Second in the series I started in March.
Some really dark and twisted stuff in here, in such a cool way. All spicy and bitter with emotion and imagination. I am enjoying them a great deal. [Another one already bought and in the TBR pile!]
Mystery: “The Murder at the Vicarage” by Agatha Christie
Another English language pickup in Kyoto, I was really getting desperate for reading material there at the end. (And you know I had to save something for the plane!)
The first Miss Marple, when she’s just annoying as hell and only one person in the story even seems to realize that although annoying, she’s probably right. (You know, versus later on, when she’s still as annoying but people heed her advice because of her track record.)
Nonfiction: “Let’s Talk About Love; A Journey to the End of Taste” by Carl Wilson
Part of the 33 1/3 series (details here or here).
There is much more to this book than you might think. Truly a philosophical treatise on not just Celine and her music (and importance or not); but on personal taste, crowd reaction, social commentary… The level of research was pretty impressive and the combination of sarcasm and thoughtfulness had a nice smooth tone. Doesn’t make me anymore interested in listening to Dion’s music, but that’s not really the point.
Mystery: “The Naming of the Dead” by Ian Rankin
Not really sure where I am in this series, I may have skipped ahead a few books to read this one, but I was out of reading material and this was the only thing in the “english books” section of that particular store in Kyoto that I wanted to read.
Rebus is still the same disreputable mess as always, but the byplay between him and Siobhan here is great, felt very refreshing and upbeat from the last one I read. And the ins and outs of the mystery here were really well done.
Fiction: “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” by Winifred Watson
Charming, fun, lively, light. Great dialogue. Engaging.
Mystery: “The Hunt Ball” and “The Hounds and the Fury” by Rita Mae Brown
Two more in the Sister Jane Hall/Jefferson Hunt Club series (got started a few years ago with an Xmas present).
I liked both of these for the things I’ve liked before: the intrigue and details of the mystery, the awesome dogs and horses and the foxes (I love the foxes) and their reactions and relations and really vital role in the story. Man I love reading the scenes with Cora and Dasher. The hunt scenes are really wonderful and atmospheric, take you right into the thick of things.
And I didn’t like the same stuff that bugs me in each of these books: Sister Jane’s incredible self-satisifed-ness and the “how to be upstanding and moral” lessons that crop up throughout. Often has a very pedantic feel. Too preachy and often those paragraphs aren’t even in any particular character’s voice so they really throw you right out of the action.
Short Stories: The Complete Stories by David Malouf
The March selection in Dad’s and my reading challenge. I had read a few Malouf novels so this was one of my suggestions.
LOVED it. [Both of us did.] Had no idea going in, but the dude is a MASTER of the technique and these are certainly some of the best stories I’ve ever read, and probably the best overall collection. [Dad might not be QUITE as nutty about them as I am.]
Seems he can write from any angle, any point of view: young boy, middle-aged woman, loner, popularity queen, happy, sad, criminal, just. The atmosphere is rich and vivid (and reeks of Australia, I could feel myself there again). The language is thick and layered and sensual [reminded Dad of D.H. Lawrence stories]. Really beautiful. In many stories, a BIG event has taken place “offscreen” (never to be known), with the focus on the human reactions and following chain of effects.
My favorite stories were: “Every Move You Make”, “The Domestic Cantata”, “Sally’s Story”, “Great Day”, and “A Traveller’s Tale”.
Highly recommended.
Awesome of the Day
Tell me this Naomi Campbell/Lizard “Thriller” Sobe Life ad is not totally awesome. Because I love it.
The Curse of the Morning Drugstore Stop
Since I needed a Mt. Dew this morning (ALL YOUR FAULT, AmandaJean), I had to make a quick nip into the drugstore on the way in. Thanks to their (ridiculous) ’80s (or was it early ’90s? or does it even matter) background music, I now have the following on repeat in my mind (and undesirably so):
After all the stops and starts, we keep coming back to these two hearts…
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Peter Cetera is really not what I want in my head today!
DadReaction: Leatherheads
I thought it was a lot of fun. I don’t generally like Renee Zellwegger but I thought she was really good. And I thought Clooney really did that screwball comedy stuff that they were trying for. It was really funny and they played off each other really well. John Krazinski was good as this kid who’s a nice guy and is in trouble really through no fault of his own, so you kind of feel sorry for him.
I thought it was cool, and it had this really nice golden light. You know, that world still existed when I was growing up; these old railroad stations with wooden seats and the college stadiums with red brick around them, none of the glitz and the domes. That older slower world. I enjoyed the whole setting.
Randy Newman wrote the music and it was a great score; got the tone just right.
I enjoyed every part of it and I came out expecting to see a bunch of great reviews. I was in complete shock when I read EW’s negative review. They called it slow, said it drags? And not funny? My jaw dropped.
Thumbs up from me!! [Dad, that is. No GirlReaction YET! But clearly it’s now on my list!!!]