Just by chance I picked up this Young Adult trilogy at a Library Book Sale. They had a Harry Potter-type vibe. The series title, The Books of Beginning, intrigued me because I love fantasy novels about books (my favorites involve The Necronomicon).

Abandoned by their parents, three children–Kate (the eldest), Michael (the smartest), and Emma (the fighter)–find themselves at the Edgar Allan Poe Home for Hopeless and Incorrigible Orphans operated by the mysterious Stanislaus Pym.

In Book One, The Emerald Atlas (2012), Kate, Michael, and Emma find they’ve been transported 15 years into the Past where the evil Countess seeks one of The Books of Beginning: The Emerald Atlas. The Books of Beginning can enhance the Countess’s already impressive magic powers. Only Kate can stop her acquisition of the book and its unique power to manipulate Time. GRADE: B

In Book Two: The Fire Chronicle (2012), is my favorite book in The Books of Beginning trilogy. Michael is tested in his quest to find The Fire Chronicle, the magic book that controls health and Life. Where Harry Potter had He-Who-Must–Not-Be-Named (aka, Lord Voldemort), Kate, Michael, and Emma have the evil Dire Magnus to contend with. The The Books of Beginning have the power to change the world…or destroy it. I love the section where Michael has to deal with a dragon! GRADE: B+

In Book Three, The Dark Reckoning, Emma finds out she’s the only one who can become the Keeper of Reckoning (aka, The Book of the Dead). Emma has to travel to the Land of the Dead to find the book, learn how to use it, and together with Kate and Michael and their magic books, save the world. All in all, The Books of Beginning are a satisfactory fantasy trilogy. If you enjoyed the Harry Potter series, you’ll enjoy The Books of Beginning. GRADE: B

I first hear Beth Orton’s Trailer Park (1996) near the end of the 20th Century. I heard Orton’s cover of The Ronettes‘ “I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine” and that blew me away. I immediately bought a copy of Trailer Park and played it several times in a row. I loved the songs and the lush musical accompaniments. I’ve listened to all of Beth Orton’s CDs and the later ones are more acoustic and austere. I prefer the fuller sound of Trailer Park .

Sticking with fuller sounds, I just picked up a copy of Eldorado: A Symphony (1974) with the Wizard of Oz cover recently. Eldorado is the first complete ELO concept album; bandleader Jeff Lynne conceived the storyline before he wrote any music. The plot follows a Walter Mitty-like character who journeys into fantasy worlds via dreams, to escape the disillusionment of his mundane reality. Lynne began to write the album in response to criticisms from his father, a classical music lover, who said that Electric Light Orchestra’s repertoire “had no tune”. The influence of The Beatles is prevalent, especially in the melody of the verse of “Mister Kingdom” which to some degree resembles the Beatles’ “Across the Universe.”

Eldorado marks the first album on which Jeff Lynne hired an orchestra; on previous albums, he would overdub the strings.^[2] Louis Clark co-arranged, with Lynne (and keyboardist Richard Tandy), and conducted the strings. The group’s three resident string players continued to perform on recordings, however, and can be heard most prominently on the songs “Boy Blue” and “Laredo Tornado”. Mike de Albuquerque departed early on in the recording process, as touring made him feel separated from his family. Lynne plays most of, if not all, the bass tracks and backing vocals for the album, but de Albuquerque still featured on the final release as well as getting credited. Kelly Groucutt replaced him for the subsequent tour, when cellist Melvyn Gale also joined (replacing the departing Mike Edwards). “Eldorado Finale” is heavily orchestrated, much like “Eldorado Overture”. Jeff Lynne said of the song, “I like the heavy chords and the slightly daft ending, where you hear the double bass players packing up their basses, because they wouldn’t play another millisecond past the allotted moment.”

Are you a fan of Electric Light Orchestra or Beth Orton? GRADE: A (for both)

TRACKLIST:

All tracks written by Ted Barnes, Ali Friend, and Beth Orton except where noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	“She Cries Your Name“	William OrbitOrton	4:47
2.	“Tangent”		7:29
3.	“Don’t Need a Reason”	BarnesOrton	5:04
4.	“Live as You Dream”		2:59
5.	“Sugar Boy”		4:21
6.	“Touch Me with Your Love“		7:27
7.	“Whenever”		3:53
8.	“How Far”		4:27
9.	“Someone’s Daughter“		4:16
10.	“I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine”	Jeff BarryEllie GreenwichPhil Spector	4:43
11.	“Galaxy of Emptiness”		10:07

TRACK LIST:

All tracks are written by Jeff Lynne.

No.	Title	Length
1.	“Eldorado Overture” (instrumental)	2:12
2.	“Can’t Get It Out of My Head“	4:21
3.	“Boy Blue“	5:18
4.	“Laredo Tornado”	5:29
5.	“Poor Boy (The Greenwood)“	2:57

No.	Title	Length
6.	“Mister Kingdom“	5:50
7.	“Nobody’s Child”	3:40
8.	“Illusions in G Major“	2:36
9.	“Eldorado“	5:20
10.	“Eldorado Finale”	1:20
Total length:	39:03

No.	Title	Length
11.	“Eldorado Instrumental Medley”	7:56
12.	“Dark City”	0:46

I’ve been a fan of Theodora Goss’s writing for years. I loved Goss’s The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter (you can read my review here). Now there’s The Collected Enchantments with dozens of long and short stories about magic and fantasy and fairy tales.

Some of the stories in The Collected Enchantments retell and recast familiar fairy tales in a new light like “Goldilocks and the Bear,” and “Rapunzel”. And then there’s more classic stories told in a different style: “Rumpelstiltskin,” “Thumbelina,” and “Medusa Gets a Haircut.”

I found The Collected Enchantments…enchanting and so will you! Theodora Goss is a gifted storyteller and this book is filled with delights! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• Introduction: Why I Write Fantasy — 11
• Why You Might Be a Witch –16
• The Rose in Twelve Petals — 18
• The Ogress Queen — 32
• Rose Child — 34
• The Rapid Advance of Sorrow — 37
• Lady Winter — 42
• Shoes of Bark — 44
• Miss Emily Gray — 46
• The Witch — 56
• Binnorie — 59
• The Wings of Meister Wilhelm — 60
• The Egg in Twelve Scenes — 80
• Vivian to Merlin — 84
• In Autumn — 86
• Seven Shoes — 89
• The Clever Serving-Maid — 92
• Princess Lucinda and the Hound of the Moon — 94
• The Cinder Girl Burns Brightly — 107
• The Stepsister’s Tale — 110
• Lily, With Clouds — 112
• The Gold-Spinner — 118
• Rumpelstiltskin — 120
• Singing of Mount Abora — 122
• The Dragons — 135
• Thumbelina — 139
• In the Forest of Forgetting — 140
• Autumn’s Song — 146
• Green Man — 147
• Sleeping With Bears — 148
• Goldilocks and the Bear — 154
• The Bear’s Wife — 158
• Professor Berkowitz Stands on the Threshold — 160
• Persephone in Hades — 172
• The Princess and the Peas — 174
• Blanchefleur — 178
• Rapunzel — 210
• The Sorceress in the Tower — 211
• Fair Ladies — 213
• Swan Girls — 228
• The Gentleman — 231
• Christopher Raven — 233
• Ravens — 247
• The Fox Wife — 249
• Reynalda — 252
• Mr. Fox — 254
• The Mysterious Miss Tickle — 256
• Lessons with Miss Gray — 259
• The Witch-Girls — 281
• The Witch’s Cat — 283
• Pip and the Fairies — 285
• Tam Lin Remembers the Fairy Queen — 292
• The Fairies’ Gifts — 294
• Snow, Blood, Fur — 295
• When You Have Lost Yourself — 298
• The Mermaid’s Lament — 300
• Conversations with the Sea Witch — 301
• Diamonds and Toads — 307
• Medusa Gets a Haircut — 310
• The Other Thea — 312
• Mother Night — 334
• The Red Shoes — 337
• Red as Blood and White as Bone — 339
• Girl, Wolf, Woods — 356
• In the Snow Queen’s Castle — 358
• A Country Called Winter — 360
• How to Make It Snow — 376
• Snow White Learns Witchcraft — 380
• How to Become a Witch-Queen — 383
• Mirror, Mirror — 388
• The River’s Daughter — 399
• Saint Orsola and the Poet — 401
• The Nightingale and the Rose — 419
• Your House — 426

White House Plumbers is an American satirical political drama television miniseries created and written by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck and directed by David Mandel, based on the 2007 book Integrity by Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh. The 5-episode series stars Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Domhnall Gleeson, Kiernan Shipka, and Lena Headey and it premiered on HBO on May 1, 2023. A new episode is released every Monday.

G. Gordon Liddy and his associate, Howard Hunt, who led the disastrous espionage operations later known as the Watergate scandal, considered their actions as patriotic. This miniseries from co-creators Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck presents the two wacky “Dirty Tricks” specialists motivated by their extreme loyalty to the country and President Nixon. But this leads to Liddy and Hunt’s shady and clumsy work with Daniel Ellsberg (The Pentagon Papers) leak and then the Watergate break-in. And their superiors, like Attorney General John Mitchell and White House Counsel John Dean, supported and funded them. In White House Plumbers John Dean is both a co-conspirator and accessory to the political shenanigans that later brought down Nixon.

Justin Theroux  in his role of G. Gordon Liddy goes over the top with the tar-black, openly fake-looking mustache of Liddy. Theroux revels in the dangerous craziness of his character displaying the agent’s troubling love of Hitler’s speeches, guns, and propensity to keep his hand over a flame as a gesture of his trustworthiness and toughness.

Woody Herrelson delivers a blend of comedy and tragedy with his role as Howard Hunt attempting to rein in Liddy’s nutty actions. At the same time, Hunt’s family is in crisis and his financial problems increase. Herrelson’s controlled performance balances the wild escapades of Liddy.

I was surprised to learn the actual Watergate break-in was the FOURTH attempt by the Plumbers to access files in the Democratic National Committee (DNC) office. If you’re interested in the bizarre and twisted story of the Watergate break-in, White House Plumbers reveals the actual true events in all their humorous yet disturbing detail. GRADE: A–

I have been accused of using too many exclamation points (aka, exclamation marks in the UK)–mostly by Cap’n Bob. But Florence Hazrat’s slim book, An Admirable Point: A Brief History of the Exclamation Mark!, encourages its use and defends its usage.

!Ay caramba! became Bart Simpson’s catchphrase (but was his first exclamation when he saw his parents having sex). (p. 55) That deserved double exclamation points.

But, like Cap’n Bob, others have found “overuse” of exclamation points objectionable. Hazrat notes that H. W. Fowler, author of The King’s English, set modern exclamatory rules limiting the use of exclamation marks (p. 44). Fowler frowned on use of multiple exclamation marks!!!

I was surprised to learn early typewriters like the Remington did not have an exclamation point key. Hazrat speculates this was a result of the first typewriters were marketed to businesses who apparently had no use for an exclamation mark in their business correspondence. But later, as more people outside of commercial enterprises purchased typewriters, the exclamation point was awarded a key (that typically it shared with the Number 1).

Hazrat explores how various writers like Shakespeare, Jane Austin, James Joyce, Elmore Leonard, and Cormac McCarthy used the exclamation point. She points out Elmore Leonard broke his own rules regarding use of the exclamation point. I had forgotten Anton Chekhov wrote a story called “The Exclamation Point” (1885) where a clerk becomes obsessed with exclamation points. (p. 73)

I’m always interested in grammar and punctuation. I’ve reviewed SEMICOLON: THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF A MISUNDERSTOOD MARK By Cecelia Watson (you can read my review here) and BETWEEN YOU AND ME: CONFESSIONS OF A COMMA QUEEN and IT’S GREEK TO ME: ADVENTURES OF THE COMMA QUEEN By Mary Norris (you can read my review here). Florence Hazrat’s excellent An Admirable Point: A Brief History of the Exclamation Mark! joins these wonderful books on the use of punctuation! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction: The spiked delights of ! — 9

A very pathetical point : ! through ages — 23

The period that blew its top : thinking and feeling ! — 51

‘so !f!’ : literature and the flaming pink scarf — 73

Oi!!! : perking up with punctuation — 108

Radiating punctuation : exclamatory politics and the nuclear bomb — 122

At your fingertips : digital ! — 136

Epilogue: Quo vadis! — 153

Index!! — 168

“The second volume of Star Wars Visions expanded the show’s reach to various studios across the globe. This new series features shorts from animation studios El Guiri (Spain), Cartoon Saloon (Ireland), Punkrobot (Chile), Aardman (United Kingdom), Studio Mir (South Korea), Studio La Cachette (France), 88 Pictures (India), D’art Shtajio (Japan), and Triggerfish (South Africa). The creators at each studio are given free rein to re-envision the ideas of Star Wars as they see fit, while receiving guidance from Lucasfilm’s executive team; further, D’art Shtajio’s short was co-produced by Lucasfilm.”

If you’re in the mood for some Star Wars international animation, you might want to give the new Star Wars Visions series a try. The nine episodes feature stories from various parts of the Lucasfilm Universe. I enjoyed all nine episodes in this second season of Star Wars Visions and my favorite was “Journey to the Dark Head” that tells the story of a committed pilot and a troubled Jedi–quite an odd couple. You’ll find the gorgeous animation in this series a real treat! GRADE: A

Here are summaries of each of the nine new episodes:

S2 E1 · Sith

May 4, 2023

A former Sith living a peaceful life is confronted with her past when her former master finds her.

S2 E2 · Screecher’s Reach

May 4, 2023

A young girl seeking relief from her days in a rural workshop discovers a legendary haunted cave with her friends. The cave’s dark call will change the trajectory of her life forever.

S2 E3 · In the Stars

May 4, 2023

Two sisters, who are the last of their kind, fight for survival when Imperial forces discover them.

S2 E4 · I Am Your Mother

May 4, 2023

Young pilot Anni is forced to participate with her caring but nagging mother, of whom she is ashamed, in a reckless flight academy family competition where their relationship is tested by their old ship.

S2 E5 · Journey to the Dark Head

May 4, 2023

An optimistic mechanic/pilot and a disillusioned young Jedi join forces on an unlikely and risky mission to turn the tide of galactic warfare, but dark forces follow them on their quest.

S2 E6 · The Spy Dancer

May 4, 2023

The prima ballerina of a well-known cabaret frequented by imperials uses her unique skills to do espionage on behalf of the Rebellion, but the presence of a mysterious officer threatens to compromise her mission.

S2 E7 · The Bandits of Golak

May 4, 2023

A young boy and his Force-sensitive younger sister flee their village by train. They are pursued by ruthless Imperial forces, so they seek refuge in a bustling and dangerous marketplace.

S2 E8 · The Pit

May 4, 2023

A brave young prisoner, forced by the Empire to dig the earth to extract kyber crystals, plans a risky escape for himself and his people when the Imperials abandon the workers in the mine.

S2 E9 · Aau’s Song

May 4, 2023

An alien child, eager to sing, is brought up by a loving but strict father, who forces her to keep silent because of the disastrous effect her voice has on the crystals in some mines.

As you can see on the cover of this new edition of Fools Die on Friday (1947),  Raymond Chandler wrote to Erle Stanley Gardner in 1948 and complemented him with these words: “Fools Die on Friday is about the best of the series since the first two. Perhaps since the very first.” Those words may have been premature given that the Donald Lam-Bertha Cool series has 30 books and Fools Die on Friday is only book #11.

The title comes from Erle Stanley Gardner’s observation that most executions occur on a Friday. In this case Donald Lam and Bertha Cool are hired to prevent a potential poisoning. Donald Lam decides on a tricky strategy that sounds good in theory…but fails monumentally. Lam and Cool have to scramble to limit the damage and catch the killer.

I read Fools Die on Friday back in the 1960s when I binged on both of Gardner’s series: Perry Mason and Lam-Cool. Fools Die on Friday is the sixth book of the series that Hard Case Crime has reprinted. I’m hoping they reprint the whole series! The plots are tricky and the action causes the pages to turn. GRADE: B

Since no Beatles songs were included on Classic Rock: 1965 this compilation gives a skewed picture of the music of 1965. Yes, Motown shows up strong: Wilson Pickett, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and The Supremes.

Classics like The Righteous Brothers’s “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ ” and “I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher rub shoulders with novelty songs like “Wooly Bully” by Sam The Sham (related to George Santos) and The Pharaohs and “Down in The Boondocks” by Billy Joe Royal.

“Help Me, Rhonda” is one of my favorite Beach Boys songs. And I never tire of listening to The Byrds’s rendition of “Mr. Tambourine Man.” Do you remember these songs from 1965? Any favorites here? GRADE: B+

TRACK LIST:

1	The Byrds–	Mr. Tambourine Man Written-By – Bob Dylan	2:22
2	The Yardbirds–	For Your Love Written-By – Graham Gouldman	2:31
3	Wilson Pickett–	In The Midnight Hour Written-By – Steve Cropper, Wilson Pickett	2:28
4	The Miracles–	The Tracks Of My Tears Written-By – Marvin Tarplin, William Robinson*, Warren Moore	2:56
5	The Beau Brummels–	Just A Little Written-By – Robert Durand, Ron Elliott	2:26
6	The Righteous Brothers–	You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ Written-By – Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector	3:43
7	The Temptations–	My Girl Written-By – Ronald White, William Robinson	2:44
8	Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs*–	Wooly Bully Written-By – Domingo Samudio	2:21
9	Billy Joe Royal–	Down In The Boondocks Written-By – Joe South	2:36
10	The Beach Boys–	Help Me, Rhonda Written-By – Brian Wilson	2:47
11	Barbara Lewis–	Baby, I’m Yours Written-By – Van McCoy	2:32
12	The Lovin’ Spoonful–	Do You Believe In Magic? Written-By – John Sebastian	2:06
13	The Four Tops*–	I Can’t Help Myself Written-By – Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier And Edward Holland Jr.	2:43
14	The Kinks–	Tired Of Waiting For You Written-By – Ray Davies	2:34
15	The McCoys–	Hang On Sloopy Written-By – Bert Russell, Wes Farrell	3:04
16	The Yardbirds–	Heart Full Of Soul Written-By – Graham Gouldman	2:30
17	Junior Walker And The All Stars*–	Shotgun Written-By – Autry DeWalt	3:04
18	Sonny And Cher*–	I Got You Babe Written-By – Sonny Bono	3:12
19	The Castaways–	Liar, Liar Written-By – Jim Donna	1:53
20	The Supremes–	Back In My Arms AgainWritten-By – Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier And Edward Holland Jr.	2:54
21	Gary Lewis And The Playboys*–	This Diamond Ring Written-By – Al Kooper, Bob Brass (2), Irwin Levine	2:10
22	The Toys–	A Lover’s Concerto Written-By – Denny Randell, Sandy Linzer	2:35

Once again I was surprised to learn about a book series I didn’t know existed. I picked up this slim paperback (105 pages of BIG PRINT!) at a Library Book Sale and learned this is the first book in a seven book series (you can check out the entire series below). Here’s the low-down from the Quick Reads website:

“Quick Reads is a literacy organisation which works with book publishers to provide low-cost, low-page count books to encourage people to read. A major focus of their outreach are adult readers who need to improve their literacy skills. BBC Books is one of the non-profit’s partners. Beginning in 2006, this relationship produced original Doctor Who fiction.

During the David Tennant years, one Tenth Doctor Quick Reads novella was released each year, including the “transition” year of 2010. No Quick Reads were issued in 2011, but the series resumed in 2012 with the Eleventh Doctor, but was discontinued after the 2013 release (though non-Doctor Who Quick Reads novellas continue to be published).

The 2007 release Made of Steel was notable for being the first piece of original fiction based upon the revival series to be written by Terrance Dicks, a script editor and writer for the original TV series, as well as a prolific writer of Doctor Who prose fiction. The novella was also published a month before the episode Smith and Jones was first broadcast, thus making it the first appearance of companion Martha Jones.”

I found I Am a Dalek a quick 20-minute read. The reading level and plot are set at a low level, but the story was typical Doctor Who stuff which always appeals to me. If you’re a Doctor Who fan, you might be interested in these Quick Reads. GRADE: B

	I am a Dalek	Gareth Roberts	May 2006	0-563-48648-1		9
	Made of Steel	Terrance Dicks	Mar 2007	978-1-84607-204-8
	Revenge of the Judoon	Terrance Dicks	Mar 2008	978-1-84607-372-4
	The Sontaran Games	Jacqueline Rayner	Feb 2009	978-1-84607-643-5
	Code of the Krillitanes	Justin Richards	Mar 2010	978-1-84607-928-3
	Magic of The Angels	Jacqueline Rayner	Feb 2012	978-1-84990-286-1
	The Silurian Gift	Mike Tucker	Dec 2012