I picked up this book in a thrift store for pennies. The book is published by Word Cloud Classics and features a number of novels and stories, mostly from the early 20th Century.

The oldest story is Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” a tale many claim as the first detective story.

Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers are represented by two solid mysteries. Sherlock Holmes solves “The Adventure of the Creeping Man,” and John Buchan takes us up those scary 39 steps that Hitchcock made famous.

This entertaining collection is rounded out by Chesterton, Bramah, and Freeman stories. If you’re looking for a big, fat book of mysteries, Classic Tales of Mystery delivers plenty of enjoyment. GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Murder on the Links (1923) by Agatha Christie — 1

The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841) by Edgar Allan Poe — 213

Whose Body? (1923) by Dorothy Sayers –255

The Adventure of the Creeping Man (1923) by Arthur Conan Doyle –441

The Blue Cross (1910) by G. K. Chesterton — 467

The Coin of Dionysius (1914) by Ernest Bramah — 491

The Anthropologist at Large (1909) by R. Austin Freeman –511

The Thirty-nine Steps (1915) by John Buchan — 537

If you’re looking for something wacky and different, Peacemaker fits the bill. Peacemaker is an American television series created by James Gunn for the streaming service HBO Max, based on the DC Comics character Peacemaker. It is the first DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series and a spin-off from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad. It follows Christopher Smith / Peacemaker as he joins the black ops squad “Project Butterfly”. 

After recovering from the injuries he suffered during the events of The Suicide Squad (2021), Christopher Smith / Peacemaker is forced to join the mysterious A.R.G.U.S. black ops squad “Project Butterfly”, who are on a mission to identify and eliminate parasitic butterfly-like creatures in human form around the United States and the world.

John Cena stars as the title character, reprising his role from The Suicide Squad. Gunn wrote all eight episodes of the series while completing work on The Suicide Squad.  Filming took place in Vancouver, Canada, from January to July 2021, with Gunn directing five of the episodes.

Plenty of action and mayhem result from the missions as Peacemaker and his colleagues take on a menacing, mysterious threat.

Peacemaker premiered on HBO Max on January 13, 2022 with its first three episodes. The rest of the series is being released weekly through February 17. If you enjoyed The Suicide Squad you’ll enjoy the antics and mis-adventures of this band of homicidal misfits. Check out the trailer below. GRADE: B+

Snowstorm Izzy (I love The Weather Channel names for these storms) arrived in Western New York at 9 P.M. last night and snowed all night long. We have 18 inches of snow on the ground and more on its way: the weather guessers predict another 6 inches of snow before this storm moves away.

I’ve been starting Big Orange every day last week in preparation for this snow event so it was no surprise when my trusty snowblower fired right up! I snowblowed the driveway, sidewalks, my neighbor’s sidewalks, and I even snowblowed the widow’s driveway across the street.

Did Snowstorm Izzy affect you? Hundreds of thousands of people in North Carolina and Virginia don’t have power because of the icy conditions and downed trees and power lines.

The Philadelphia Eagles rested their starters last Sunday so we’ll see if that strategy works against Tom Brady and the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kick off is at 1 P.M on FOX. Tampa Bay is favorited by 9 1/2 points. I think the Eagles are toast.

The San Francisco 49ers are a mere 3-point underdog to the mighty Dallas Cowboys so something is up in this 4:30 P.M. game on CBS. The Cowboys should win…but I’m going with the Niners.

On paper, the Steelers vs. Chiefs looks like a laugher. The Chiefs are favored by 12 1/2 points! The game kicks off at 8:30 P.M. on NBC. Could this game be over by Half-time? It looks that way to me!

The NFL constantly experiments with the Playoff format to maximize the audience for its games. This year, there’s a Monday Night Football Playoff game on ABC/ESPN at 8:15 P.M. between the Arizona Cardinals and the LA Rams. The Rams are favored by 4-points but the Cardinals can be dangerous with phenom Kyler Murray. I’d be tempted to take the Cards and the points.

Who do you think will win these games?

Super Wild Card Weekend kicks off with a 4:15 P.M. game on NBC between the Raiders and the Bengals. The Bengals are favored by 5 points. The Raiders won’t like the frigid temperatures in Cincinnati! I think the Bengals will win, but not cover the spread.

The game all Buffalo Bills fans have been waiting for kicks off at 8:15 P.M. on CBS. The Bills are favored by 4 points, but the weather will be arctic with temperatures around ZERO degrees. The Bills should win, but anything can happen in this kind of weather!

Who do you think will win these Playoff games?

Prolific writer Basil Copper is best known for his Sherlock Holmes pastiches featuring Solar Pons. But, Copper wrote a variety of novels. I had this Mike Faraday mystery for years and finally got around to reading it.

First published in 1967 and set in Los Angeles, Scratch On the Dark features private eye Mike Faraday who specializes in cases that involve Hollywood. When Dr. Nathan Crisp hires Faraday to find his wayward wife, fading movie star Zarah Fayne, Faraday finds himself dealing with a professional killer, a pornography ring, and treachery.

Basil Copper wrote 52 Mike Faraday mysteries. They remind me of Carter Brown’s Rick Holman mysteries that centered around Hollywood starlets. If you’re in the mood for an old-fashioned private-eye tale with humor, action, and surprises I recommend Scratch On the Dark. GRADE: B

I missed this box set when it was released in 1993. Through chance and serendipity, I found this set online and decided to buy it. As you might notice in the lower right-hand corner, the TIME-LIFE logo announces this was a set that was mostly marketed on TV.

The seven music CDs cover 1967 through 1992. As far as I can determine, there hasn’t been an update to this set. Trying to capture the best of rock & roll of 25 years is an impossible task. But, there are plenty of great songs on these discs. Do you see any of your favorites? What songs are missing? GRADE: B+ (for the entire set)

Tracklist:

	DISC ONE:	1967 – 1969
1-1	Bob Dylan–	Like A Rolling Stone	6:09
1-2	Buffalo Springfield–	For What It’s Worth	2:37
1-3	Moby Grape–	Omaha	2:22
1-4	Quicksilver Messenger Service–	Dino’s Song	3:07
1-5	Donovan–	Season Of The Witch	4:56
1-6	The Doors–	Crystal Ship	2:33
1-7	The Jimi Hendrix Experience–	Spanish Castle Magic	3:02
1-8	Cream (2)–	Crossroads	4:12
1-9	The Who–	I Can See For Miles	4:07
1-10	The Jimi Hendrix Experience–	All Along The Watchtower	4:00
1-11	Jeff Beck Group–	Beck’s Bolero	2:53
1-12	Big Brother And The Holding Company*–	Piece Of My Heart	4:14
1-13	The Band–	The Weight	4:36
1-14	The Byrds–	Wasn’t Born To Follow	2:02
1-15	Johnny Winter–	Highway 61 Revisited	5:05
1-16	Jefferson Airplane–	3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds	4:45
1-17	Traffic–	Dear Mr. Fantasy	5:32
	DISC TWO:	1969 – 1970
2-1	MC5–	Kick Out The Jams	2:59
2-2	Santana–	Everybody’s Everything	3:29
2-3	The Steve Miller Band*–	My Dark Hour	3:08
2-4	Neil Young–	The Loner	3:53
2-5	Bob Dylan–	Lay Lady Lay	3:19
2-6	Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young–	Ohio	3:00
2-7	Boz Scaggs–	Loan Me A Dime	12:33
2-8	The Jackson 5–	I Want You Back	2:57
2-9	Sly And The Family Stone*–	Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)	4:53
2-10	John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band*–	Working Class Hero	3:51
2-11	Creedence Clearwater Revival–	Fortunate Son	2:21
2-12	Eric Clapton–	Blues Power	3:09
2-13	The Grateful Dead–	Casey Jones	4:27
2-14	The Allman Brothers Band–	Dreams	7:18
2-15	Led Zeppelin–	Friends	3:54
	DISC THREE:	1971 – 1973
3-1	Rod Stewart–	Maggie May	5:14
3-2	The Who–	Won’t Get Fooled Again	8:31
3-3	Stevie Wonder–	Superstition	4:26
3-4	Marvin Gaye–	What’s Going On	3:48
3-5	Joni Mitchell–	California	3:49
3-6	Paul Simon–	Mother And Child Reunion	3:06
3-7	Randy Newman–	Sail Away	2:52
3-8	The Eagles*–	Take It Easy	3:31
3-9	Bonnie Raitt–	Give It Up (Or Let Me Go)	4:30
3-10	Little Feat–	Dixie Chicken	3:51
3-11	The Allman Brothers Band–	Ramblin’ Man	4:44
3-12	Derek And The Dominos*–	Bell Bottom Blues	5:02
3-13	Mott The Hoople–	All The Young Dudes	3:31
3-14	Lou Reed–	Walk On The Wild Side	4:12
3-15	Bob Dylan–	Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door	2:30
	DISC FOUR:	1973 – 1977
4-1	David Bowie–	Rebel Rebel	4:31
4-2	Ry Cooder–	It’s All Over Now	4:53
4-3	Bob Marley And The Wailers*–	No Woman No Cry	3:42
4-4	Elton John–	Daniel	3:55
4-5	James Taylor (2)–	Mexico	2:59
4-6	Bob Dylan–	Simple Twist Of Fate	4:19
4-7	Neil Young–	Tonight’s The Night	4:44
4-8	Led Zeppelin–	Trampled Under Foot	5:36
4-9	Bruce Springsteen–	Born To Run	4:32
4-10	Graham Parker–	Heat Treatment	3:07
4-11	Ramones–	Blitzkrieg Bop	2:14
4-12	Fleetwood Mac–	Go Your Own Way	3:39
4-13	Bonnie Raitt–	Runaway	3:23
4-14	Jackson Browne–	The Pretender	5:51
4-15	The Eagles*–	Hotel California	6:27
4-16	Wings (2)–	Maybe I’m Amazed	5:18
	DISC FIVE:	1977 – 1982
5-1	The Sex Pistols*–	God Save The Queen	3:21
5-2	Television–	See No Evil	3:54
5-3	Elvis Costello–	Watching The Detectives	3:44
5-4	The Patti Smith Group*–	We Three	4:18
5-5	Ian Dury And The Blockheads–	Sex & Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll	3:05
5-6	Warren Zevon–	Werewolves Of London	3:27
5-7	Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers–	Refugee	3:22
5-8	Ry Cooder–	Little Sister	3:46
5-9	The Kinks–	A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy	5:01
5-10	Dire Straits–	Sultans Of Swing	5:47
5-11	The Cars–	Just What I Needed	3:45
5-12	The Clash–	Train In Vain (Stand By Me)	3:09
5-13	The Pretenders–	Brass In Pocket	3:04
5-14	U2–	I Will Follow	3:37
5-15	Prince–	When U Were Mine	3:44
5-16	Richard And Linda Thompson*–	Wall Of Death	3:44
5-17	Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five*–	The Message	7:10
	DISC SIX:	1982 – 1986
6-1	Eurythmics–	Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)	4:52
6-2	The J. Geils Band–	Freeze Frame	3:58
6-3	Prince–	Little Red Corvette	5:05
6-4	Talking Heads–	Life During Wartime	5:53
6-5	Sting–	If You Love Somebody Set Them Free	4:15
6-6	Don Henley–	The Boys Of Summer	4:50
6-7	Prince–	When Doves Cry	5:55
6-8	Bruce Springsteen–	Born In The U.S.A.	4:38
6-9	U2–	Pride (In The Name Of Love)	3:48
6-10	Madonna–	Borderline	3:58
6-11	Cyndi Lauper–	She Bop	3:49
6-12	Paul Simon–	Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes	5:49
6-13	John Mellencamp*–	Rain On The Scarecrow	3:45
6-14	Jackson Browne–	Lives In The Balance	4:12
6-15	Foreigner–	I Want To Know What Love Is	4:59
	DISC SEVEN:	1986 – 1992
7-1	Bangles–	Manic Monday	3:06
7-2	Run-D.M.C.*–	Walk This Way	5:13
7-3	The Robert Cray Band–	Smoking Gun	4:07
7-4	Living Colour–	Cult Of Personality	4:56
7-5	The B-52’s–	Love Shack	5:24
7-6	The Grateful Dead–	Touch Of Grey	5:48
7-7	Don Henley–	The End Of The Innocence	5:15
7-8	Tracy Chapman–	Talkin’ Bout A Revolution	2:40
7-9	Public Enemy–	Fight The Power	4:46
7-10	Vaughan Brothers*–	White Boots	3:48
7-11	Bonnie Raitt–	Thing Called Love	3:53
7-12	The Black Crowes–	Hard To Handle	3:11
7-13	R.E.M.–	Losing My Religion	4:29
7-14	Robbie Robertson–	Shake This Town	5:21
7-15	Spin Doctors–	Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong	3:53

Sometimes I’m caught up in a wave of Nostalgia and reread a book that takes me back to my youth. I first read Doctor to the Stars when it was first published in 1964 by Pyramid Books–a publisher who no longer exists. No, Doctor to the Stars is NOT a Hollywood tell-all Exposé. It’s a collection of Murray Leinster’s stories about a doctor named Calhoun who practices his medical across interstellar space.

I was about 15 years old when I first read Doctor to the Stars. I’m sure the eye-catching John Schoenherr cover artwork had something to do with it. In the mid-1960s, I vacillated my reading between Science Fiction and Mysteries. This was about the time I binged on a couple dozen Agatha Christie mysteries.

Rereading these stories brought back that Sense of Wonder I loved as a kid. Are you fan of Murray Leinster? What do you reread? GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

“The Grandfather’s War,” Astounding Science Fiction, October 1957 — 7

“Med Ship Man,” Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1963 — 75

“Talian Three (aka, “The Hate Disease”), Analog Science Fact/Science Fiction, August 1963 — 120

Joel Coen’s first solo effort without his brother, Ethan, stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. The Tragedy of Macbeth is in theaters now and will be available on Apple TV on January 14. Frances McDormand wanted the Coen Brothers to make The Tragedy of Macbeth for years and finally wore Joel Coen down.

Patti Abbott rightly points out that Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand are too old for the roles they play in this film. But Joel Coen’s skill in producing this compelling black & white version of The Tragedy of Macbeth despite some of the obvious limitations is a marvel to watch.

I’ve seen more versions of Macbeth than any other Shakespeare play. The first was in an English class in High School where I first read Macbeth and we acted out parts of it. In college, I was required to take a Shakespeare class and once again, Macbeth was on the syllabus along with Hamlet and King Lear. My Professor, Michael McCandless, was a brilliant Shakespearean scholar who would read portions of the plays to us with his wonderful tenor voice.

And then there’s the movie versions I’ve seen over the years:

• Macbeth (US and UK, 1971)
  • Roman Polanski, director
  • Jon Finch as Macbeth
  • Francesca Annis as Lady Macbeth
• Macbeth (TV, UK, 1979) – film of the Royal Shakespeare Company‘s Other Place production.
  • Trevor Nunn, director
  • Ian McKellen as Macbeth
  • Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth
• Macbeth (UK, 1981)
  • Arthur Allan Seidelman, director
  • Jeremy Brett as Macbeth
  • Piper Laurie as Lady Macbeth

• Macbeth (TV, UK, 2010) – television adaptation of Royal Shakespeare Company’s stage production.
  • Rupert Goold, director
  • Patrick Stewart as Macbeth
  • Kate Fleetwood as Lady Macbeth

• Macbeth (UK, 2015)
  • Justin Kurzel, director
  • Michael Fassbender as Macbeth
  • Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth

What do you think of The Tragedy of Macbeth? Do you have a favorite performance? I would rank this Coen version very high. Check out the trailer below. GRADE: A-

It’s just like deja vu all over again…only worse! Back in January 2021, there was hope the vaccines would end the Coronavirus Pandemic. Sure, we got our Moderna shots and Booster, but millions of anti-vaxxers and anti-mask doofuses set the stage for the Summer surge of the Delta Variant. And now we’re facing the even more contagious Omicron Variant. The chances of contracting Covid-19 have never been greater!

The velocity of the spread of Omicron staggers our healthcare system. We’re dealing with early a million new positive tests per day, the last 7-day average of Covid-19 deaths in the U.S. was 1,664. On top of that, a shortage of Covid-19 test kits, Ron DeSantis’s casual insouciance in throwing away a million test kits “because they weren’t necessary,” long lines at testing sites, and a huge undercount of infections because people testing positive at home aren’t factored into the statistics adds to the mess.

Our hospitals are overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients. Elective surgeries have been canceled. Most schools and colleges in our area retreated to “remote learning.”

Amid all this chaos, the wit and wisdom of Patti, Jeff, Deb, Rick, Beth, Todd, Art, Willam, Maggie, Bob, Tracy, Carl, Lauren, Steve, Jerry, Wolf, Stan, Dan, Neeru, Michael, Byron, Elgin, Angela, Scott, Jim, John, Kevin, Randy, James, Kent, Fred, and Matthew as well as all of you who make this blog a part of your day brought hope and sanity in these times of despair and outrage and frustration.

Thank you, thank you very much.