During Deb and John’s marvelous dinner, the conversation turned to Midsomer Mysteries, the British TV series. Deb is a big fan, as are the Meyersons. I had box sets of the series on DVD, but hadn’t gotten around to watching them. Deb’s enthusiasm motivated me to watch Midsomer Mysteries, Series 1. Bucolic English villages hide sordid crimes and wacky characters. Detective Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) and his assistant, Sergeant Troy (Daniel Casey) investigate these cases and expose their cunning plots.

This box set includes The Killings at Badger’s Drift, Written in Blood,, Death of a Hollow Man, Faithful Unto Death, and Death in Disguise. That’s 529 minutes of pure entertainment! I watched Midsomer Mysteries with the Closed Captioning on. Bonus features include Production Notes and a Midsomer map. I don’t know why I waited so long to watch this wonderful mystery series! Do you have a favorite Midsomer Mysteries episode? GRADE: A

My daughter, Katie, attended the event where Former first lady Michelle Obama and moderator Michele Norris addressed the crowd at TD Garden in Boston last Saturday night. Michelle Obama is on a book tour marketing Becoming, her memoir.

“I grew up with a disabled dad in a too-small house with not much money in a starting-to-fail neighborhood, and I also grew up surrounded by love and music in a diverse city in a country where an eduction can take you far. I had nothing or I had everything. It depends on which way you wan to tell it.” (p. 416)

I found Michelle Obama’s Becoming a choppy book. I was intrigued by her early years. But, once Michelle Obama meets Barack Obama, he hijacks her life…and her book. At this point, Becoming shows us how Michelle Obama views key events in her husband’s life: winning the Presidency, killing Osama Bin Ladin, being attacked by Fox News and Trump, etc. Michelle Obama admits to “yelling” when she’s angry. I also sensed she’s easily annoyed. And when Michelle Obama is annoyed, she makes things happen. There are several stories in Becoming where Michele Obama “intervened” when the Secret Service interfered with Sasha and Malia–and I suspect these stories are just the tip of the iceberg.

Michelle Obama is smart, funny, and passionate. But entire swatches of her life are missing. Michelle Obama has little to say about her time at Harvard Law School. She skips through the time when she and her husband are child-free. Maybe she’s saving these stories for another book. GRADE: B
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Preface ix
Becoming Me 1
Becoming Us 109
Becoming More 381
Epilogue 417
Acknowledgements 423

Rookie QB Josh Allen returns from his elbow injury to lead the Buffalo Bills (3-7) against the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7). Both teams, in the Playoffs last season, are going Nowhere this season. The Jaguars are 3-point favorites. For the Bills, these last six games are basically preseason games to see if they wasted their First Round Pick on Josh Allen or not. How will your favorite NFL team fare today?

For many Frank Sinatra fans, Only the Lonely (1958) is his best album. It’s moody and intense. Sinatra was at the top of his game. Nelson Riddle’s orchestra sounds fantastic on these new remastered CDs. I bought the European Edition because I read their mono version sounds incredible. After listening to it a couple of times, I agree!

There have been other “stereo” versions of Only the Lonely but I found them hard to listen to with the music swinging from one speaker to another. This new remastered stereo version eliminates that problem. But, being Old School, I prefer the new mono version. If you’re a Frank Sinatra fan, this is a must-buy. If you have a Sinatra fan on your Holiday Gift List, this wonderful 60th Anniversary Edition of Only the Lonely is the perfect choice. Do you have a favorite Frank Sinatra song? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
Disc: 1 (Original Mono):
1. Only The Lonely
2. Angel Eyes
3. What’s New?
4. It’s A Lonesome Old Town
5. Willow Weep For Me
6. Good-Bye
7. Blues In The Night
8. Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
9. Ebb Tide
10. Spring Is Here
11. Gone With The Wind
12. One For My Baby
13. Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry (alt take – May 5, 1958)
14. Angel Eyes (alt take – May 5, 1958)
Disc 2 (Stereo, New 2018 mix from 3 track masters):
1. Only The Lonely
2. Angel Eyes
3. What’s New?
4. It’s A Lonesome Old Town
5. Willow Weep For Me
6. Good-Bye
7. Blues In The Night
8. Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
9. Ebb Tide 10. Spring Is Here
11. Gone With The Wind
12. One For My Baby
13. Lush Life (session takes – May 29, 1958)
14. One For My Baby (test track – June 24, 1958)

Some of the best stories of 1941 don’t appear in The Great Stories #3 (1941). Robert A. Heinlein’s stories could not be included in this volume because of contract problems. Martin Greenberg and Isaac Asimov provide insightful introductions for each of the missing stories however. Heinlein’s “Universe” is the iconic generational starship story. Heinlein’s “By His Bootstraps” might be one of the best time travel stories ever published. This volume also includes Theodore Sturgeon’s best SF story (according to Asimov): “Microscopic God” about a scientist who creates an entire microscopic race. Asimov’s classic, “Nightfall” and Alfred Bester’s “Adam and No Eve” round out the roster of famous stories in this anthology. Clearly, 1941 was a especially excellent year for Science Fiction! GRADE: A+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION By Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg 9
“Mechanical Mice” by Maurice A. Hugi (aka, Eric Frank Russell) (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, January 1941) 13
“And He Built a Crooked House” by Robert A. Heinlein (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, February 1941) 37
“Shottle Bop” by Theodore Sturgeon (UNKNOWN, February 1941) 38
“The Rocket of 1955” by C. M. Kornbluth (STIRRING SCIENCE STORIES, April 1941) 66
“They” by Robert A. Heinlein (UNKNOWN, April 1941) 69
“Evolution’s End” by Robert Arthur (THRILLING WONDER STORIES, April 1941) 70
“Microcosmic God” by Theodore Sturgeon (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, April 1941) 86
“Jay Score” by Eric Frank Russell (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, May 1941) 113
“Universe” by Robert A. Heinlein (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, May 1941) 130
“Liar!” by Isaac Asimov (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, May 1941) 131
“Solution Unsatisfactory” by “Anson MacDonald”(aka, Robert A. Heinlein) (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, May 1941) 148
“Time Wants a Skeleton” by Ross Rocklynne (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, June 1941) 149
“The Words of Guru” by C. M. Kornbluth (STIRRING SCIENCE STORIES, June 1941) 203
“The Seesaw” by A. E. van Vogt (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, July 1941) 211
“Armageddon” by Fredric Brown (UNKNOWN, August 1941) 231
“Adam and No Eve” by Alfred Bester (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, September 1941) 237
“Solar Plexus” by James Blish (ASTONISHING STORIES, September 1941) 251
“Nightfall” by Isaac Asimov (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, September 1941) 263
“A Gnome There Was” by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore (UNKNOWN, October 1941) 298
“By His Bootstraps” by “Anson MacDonald” (aka, Robert A. Heinlein) (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, October 1941) 323
“Snulbug” by Anthony Boucher (UNKNOWN, December 1941) 324
“Hereafter, Inc.” by Lester del Rey. (UNKNOWN, December 1941) 339

I’m a big fan of Kate Bush’s music so when I heard that Kate was remastering all of her classic albums, I was eager to listen to the result. Scintillating sound! Remastered Part 1 delivers a box set of seven CDs full of Kate Bush’s unique songs. Here are the seven albums included in this set:
THE KICK INSIDE (1978)
LIONHEART (1978)
NEVER FOR EVER (1980)
THE DREAMING (1982)
HOUNDS OF LOVE (1985)
THE SENSUAL WORLD (1989)
THE RED SHOES (1993)

Remastered Part 2 is scheduled for 2019. It will be another boxed set of Kate Bush’s later albums. If you’re a Kate Bush fan, this is a must-buy! A perfect holiday gift (to yourself!). Do you have a favorite Kate Bush song? GRADE: A

Robert Redford announced that The Old Man and the Gun would be his last movie. I thought this was an odd choice of a movie as Redford’s last acting gig. Redford plays a genial bank robber. Sometimes Redford uses Danny Glover and Tom Waits as assistants on his bigger heists. Redford meets Sissy Spacek (a rancher) and you think she might reform him. Casey Affleck is the cop hunting Redford down. The Old Man and the Gun meanders from stickup to stickup. I kept waiting for some magic to happen, but this languid movie just ends. Do you have a favorite Robert Redford movie? GRADE: C

The Buffalo News movie critic, Jeff Simon, generated a list of Robert Redford’s best movies. How many have you seen?
1. THE CANDIDATE (1972)
2. ALL IS LOST (2013)
3. ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (1976)
4. DOWNHILL RACER (1969)
5. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)
6. THE WAY WE WERE (1973)
7. OUT OF AFRICA (1985)
8. THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN (1979)
9. BAREFOOT IN THE PARK (1967)
10. THE STING (1073)
11. THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975)
12. INSIDE DAISY CLOVER (1965)
13. THE NATURAL (1984)
14. A WALK IN THE WOODS (1012)
15. OUR SOULS AT NIGHT (2017)

This Hard Case Crime reprint of Oakley Hall’s 1950 novel, So Many Doors, features a new cover painting by Robert McGinnis. Working from never before seen reference photographs from iconic paperback cover artist Robert Maguire, McGinnis creates a classic painting suggestive of the 1950s style of artwork.

So Many Doors tells the story of Jack Ward, a hard-working construction laborer, and the women in his life. Jack meets Vassilia Caroline Baird, known as V, and a torrid affair begins. But, their relationship is rocky. Jack marries Gene Geary, but he’s still in love with V. V marries old, but rich Roger Denton. But both Jack and V lust after each other despite their marriages. This novel of betrayal, lies, and obsessive love erupts with a powerful, tragic conclusion. If you’re in the mood for moody novel reminiscent of John Steinbeck at his best, give So Many Doors a try. GRADE: B+

We spent last week with Jeff and Jackie Meyerson, Maggie Mason, Beth Fedyn and Wilba Swearingen in New Orleans. We stayed in a strategically located Marriott Residence Inn on St. Jospeh’s Street. The highlight of our visit was a Sunday trip to Slidell where Deb and John put on a fabulous feast for us: BBQ, brisket, Pina Colada chicken, fish, spicy slaw, potato salad, fruit salad, yummy rolls, and plenty of drink choices. Jackie brought cheesecake from New York City for dessert. Everyone enjoyed the food and fun conversation!

On Monday, we and the Meyersons had lunch at Mother’s Restaurant. Real New Orleans food! Later, Diane and I met up with our niece–the CSI forensic investigator who works in Slidell–and her husband at Emeril’s restaurant (just one block away from our hotel). Once again, the food was outstanding! Diane and I both went with the pork chop. For dessert, Diane chose the wonderful Banana Cream Pie (Diane said afterword it was the best Banana Cream Pie she ever tasted!). I went with Emeril’s signature dessert: Chocolate Soufflé. Super yummy!

On Tuesday, we visited the World War II Museum (just a couple blocks from our hotel). Diane’s father fought in Europe during WWII and my father served on a destroyer in the Pacific. We found the various exhibits and film of the battlefields riveting. After about three hours, we departed the Museum but we’ll return to see more the next time we visit New Orleans.

On Wednesday, we flew from New Orleans to Orlando (where it was 84 degrees). Our flight from Orlando to Buffalo was bumpy. When we landed in Buffalo, the temperature was 30 degrees. Later that night, we were hit with a couple of inches of snow. Big difference from New Orleans and Orlando! We had a lot of fun with our friends and family. Jeff and Jackie coordinated the trip to Deb’s house and rented a huge vehicle that would carry all seven of us. Thanks, Jeff & Jackie!