Just Finished Reading / Just Started & a Bit of History / Science

It's been a lazy, quiet rainy Saturday, a nice relaxing day. I watched my morning footie, went out to get some dessert for today and Jo and I watched Strictly Come Dancing. A new Midsomer Murders tonight... While the dogs are relaxing after their rainy walk and supper and Jo is keeping touch with folks back home I think I'll do an update on what I've been reading and the new books I'm starting.

Just Finished

1. Nights Below Station Street by David Adams Richards. Not quite sure how much I liked this book, one of my CanLit selections. I liked that it was set in the Miramichi region of New Brunswick as I spent many years living there as a youngster. Anyway, rather than repeating myself, below is my review of the book.












"Nights Below Station Street by David Adams Richards is the first book in Canadian author Richards' Miramichi trilogy. For those who don't know, the Miramichi is a river in New Brunswick Canada that flows into the Miramichi Bay and thence into the Gulf of St Lawrence. From a personal perspective, I lived there for seven years of my youth while my father was stationed at the RCAF Base at Chatham, near the mouth of the river. So there you've got that picture in your mind now. :0))
The story tells of Joe, Rita and their children, Adele and Molly and also of their friends and acquaintances. I won't say the story is necessarily a happy one; Joe is an alcoholic with feelings of deep insecurity; Rita married Joe as a sort of last chance when she gets pregnant by another man; Adele is a teenager who loves / hates her family and friends, tries to fit in but doesn't know how; Molly is a hyper-active child. Their friends also deal with their own issues; Myhrra, trying to raise a boy; I think loves Joe but marries Vye. The old doctor, Hennessy, who can't tell his true feelings and is a curmudgeon. Ralphie, in love with Adele, but subject of her anger and trying to live up to his mother's wishes and also to be accepted by his sister, etc.
The story is a series of vignettes, lovingly crafted, with a clear picture of the people and their actions. My main problem with the story was that I found it difficult to warm to these people, but that was probably because my life experience was very different. As the story progressed, I did find myself being drawn into their lives and wanting things to work out and for them to come together. Unfortunately, the story does leave you hanging somewhat, but with maybe hope for their future. It did make me want to find the next book in the trilogy; Evening Snow Will Bring Such Peace. (3 stars)"

2. The Man with a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes. This was a most enjoyable introduction to the Chief Inspector Jury murder mystery series. Review below.










"The Man With a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes is the first book in the Inspector Richard Jury mystery series. I've previously read 5 other books in the series but that was 3 or 4 years ago. I was glad to finally read the first book, especially glad as it introduced the core of characters who appear in many of the other books in the series (at least those that I've read)
Chief Inspector Jury of Scotland Yard has been assigned to a case in the town of Long Piddleton, where  two murders are being investigated. Both bodies have been discovered in local pubs, The Man with a Load of Mischief and The Jack and Hammer. Jury is accompanied by hypochondriac Sgt. Wiggins. During the course of his investigation, more bodies are discovered. Jury's investigation introduces an intriguing cast of witnesses / suspects; from wealthy Melrose Plant, his precocious aunt Lady Agatha, antique dealer Marshall Trueblood, lovely poetess Vivian Rivington, and many others. I particularly enjoyed Jury's interactions with the Double children; they added a nice gentle touch to this murder mystery.
The story is set during the Xmas period. As the investigation progresses, we get a nice feel for Jury's nature, personality and his manner of investigation. The case was intriguing and we continue to be fed new clues and information. Was the murder perpetrated by a stranger or someone local? The journey we travel makes the solution even more enjoyable and satisfying. Having read some of the other books previously, but still many years ago, it was nice to meet those characters who appear in future books and often assist Jury with his investigations. Excellent story and mystery. Now to find book 2. The Old Fox Deceiv'd. (As an aside, if you are not aware of this, the titles of each book refer to pubs in the area of the particular mystery.) (4 stars)"

Just Started

These are the two books I've chosen to read following the two above.

1. The Blue Edge of Midnight by Jonathon King. This is the 1st book in the Max Freeman mystery series.











"Max Freeman's old life ended on a night that will haunt him for ever. The night he killed a twelve-year old child in self-defence in a Philadelphia shootout. The night he stopped being a cop. Now he lives a solitary existence on the edge of the Florida Everglades, with a conscience that gives him no rest.
Then he finds a corpse of a child beside an ancient river and Freeman's past explodes into the present. Distrusted as an outsider by the long-time residents of the Glades, and considered a suspect by the police, he is thrust into the center of the search for a serial killer. And when another child goes missing, Freemman knows that he has no choice but to hunt down the murderer himself..."

2. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. I start this with a bit of trepidation. I've heard mixed things about Woolf's writing style, but I guess I'll have to judge for myself, eh?










"With this book Virginia Woolf broke finally with the traditional form of the English novel. Although she had not yet pushed the process as far as she later did in To the Lighthouse and The Waves, the life of the mind was already ousting inn importance the tangible reality of the external world. The reader is shown Clarissa Dalloway, the fashionable wife of a Member of Parliament - 'like a nun withdrawing' - largely through the impressions and memories within her mind and the minds of other characters. Moreover the action is contained within the limits of a single day - the day on which she is to hold an important party."

Hmm! Well, we'll see. Tonight I think I'll finish one more book, Forever Odd, by Dean Koontz, which I'm enjoying very much. But that review will be the subject of my next entry here.

Great Historical Events

In this excerpt we cover 1795 and 1796, both relatively short entries.

1795. Great opposition to the treaty with Great Britain. War imminent, but the great firmness and decision of Washington averts it. (Ed. Note. I've avoided mentioning the Great Pumpkin currently residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave for awhile now as I get mad just thinking about him, but I've got to say that I hope someone in Washington has that great firmness now to beat him down and keep the peace in the world!)
First large American glass factory built at Pittsburg.
1796. John Adams and Thos. Jefferson elected President and Vice-President.
Dec. 7 - Washington's last speech to Congress, declining further office."

Science of Common Things

In today's excerpt, Prof. L.G. Gorton discusses sound.

 What is sound? Sound is that mode of motion which is capable of affecting the auditory nerve. It is produced by the vibration of elastic substance. Why do we hear more distinctly on a damp day than we do on a dry one? Because damp air is a better conductor of sound. (Ed. Note. That's what I like about old L.G. Why waste time on a more complex explanation.) What is an echo? echo? echo?.... (I added the 2nd and 3rd echoes.. You know, because I'm a funny guy.) It is a reflected sound. How fast does sound travel in the air? About eleven hundred feet per second."

OK, we'll stop there. I don't want to overload you with historical and scientific facts. More next time. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!