in a past time somewhere around 950 AD. True to type for these kinds of stories, they wind up involved in rescuing a member of a royal family and saving a kingdom all while trying to make a few dinars. I wanted to like this, but Chabon has a tendency towards really long run-on sentences and he comes on pretty heavy with the fact that a lot of his characters are Jewish. (Also, he dedicates the book to Michael Moorcock when he obviously owes more to Fritz Leiber. AND this was originally serialized in the New York Times so, in my mind, the cover price isn‘t justified.). It was OK.
White Sky, Black Ice - Stan Jones ($15.00/$.50, copyright 1999, 264 pages, Trade Paperback)
An interesting premise. The main character, Nathan Active, is an Alaskan State Trooper looking into a string of suicides by Eskimos. He's also a native-born Eskimo who was given up for adoption to a white couple but now finds himself serving in the town of his birth. I was hoping for some fish-out-of-water stuff, maybe some Northern Exposure stuff. Definitely some Alaskan nature/harsh weather stuff. Jones glosses over all of it. There's some interesting stuff here but I figured it out early. It was OK.
Alex Cross's Trial - James Patterson & Richard Dilallo ($9.99, $.50, copyright 2009, 392 pages, Paperback)
And the Patterson Machine keeps on rolling them out. I'm listing this one under Miscellaneous because I don't believe it should be classified as part of Patterson's Alex Cross series. In part, because he has a co-writer, in part because it is supposed to be a book written by Alex Cross about something that happened to his ancestor. It revolves President Theodore Roosevelt sending a friend, Ben Corbett, down to Mississippi to investigate reports about lynching, and what happens when he gets there. I have to admit that having read all of the Alex Cross books, I found it a bit difficult remembering that the main character wasn't black. But there are scenes involving local color, violence, and court rooms that ring true. I was reminded at times of the movies To Kill A Mockinbird and Inherit the Wind. I enjoyed it.
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter - Seth Grahame-Smith ($13.99/$5.99/Gift Card*, copyright 2010, 336 pages, Trade Paperback)
OK. I don't see how I can talk too much about this since the title pretty much tells it all. What I will say is that it is well written, mixes first and third person narratives (sometimes confusingly) to keep the story moving forward, and actually makes sense as you read through it. Unfortunately, I couldn't agree with the ending, but I did enjoy it. (*The cover price was $13.99 but it was reduced to $5.99 and I used what was left on a gift card.)
Something Special
Aaron Burr - Samuel H. Wandell and Meade Minnigerode
I'm guessing that you've noticed that there are no particulars about this work. That's because I haven't read it yet. I mention it because, once in a great while, you can find something interesting. As I've said, I usually confine myself to libraries, but once in a while I do check out used book stores. Particularly when I'm looking for something specific. I was looking for a copy of Edward Hale's "The Man Without a Country" and didn't have any luck. But I did buy this. A 2 volume, hard cover, biography of a very interesting character in early American history, copyright 1925. I paid $10.00 for the 2 of them. When I got home, I checked out Amazon. Collector's editions were selling for $75.00, used for $30.00. Not a bad investment. I hope it reads well.
Anyway, it's mid-July, it's very warm, and you should stay cool and..........
Keep reading.
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