Most of the neighborhood have been putting their outside lights up and I've even noticed the odd Xmas tree inside. I haven't decided to put mine up yet, firstly I'm going to finish cleaning my neighbor's gutters. If it stops raining. Lol!
I finished my first book of December, a nice short one. I've also made progress on books that I was working on in November, hope to finish them shortly. Yesterday I also received a book in the mail. So, I'll provide my review on the finished book, a synopsis of the book that is next in line, as well as of the new book. Then I'll continue with my look at favorite authors.
Just Finished
"I have an ambivalent relationship with poetry. I keep trying and sometimes I think I get the poems, others I don't. But I do like to keep trying. This is my second look at the poetry of [author:Margaret Atwood|3472] this past year, with [book:Dearly: Poems|50922348]. I do like the modernity of her poems; they don't necessarily have the feel of poetry. You know, rhyming and that sort of things. There is a stream of consciousness to them and an easy flow.
A number of topics touched on in this collection; from the strangely eclectic zombies and werewolves, to a short touching collection entitled Songs for Murdered Sisters (written for a friend whose sister had been murdered), to looks at nature and our attempts to destroy our environment and finally a series of poems dealing with her feelings about her long-time partner's death after suffering from dementia.
It's a far-ranging collection, funny at times;
"Too many people talk about what she should wear
so she will be fashionable or at least
so she will not be killed." (Princess Clothing)
and touching;
"Who was my sister
Is now an empty chair
Is no longer
Is no longer there
She is now emptiness
She is now air" (1. Empty Chair from Songs for Murdered Sisters)
I know I don't always get it, but there is a nice flow and feeling to Margaret Atwood's poetry. Try it. (4 stars)"
Currently Reading
"Here is the story of the inimitable twelve-year-old Frankie, who is utterly, hopelessly bored with life until she hears about her older brother’s wedding. Bolstered by lively conversations with her house servant, Berenice, and her six-year-old male cousin — not to mention her own unbridled imagination — Frankie takes on an overly active role in the wedding, hoping even to go, uninvited, on the honeymoon, so deep is her desire to be the member of something larger, more accepting than herself."
New Books
"Arslan is a young Asian
general who conquers the world in a week without firing a shot and
shortly thereafter sets up his headquarters in a small town in Illinois.
A masterpiece of political science fiction and a book to challenge such works as Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed, Arslan is
a book that others are now measured against. "It's about fathers and
sons, about power, about a genuinely ruthless (but not unfeeling) mind
in pursuit of a practical solution to the world's problems." So M. J.
Engh describes Arslan. This is a novel of power and depth that is unforgettable."
My Favorite Authors - John P. Marquand
John Phillips Marquand was an American writer, born in Delaware in 1893 and died in Massachusetts in 1960. While he wrote other novels, both mysteries and literary, I discovered his Mr. Moto spy series back in early 2000. He wrote six books in the series and I managed to find copies of them all and have enjoyed the complete series.l
John P. Marquand
"This is the third Mr. Moto book I've read and I've enjoyed them all. Mr. Moto is a spy for the Japanese but often finds himself in conflict with more conservative elements of the Japanese military. He also manipulates those main characters on whom the story is based. In this he works with Calvin Gates to ensure a cigarette case is delivered to Mongolia. What is the clue for the case? Time will tell. Also along for the ride are an American woman, an artist and an Australian soldier of fortune. Entertaining and mysterious. (3 stars)"
"Last Laugh, Mr. Moto is the fourth book in John P. Marquand's Mr. Moto spy / war series that I've enjoyed. This adventure finds Mr. Moto, some other spies an American, Bob Bolles in the Caribbean, searching for a US fighter with new technology on it. Bob, an ex-US Navy officer who had quit the Navy after being passed over for promotion, sails the Caribbean with Tom, a faithful hand, always out of money and sort of shiftless.
Bob has spent time in Jamaica and is asked to leave by the Jamaican police. He is hired by Mr. and Mrs. Kingman to sail them to the Winderly Isles, specifically Mercator, purportedly to just get away from things. Accompanying them is their assistant, Oscar, another suspicious character. Mr. Moto plays a minor role at this point, managing a clothing shop in Kingston.
Bob gets more suspicious when his old Navy boss asks him to help them search for the missing aircraft, but due to his anger at the promotion board, he refuses. The adventure moves along nicely with suspicions growing about the Kingmans and their motives.
Very much of the story is left unstated and for you to figure out. Mr. Moto makes another more important appearance as the tension builds. He is a very pragmatic spy, at one moment working with Kingman, then not. Who are the Kingmans? Who is Mrs. Kingman? What are they looking for from the plane? Can Bob interfere? Will Mr. Moto succeed in his mission? All excellent questions and they are played out nicely as the story progresses? An entertaining read as always and a good adventure. (3.5 stars)"
3. Thank You Mr. Moto (1936).
"In this story of suspense and intrigue in the Far East, Mr. Moto comes up against some very clever people who are all playing high stakes - stakes which involve eight old Chinese scrolls and the destiny of two countries and perhaps the entire world." (3 stars)
"Stopover: Tokyo is the 6th and final book in John P. Marquand's Mr. Moto spy series. I have enjoyed all of the previous books, some more than others of course. This might have been my least favorite of the bunch. Basically because it seemed to take so long to actually get going. It was still an interesting story, maybe a bit more thoughtful than the others.
The story focuses on 2 American spies, Jack Rhyce and Ruth Bogart, heading to Japan to help an agent in Tokyo discover a Russian agent working there with the assistance of possible American traitors. Jack's boss has information that the Russians might attempt an assassination in Tokyo to make the Americans look bad. There search is to find Big Ben, the link to the Russian agent.
On their journey the two meet a Japanese student who gives them the card for Mr. Moto. They also meet an American in Wake who they suspect might be Big Ben. A lot of time is the development of their relationship, whether they will quit the Agency when this operation is finished.
Things begin to move quicker when they arrive in Tokyo. They are met by Mr. Moto, who they think might be a spy. They take a trip to the mountains to meet their contact, Bob Gibson and things begin to move even quicker. The last half of the book has more action; with the two beginning to work with Mr. Moto. I definitely found the 2nd half of the story much more interesting.
I'm glad that I read this series. It's interesting to see the spy world and to see both sides of the picture. This story is set just after WWII when Japan is an ally of the US. The spy work was also interesting enough and the descriptions of Japanese culture just after the war was well described. All in all it was a satisfying story and I'm glad that I explored Marquand's Moto books. (3.5 stars)"
"This is the second Mr Moto spy novel I've read and I enjoyed it very much. John Marquand wrote the series in the late '30s, pre-WWII. This story once again features the enigmatic, pragmatic Mr Moto, Japanese spy trying to find a document that will help the Japanese navy gain an advantage over the US and Russian navies in the Pacific. Also along for the ride is a drunken, US ex-aviator (the center of the story) and a beautiful Russian spy.
Casey, down on his luck and out of money in Japan, is attracted to an offer by Mr. Moto, to fly a Japanese aircraft to the US. On a ship to Shanghai, he is caught up in intrigue, there is a dead Chinese courier, and finds himself at risk by Moto and his men and, in Shanghai, by the Chinese Mafia. Mr. Moto works for the Japanese, but for what part of the Japanese structure is unclear. He is more than willing to kill (or have killed) to achieve his aims, but also, pragmatic enough not to hold grudges. I enjoyed the story, it was well-paced and interesting enough to catch my attention and to hold it until the very end. A different sort of spy story, worth trying. (3 stars)"
"I've enjoyed the Mr. Moto spy series by John P. Marquand very much. There are 6 books in the series, although some have been published under more than one title. Think Fast, Mr. Moto is the 3rd book in the series and was originally published in 1937. Young Wilson Hitchings has recently moved to Shanghai to learn the running and management of Hitchings Bank, from his uncle. While there his Uncle Will sends him on a mission to Hawaii. It seems that the daughter of the black sheep of the family is running a casino in Hawaii using the Hitchins Brothers name and Will wants Wilson to buy her out.
Before he departs, Wilson briefly meets the enigmatic Japanese spy, Mr. Moto, who is trying to discover more about Chinese dealings in Manchuko, the new state in northern China and if Hitchings Brothers are involved in financing Chinese rebels there.
This will all come to a head in Hawaii. Something is a bit off with the casino in Hawaii. Things don't seem quite legal. Eva Hitchings hates Hitchings Brothers as they treated her father quite poorly. She doesn't trust Wilson. He's not sure if he should trust her. Should they trust Mr. Moto? An attempt is made to assassinate the Japanese spy. Does he trust them?
It's an all around fast-paced story and very entertaining. Mr. Moto is a great character, smart and interesting. The series is worth trying. I have one left to read and it's on my book shelf. (3.5 stars)"
I may have to try and find Marquand's crime novels. The complete listing of his books can be found at this link.
There you go. Some books for you to check out at the weekend approaches.
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