Coronation Street - Some Thoughts

Wow!.. Before I get into my post, just wanted to say, Wow! I'm pessimistic that anything will come of it, but Nancy Pelosi just announced that the various committees in the House of Representatives who are investigating 'the F***wit' what is in charge of the US, will now all fall under the Impeachment umbrella. We'll see what happens, but good on you, Nancy. It's about time.

OK, enough of that. That wasn't the reason I wanted to make this BLog entry. So... This morning Jo and I were enjoying an old episode of Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. The series starred Patricia Routledge (of Keeping Up Appearances fame) and Dominic Monaghan (AKA Merry of Lord of the Rings and also Charlie Pace of Lost). The series featured Routledge as a private detective and Monaghan as her assistant. It ran for 4 seasons from 1996 - 1998. It's a most enjoyable series. Anyway, this isn't the point of my BLog entry either. 😛

As we normally do when we're watching TV, we spent lots of time identifying various of the guest stars. I think we get as much enjoyment out of doing that as we do actually watching the show. I think I've always liked doing that. I remember one time when I was visiting with my Aunt Lorreine. We were watching various movies on TV and as each one started we'd identify everyone in it even before the credits came up. Lots of fun.

So while Jo and I were entertaining ourselves as we watched this particular episode, Episode 4 of Season 1 specifically, we noticed a few characters who had also been on Coronation Street. Specifically, they were Nigel Pivaro who played Terry Duckworth in approximately 250 episodes of the Street and Sally Ann Matthews who played Jenny Bradley / Jenny Cooper for almost 700 episodes.

So that's the point of my entry here. Talking about these characters, Jo and I started going through the early relationships on Corrie; Len Fairclough and Rita of the Cabin, Uncle Albert who lived with Ken Barlow and Deidre (or more correctly who let them live with him), etc. It just got me thinking about how much I had enjoyed watching the series back in the '80s.

Coronation Street has run since 1960. I don't know how long it's been shown in Canada. I'll assume pretty well from the beginning but I can't verify that. I do know that I discovered it when I moved to Ottawa in either 1981 or 1982. (Let me just say that my memories on this might not be totally accurate but please bear with me).

On CBC it was usually about 3 months behind what was being shown in the UK. It was on daily, Mon - Fri, usually around 4 pm, later it moved to 7 pm. When I discovered it, CBC also showed it as an omnibus edition Sunday mornings. It was really a fluke that I discovered it. It was one of those mornings, I guess, when I was relaxing at home with my morning coffee and I presume the family were still asleep. I remember turning it on and just wondering what the heck the show was and what was going on.

Annie Walker

Those were the days when the Rovers Return was run by Annie Walker. I think Fred Gee and Bette Lynch worked behind the bar and Hilda Ogden was the cleaner. Life centered around the Rovers Return and there were so many interesting characters; Elsie Tanner (very sexy), Rita, Ken and Deidre Barlow, Hilda and Stan Ogden, etc. The show just hooked me and it wasn't long before I began to understand what was going on and who each person was. It was so different from any other soap opera I had watched. And I'd been hooked on General Hospital, All My Children and One Life to Live during my university years (hence my great marks.)

Eddie Yeats

It didn't take long before I had some favorite characters. Eddie Yeats was one of the bin men and such a nice guy. Later on Curly Watts was his partner. I think I could relate to Curly, always unassuming and no matter how successful he became, he couldn't get a girl. Darn you, Raquel!!

Corrie became my Sunday morning ritual while I was in Ottawa the first time. Imagine my joy when one of my co-workers, an American sub-mariner who was seconded to our section as an exchange officer, Russell was his name, got hooked on the show as well. That was how we would spend our Monday morning coffee break; sitting down in the coffee room discussing the Sunday omnibus. Pathetic, eh? We were both hooked.

Unfortunately all good things come to an end. Firstly, Russell got posted back to the States and then in 1989, I got transferred to Germany, thereby losing my access to Corrie. I did get to see the odd episode during my various trips to the UK and when I returned to Canada, I was able to get back into it.

But it never seemed the same and then in the 2000's when Jo came to Canada to be with me, even though we tried to watch it, well, it wasn't the same for either of us. Corrie had become a soap and the story lines just got too ridiculous. When I got hooked on it, it was more than a soap, it was a look at average, normal people and their relationships and how their lives revolved around the local corner shop, the pub and their local businesses and family lives. Ah well, things do change, I guess. I'm just happy that I was able to enjoy it for awhile so many years ago.

Thanks for everything, Corrie!

If you've never seen Coronation Street check it out. It's still pretty neat. If you want to get information about the characters from the beginning to the present, check out this site. It's pretty amazing.

Back to regularly scheduled programming in my next post. Enjoy the rest of your week!

Musical 2018 Advent Calendar and My November 2018 Reading Summary

Today, my wife Jo started a musical Advent calendar on her Facebook page. As she said, and I quote, "Welcome everyone to my 2018 musical Advent Calendar. Nothing but positive life affirming stuff for 25 days." Her December 1 musical selection was by Megan Hilty singing a Carrie Underwood song, Crazy Dreams. Lovely song. Anyway, my reason for mentioning this is that, since I never shy away from musical challenges, I decided to do the same thing. (Of course, I got Jo's permission first.. ;0)). I'm posting mine on Facebook as well but I thought I'd do it here as well.

Bill's 2018 Musical Advent Calendar
My songs aren't Christmas songs, more songs that make me feel good and if you choose to listen to them, I hope they give you the same feeling. Some loud and rocky, but lots of wonderful women singers.

My December 1 song choice was performed in 2012 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame awards. It was a tribute to honoree, Laura Nyro, performed by the wonderful Sara Bareilles; Stoney End.

My November 2018 Reading Summary
I had an excellent month of reading and met my 2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge of 110 books. I'm up to 114 as of end December. I'm not working on any specific challenges now, just picking books sort of at random. Enjoying too.

General Info            Oct            Total
Books Read -            12                114
Pages Read -             3,500         37,000

Pages Breakdown
      < 250                    5               36       
250 - 350                    5               38
351 - 450                    0               21
      > 450                    2               19

Ratings
5 - star                        2               10
4 - star                        7               68
3 - star                        3               35
2 - star                        0                 1

Gender
Female                       3                38
Male                           9               76

Genres
Fiction                        4               24
Mystery                      6               62
SciFi                           2               17
Non-Fic                                         5
Classics                      2                 4
Poetry                         0                 2

Top 3 Books

1. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (5 stars)



















"My wife and I got Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel as a gift about 5 years ago. It's sat on the shelf for a long time, as you can see, and I've had quite some trepidation about starting it. I can't say why. It might just have been the size, but in the end that's a pretty poor reason as I've read longer books than it. Suffice it to say, this year it was one of my challenge reads, selected for me by a book club friend of mine.

It's a historical novel, set during the time of Henry VIII in the early 1500's as he fights with the Pope to get his first marriage to Katherine of Aragon annulled so he can marry Anne Boleyn. The story focuses on the rise of Thomas Cromwell from the son of a blacksmith to Henry's chief adviser. We get to see palace intrigue, the life and family of Cromwell, those who people the court of Henry VIII and their dealings and personalities.

That's the story on its simplest level but it is indeed an intricate, complex, fascinating story. As with most large tomes, it took me awhile to get going with the story. I usually have a few books on the go and I can be easily distracted. But as I got deeper into the story, I found myself drawn to the characters, the richness of their personalities, the complexities of the court life and just the portrayal of England at the time.

Cromwell is made very human, as is Henry VIII and the rest of the large cast of thousands, from Cromwell's extended family, to the lords and dukes and ladies who you find at the King's court and in their dealings with Cromwell. The religious aspect is also well - described, the dealings between England and Rome as they try to get the first marriage annulled. Cromwell is everywhere, dealing with Henry, with Anne Boleyn, with Katherine, the lords and archbishops, etc. His rise in power is a fascinating story. His love and care of his family and of those people he seems to pick up off the street and add to his family was especially fascinating.

In the end, I enjoyed the whole story immensely and was pleasantly surprised at how much I did enjoy it. Now I have to dust off the 2nd book, Bringing up the Bodies.. I may wait awhile to catch my breath though. (5 stars)"

2. The Pusher by Ed McBain (5 stars)










"First published in 1956, The Pusher is the 3rd book in Ed McBain's 87th Precinct police procedural series. I find it hard to believe, myself, that I rated this book 5 stars, but for its small size, it packs a great punch.

The 87th Precinct is set in a fictional US city and features the cops and detectives of the 87th Precinct. In this edition, they and the city they protect are preparing for Xmas. The story starts with Detective Steve Carella and his partner, newly promoted Detective King called out to a seeming suicide. The body belongs to a young Puerto Rican addict who is found dead with a rope around his neck. To Carella, it seems to pat and he suspects that the boy has been murdered.

This begins a fascinating case involving drug dealing, an addicted Police Lt.'s son who may be involved in the murders, possible black-mailing and other murders. The story moves along at a nice pace, mainly following Carella's investigation but also covering his boss, Lt Byrnes as he must deal with issues surrounding his son.

It's more than just an investigation, although having said that, there are interesting pieces of forensic work and excellent interrogations that are realistic and well-crafted. But you also get into the personal lives of the detectives; Carella's relationship with is lovely wife Teddy and Byrnes' troubled but powerful relationship with his wife and son. Even minor characters such as Carella's informant Danny Gimp are turned into real people. I loved the dedication of the police. I loved how McBain took time to present the city and the people who lived there.

The story ended emotionally for me. The story was only 158 pages but it grabbed me from the very beginning and held me engrossed from beginning to end. I've now read the first 3 books in the series and each and everyone has been excellent. (5 stars)"

3. Shift by Hugh Howey (4 stars)









"Shift by American author, Hugh Howey is the 2nd volume in the Silo trilogy. It contains 3 parts; Part 1 - First Shift / Legacy, Part 2 - Second Shift / Order and Part 3 - Third Shift / Pact.

Like the first book in the series, Wool, Shift is a deeply intricate, involved story. We learn many things in this volume, the origins of the Silos and we move, in the deep dark future, between Silo 1 and Silo 18 and also 17. It's a bit confusing at first but as you get into the flow of the stories and the time and location shifts, you find yourself drawn into the world Howey has created.

The stories can be quite depressing. We get more inklings about what might have happened to the world and who might have caused the 'disaster' that caused the creation of the Silos in Georgia. At the same time, there still remain many questions about what actually happened and what the plan is for the future of those inhabiting the 40 silos. My impression is that it doesn't bode well for many of those living in the majority of the Silos.

We have nano-technology which seems to have been used to preserve the lives of those creators who live in Silo 1; long periods of hibernation, with periods of activity (Shifts). They monitor and direct the other silos, passing on the Legacies, controlling the Mayors and who else run those silos and also seemingly shutting down those silos where problems occur (riots, war, etc). Maybe they are looking for the best run and organized silos? Hopefully, the final book in the series, Dust will provide those final answers (Yes, there is still one more book!!)

Besides Donald and those main characters in Silo 1, we also meet Mission in Silo 18, a porter caught up in a revolt and Jimmy (Solo) in Silo 17, struggling to live as the Silo degenerates into chaos. And who is the Cleaner???? (Is she the Juliette???) Questions, questions!!!

Not a happy view of the future but a fascinating story once again. Hoping I don't wait quite so long to read the 3rd book (4 stars) "

12 + 4  Challenge (completed 16)
1. Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel (5 stars)

New Series (completed 27)
2. A Rage in Harlem - Chester Himes (4 stars)
3. Pacific Vortex - Clive Cussler (3 stars)
4. Outsider in Amsterdam - Janwillem van de Wetering (3.5 stars)

Ongoing Series (completed 26)
5. The Pusher - Ed McBain (5 stars)
6. The Drowning Pool by Ross MacDonald (4 stars)
7. Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum (4 stars)
8. Shift by Hugh Howey (4 stars)
9. The Hand of Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer (3.5 stars)
10. Murder on Mulberry Bend by Victoria Thompson (4 stars)

Decades Challenge (completed 29)
11. The Witness for the Prosecution and other Stories by Agatha Christie (4 stars)
12. I Am Curious (Yellow) by Vilgot Sjoman (4 stars)

Canadian Content (completed 16)

Dec Books
Currently Reading

1. The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag - Alan Bradley
2. Katapult - Karen Kijewski
3. The Old Fox Deceiv'd - Martha Grimes
4. Wycliffe and the Three-Toed Pussy - WJ Burley
5. Just One Damned Thing After Another - Jodi Taylor

In the Mill

1. The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan

2. Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maude Montgomery

3. Chinatown Beat - Henry Chang












Well, there you go folks. One month to go and then we're into a new year.. Egads! Have a great weekend.

New Books and the History and other Items...

It's raining! Carry on to the mainland please. They need it too!

My morning rant... such as it is. How petty, childish and dangerous is the current resident of the White House that he thinks it's OK and I guess funny to retweet a video of him hitting his presidential opponent in the 'back' with a golf ball. I wonder if his mouthpiece will think that's a fireable offence when she meets the press next week. And calling another of the dangerous leaders to the world, Rocket man? I wonder if he actually called him that in his telephone call to the President of South Korea. The F***wit - in - chief probably can't pronounce or spell the other guy's name so it's easier to make up a name for him. Do you really want to goad a guy with nukes that way? Oh well, maybe he's getting nervous about addressing the whole world at the UN this week, eh? Can he actually come across as balanced and informed?

Oh well, on to more interesting items, at least, to me anyway.

New Books

 While the missus was Skyping with a friend from the UK this week, I took a short visit to my local book store, Nearly New Books, to see what new (used) books they might have acquired. I was pleasantly surprised to find three books that I liked.

1. Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders by John Mortimer. I've enjoyed the Rumpole books I've read so far, always fun and entertaining. I liked the looks of the book cover for this one and it was just like new. This was Mortimer's first full-length Rumpole novel.








"Rumpole took the liberty of altering Shakespeare a little when he offered the meeting at his Chambers a choice quotation from Henry V. It reflected what he was thinking: that it was about time he committed to paper his memories of the Penge Bungalow affair. It would be scandalous, after all, and an affront to history, if the details of such a famous case were to become lost in the mists of time.
Horace Rumpole had been a novice at Number 4 Equity Court, fresh from a quiet war in RAF groundstaff and a law degree at Oxford, when the murders at Penge fist hit the headlines: two war heroes, bomber pilots who'd flown numerous sorties together over Europe, apparently shot dead after a reunion dinner by the son of one of them, young Simon Jerold.
Young he might have been, but in those dark post-war days Simon Jerold was facing the ultimate punishment. There seemed little he could hope for, since the evidence was so incriminating. Even old Wystan - head of Chambers, father of Hilda and ostensibly there to conduct Jerold's defence - seemed to have given up the game. But not Rumpole. There was something about the evidence which bothered him and, though he was only Wystan's Junior in the case, when the time came for him to seize the initiative, he did it triumphantly - like King Harry himself."

2. John le Carré, the Biography by Adam Sisman. I've read many of le Carré's spy novels and, for the most part, enjoyed them. George Smiley is one of the great characters. I had seen this book when it first came out and wanted to try it. I was glad to find it when I was checking out books.







"Over half a century since The Spy Who Came in from the Cold made John le Carré a worldwide, bestselling sensation, David Cornwell, the man behind the pseudonym, remains an enigma. Little is really known of one of the world's most successful writers.
Adam Sisman's masterful and insightful biography reveals a man whose own life - from a difficult lonely childhood, through marriage and family life, to recruitment by both MI5 and MI6 and eventual emergence as the master of the spy novel - has been as complex and confounding as any of his novels. Written with exclusive access to David Cornwell himself, to his private archive and to the most important people in his life, this is the definitive biography of a major writer."

3. Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood. Margaret Atwood is one of Canada's more unique writers, whether writing fiction, science fiction or poetry. The Handmaid's Tale remains one of my all-time favourite novels. This is one of Atwood's latest ventures and I'm happy that I found this copy. As I understand it, it's part of a group of books by different authors, with their takes on Shakespeare's plays.





"Felix is at the top of his game as Artistic Director of the Makeshiweg Theatre Festival. His productions have amazed and confounded. Now he's staging a Tempest like no other: not only will it boost his reputation, it will heal emotional wounds.
Or that was the plan. Instead, after an act of unforeseen treachery, Felix is living in exile in a backwoods hovel, haunted by memories of his beloved lost daughter, Miranda. And also brewing revenge.
After twelve years, his chance finally arrives in the shape of a theatre course at a nearby prison. Here, Felix and his inmate actors will put on his Tempest and snare the traitors who destroyed him. It's magic! But will it remake Felix as his enemies fall?"

Great Historical Events

As we approach the end of the 1700's, today's excerpt covers the First Constitutional Congress.

"1789. March 4. - First Congress under the National Constitution assembled at New York. (Ed. Note - Trying to imagine what the first US Constitution would have been like if the likes of the current President and his racist cronies had been involved. *shudder*)
Mackenzie, in the employment of the Northwestern Fur Company, made an overland journey to the great polar river named for him, which empties into the Arctic Sea.
Aug. 22. - John Fitch exhibited a boat on the Schuylkill, at Philadelphia, propelled by steam, and afterwards a stock company was formed, which built a steam packet that ran till the company failed in 1790.

THE ORIGINAL THIRTEEN STATES

When the National Government was established, the number of the States was thirteen, viz.: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia (Ed. Note. OK, I recognize that I'm on a rant today but ..... I assume this is a US citizenship question, or it should be. Would the current President pass this or maybe one of his immigrant spouses? OK, I'll stop now)

1789. Congress passed first tariff bill. The departments of State, War, and Treasury created."

Next excerpt will discuss the first President of this newly minted country.

Science of Common Things

Today's excerpt from Prof. L.G. Gorton discusses stars. (Ed. Note. I should caveat this, if I haven't before, that I haven't checked in every case to see if the Professor's answers have adjusted with new scientific knowledge in the past 200+ years)

"Why do stars twinkle? Because there are a great many non-luminous bodies in space, and when they pass between us and a star they cut off its light just for an instant, thus causing the twinkling. What are 'shooting stars'? They are not stars proper, but are non-luminous bodies coming in contact with the earth's atmosphere, and becoming ignited by their friction upon the air have the appearance of stars. Why are meteorites or shooting stars seen most frequently between the 12th and 14th of November each year? Because the earth at that time is passing through a portion of space where the greatest number of these bodies is found." (Interesting.)

Next excerpt will discuss mirages. (Ed. Note. Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a mirage?.. Nope, I said I'd stop!)

The Birth Date Thing 10 November 2010

(I hit 55 years of age on this date, five years from official retirement from the military.)

US Billboard #1 Single 10 November 2010

Like a G6 by Far East Movement. Far East Movement (FM) is an American hip hop / electronic pop band based out of Los Angeles. Like a G6 featured The Cataracs and singer, Dev.

UK #1 Single 10 November 2010

Promise This by Cheryl Cole. This is the 2nd consecutive for Cheryl Cole on this date. This single came out in the aftermath of her divorce from footballer Ashley Cole.

New York Times #1 Fiction Best Seller 10 November 2010

Worth Dying For by Lee Child. This is the 15th Jack Reacher novel. I think I'd better get moving on this series. I've read 3 so far. As of 2017, there are 22 books in this series.









"There’s deadly trouble in the corn county of Nebraska ... and Jack Reacher walks right into it. First he falls foul of the Duncans, a local clan that has terrified an entire county into submission. But it’s the unsolved, decades-old case of a missing child that Reacher can’t let go. 
The Duncans want Reacher gone - and it’s not just past secrets they’re trying to hide. For as dangerous as the Duncans are, they’re just the bottom of a criminal food chain stretching halfway around the world. For Reacher, it would have made much more sense to put some distance between himself and the hard-core trouble that’s bearing down on him. For Reacher, that was also impossible."

Pulitzer Prize Winner 2010

Tinkers by Paul Harding. Another new book for me. This book was American author Paul Harding's first novel.










"An old man lies dying. Propped up in his living room and surrounded by his children and grandchildren, George Washington Crosby drifts in and out of consciousness, back to the wonder and pain of his impoverished childhood in Maine. As the clock repairer’s time winds down, his memories intertwine with those of his father, an epileptic, itinerant peddler and his grandfather, a Methodist preacher beset by madness."

Nobel Prize Laureate 2010

Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru / Spain). Llosa is a Peruvian writer, politician, essayist, etc. He was awarded his Nobel Laureate "for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual's resistance, revolt, and defeat."

Hugo Award Winners 2010

In 2010, the award was shared -

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi. This biopunk science fiction novel was the debut by American writer Bacigalupi. I've never read but it does sound interesting.








"Anderson Lake is a company man, AgriGen's Calorie Man in Thailand. Under cover as a factory manager, Anderson combs Bangkok's street markets in search of foodstuffs thought to be extinct, hoping to reap the bounty of history's lost calories. There, he encounters Emiko.
Emiko is the Windup Girl, a strange and beautiful creature. One of the New People, Emiko is not human; instead, she is an engineered being, creche-grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by others, New People are slaves, soldiers, and toys of the rich in a chilling near future in which calorie companies rule the world, the oil age has passed, and the side effects of bio-engineered plagues run rampant across the globe. "

The City & The City by China Miéville. I have read one of English writer Miéville's books, Perdido Street Station, and loved it. I hope this is as good. I will be looking for it.









"Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad finds deadly conspiracies beneath a seemingly routine murder. From the decaying Beszel, he joins detective Qussim Dhatt in rich vibrant Ul Qoma, and both are enmeshed in a sordid underworld. Rabid nationalists are intent on destroying their neighbouring city, and unificationists dream of dissolving the two into one."

Edgar Award Winner 2010

The Last Child by John Hart. This is the second time in three years that Hart was awarded this prize.










"Thirteen-year-old Johnny Merrimon has to face things no boy his age should face. In the year since his twin sister's abduction his world has fallen apart: his father has disappeared and his fragile mother is spiralling into ever deeper despair. Johnny keeps strong. Armed with a map, a bike and a flashlight, he stalks the bad men of Raven County. The police might have given up on Alyssa; he never will. Someone, somewhere, knows something they're not telling. Only one person looks out for Johnny. Detective Clyde Hunt shares his obsession with the case. But when Johnny witnesses a hit-and-run and insists the victim was killed because he'd found Alyssa, even Hunt thinks he's lost it. And then another young girl goes missing."

Man Booker Prize 2010

The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson. The Finkler Question was the 11th novel by English writer Jacobson.










"Julian Treslove, a professionally unspectacular former BBC radio producer, and Sam Finkler, a popular Jewish philosopher, writer, and television personality, are old school friends. Despite a prickly relationship and very different lives, they've never lost touch with each other, or with their former teacher, Libor Sevcik.
Dining together one night at Sevcik's apartment - the two Jewish widowers and the unmarried Gentile, Treslove - the men share a sweetly painful evening, reminiscing on a time before they had loved and lost, before they had prized anything greatly enough to fear the loss of it. But as Treslove makes his way home, he is attacked and mugged outside a violin dealer's window."

Giller Prize Winner 2010

The Sentimentalists by Johanna Skibsrud. Skibsrud was born in Nova Scotia in 1980 and this was her debut novel. She has since published two more novels and two books of poetry.









"In this riveting debut, a daughter attempts to discover the truth about the life of her father, a dying Vietnam veteran haunted by his wartime experiences. Powerful and assured, The Sentimentalists is a story of what lies beneath the surface of everyday life."

So there you go. Sunday is almost passed and it's still raining here, quite making it up for the lovely, sunny summer we've had. Have a great week!

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*

Update on books, the Music Challenge and other things.

Yesterday was another hot, sunny day. They have a number of big fires on the mainland, but nothing here. I hope it stays that way. I spent part of the afternoon up a ladder cleaning out more gutters, so many pine needles from the winter. Yes, I do take my time getting around to these things. Ladders and I don't necessarily get along. :)

Last night, since the Blue Jays were in the process of getting clobbered by Houston, Jo and I finished watching Season 2 of The Indian Doctor. Love that show. We do like a well-done period series and this is one of them. We then watched 2 episodes of Game of Thrones, Season 6, trying to catch up a bit. I think after that we'll finish watching the final season of Penny Dreadful. It's lots of fun catching up on these shows in the summertime.

New Books

Received a parcel in the mail yesterday from Awesome Books. There were 4 books I had on order. One more still to come. The books I received are below.

1. The Pusher by Ed McBain. This is book 3 in the 87th Precinct series. I've enjoyed the first two books very much. It won't be long for me to get to this one.







"Hernandez's face wasn't glue with cold. He was a pusher, or had been. A rope around his neck and a spent syringe showed that.
Detective Kling, promoted off the beat, helped Steve Carella - more than Hernandez's sister, anyhow. She was a prostitute in a self-service vice dive. (She split nothing...except her own blood, and that later.)
In the face of an unholy complication Carella got himself right across the dope route and right on to the hospital danger list."

2. Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong. This is the first book in the Inspector Chen Cao mystery series. I'm looking forward to giving it a chance. I have liked other mysteries set in China, especially David Rotenberg's Inspector Zhang Fong mysteries.






"A young 'national model worker,' renowned for her adherence to the principles of the Communist Party, turns up dead in a Shanghai canal. As Inspector Chen Cao of the Shanghai Special Cases Bureau struggles to trace the hidden threads of her past, he finds himself challenging the very political forces that have guided his life since birth. Chen must tiptoe around his superiors if he wants to get to the bottom of this crime, and risk his career—perhaps even his life—to see justice done."

3. The Hand of Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer. I've read the first book in this series so far and have been slowly collecting the others. It's one of those classic series of pulp fiction that I've gotten interesting in the past few years. The Hand of Fu-Manchu was originally published in 1917 and is the 3rd book in the series.





"Dr Fu-Manchu is back once again! His very existence seemingly proves him immune from natural laws, a deathless incarnation of evil!

And this time the Devil Doctor is not alone. Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his associates learn of a deadly organisation that stalks the shadows. Their goal is to undermine the balance of global power, and they allow no one to stand in their way. They are the terrorist assassins known as the Si-Fan.

"The hand that held my arm was bony and clawish; I could detect the presence of incredibly long finger nails - nails long as those of some buried vampire of the black ages! Choking down a cry of horror, I opened my eyes... and looked into the face of my guide. It was Dr. Fu-Manchu!" 

4. Death at Dawn by Caro Peacock. This is a new series for me by Peacock, a writer of historical mysteries. This is the first book in the Liberty Lane mystery series.







"Thomas Jacques Lane - radical, romantic, scholar  and devoted father - had led an unconventional life but of one thing his daughter, Liberty, is certain: he would never have taken part in a duel. So when she receives a note informing her of his death in just such a manner, Liberty ignores all advice and sets off in pursuit of the truth.

With no resources bar her wits, she travels to the Continent and back in search of her father's killer. And as the nation prepares for the ascension to the throne of a young Victoria, Liberty uncovers murder and treachery at the very highest levels."

The Missus's Music Challenge, Part Deux

Today I'll explore some of the songs chosen for Days 46 and 47.

Day 46 - Favourite Holiday Song. I chose one from a trip I took many years ago. I went with the Air Cadets from Germany back to Canada to attend a two-week summer camp, 1969 or 70. Afterwards I stayed for a couple of more weeks, visiting relatives with my older brother. I think he drove a yellow Datsun back then. Anyway he had a bunch of cassettes that we listened to as we drove around. This song is one that pops into mind when I think of that trip, Christie - Yellow River. Jo picked Here Comes the Night by The Beach Boys a song that reminds her of a school ski trip she took back in 1980. Some other remembrances included Long Hot Summer by The Style Council, Is This Love by Bob Marley,  Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, etc.

Day 47 - Novelty Song. If you're not sure what this means, my song was They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Ha Ha by Napoleon XIV. (Yes, exactly, neat little fun songs). Jo chose a song I'm sure my Dad liked, Benny Hill and Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West). Some other choices Monster Mash by Bobby 'Boris' Picketts and the Crypt-Kickers, Three Wheels on my Wagon by The New Christy Minstrels, Whispering Grass by the Ink Spots, etc.

Today's challenge is a song from a favourite concert. More next entry. :)

Great Historical Events

We move on to 1778 today.

"Jan. 5. - Capt. Cook explored the coast of Alaska.

A YANKEE DEVICE

'Battle of the Kegs.' A contrivance of the Americans to destroy the British fleet. It was composed of a large number of little machines resembling kegs, containing explosive materials which they thought would set the British shipping on fire. The British were very much astonished at their appearance, and called out their forces to meet their new and mysterious enemy. It resulted in little harm to the fleet, but much consternation to the British, which caused great merriment to the Americans.
Bills were passed by the British Parliament granting all that the colonies had asked, but Congress rejected the offers."

We'll continue with 1778 next entry.

Science of Common Things (Further scientific questions answered by Prof. L.G. Gorton)

Why does a lamp chimney increase the brilliancy of the flame? (Ed. Comment. I'm not sure I know what a lamp chimney is.) Because it conducts an increase of air to the flame. (Further Ed. comment. And that didn't help...) What has become of the candle when it has burned? It has changed to carbonic acid and water, the latter escaping as vapor. Why does friction produce heat? Heat being a mode of motion of the particles of a body, friction or anything else that increases that motion produces heat. (Ed. confusion. Say what??)

Next entry we explore that age old question about why moisture collects on the outside of an ice- pitcher on a warm day.

The Birth Day Thing 10 November 1994

US Billboard #1 Single 10 November 1994

I'll Make Love to You by Boyz II Men. The Boyz were hot, this was the 2nd #1 single on my birthday in the three years. The song was written by Babyface.

UK #1 Single 10 November 1994

Baby Come Back by Pato Banton. Banton is a reggae singer from Birmingham who has been performing since 1980. Baby Come Back was a cover of Eddy Grant's single with The Equals.

New York Times #1 Fiction Best Seller 10 November 1994

Insomnia by Stephen King. I used to read Stephen King like crazy then I went through a period where I didn't read very many at all, except The Green Mile and The Gunslinger books. I've never read Insomnia. Like many of his books, it's set in Derry. Check it out if you're interested. It may be time for me to give it a try.







Pulitzer Prize Winner 1994

The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx. I enjoyed both the book and the movie based on the book. Both were unique, quirky, interesting stories. It tells the story of Quoyle, a newspaper editor from New York, who returns to Newfoundland to restart his life. The community is peopled with strange and wonderful people and it's a fascinating story. The movie starred Kevin Spacey, Judi Dench and Julianne Moore, just a few of a fantastic cast. It's the only story of Proulx's that I've read. I will have to read more of her work.





Nobel Prize Laureate 1994

Kenzaburo Oe (Japan). Kenzaburo Oe was born in 1935 and is a novelist and a major figure in contemporary Japanese literature. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature as a writer 'who with poetic force creates an imagined world, where life and myth condense to form a disconcerting picture of the human predicament today.'

Hugo Award Winner 1994

Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. I'm just starting to explore American writer, Robinson. Green Mars is one of a series of novels about the exploration and colonisation of Mars. Green Mars is the 2nd book and deals with the terraforming of the Red planet. Other books in the series include, Red Mars (colonisation), Blue Mars (long term results) and The Martians (short stories).







Edgar Award Winner 1994

(Correction - In my last post about 1993, I said that the Edgar Award winner was Lawrence Block's A Dancer at the Slaughterhouse. In fact it was the 1992 winner. The 1993 winner Margaret Maron's Bootlegger's Daughter.)

The Sculptress by Minette Walters. English writer Walters is one of my favourite writers of standalone mysteries. Her stories are intelligent and interesting to read. My favourite so far was Disordered Minds. I've also enjoyed Acid Row and The Ice House very much. The Sculptress was Walter's second book, written 1993. It was also turned into a TV movie in Britain. I currently have 6 of her books on my shelf awaiting my attention, including this one. I try to read at least one a year just to make them last.





Man Booker Prize Winner 1994

How Late It Was, How Late by James Kelman. This book is a stream of consciousness novel by Scottish writer Kelman. It is set in Glasgow and centres around Danny a shoplifter and ex-convict.









Giller Prize Winner 1994

This is a new category. The Giller Prize is an award to a Canadian writer of a novel or short story published in English. The prize was established in 1994. The first winner follows.

The Book of Secrets by M.G. Vassanji. Vassanji was born in Kenya, raised in Tanzania and moved to Canada 1878. He has published six novels and two collections of short stories. The Book of Secrets was his third novel and is set in Dar es Salaam.








Well there you go. Some new books for you to consider maybe. I hope you have been enjoying the journey through my Birth Days.. :)