End of Week Catch-up

The haze from the mainland fires turned the moon red

Happy Sunday! The sun is shining, there is a nice breeze coming in the den window... which now that I look at it, needs a good cleaning. Jo and I went out for a drive with the pups a week ago or so when we had a particularly hot spell and you could taste some of the smoke from the fires they've been dealing with on the mainland. It was so hazy, the moon had turned a reddish. Don't know if you can tell from the picture Jo took. It's much better now... well, better here on the island. It's probably not much changed on the mainland as we still haven't really had any of the rain that was supposed to fall.

Sunday morning on the couch as Dad watches footie and reads

Clyde survived his trip to the vet to get his teeth cleaned and a couple more removed. He felt sorry for himself for a couple of days (can't really blame the poor fella) but he's pretty well back to normal now, scrapping with Bonnie and barking at the neighbours.

I finished the third book in Laurie R. King's Mary Russell / Sherlock Holmes mystery series. I have to say that I like it but don't love it. The stories read OK, but they don't leave me feeling wow or anything like that. Anyway, my review is below. I've started the 8th book in one of my favourite mystery series next, Fatal Remedies by Donna Leon, the Inspector Brunetti series. I've only read the first 3 chapters but I already know I'm going to like it.






"A Letter of Mary is the 3rd book in the Mary Russell / Sherlock Holmes mystery series by Laurie R. King. I have to say that I continue to have mixed feelings about the series. The concept in itself is interesting; Russell who started off being mentored by Holmes and is now his wife and works cases with him. Holmes, himself, is basically retired from detective work and they live on a piece of land in Sussex where Holmes raises bees and Russell works on a degree at Oxford while also spending time with her husband.
An acquaintance of Russell, a lady archaeologist, Dorothy Ruskin, visits them, and gives them a letter she had found in a dig in the Middle East, a letter purported to have been written by Mary Magdalene to her sister. The next day, Ruskin is found dead, hit by a car in London. Holmes and Russell get involved, suspect that Ruskin has been murdered for some reason. The same day, Holmes' home is broken into and searched. Further suspicion now that it was murder and not an accident.
The rest of the story involves their investigation, with help by the son of Lestrade (now a police detective) and also by Sherlock's brother Mycroft. Both Holmes and Mary follow different suspects; one a misogynist Colonel, the other the sister of Dorothy.
So that's the barest outline. The story is interesting, but, personally, I do find it difficult to warm to Russell. At one point she calls Holmes a prig and I thought, no, you're the prig. She is a strong-willed, intelligent character, but so much time is spent with her kind of anti-snobbishness that she seems to be a snob. I'm not saying this correctly. I like Holmes, I like Mycroft, I like Lestrade and Russell is OK in her own way. I liked the story, but I didn't love it. At the end, I thought, OK, there you go. So what. Does that mean I won't read any of the others I still have on my bookshelf. No, it doesn't, but I'll read a few other books before I do. Try the series and let me know what you think. (3 stars)"

New Purchases

I found a couple of books on a recent trip downtown. Two from series I've been collecting and one I don't think I knew had actually been a book before it became a movie.

1. The Pyx by John Buell. I saw this many years ago, an interesting crime drama / horror story starring Karen Black in the lead. The book is by Canadian writer John Buell. I'm very interested in reading it.






"When heroin-addicted call girl Elizabeth Lucy dies in a fall from a swanky penthouse terrace, homicide detective Henderson is assigned to the case. Was it murder? Suicide? Through his investigation, Henderson uncovers a frightening underworld that is far more dark and dangerous than those of prostitution and the drug trade. But more than anything, this is Elizabeth's story. Told through flashbacks and by hose who knew her, revelations unfold, revealing a life that ends with a struggle unlike any other."

2. Wings above the Diamantina by Arthur Upfield. This is the third book in the Australian Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte mystery series. I've found 3 or 4 of the books so far and look forward to delving into it.






"The discovery of a stolen monoplane on the dry, flat bottom of Emu Lake meant many things to many people: for Elizabeth Nettlefold, it meant a new purpose in life; for Dr. Knowles, brilliant physician and town drunk, it meant the revival of a romantic dream; for person or persons unknown, it meant a murder plan gone badly awry; and for Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, it meant one of the toughest cases in his career."

3. Maigret in Holland by Georges Simenon. I like the Inspector Maigret series very much and I especially like it when I come across Harcourt Books special editions. I like the covers. What can I say. :)






"In his latest case, Maigret finds himself in the town of Delfzijl investigating the murder of a teacher. He is presented with two clues - a sailor's cap in the bathtub and a Manila cigar butt - and a gaggle of suspects, including a flirtatious farmer's daughter, an angry lawyer, a larcenous ship owner, an unaccountably frightened cadet, and a pompous criminologist with a revolver. The Inspector, in turn, is preoccupied with a suspicious pathway lit by a lighthouse beam, which leads him to wonder if this is the kind of spot where secret lovers might be discovered."

The Missus's Pop Culture Challenge

Today I'll look at Days 22 - 24. I'm falling behind on this.

Day 22 - Name a Film Guaranteed to Make you Cry.  Jo's one caveat was that you should want to watch it again. I chose To Kill a Mockingbird, especially the scene at the end where we finally meet Boo Radley, who has just saved Scout's life. Jo chose the end of Love Actually. She is a soft touch and has vowed never to watch some of the movies I've recommended because the make her sob throughout. Her sister Sue chose the scene in Funny Girl where Barbra Streisand signs My Man. Other choices included On the Beach, A Touch of Class, Beaches, etc

Day 23 - Which TV Series do you Wish had never Ended. I chose the short lived Firefly, Joss Whedon's entry into the Space genre. It was a combination Space / Wild West adventure. Jo chose The Newsroom, a favourite of ours. Other choices included New Tricks, Dragnet, The West Wing, etc.

Day 24 - Your Favourite James Bond theme. I chose the theme of the first Bond movie I ever saw, that being Goldfinger by Shirley Bassey. Other choices included Live and Let Die by Wings, Casino Royale (Burt Bacharach) as chosen by Jo, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds are Forever, etc.

Great Historical Events

Today's entry covers 1783.

"Loss During the Revolution

1783. Seventy thousand men estimated to have been lost during the Revolutionary War.
Oliver Evans introduced the first improved grain mill.
Fur-trading established in Alaska.
Feb. 5. - Independence of United States acknowledged by Sweden.
Feb. 25. - Independence of United States recognised by Denmark.
March 24. - Independence of United States acknowledged by Spain.
April 11. - Peace proclaimed by Congress.
April 19. - Peace announced by Washington to the army.
July. - Independence of United States recognised by Russia. (Ed. note. Seemingly Russia now wants US to be a province under Mr. Putin.)
Sept. 3. - Definitive treaties of peace between England and the United States, France, Spain, and Holland.
Oct. 18. - Proclamation of disbanding of the army.
Nov. 2. - Washington's farewell orders.
Nov. 25. - New York evacuated by the British.
Dec. 23. - Washington resigns his commission."

So lots happened in 1783. Will 1784 be similar?

Science of Common Things

Today's excerpt from Prof. L.G. Gorton discusses the rays of light and other things of interest.

What is a ray of light? It is the smallest portion of light discernible. What is a beam of light? A collection of rays. of what is a ray of light composed? It is composed of seven elementary parts, giving the colours violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. (Ed. note. As I was taught in school, ROYGBIV - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.)"

Next entry the good Prof will explain colour.

The Birth Date Thing 10 November 2005
I was now 50 years old (the old half century) and Jo and I had been married for 3 wonderful years. You'd think that better songs could have been on the list for my 50th birthday, eh?

US Billboard #1 Single 10 November 2005

Gold Digger by Kanye West. American rapper, singer, song writer, or Happy as I like to call him has been active since the mid-90s. Gold Digger, which features Jamie Foxx, was his 2nd US #1 single.
UK #1 Single 10 November 2005

You Raise Me Up by Westlife. Westlife were an Irish boy band formed in 1998 and disbanded in 2012. They had a string of #1 hits in the UK before You Raise me Up. The song was originally recorded by Irish / Norwegian duo, Secret Garden.

In Memoriam



Rest in Peace

It was just reported on CBC News, which I've got on in the background, that legendary comedian Jerry Lewis has passed away at the age of 91.

New York Times #1 Fiction Best Seller 10 November 2005

At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks. At First Sight is the sequel to American author Nicholas Sparks' previous book, True Believer. Sparks has published 18 novels, including At First Sight, A Walk to Remember, Nights in Rodanthe and The Notebook.








Pulitzer Prize Winner 2005

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. Gilead is American author Marilynne Robinson's second novel. "It comprises the fictional autobiography of the Reverend John Ames, an elderly Congregationalist pastor in the small, secluded town of Gilead, Iowa, who knows that he is dying of a heart condition. At the beginning of the book, the date is established as 1956, and Ames explains that he is writing an account of his life for his seven-year-old son, who will have few memories of him."





Nobel Prize Laureate 2005

Harold Pinter (United Kingdom). English playwright, screenwriter, actor and director, Harold Pinter lived from 1930 - 2008. Three of Pinter's plays, The Birthday Party, The Homecoming and Betrayal were adapted for the screen by him. He also adapted a number of other works for the screen; The French Lieutenant's Woman, Sleuth, The Servant, etc. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature as a writer who "in his plays uncovers the precipice under everyday prattle and forces entry into oppression's closed rooms".

Hugo Award Winner 2005

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I read this in 2012 and enjoyed very much. It took a bit to get into but then it just drew you in to the unique world Clarke had created. It was also turned into a TV series, but I've yet to watch. My review is below.








"I was unsure whether to give this three or four stars. The story was very interesting and flowed nicely. I felt at times that it didn't have to be so long. The plot was interesting, but the ending somewhat of a let down; only somewhat, as the story was resolved satisfactorily. It was interesting and different and worth reading. The characters were well crafted and in some cases quite menacing. The magic was quite intriguing and I liked both Strange and Norrell, for different reasons as they are quite different characters. I think my favourite characters were Childermass, Arabella Strange and Flora Greysteels.. as well as Mr Segundus.. Worth reading and making the effort. (3 stars)"

Edgar Award Winner 2005

California Girl by T. Jefferson Parker. Parker also won this award in 2002. I might have to try his work. California Girl was one of his standalone works of crime fiction.

"The Orange County, California, that the Becker brothers knew as boys is no more -- unrecognisably altered since the afternoon in 1954 when Nick, Clay, David, and Andy rumbled with the lowlife Vonns, while five-year-old Janelle Vonn watched from the sidelines. The new decade has brought about the end of the orange groves and the birth of suburban sprawl. It is the era of Johnson, hippies, John Birchers, and LSD. Clay becomes a casualty of a far-off jungle war. Nick becomes a cop, Andy a reporter, David a minister. And the decapitated corpse of teenage beauty queen Janelle Vonn is discovered in an abandoned warehouse."

Man Booker Prize Winner 2005

The Sea by John Banville. The Sea is the 18th novel by Irish writer, John Banville.

"The story is told by Max Morden, a self-aware, retired art historian attempting to reconcile himself to the deaths of those whom he loved as a child and as an adult."






Giller Prize Winner 2005

The Time In Between by David Bergen. Bergen was born in 1957 and has published 9 novels. The Time In Between was his 4th novel.

"In search of love, absolution, or forgiveness, Charles Boatman leaves the Fraser Valley of British Columbia and returns mysteriously to Vietnam, the country where he fought twenty-nine years earlier as a young, reluctant soldier. But his new encounters seem irreconcilable with his memories.

When he disappears, his daughter Ada, and her brother, Jon, travel to Vietnam, to the streets of Danang and beyond, to search for him. Their quest takes them into the heart of a country that is at once incomprehensible, impassive, and beautiful. Chasing her father’s shadow for weeks, following slim leads, Ada feels increasingly hopeless. Yet while Jon slips into the urban nightlife to avoid what he most fears, Ada finds herself growing closer to her missing father — and strong enough to forgive him and bear the heartbreaking truth of his long-kept secret." 

Well, there you go. A lengthy update for you. On Friday a favourite series of ours finished on our local PBS station, Knowledge Network. We enjoyed The Indian Doctor very much. Tonight, happily, the 4th season of Endeavour starts. I'm looking forward to it. For now, it's time to watch the Blue Jays lose their 3rd straight against the Cubbies. *sigh*

Favourite Mystery Writers - A Touch of Venice

Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti Series

I will say I do love a well-written series. One of my favourite mystery series for the past few years has been Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti series, which is set in Venice, Italy. Ms. Leon started the series in 1992, with Death at La Fenice and since that time has published 20 novels. I noticed just the other day that she has published Brunetti's Cookbook, which intrigues me, since one of the aspects that makes the novels enjoyable and interesting are the meals that Brunetti has with his family or when out solving mysteries. I think it's a neat idea.

I haven't read the mysteries in any particular order, of the 8 that I have read so far, since 2002, when I bought my first one. I don't think it hurts anything by not reading them in order, but obviously there are incidents involving specific characters, including the basic fact that Brunetti's two children; Raffi, his teenage son and Chiarra, his precocious, lovely daughter, are both growing up as the series progresses. If you prefer to read the books in chronological order, this is how they've been released:

Dressed for Death (1994)

1. Death at La Fenice (1992)
2. Death in a Strange Country (1993)
3. Dressed for Death (or The Anonymous Venetian) (1994)
4. Death and Judgement (A Venetian Reckoning) (1995)
5. Death in High Water (or Acqua Alta) (1996)
6. Death of Faith (or Quietly in their Sleep) (1997)
7. A Noble Radiance (1997)
8. Fatal Remedies (1999)
9. Friends in High Places (2000)
10. A Sea of Troubles (2001)
11. Wilful Behaviour (2002)
12. Uniform Justice (2003)
13. Doctored Evidence (2004)
14. Blood from a Stone (2005)
15. Through a Glass, Darkly (2006)
16. Suffer the Little Children (2007)
17. The Girl of his Dreams (2008)
18. About Face (2009)
19. A Question of Belief (2010)
20. Drawing Conclusions (2011)

Death and Judgement (1995)

Donna Leon, the author of this great series, was born in New Jersey in 1942. Now what you may well ask qualifies her then to set her series in Venice, Italy and make the locale and people who populate the stories seem so real?

Good question. :0). Donna has lived in Italy for over 25 years, lecturing in English at the University of Maryland University College - Europe, then worked as a Professor from 1981 to 1999 at the American military base of Vicenza (Italy).

She no longer teaches, instead concentrating on her writing and other cultural activities. According to the write up on her in wikipedia, while her books have been translated into many foreign languages, at her request, they have not been translated, oddly enough, into Italian.

Acqua Alta (1996)

As I mentioned earlier, I first discovered Donna Leon around 2002. I do love to browse in The Laughing Oyster bookshop on 5th Street in Courtenay, when looking at new books (I do love the name of the store for one thing.) They have a nice little mystery section at the back of the shop and when I'm looking to see if any of my favourites have put out new books, I often head there first.

One thing that does often first catch my attention with new authors is the book cover. Donna Leon's Penguin editions did just that. There is a simplicity to the spine, her name and the title with a solid neutral colour. When that grabs your focus and you pull out the books, the shadowy photo in the foreground, some focus on Venetian architecture; and then the muted colours (well, I'm an autumn person, so the oranges and brown do appeal to me).

Of course, that wouldn't especially make me buy a book; I next read the summary and that has always been interesting enough to get me started and then continue to draw me in.



Doctored Evidence (2004)

 For example, in Acqua Alta, "A Venice braces for a winter tempest, Commissario Guido Brunetti, Donna Leon's intrepid Italian sleuth, finds out that an old friend has been savagely beaten at the palazzo home of reigning diva Flavia Petrelli. Then, as the flood waters rise, a corpse is discovered - and Brunetti must wade through the chaotic city to solve his deadliest case yet. Sinister and exotic, Acqua Alta is another chilling addition to Donna Leon's bestselling series."

Setting

Ah yes, the setting. As mentioned, the stories are set mainly in the environs of Venice, Italy. It definitely adds to the ambiance of the novels. Donna Leon lovingly describes the area, the feel for the history, the sometimes decay caused by political interference, pollution, the flooding, but at the same time, there is an affection; the small cafes frequented by Brunetti, the history in the buildings, the lives of the people who make Venice their home.

As Brunetti wanders around Venice, either walking or taking the water taxis and police launches, you feel you are there and experiencing the area with his eyes. Brunetti obviously loves Venice and is at the same time frustrated that it is being let decay because of government corruption and inaction.



Death in a Strange Country (1993)

 I love the politics of simple things like getting repair work done on apartments and homes. I love sitting in the bars with Brunetti, having a grappa or sitting in his kitchen while he interacts with his wife and children as they prepare the evening meal. I've been to Venice a couple of times in my earlier life and reading these stories does bring back some foggy memories of the time I did manage to spend there, even as short as that was.

Of course, not every story is set in Venice, or, at the very least, Brunetti does make side trips to other areas, but his fondness is always for his home. And why not?

Characters

Of the stories I've read so far, and I've managed to read 8 thus far, these are the main characters that the Commissario deals and interacts with -




A Noble Radiance (1997)

 Brunetti (himself) - Of course, he is the lead, the main protagonist. Guido Brunetti is a Commissario (police commissioner) who works for the Venice Police Force. As best as I can relate this rank, he is a superintendent who leads investigations and other such duties. Brunetti is intelligent, somewhat cynical, but one who seeks justice for the victims of the cases in which he is involved. He has to deal with the Italian political system in gaining this justice, but he has the assistance of a small group that he can always rely on to solve his cases and get justice.

Vice-Questore Patta - Brunetti's boss is an ambitious individual who is often a thorn in Brunetti's side. He is an individual who wants promotion and he won't let Brunetti's sense of justice side track this desire of advancement. Brunetti must often tread carefully to get what he needs; warrants, the ability to interrogate powerful people, etc, or Patta will hinder or stop his investigations. However, it does seem that the good Commissario knows how to get around his sometimes interfering boss to ensure some form of justice is achieved.

Sergeant Vianello - Brunetti's most reliable investigator, the subordinate he relies on the most to help solve his cases is the redoubtable, efficient Sergeant (and sometimes his wife as well) who works tirelessly on Brunetti's behalf. There have been cases where even his wife, who works in the background, has become involved to question friends and acquaintances if the case interests her.


Uniform Justice (2003)


Signorina Elettra - OK, I admit it, I have a crush on la bella Signorina. Elettra was introduced in Dressed for Death. She is Patta's secretary, but also provides invaluable assistance to Brunetti and Vianello. She has come over as a senior secretary from la Banca Italia and provides a wealth of knowledge of how to gain information from the Italian governmental Internet and seems to take great joy in researching and gathering useful information for the two. Besides the fact that she is lovely, intelligent and just darn wonderful.. well, I guess that says it all. Why she helps them or chose to work with the police is mainly a mystery, but we're glad she does!

Brunetti's family (Paola, Raffi and Chiarra) - It's nice to have a mystery series, dealing with crime, murder and corruption, where the main protagonist isn't divorced, dealing with personal ghosts and all that stuff. Not that Brunetti doesn't have issues, but the nice thing about the series is that he can go home to his family, which grounds him. His wife Paola, who comes from one of Italy's richest families, but is more of a leftist, is intelligent (teaching English literature at the university), beautiful and still manages to raise a family and cook great meals!!! This is Brunetti's joy and solace in his life as a police commissario and they add a wonderful quality to the stories.

Where Am I At?

I've managed to read 8 of the stories so far;
Death at La Fenice - Brunetti works to solve the mystery of a German conductor of La Fenice opera house.
Death in a Strange Country -  Brunetti works to solve the murder of a young American who is fished out of a Venetian canal. Though all the signs point to a violent mugging, it may also involve the existence of a high-level conspiracy.
Dressed for Death - Instead of going on holiday to the mountains with his family, Brunetti must try to solve the murder of a banker, which may involve the world of transvestites or financial intrigue.
Death and Judgement - Brunetti works to solve two seemingly unrelated murders, which involve him in the dealings and intrigue of Italy's elite class.
Acqua Alta - As Venice prepares for the winter season and annual floods, Brunetti is once again involved with the opera world as an old friend is mugged.
A Noble Radiance - Brunetti discovers the clue at an old grave discovered at an Italian farm house that reignites a cold case and famous kidnapping.
Uniform Justice - Brunetti must try to solve the case of the murder of a young military cadet, which involves the city's elite and also brings back memories of his own childhood.
Doctored Evidence - Brunetti investigates the murder of a wealthy, elderly woman and the possibility that her Romanian maid was not involved in her murder.

I don't read the books one after the other, rather, I find the series a comfortable read. I enjoy taking one of my shelf of 'to be read' books, every 3 or 4 months and re-installing myself in Brunetti's world. I still have a few on the shelves available to read, so I won't lack for enjoyment. I'm sure also that over time, I will find the remainder as I search through my favourite book stores. I highly recommend the series. Find them and enjoy as much as I have so far!