January 2011 Reading - Where I'm At...

It's January 16th already, time has gone by so quickly. I thought I'd use this Blog to tell you what books I've read so far in 2011, what I'm currently reading and my next two books. (I usually have two books on the go at any time; one for while I'm relaxing downstairs  curled up on the couch in the family room, and the other by my bedside, for when I'm relaxing just before I fall asleep). So far in 2011, I've finished two mysteries and am in the middle of another as well as a SciFi novel.

Completed Books

 "It is 1921 and a terrible discovery has been made at a manor house in Surrey - the bloodied bodies of Colonel Fletcher, his wife and two of their staff. The victims have all been stabbed - and the lack of disturbance in the house suggests the attack was one of terrifying speed.
The Surrey police seem ready to put the murders down to robbery with violence, but Detective Inspector Madden, from Scotland Yard, sees things slightly differently.
For he has experienced the horrors of World War I and has seen madness at first hand. And this crime, he is sure, has been perpetrated by a psychopath who will strike again.. and soon."

Rennie Airth is a new author for me. I picked the book up by chance at the used book store as the cover looked very interesting and the write up above was also interesting. Rennie Airth is an author born in South Africa who now resides in Italy. River of Darkness was originally published in 1999 and introduced his character DI John Madden. He has since written two more stories in this series; The Blood-Dimmed Tide and The Dead of Winter. River of Darkness was a pleasant surprise. It started slowly, but I gradually became very interested in the story and the main characters, Madden, his boss, Chief Inspector Sinclair, Sgt Billy Styles and his possible love interest, Dr. Blackwell.
The story is nicely paced, the mystery well crafted and the time frame, immediately after WWI and set in post-War England, is nicely described. At times I thought I had the story figured, but Mr Airth managed to throw a few little twists in to keep it challenging. I do heartily recommend the story, if you enjoy a historical mystery. I personally look forward to getting the other books in the series.

Now, Number 2.. "In medieval Cambridge, four children have been murdered. Hoping scientific investigation will catch the true killer, Henry II asks the King of Sicily for his finest  'master of the art of death,' the earliest form of medical examiner. The Italian doctor chosen for the task is an expert in the science of anatomy and the art of detection. But her name is Adelia; the king has been sent a 'mistress of the art of death'.
Adelia faces danger at every turn as she examines the victims and retraces their last steps. Along the way, she's assisted by one of the king's tax collectors, Sir Rowley Picot, a man with a personal stake in the investigation. A former Crusader knight, Rowley may be a needed friend.... or the fiend for whom they are searching. As Adelia's investigation takes her along Cambridge's shadowy river paths, and behind the closed doors of its churches and nunneries, the hunt intensifies and the killer prepares to strike again....."

Mistress of the Art of Death, by Ariana Franklin was a fascinating, excellent historical mystery. I don't think I've been so immediately engrossed by a story like this since I read The Alienist by Caleb Carr. Ms. Franklin, the pen name for writer Diana Norman, has such a grasp for the historical period in which the story is set and she also has a knack for grasping your attention from the get-go. I found this story so very hard to put down each night; I loved the characters. Adelia is fantastic, a confident, out spoken woman, living in a time when a woman would be accused of witchcraft for what she did. Every character was nicely described, right down to Gyltha, the eel-seller's, grand son, Ulf. The story covered horrific crimes, but as much as there was horror, there was humour as well and romance. I can't say enough about this story, except 'READ IT!'. Ariana Franklin has since written sequels to this story that I can't wait to get my hands on; The Serpent's Tale (08), Grave Goods (09) and A Murderous Procession (10).

Currently Reading

My current upstairs book is The Lathe of Heaven, a SciFi story, by Ursula Le Guin. "Reality is a dream. George Orr is the dreamer. George's dreams can change the world.
In the hands of a power-mad psychiatrist George is forced to dream up a new reality, free from war, disease and overpopulation. But there are terrifying side-effects, and George must dream and dream again, forever seeking utopia, until the fabric of existence must itself collapse..."

My first experience with Ursula Le Guin's stories was the excellent Left Hand of Darkness, one of my all-time favourite SciFi novels. The Lathe of Heaven was written in 1971. I am currently about half way through the story and am enjoying it. It's quite low key for the subject matter, but well written and very engrossing. George Orr is a quiet man with a problem that can literally change the world. Dr Haber is the psychiatrist who is trying to use the power to change reality. Such an interesting concept and so very well-written. Ursula Le Guin definitely has a unique style that draws you in. I can't wait to see how the story resolves itself.

My downstairs book is another historical mystery; Ragtime in Simla, the second in the Scotland Yard detective Joe Sandilands series. "Simla, 1922. At the foothills of the Himalayas lies the summer capital of the British Raj, where the English share tea, tiffin and tales of the notorious radical, Gandhi. It is here that Scotland Yard detective Joe Sandilands senses the sinister work of a calculating assassin.
For Sandilands, the investigation of two chilling murders hearkens back to a horrific train crash, and the suspicion that one of the survivors is living in Simla, driven by a powerful motive to keep the past a secret. While the latest dance crazes and racy rumors entertain his countrymen, Joe has fascination all his own - with the beautiful Alice Conyers-Sharpe, who seems to be at the center of the case. But is she a victim or a suspect? This enigmatic woman will lead Joe through a maze of changed identities, secret passions, and blackmail - toward a shocking conspiracy and a murderer's unrelenting quest to quell the truth forever..'

I was introduced to Joe Sandilands in The Last Kashmiri Rose the first of his mysteries, set in India just after WWI. The stories are entertaining and full of action and I do enjoy the setting and the time frame when it takes place. While the mysteries can be somewhat formulaic, if you want an enjoyable mystery, combined with the wonders of India, I do heartily recommend. Now to find out how Sandilands solves his latest mystery!

Next On the List

Next for me on my To-Be-Read list are a classic and a mystery.

The first is Nevil Shute's On The Beach.

"The last generation.. innocent victims of an accidental war, living out the last days, making plans that will never be carried out, making do with what they have - however temporary it might be - hoping for the miracle that will not come. As the deadly rain moves ever closer, and the world as we know it winds toward an inevitable end."

This is an old favourite of mine. I've read it many times and every time I enjoy it even more. Nevil Shute has this way of telling a story about huge events by focusing on normal people, people trying to maintain an every day life when all about them might be falling apart. While it's not a new book for me, it's a book that I have to read every five or six years as it is one of my all time favourites.

I heartily recommend to anyone and I also recommend the excellent movie starring Gregory Peck.

The next book in my To-Be-Read list is another new author to me, mystery writer, Anthony Berkeley and the story is The Poisoned Chocolates Case.

Anthony Berkeley lived from 1893 - 1970 and was a prolific mystery writer. This mystery was originally written in 1929.

"Sir Eustace was surprised when the box of chocolates arrived at his club. It was an ideal gift for the man of taste, but he didn't have a sweet tooth. So he gave them to George Bendix, who gave them to his wife, who gobbled them down. there were perfectly fresh. Perfectly delicious. Perfectly poisonous.

Was this fiendish work of a lunatic or an ingenious murderer? And who was his intended victim? The famous Crimes Circle Club is determined to help Scotland Yard find out. Each member, a famous dramatist, a brilliant novelist, a lawyer, a detective writer and a nobody named Ambrose Chitterwick, has a theory. One will be right. One will be 'dead' wrong."

Sounds great! Can't wait. I'll tell you how it turns out.

Good reading!

Top Ten Favourite Books - Number 5

It's been awhile since I wrote an entry for this Blog so I figured I should at least do a short one to get back into the habit. Number 5 on my all-time favourite list is a post-apocalyptic story, by David Brin. The Postman tells the story of a survivor of a devastating war, a loner who has been travelling across the wasteland that is the U.S.

The back jacket describes it, "He was a survivor - a wanderer who traded tales for food and shelter in the dark and savage aftermath of a devastating war.

Fate touches him one chill winter's day when he borrows the jacket of a long-dead postal worker to protect himself from the cold. The old worn uniform still has power as a symbol of hope, and with it he begins to weave his greatest tale, of a nation on the road to recovery."

The book is compared to other's of its genre, also favourites of mine; Alas, Babylon, by Pat Frank which is set in Florida in the aftermath of a nuclear war and War Day, by Whitley Streiber and James Kunetka, a story of two journalists who travel around the U.S. years after a post-apocalyptic event to see if the U.S. is rebuilding and surviving. (I do enjoy this genre of book, especially if it well-written and if there is a positive outlook at the end.)

A bit spoilerish below.

The main character of The Postman, Gordon Krantz, is very much an anti-hero. He lives on his wits, scavenging to survive, sometimes becoming a story - teller to get food from small communities. The postman's jacket is a boon. He acquires it mainly to keep warm as it is well-made, but he also takes along the postman's bag, which contains letters and he uses these letters from a time gone by to gain access to communities.

Against his will, he becomes a beacon for hope as communities begin to set up post offices to provide a link to each other. These efforts are fraught with danger as they threaten a group of hyper-survivalists from the Rogue River area. Working with a group of scientists who still reside at Oregon State University, the war for the future takes place.

It's a fascinating story that draws you in and ensures you can't wait to find out what happens on the next page. The characters are well-drawn and the story is so very interesting. I've read 3 or 4 times and would gladly read again and again.

Movie

There was a movie based on this book, which I must admit that I looked forward to for many months. I remember rereading the book to be fresh for the movie and then being totally disappointed when I watched it. It was nothing at all like the book, left out key parts and added elements; e.g. Tom Petty's hippy survivors, that had nothing to do with the book.

Conclusion

David Brin has written some of my favourite SciFi stories. Along with The Postman, I also recommend -

Heart of the Comet - The story of a group of scientists living on Halley's Comet, trying to put it in orbit around Earth so that it's resources can be mined.
The Uplift Wars - This is actually a series of novels; I've put a link to Startide Rising, the story that introduced me to the series. It's basically about a group of Earthling spacemen/ women, with a crew augmented by genetically enhanced dolphins and chimpanzees who get in the middle of a Space War. That's a very simple summary and does the series no justice. Humans and the apes and dolphins are considered wolflings by the other major alien species. They are watched over by friendly aliens, but because of something they discover in space, they become the target of certain alien races. Anyway, suffice it to say, this series is fascinating as well, with characters that really grab you and keep your interest.

At the very least, read The Postman, you'll find it great.

Xmas Bounty - More Books (Pt 2) - Jo's Prezzies

In my Blog earlier today, I listed the books that I had received for Xmas presents this year. Since I've got a little while before Jeopardy and we've been having a lazy day at home today, I thought I'd go through the presents that my wife, Jo, received.

From Me -

One of Jo's favourite authors is Bill Bryson, an American humorist, who has lived most of his adult life in the UK. He has written a number of travel books, a short history of the nearly everything and other successful books. One of Jo's favourites is Notes from a Small Island in which Bill details his travels around the UK, including anecdotes and historical information about the areas he visited.

His latest seemed quite interesting. At Home is a walk around his home, a Victorian parsonage in the UK. One day he considered how very little he knew about the ordinary things of life as found in his home.

He basically came up with the idea of journeying through his home, room by room, and writing a history of the world without leaving his home (personally, I think he was just too lazy to travel around the world. *wink*). In each room, he talks about aspects of history; in the bathroom, the history of hygiene; in the bedroom, the history of sex, death and sleep.

Based on how much Jo enjoyed the other Bryson books, I'm sure that he won't disappoint with this latest. I have rarely heard Jo laugh out loud while reading a book, but any of Bryson's books have had that effect upon her, so I'm hoping this will be the same.

For those of you who may have read Jo's Blog, you'll know about her interest in home design and things of that ilk. Each Christmas I try to find her a new book on the topic.

This year I saw a book that combined her interest in design with our love of books. What could be better?

Living With Books was written by Dominique Dupuis and Roland Beaufre.

The various chapters in the book provide an idea of the subject matter within:
- Collectors and their books (Obsessive and Discreet)
- Designers and their books (Functional and Architectural)
- Interior Designers and their books (Comfortable and Decorative)
- Writers and their books (Charming and Exuberant)
- Fashion Designers and their books (Stylish and Glamorous)
- Artists and their books (Unusual and Inspiring)
- Journalists and their books (International and Up-to-date)
Grand Houses and their books (Imposing and Authoritative)

There is nothing better in my mind than a home filled with books. To look at other peoples' ways of keeping their books is always interesting. (I think I might even read through this book at times.)

A few months ago, Jo and I were having a conversation about children's books and she mentioned that as a child one of her favourite series was the Moomin family books.

The books were written by Tove Jansson, a Swedish speaking Finnish writer. She is best known for her Moomin family stories.

The Moomins are a family of trolls who are white and round with big snouts and look somewhat like hippos. Jo gave me a list of the 8 stories that she had read as a child. Over the past two months I searched for the books and found them on the Indigo book website.

The eight books are -

Comet in Moominland, which Jo says is like Armageddon, in which a comet is heading towards Earth. (Jo said the story was quite scary to her as a child.)
Finn Family Moomintroll - a shiny top hat is found which can turn anything and anyone to something else.
Moominpappa's Memoirs - Moominpappa shares stories of his youthful adventures and intrigues.
Moominsummer Madness - the Moomins are flooded from their home and live in a floating cave like house.
Tales from Moominvalley - 9 funny stories about other residents of Moominvalley.
Moominland Winter - Moomintroll wakes up early from winter hibernation.
Moominpapa at Sea - The Moomins spend the summer in a lighthouse on a tiny island for a change of scenery.
Moominvalley in November - the Moomins get a visit from Snufkin, Fillyjonk, the Hemulen, Grandpa Grumble and Toft, but where are the Moomins?

(Maybe I'll read the stories to Jo at night to help her sleep)

A Book from Sue and Rob

Jo's sister, Sue and her hubby Rob, always send interesting books as gifts. Michael Caine's autobiography, The Elephant to Hollywood, looks like no exception.

Born Maurice Mickelwhite, the story describes his journey from London's poverty stricken Elephant & Castle where he was born with rickets, to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

He has had a celebrated acting career spanning over 5 decades, with roles that have earned him two Oscars and a knighthood.

In the book he tells of life in Hollywood, recalls his many films, the stars of Hollywood and many off-screen moments.

In my mind he's a great actor, but one who doesn't mind getting down and dirty with a role and also a fellow who doesn't mind the odd bit of fluff to go with his detailed resume. Consider 1987 where he starred in George Axelrod's The Fourth Protocol, The Whistle Blower and Surrender, but also found the time to act in Jaws, The Revenge ( a classic.. just kidding of course). Mind you, the money he made for that paid for a new home for his mom. :0)

At any rate, with such a long career as his, the book must be filled with great stories about his life and should be an excellent read.

From Jenn and Eric -

Jo got two books from Jenn and Eric, both quite different from the other. The Tipping Point was originally published in 2000, written by Washington Post reporter, Malcolm Gladwell.

What I understand the book to be, from reading the blurb on the cover, talking about with Jo and also with Jenn is that it deals with that moment in business or social behaviour when an idea or trend crosses some threshold and becomes a raging inferno; as Jo said, for example, when a restaurant moves from being just a restaurant to being the place you have to be at. Why does one restaurant in an area basically just survive when another for whatever reason is a popular hangout for everyone? It's the tipping point!

As the blurb states, 'just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate.

As I talked about the book with Jo, it brought back remembrances of courses she took at university, so I'm sure she will enjoy checking it out.

As a final book Jo also received one that I know she will enjoy tremendously. We've heard quite a bit lately about the new movie starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech. So it was a nice surprise for Jo to find the book under the tree Christmas Morning.

The book is based on the diaries of Speech Therapist, Lionel Logue, who worked with King George VI to help him cope with and correct his haunting fear of speaking in public.

The book is written by the grandson of Lionel Logue, Mark Logue, a film maker and custodian of the Logue archives.

The story 'offers an astonishing insight into a private world. Logue's diaries also reveal, for the first time, the torment the future King suffered at the hands of his father, George V, because of his stammer. Rarely has there been such an intimate portrait of the British monarchy - at a time of crisis - seen through the eyes of an Australian commoner who was proud to serve and save, his King.

The question for Jo is not when to read the book, but rather if she should read the book first or watch the movie first. Both have received such excellent reviews.

DVDs

Besides books, Jo and I also received some DVDs from Sue and Rob and we're looking forward to watching them.

We always enjoy a good period piece and have enjoyed watching Cranford and Lark Rise to Candleford. We had heard about a series produced for Masterpiece that also interested us. Written by Julian Fellowes, who won and Academy Award for the excellent Gosford Park, is Downton Abbey.

Set in England in the years before WWI, it tells the story of a complicated community. The house has been home to the Crawley Family for generations but it is also where their servants live, plan and dream. Some are loyal to the family and committed to Downton as a way of life. Others are moving through, on the lookout for adventure or a better life.

The difference is that they know many secrets of the family but the family know very few about them. While it seems to be a serene, secure world, there are clouds of conflict gathering that will change everything. Starring Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville, amongst many other great British actors, it looks like one we'll enjoy immensely.

The other DVD is a murder mystery series that also looks very interesting. Whitechapel stars Rupert Penry-Jones as cop on the rise, DI Chandler and Phil Davis as his hard bitten partner, DS Miles. Also joining their group is an amateur expert on murder, Steve Pemberton as Edward Buchan.

The two series deal with violent crimes in the Whitechapel area of London.

The first has a murderer stalking the streets, picking off vulnerable women and leaving them brutally butchered; a copy cat killer in the mold of Jack the Ripper. The second series has a series of murders, maimings that seem to replicate those of the infamous Kray Twins of the 1960's. This is a series that I've heard nothing about before, but reading the write up on the back of the DVD packages, it looks like an excellent crime series, one of many that have come out of the UK.

As I mentioned in my earlier Blog, great Christmas presents for both Jo and I.

Merry Xmas to you all!

Xmas Bounty - More Books!!! Woooo hooooo!

It's the 27th of December 2010; I'm back from my run (well, more of a run/ walk this time, what with all that Xmas turkey I had to try and work off), relaxing in my new towelling bathrobe and wondering what to post about as the first post-Xmas day thoughts.

Xmas was very nice this year, what with my daughter Jennifer and her boyfriend, Eric, flying in from Ottawa to visit Jo and I. We played lots of cards, went to see the Xmas pantomime at the Sid Williams, went out for dinner Xmas Eve and generally relaxed. Now I've got another 10 days off to enjoy the company of my lovely wife Jo. Perfect way to end 2010 and start 2011.

I thought I'd write this Blog about the books and movies that Jo and I received for Xmas this year. I love giving and receiving books and this year was no different. Jo and I will have much reading enjoyment over the coming months. So pitter patter, let's get at 'er.

My Books

From Jo -

Barbarians is a book I've had on my wish list for quite awhile. I saw it originally at Munro's Book Store in Victoria and it seemed very interesting. It was such a nice surprise to see it under the tree this year.

Terry Jones is one of the members of Monty Python's Flying Circus. In this book, he 'takes a completely fresh approach to Roman history. It reveals that most of those written off by Rome as uncivilized, savage and barbaric were in fact organized, motivated and intelligent people with no intentions of overthrowing Rome and plundering its Empire. In fact, it was Rome who celebrated savage slaughter and who eventually looted the city of Rome themselves, while leaving a lasting legacy of propaganda attacking everyone else.'

It looks like an interesting perspective of history from one who is not a 'historian.' Jones has also written 4 books on medieval England as well as various children's books. His co-author, Alan Ereira, is a producer and writer of history programmes on radio and TV for over 40 years. Jones and Ereira also collaborated on Crusades and Medieval Lives.

I started reading Iain Banks science fiction stories last year. He is known for his Culture series, two of which I've read so far and enjoyed immensely.

This year, Jo added to my collection of Banks' books with this Gothic horror story, as it's described. The Wasp Factory concerns the extraordinary private world of Frank, sixteen, and unconventional, to say the least.

'Two years after I killed Blyth I murdered my young brother Paul, for quite different reasons than I'd disposed of Blyth, and then a year after that I did for my young cousin Esmerelda, more or less on a whim. That's my score to date. Three. I haven't killed anybody for years, and don't intend to ever again. It was just a stage I was going through.'

The short write up at the back has definitely peaked my interest. This is Banks' first novel, written in 1984. Since then he has become well established as a fiction and science fiction author. I'm very much looking forward to getting into this book.

Another author that I've developed a strong interest in is C. J. Sansom, writer of the Matthew Shardlake mysteries, one of which I commented on previously in this Blog. Revelation is the fourth book in the series and from the back page description, it looks just as interesting as the others.

The series is set during the reign of Henry VIII and Matthew Shardlake is a hunch-back lawyer who often gets involved in cases at the behest of the crown or his advisers, Thomas Cromwell, and in this book, Archbishop Cranmer.

In this story, Henry VIII is wooing Catherine Parr, to be his sixth wife. Archbishop Cranmer and the Protestants in court are concerned as Catherine Parr has Reformist sympathies.

Matthew Shardlake, meanwhile, is working on a case of a teenage boy who has been placed in Bedlam insane asylum and fears that the boy may be burned at the stake as a heretic.

Involved in another murder case, the murder of an old friend, leads Matthew to Cranmer and Catherine Parr and to the prophecies of the Book of Revelations. Sansom excels at weaving the historical perspective of this period of English history with the mysteries that Matthew Shardlake is involved in and I'm sure this story will be as interesting as the others.

From Jennifer and Eric -

I received two books from my daughter and Eric, who continue to try to prove to me that you can teach an old dog new tricks. Just kidding.

Firstly, a political biography of our current Canadian Prime Minister, Mr. Stephen Harper.

Harperland was published in 2010, written by Lawrence Martin, a columnist for the Toronto Globe and Mail. He worked as a Washington and Moscow based columnist before becoming an Ottawa-based national columnist and he has written ten previous books.

In this book, he portrays the leader of the Conservative government as a leader firmly in control of his agenda and a man who will go to any lengths to ensure it is implemented. He 'charts how a prime minister, with only a minority government has made significant progress in undermining the old Liberal consensus while fashioning a new Conservative order.

It looks like a very interesting book. Mr. Harper is a right wing Conservative who has succeeded where other Conservative leaders seem to have failed. It will be interesting to see how the author perceives him.

Knowing how much I read, the kids also bought me a book with a series of essays on various Canadian fiction. Hooked on Canadian Books was written by T. F. Rigelof, a Canadian writer and reviewer to the Globe and Mail 'Books' section.

For more than 20 years he has reviewed countless Canadian books. 'He does more than opine whether a book works or not; he seeks to understand why, through writing that is approachable as it is insightful. He also writes about Canadian literature itself, defending it from stereotypes, lauding its successes, and promoting its future.'

I took a Canadian Literature course in my university days and have a mild acquaintance with some Canadian writers; William Gibson, Rohinton Mistry, Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro, Michael Ondaatje, etc. I think this will be an interesting book, both to provide both some insight into Canadian fiction, itself, and also maybe to provide me with some other ideas for books that I might want to read. (Because that's just what I need, more books to read.. :0) ).

From Sue and Rob -

The final book I received was from my sis-in-law and bro-in-law from England. Just for a bit of a historical perspective here, before I met Jo in 2002, I didn't know a great deal about footie. I think I'd watched some World Cup footie and I had also I'd gone to see the Edmonton Drillers of the old NASL play once, back in 79 or 80, when I was working at Cold Lake Alta.

When Jo came over in 2002, the World Cup, hosted by Japan and South Korea was just about to take place. Jo asked if I minded if she watched the England games. And basically, the rest is history. I have totally embraced the wondrous game, got hooked during the World Cup and now watch as many Premiership games as I can, getting up at 5 a.m. on a Saturday to start the weekends games, and so on.

I've received many excellent footie books over the past few years, autobiographies of the great Bill Shankly, a book about the worst team in British footie, at the time it was East Stirling of the lowest Scottish division.

Jo calls me an 'anorak', a fond name for someone who gets down in the weeds about something, to find all the trivial facts they can. Well, thanks to Sue and Rob's Xmas present, I'll be able to become a much higher quality 'anorak'. The Book of Lists features great facts and stories, such as, the 7 fastest goals, 10 brainiacs, 10 tattoos, 11 words of wisdom, etc. I've started it already and am really enjoying. I'll leave you with a couple of quotes from within the book; from the category, 12 geography students.

"It was like playing in a foreign country", from England player, Ian Rush, talking about his time playing with Juventus of the Italian Serie A.

and from the great David Beckham, when asked if he was a 'volatile' player....

"Well, I can play in the centre, on the right and occasionally on the left side".

I'm so very happy about the books I received as Xmas presents, love them all and can't wait to get into them.

Next Blog I'll go through the books that the missus received. Yay for books!!

MERRY XMAS!

I won't be making a post until after Xmas, so just want to wish everyone a

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Shaken not Stirred - A Bit of Bond

It's one of those days, raining so I don't feel like running and England has been hit with snow storms which has affected my ability to watch any Premier League footie matches. So I thought I'd write a Blog about my favourite spy and then crawl back into bed with the missus. :0)




Bond, James Bond

 I'll start off with a question. Who is your favourite James Bond? I'd have to list mine as follows -

Number 1 - Sean Connery (Firstly he was the original and secondly, I think his movies kept the tone of the books the best)
Number 2 - Timothy Dalton
Number 3 - Pierce Brosnan
Number 4 - Daniel Craig
Number 5 - Roger Moore
Number 6 - George Lazenby

I don't think I'll count David Niven in Casino Royale as it was a comedy. Mind you he did play the part quite well.


Oddjob


I saw my first Bond film in 1964 or so, when the Base Theater in Chatham N.B. showed Goldfinger with Sean Connery and Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore. It was a great movie for a 9 or 10 year old boy. I will say that Goldfinger's henchman, Odd Job, did scare me, especially his hat with the metal brim. It was a dangerous, effective weapon. I never saw all the Bond movies, but as many as possible; Live and Let Die, Dr. No with the lovely Ursula Andress, On Her Majesty's Secret Service with George Lazenby, everyone's supposed least favourite Bond, You Only Live Twice, etc. They were great movies, stirring the imagination of a young fella and providing action and entertainment.

I don't think I read my first Bond book until a few years later, when we'd moved on to Germany in the later 1960's. As a bit of background, the Bond books were written by Ian Fleming. Mr. Fleming was a British Naval Intelligence officer during WWII. He was born in 1908 and died in 1964. His career as a spy provided background for his Bond stories which were written between 1953 and 1966 (obviously published after his death). He did write some other books, most notably that well-known children's story, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Most of the Fleming's Bond books have been made into movies. His literary executors did periodically hire other author's to continue to write Bond books and the follow-on movies starring Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig had little to do with Fleming's original stories. (well, except for Craig's first, Casino Royale).

Anyway, I read most of the Bond stories while I was in Junior High School. They were very exciting stories, with action, adventure and for my young mind, sex!! Fleming presented a dark image of Bond and in the Connery movies, I think they followed that trait quite well. The follow-on movies with Roger Moore relied more on humour and I don't think they were quite as good. Having said that, I think Live and Let Die was one of the better Roger Moore movies, with the scenes in New Orleans, the voodoo in Jamaica.

It had been many years since I had read a Bond story when I noticed some paperback versions in my local used bookstore, ABC Books. They were published by Pan Books and looking  at the covers, they rekindled my interest in reading the Bond series. I've so far read From Russia With Love and it was as good as I remembered. But I thought I'd highlight the books I've got and tell you a bit about each story in case you've never been introduced to Ian Fleming's James Bond before.

Live and Let Die was originally written in 1954. Pan Books published their first edition in 1957. The edition I have is a 16th Printing from 1964 (obviously a popular book).

In this story, Bond meets Mr. Big, an American Negro master criminal, head of a Voodoo cult, a high ranking member of SMERSH, the Soviet murder organization that Bond battles in many of his books. He also meets Solitaire, Mr. Big's inquisitor, an exotic Creole beauty with the power to read a man's mind.

Racing from New York's Harlem district to the shark - infested waters of the West Indies, this is a power-packed James Bond adventure.

In the movie, Mr Big is played by Yaphet Kotto with menace and panache. Jane Seymour plays the Creole beauty, Solitaire.

The soundtrack had one of Paul McCartney's best songs, of course, Live and Let Die. (At least I liked it. :0)). If you like a little Voodoo in your life and some dark danger, try both the book and the movie.

In 1957, From Russia With Love came out. The version I have was published in 1964, a 17th Printing.

This story finds Bond in Istanbul in love with the beautiful Tatiana Romanova, spy for SMERSH, trying to use her to gain possession of a Russian Decoding machine.

He must also battle one of SMERSH's toughest contract killers, originally from Ireland, Donald Grant and also the evil Rosa Klebb with the poisoned blade in her shoe.

I think that Tatiana was Bond's one true love and he became even more cynical after this story. (But I'll let you read it yourself to find out if I'm right).

The movie came out in 1963 and was a dark, gritty affair. It starred Robert Shaw as the arch villain, Donald Grant and Lotta Lenya as Rosa Klebb, a role she played with panache.

We move onto 1958 for my next Bond story, Dr. No. This is actually the sixth book in the series, so you can see I have a few gaps to fill. From the cover, it's apparent that this is the movie that helped bring the lovely Ursula Andress into prominence, with the famous bathing suit scene on the beach of Dr. No's island.

In this story, Bond is on a routine assignment in Jamaica, a holiday and convalescence. The sun shines, the palm trees wave and the calypsos throb. Bond is tasked to investigate the murder of a colleague, a fellow agent.

On the horizon is the island, Crab Key, which is an island fortress run by the evil, villainous Dr. No.

His prescription for Bond is one long calculated dose of torture and death. Bond is assisted by Quarrel, a local fisherman and Felix Leiter, a CIA agent and Honeychile (Honey) Rider to solve the mystery of Dr. No.

In 1959, Fleming wrote Goldfinger, the first movie I saw and probably one of my favourite Bond books as well (maybe because it was my first introduction to Bond).

Bond was warned not to tangle with Goldfinger, but the super-criminal's latest obsession was too strong and too dangerous. He had to be stopped.

Auric Goldfinger is determined to take possession of half the supply of mined gold in the world - to rob Fort Knox. He has enlisted the aid of the top criminals in the US, including a group of beautiful thieves from the Bronx. He has conceived a plan so foolproof that it will take all of Bond's talents to stop him.

The is an excellent novel and it was also a great movie. Some well-remembered moments; such as the woman painted gold, played by Shirley Eaton, the laser beam that threatens to split Bond in half, Oddjob's metal brimmed hat, which kills the sister bent on revenge, and of course, Honor Blackman as the lovely and dangerous Pussy Galore.

I have to say that I have never seen the movie or read the book of this next Bond thriller, Thunderball. It came out originally in 1961 and I have no idea why I never got the book or went to see the movie; I remember it being at the theater.

In this story, SPECTRE, the Special Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion, an international gang of super criminals in Paris, have stolen two nuclear bombs.

They have sent a blackmail letter to Britain's prime minister threatening to detonate the two hijacked atomic weapons in unspecified western cities if they are not given 100 million Pounds in gold bullion.

Bond is assigned the mission to foil the dastardly threat and he has just one person who can help him. She is the beautiful blond mistress of SPECTRE's sinister, 'Number One'.

I'm afraid I can't tell you much more about this story until I manage to sit down and read it in the near future. The Bond Girl in the film, which was released in 1965 was French actress, Claudine Auger, playing Domino. I'll have to see if I can find the movie too, to see if it lives up to the other Sean Connery Bond movies.

The final Bond book I have on my book shelf in the 'to be read' area is On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which was published in 1963.

This story features one of Bond's arch villains, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The back jacket describes the story as, "one of the world's master criminals.. a remarkably beautiful woman... and exciting chases about the Swiss mountains."

Bond goes undercover to discover the true reason behind Blofeld's allergy research in the Swiss Alps that involves beautiful women from around the world.

In the movie, the main female lead was played by the lovely Diana Rigg, later well-known for her role as Emma Peel in the Avengers. James Bond was played by George Lazenby in this film. He was a little known Australian actor and unfortunately much-maligned for his attempt to replace Connery in the role. I actually thought the movie was great, lots of action in the Swiss Alps, beautiful scenery and while Lazenby was somewhat wooden as Bond, he still played the role quite well.

So there you have it, my partial collection of Bond books that I'm slowly working through as I relive my childhood. Good fun!

Just a quickie - Books to read in 2011

Over at the goodreads site, I've been involved with a few of the book groups. In one of them, Book Addicts, the folks are putting down their lists of individual challenges for 2011; what they would like to read basically. I took a look through my 'To Be Read' bookshelves and came up with a list of 24 books that I plan to try and read in 2011 (not to say I won't read more, but I do want to read these books). They are a mix of mysteries and SciFi stories. In most cases, they are authors I haven't read before; especially the mysteries.

So here goes, my lists of books to read in 2011.

Mysteries

Patricia Wentworth's Wicked Uncle was published in 1947 and is a Miss Silver mystery. A gathering of house guests with nothing in common until the host, the 'wicked' Gregory Porlock is found with a knife in his back. Only 'Miss Silver' will be able to see through the motives and clues.

Lynda LaPlante's Above Suspicion, of Prime Suspect fame, was published in 2006. Introducing Anna Travis who must solve her first murder case, a series of killings that has shocked even the most hardened detectives.

Kay Mitchell's A Lively Form of Death was originally published in 1990. Chief Inspector Morrissey must try to solve 3 near perfect murders, perhaps more as the trail leads back to an unsolved case of missing boys.

A.A Milne, better known for his Winnie-the-Pooh books wrote The Red House Mystery in 1922. Crime investigator Antony Gillingham, whose skills rival Sherlock Holmes, works to solve the murder of Mr Mark Ablett's brother, plus the possible disappearance of Mark as well. Did the key to the mystery lie on the premises or in the dark recesses of the human heart?

Margery Allingham first published Pearls Before Swine in 1945. This is an Albert Campion mystery; a gentleman who works as a confidential investigator. In this case he tries to solve the murder of the woman found in the Marquess of Carados bed.

Deadlock by Iris Johansen is about John Garrett, an ex-operative for the  CIA / British Intelligence and anyone else who will hire him. In this story he is hired to track down and save two archaeologists and finds himself drawn into an astonishing adventure.

Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train was her first novel and was written in 1950. It is well known as one of Alfred Hitchcock's movies. How do two strangers who meet on a train plot the perfect murders? You have to read.

Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare was published published in 1942. Francis Pettigrew must investigate a series of unrelated mishaps to determine if they are nasty practical jokes or whether someone is trying to murder Judge William Hereward Barber of the Southern Circuit court.

King of Rainy Country was written by Nicholas Freeling. It is an Inspector Van der Valk mystery. In this story, Van der Valk tracks a missing millionaire who has disappeared; tracking him from Cologne to Innsbruck and learning about the ways of the wealthy and the fury of a jealous woman.

Mistress of Death is a historical mystery by Ariana Franklin. Published in 2007 it is set in medieval Cambridge, Henry VII asks the King of Sicily for his master of the art of death to help solve the murders of 4 children. This Italian doctor and expert in the art of anatomy (an early medical examiner) is also a woman, Adelia. Facing danger at every turn and assisted by the one of the King's tax collectors, she follows the byways of Cambridge to try and solve the murders before the murderer strikes again.

Known for his Horatio Hornblower books, C.S. Forester wrote Payment Deferred in 1926, a story which was chosen as one of the 99 best crime stories ever. It is described as a chilling story whose oppressive suspense accumulates like storm clouds until relief is brought by the masterly shock ending.

A more recent mystery is Mark Billingham's Sleepyhead which was originally published in 2001. DI Tom Thorne must try to find the person who left Alison Willetts in a state known as Locked-In Syndrome, a state which leaves her unable to move or communicate but able to hear, see and feel. It has taken three women murdered to achieve success in his latest crime.

Back to an older story with this last mystery, published in 1929 was Anthony Berkeley's The Poisoned Chocolate Case.  In this mystery, the famous Crime Circle Club is determined to assist Scotland Yard solve the murder of the wife of George Bendix who was poisoned with a box of chocolates, which seem to have been meant for someone else. Each member has a theory; one will be right and one will be 'dead wrong'.

Science Fiction

Canadian writer, Phyllis Gotlieb wrote Son of the Morning in 1983. Two giant crimson cats from a primitive planet were sent to Sol Three. They took the brain-in-a-bottle, Espinoza, who had once lived on Earth as an interpreter. However their journey is made more complex as they enter a time warp and end up in Poland hundreds of years before Espinoza was born.

The next novel pictured is a style I remember fondly; that being two books in one. The first is The Unteleported Man by Philip K. Dick from 1964, the story of Rachmael ben Applebaum who challenges the mighty Telpor corporation to travel to Utopia the old long way, rather than use the instant-teleport system they have developed. On the flip side is Howard L. Cory's The Mind Masters, published in 1966. It tells the adventures of Irishman Terence O'Corcoran who crash lands on an alien world an must face the most vile creatures imaginable.

Whitley Streiber and James Kunetka wrote one of my favourite SciFi novels, Warday. In 1986, they collaborated on Nature's End, a story set in 2025 (not that far away now). Immense numbers of people swarm the globe. In astonishing ways, technology has triumphed, but at a staggering cost. Starvation is rampant, city dwellers gasp for breath under blackened skies; the world may be ending. (Sound familiar?)

Finally in this group, a story from Ursula Le Guin who wrote another of my all-time favourite SciFi novels, The Left Hand of Darkness. This story, The Lathe of Heaven, written in 1971, tells the stories of George Orr, a dreamer, whose dreams come true. George can change the world. In the hands of a power-mad psychiatrist, George is forced to dream and dream again, seeking Utopia, but threatening the fabric of existence.

Fred Hoyle and his son, Geoffrey collaborated on this story which records the first landing on the grassy slopes of the deceptively peaceful planet, Achilles. Fifth Planet was written in 1963 and according to the Sunday Times is the best so far from the Hoyle stable; strong praise from the family that also brought A for Andromeda.

J.G. Ballard explores many strange concepts in his SciFi stories. In The Crystal World, written in 1966, he travels to darkest Africa where Dr Edward Sanders finds himself in a world that defies scientific belief. By some force, the landscape is being transformed and encrusted with deadly jewel-like forms.

John Brunner gave us Stand on Zanzibar in 1968 and The Sheep Look Up in 1972. In 1975 he wrote The Shockwave Rider, he tells us about Nickie Haflinger, a man who had lived a score of lifetimes, but technically didn't exist. He must fight the government of Tarnover to try and restore sanity and personal freedom to the masses.

Some light reading next from the annals of The Dresden Files. Jim Butcher's second story in the series is Fool Moon, written in 2001. With Chicago dead quiet, Harry Dresden, the only professional wizard in the phone book can't drag up any business. Until a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise.

Lined up next for 2011 reading is some grand old outer space adventure from Lester del Rey. Published in 1963 is Outpost of Jupiter.  When his father's illness stranded the Wilsons on Ganymede, Jupiter's small moon, Bob decided not to go to college but instead joined the colonists in their struggle against the moon's brutal environment. His attempts to discover a major mystery are thrown for a loop by a plague that is blamed on Bob!

Finally, there is a book of short stories by the Canadian wizard of computer cowboys and high tech lowlifes. William Gibson received great praise for his collection of short stories, Burning Chrome, which follows in the great tradition of Neuromancer and Count Zero.

So there you have it; books I've identified for definite reading in 2011. Mind you, I'm hoping I can read more than two books a month; those hardly make a dent in my shelves of too be read books. Wish me luck. :0)