TRACKLIST:

Loaded With Hits, released in 2000, was a fund-raising music CD where a portion of the profits went to support the T. J. Martell Foundation for for Leukemia, Cancer, and AIDS Research. I might quibble about how many of these songs are really “hits” but there’s certainly a variety of different musical styles on these two CDs. I’m a big fan of Sarah McLachan’s “Building a Mystery.” “Save Tonight” was a hit for Eagle-Eye Cherry. And we might see Lisa Loeb singing “I Do” in a future GEICO commercial. How many of these “hits” do you recognize? Any favorites? GRADE: B

1-1	Will Smith–	Just The Two Of Us	5:16
1-2	Mariah Carey–	My All	3:51
1-3	Christina Aguilera–	Love For All Seasons	3:50
1-4	Céline Dion–	Immortality	4:10
1-5	Backstreet Boys–	As Long As You Love Me (Soul Solution Remix)Remix – Soul SolutionRemix – Soul Solution	3:58
1-6	Robyn–	Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)	4:02
1-7	Spice Girls–	Stop	3:24
1-8	*NSYNC–	I Want You Back	3:19
1-9	Five–	When The Lights Go Out	4:06
1-10	B*Witched–	C’est La Vie	2:52
1-11	Billy Crawford–	Urgently In LoveFeaturing – Nona HendryxFeaturing – Nona Hendryx	4:12
1-12	Nicole*–	Make It Hot	4:04
1-13	R. Kelly–	Home Alone	4:17
1-14	Keith Sweat–	Come And Get With Me	4:55
1-15	Brian McKnight–	Anytime	4:33
2-1	Sarah McLachlan–	Building A Mystery	4:07
2-2	Eagle-Eye Cherry–	Save Tonight	3:56
2-3	Kenny Wayne Shepherd–	Blue On Black	5:31
2-4	Lisa Loeb–	I Do	3:36
2-5	Natalie Imbruglia–	Torn	4:04
2-6	The Verve Pipe–	The Freshman	4:29
2-7	Dave Matthews Band–	Don’t Drink The Water	6:37
2-8	Blondie–	Maria	3:52
2-9	KRS-One–	Step Into A World (Rapture’s Delight)Vocals – Keva*Vocals – Keva*	4:50
2-10	Goodie Mob–	Beautiful Skin	5:21
2-11	Big Punisher–	I’m Not A Player	3:41
2-12	Creed (3)–	My Own Prison	4:59
2-13	Eve 6–	Inside Out	3:39
2-14	Tori Amos–	Jackie’s Strength	4:26

The original Rogues’ Gallery was published by Little, Brown in 1945. The Table of Contents below is from that edition. In the early 1960s, DELL Books published Ellery Queen’s Rogues’ Gallery 1 (I’ve never seen Rogues’ Gallery 2). I included the page numbers from the paperback edition below.

I’ve always liked Agatha Christie’s “Accident” with its snarky ending. Ben Hecht’s “The Fifteen Murderers” stunned me with its plot twist. It will also give you a different view of doctors.

It was fun to reread John Dickson Carr’s “Mr. Markham, Antique Dealer” with the patented Carr trickery. My favorite story in this anthology was O. Henry’s “A Personal Magnet” with Henry’s cunning deceptions. I may have to go hunting for the original edition of Rogues’ Gallery. GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Ruffian’s wife / Dashiell Hammett —

Accident / Agatha Christie — 9

Portrait of a murderer / Q. Patrick —

Murder by mail / Howard Spring —

Mr. Bowley’s Sunday evening / H.C. Bailey — 45

The fifteen murderers / Ben Hecht — 59

Mr. Markham, antique dealer / John Dickson Carr — 19

Murder! / Arnold Bennett —

The diamond links / Grant Allen —

A trap to catch a cracksman / E.W. Hornung — 81

Edith Swan-Neck / Maurice Leblanc —

The infallible Godahl / Frederick Irving Anderson —

The seventy-fourth diamond / Edgar Wallace —

The St. Jocasta tapestries / Roy Vickers —

A personal magnet / O. Henry — 100

The Quagg Peerless Sciatacata Co. / George Randolph Chester — 107

The Colonel gives a party / Everett Rhode Castle —

Sam and his Yankee allies / Eric Knight —

The men of the jimmy / Melville Davisson Post —

The people versus Kelleher / Thomas McMorrow — 168

The Salisbury assizes / H.B. Marriott Watson —

The brazen serpent / R. Austin Freeman — 130

The red herring / William Hope Hodgson —

The cablegram / T.S. Stribling — 149

Thubway tham, thvilian / Johnston McCulley — 192

Adventures of Andrew Land / Charles J. Finger —

The blind spot / Leslie Charteris —  207

Ellery Queen, swindler / Ellery Queen —

The showdown / “Pat Hand” —

The willow walk / Sinclair Lewis —

Town wanted / Fredric Brown –221

In 1969, right about the time Woodstock was happening, the Harlem Cultural Festival took place. Star acts from the world of Soul came to Harlem to perform in front of 300,000 residents in Marcus Garvey Park. Stevie Wonder, the Gospel Redeemers, B.B. King, The Fifth Dimension, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Chambers Brothers, Nina Simone, the Staple Singers, Mongo Santamaria, David Ruffin, Herbie Mann, The Isley Brothers, Ray Barretto, Max Roach, Mahalia Jackson, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, and Hugh Masekela filled the park with wonderful music.

Questlove and editor Joshua L. Pearson edited down the 40+ hours of videotape–that languished for 50 years–into the best documentary of 2021. How this extraordinary event could go unrecognized for decades is mind-boggling. Finally, it is available and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended! GRADE: A

Michael Pollan thinks the War on Drugs is just about over. And, the Drugs won. Many states have de-crimalized marijuana, others have legalized it for “recreational” use. In This is Your Mind on Plants, Pollan writes about his experiences with opioids, caffeine, and mescaline (and other psychedelic drugs).

I first used opioids after my first total knee replacement surgery. I was prescribed hydrocodone and it did its magic in helping me manage the post-surgery pain and physical therapy during my Rehab. The addictive aspects of the drug were well known so I careful regulated my dosage and slowly tapered off. Some of the other patients in Rehab didn’t and got “hooked.”

Pollan shows how to grow your own supply of opium in your garden. Opium has a long history and it can be helpful in medicine…and it can be dangerous.

Jeff Meyerson, in his comment yesterday, wondered: “I don’t get how people drink that stuff all day every day.” As Pollan points out, caffeine is addictive (but not as addictive as opioids). When coffee drinkers stop drinking coffee, all the withdrawal symptoms kick in: headaches, fatigue, lethargy, nausea, body aches, difficulty concentrating, decreased motivation, and irritability. On the plus side, having a coffee addition improves focus, motivation, and productivity. Other health aspects like protecting against certain cancers, diabetes, and Parkinson’s factor in, too.

One of Deb’s favorite writers, Honore de Balzac, wrote about the effect drinking coffee had on his writing: “From that moment on, everything becomes agitated. Ideas quick-march into motion like battalions of a grand army to its legendary fighting ground, and the battle rages. Memories charge in, bright flags on high; the cavalry of metaphor deploys with a magnificent gallop, the artillery of logic rushes up with clattering wagons and carriages; on imagination’s orders, sharpshooters sight and fire; forms and shapes and characters read up; the paper is read with ink…” (p. 113)

While I use opioids and caffeine, I have never used psychedelic drugs like mescaline (or LSD or psilocybin). Pollan describes his “trip” on mescaline. I’m wary of mind-altering drugs like psychedelics. I like my mind just fine as it is.

If you’re interested in the history and future of opioids, caffeine and mescaline, I encourage to take a look at Pollan’s This Is Your Mind on Plants. There’s a lot to consider here. What do you think of opioids, caffeine, and psychedelics? GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION — 1

OPIUM — 13

Prologue — 15

“Opium, Made Easy” — 21

Epilogue — 83

CAFFEINE — 89

MESCALINE — 161

1. The Door in the Wall –163
2. The Orphan Psychedelic — 166
3. In Which We Meet the Cacti — 174
4. The Birth of a New Religion — 187
5. Peeking Inside the Tepee — 199
6. An Interlude: On Mescaline — 214
7. Learning from San Pedro — 223
8. Drunk at the Wheel — 228
9. Plan C — 230

Acknowledgements — 249

Selected Bibliography — 253

Index — 259

I’m a fan of Starbucks’s Blonde Roast coffees. During our visit to Ohio last week, I discovered Starbucks Sunrise Blend, smooth coffee with hints of chocolate. Starbucks features various Blonde Roast coffees throughout the year…and then they disappear. If you like mild, smooth coffee–without the “bite” of some of Starbucks’s stronger coffees–I highly recommend Sunrise Blend. Do you have a favorite coffee? GRADE: A

The Tomorrow War, which cost just under $160 million to make, stars Pratt as a high school teacher with a military background who is among those recruited from soldiers from the future, who need people to come forward in time to fight off alien invaders. No consideration of Time Paradoxes or Temporal Mechanics in this mess of a movie.

But despite the illogical plot and absurd actions of the characters, this sci-fi time travel film starring Chris Pratt already has a sequel in the works, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. The reason why is simple: money.

Director Chris McKay is expected to return, along with screenwriter Zach Dean and much of the original cast, which in addition to Pratt included Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin and Sam Richardson. Skydance and Amazon Studios are behind the project.

The Tomorrow War debuted on Amazon Prime July 2 and appears to have garnered strong numbers for the service, according to Pratt. While — like many other streamers — Amazon does not provide viewership numbers, Pratt celebrated its release by stating on Instagram this week that the film broke records in its first 48 hours and “was the No 1 film in the world.” One insider said the movie exceeded all expectations. This despite the ridiculous plot and the monotonous battle sequences. Skip this one (and the sequel!). GRADE: C-

I’ve always liked the Ed Valgurskey cover on the hardcover edition of The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, Seventh Series. This collection features the classic SF puzzle story, “The Cage,” by Australian writer, A. Bertram Chandler.

Another feature of The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction series is the inclusion of women SF writers. Margaret St. Clair and Mildred Clingerman are represented by fine stories.

I’ve always been a fan of C. M. Kornbluth’s “MS Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie.” Many of you will remember Fritz Leiber’s “The Big Trek.” I’m also fond of Robert F. Young–who worked as a janitor in Buffalo, NY schools–and his fantasy “Goddess in Granite.” All in all, a solid collection well worth rereading! GRADE: A-

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• 9 • Introduction (Best from F&SF 7) • (1958) • essay by Anthony Boucher
• 11 • The Wines of Earth • (1957) • short story by Margaret St. Clair [as by Idris Seabright]
• 19 • In Memoriam: Fletcher Pratt • (1957) • poem by James Blish
• 20 • Adjustment • (1957) • novelette by Ward Moore
• 46 • The Cage • (1957) • short story by A. Bertram Chandler
• 61 • Mr. Stilwell’s Stage • (1957) • short story by Avram Davidson
• 73 • Venture to the Moon • [Venture to the Moon] • (1956) • short story by Arthur C. Clarke
• 105 • Expedition • (1956) • short story by Fredric Brown
• 107 • Lyric for Atom Splitters • (1957) • poem by Doris Pitkin Buck (variant of Lyric for Atom-Splitters)
• 108 • Rescue • (1957) • short story by G. C. Edmondson
• 119 • The Horror Story Shorter by One Letter Than the Shortest Horror Story Ever Written • (1957) • short story by Ron Smith
• 120 • Between the Thunder and the Sun • (1957) • novelette by Chad Oliver
• 182 • A Loint of Paw • (1957) • short story by Isaac Asimov
• 184 • The Wild Wood • (1957) • short story by Mildred Clingerman
• 195 • Dodger Fan • (1957) • short story by Will Stanton
• 201 • Goddess in Granite • (1957) • novelette by Robert F. Young
• 231 • Yes, but … • (1957) • poem by Anthony Brode
• 232 • MS. Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie • (1957) • short story by C. M. Kornbluth
• 247 • Journeys End • (1957) • short story by Poul Anderson
• 258 • Full Circle • (1956) • poem by Dorothy Cowles Pinkney [as by Dorothy C. Pinkney]
• 259 • The Big Trek • (1957) • short story by Fritz Leiber

Back in 2002, Time-Life released four 2-CD sets in their Singer and Songwriter Collection under the title The Folk Years. This is set is The Folk Years: Song of Freedom.

No one would quibble that Bob Dylan’s classic, “Boots of Spanish Leather” was a folk song. But I would argue that the enthusiastic live version of “La Bamba” by Trini Lopez is NOT a folk song. Neither is The Circle’s catchy “Red Rubble Ball” (co-written by Paul Simon). Is Scott McKenzie’s hippy anthem, “San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair),” a folk song? I think not.

Listening to these CDs took me back to the 1960s when these songs were popular. You don’t hear most of these tunes played very often anymore. Do you remember these songs? Any favorites? GRADE: B

TRACKLIST:

1-1	Bob Dylan–	Boots Of Spanish Leather Written-By – Bob Dylan Written-By – Bob Dylan
1-2	The Band–	Long Black Veil Written-By – Danny Dill, Marijohn Wilkin Written-By – Danny Dill, Marijohn Wilkin
1-3	Joan Baez–	Love Is Just A Four Letter Word Written-By – Bob Dylan Written-By – Bob Dylan
1-4	The Byrds–	The Times They Are A-Changin’ Written-By – Bob Dylan Written-By – Bob Dylan
1-5	Donovan–	Colours Written-By – Donovan Leitch*Written-By – Donovan Leitch*
1-6	Tim Hardin–	Simple Song Of Freedom Written-By – Bobby DarinWritten-By – Bobby Darin
1-7	Judy Collins–	Early Morning Rain Written-By – Gordon Lightfoot Written-By – Gordon Lightfoot
1-8	The Kingston Trio*–	Greenback Dollar Written-By – Hoyt Axton, Ken Ramsey Written-By – Hoyt Axton, Ken Ramsey
1-9	Trini Lopez–	La Bamba Written-By – Ritchie Valens Written-By – Ritchie Valens
1-10	Jose Feliciano*–	Light My Fire Written-By – Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger* Written-By – Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger*
1-11	The Cyrkle–	Red Rubber Ball Written-By – Bruce Woolley, Paul Simon Written-By – Bruce Woolley, Paul Simon
1-12	Harry Belafonte–	The Midnight Special Arranged By – Harry Belafonte Arranged By – Harry Belafonte
1-13	Billy Grammer–	Gotta Travel On Written-By – David Lazar, Larry Ehrlich, Paul Clayton (2), Pete Seeger Written-By – David Lazar, Larry Ehrlich, Paul Clayton (2), Pete Seeger
1-14	The Brothers Four–	Scarlet Ribbons(For Her Hair) Written-By – Evelyn Danzig, Jack Segal Written-By – Evelyn Danzig, Jack Segal
1-15	The Mitchell Trio*–	Leaving On A Jet Plane Written-By – John Denver Written-By – John Denver
2-1	The New Christy Minstrels–	TodayWritten-By – Randy SparksWritten-By – Randy Sparks
2-2	The Rooftop Singers–	Tom Cat Written-By – Erik Darling, Lynne Taylor, Thomas Salvatore Geraci, Bill Svanoe* Written-By – Erik Darling, Lynne Taylor, Thomas Salvatore Geraci, Bill Svanoe*
2-3	The Sandpipers–	Kumbaya Written-By – William Justis*, Tommy Leonetti Written-By – William Justis*, Tommy Leonetti
2-4	The Brothers Four–	Blue Water Line Written-By – Dora Graf, Martin Seligson Written-By – Dora Graf, Martin Seligson
2-5	The Kingston Trio*–	M.T.A. Written-By – Bess Hawes, Jacqueline Steiner Written-By – Bess Hawes, Jacqueline Steiner
2-6	The Clancy Brothers–	The Whistling GypsyWritten-By – Patrick McGuire (2)Written-By – Patrick McGuire (2)
2-7	Chad And Jeremy*–	Willow Weep For Me Written-By – Ann Ronell Written-By – Ann Ronell
2-8	The Seekers–	A World Of Our OwnWritten-By – Tom SpringfieldWritten-By – Tom Springfield
2-9	Pozo-Seco Singers*–	I Can Make It With You Written-By – Chip Taylor Written-By – Chip Taylor
2-10	Jerry Jeff Walker–	Mr. Bojangles Written-By – Jerry Jeff Walker Written-By – Jerry Jeff Walker
2-11	Kris Kristofferson–	Me And Bobby McGee Written-By – Kris Kristofferson Written-By – Kris Kristofferson
2-12	Roger Miller–	England Swings Written-By – Roger Miller Written-By – Roger Miller
2-13	Van Morrison–	Brown Eyed Girl Written-By – Van Morrison Written-By – Van Morrison
2-14	The Mojo Men–	Sit Down, I Think I Love You Written-By – Stephen Stills Written-By – Stephen Stills
2-15	Scott McKenzie–	San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) Written-By – John Phillips

When I was a kid, Robert A. Heinlein was my favorite Science Fiction writer. I read his “Juvenile” SF novels in the 1950s. My favorite was Citizen of the Galaxy but I enjoyed them all. Later, in the early 1960s, I read Heinlein’s short stories and novelettes. His stories had “A Sense of Wonder” that made me excited about the Future.

But during the Sixties, other SF writers gained my attention: Keith Laumer, Poul Anderson, Clifford D. Simak, and Jack Vance. Also, Heinlein changed. I read Stranger in a Strange Land (1961) and came away confused. Reading Glory Road (1963) didn’t thrill me. I did like The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (1966), but nothing Heinlein wrote after that book appealed to me. However, in 1980, Heinlein published his Expanded Universe, a mix of fiction and essays. It’s an odd book in many ways, but it does capture a scintilla of that Sense of Wonder that had been missing in Heinlein’s work for many years.

If you’re a Heinlein fan, you probably have Expanded Universe. But if you’re a casual SF fan and want to read the stories and thoughts of one of giants of Science Fiction, this is the book for you! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• 1 • Foreword (Expanded Universe) • (1980) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 5 • Life-Line • [Future History] • (1939) • short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• 34 • Successful Operation • (1940) • short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• 41 • Blowups Happen • [Future History] • (1940) • novelette by Robert A. Heinlein
• 111 • Solution Unsatisfactory • (1941) • novelette by Robert A. Heinlein
• 175 • The Last Days of the United States • (1980) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 196 • How to Be a Survivor • (1980) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 210 • Pie from the Sky • (1980) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 217 • They Do It with Mirrors • non-genre • (1947) • short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• 248 • Free Men • (1966) • novelette by Robert A. Heinlein
• 285 • No Bands Playing, No Flags Flying • non-genre • (1973) • short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• 293 • A Bathroom of Her Own • non-genre • (1980) • short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• 322 • On the Slopes of Vesuvius • (1980) • short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• 333 • Nothing Ever Happens on the Moon • juvenile • (1949) • novelette by Robert A. Heinlein
• 373 • Pandora’s Box • (1966) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 381 • Where To? • (1952) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 428 • Cliff and the Calories • non-genre • [Puddin’] • (1980) • short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• 447 • The Answers • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 451 • Ray Guns and Rocket Ships • (1952) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 460 • The Third Millennium Opens • (1956) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein (variant of As I See Tomorrow … The Third Millenium Opens)
• 468 • Who Are the Heirs of Patrick Henry? • (1958) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 489 • “Pravda” Means “Truth” • (1960) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 507 • Inside Intourist • (1960) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 541 • Searchlight • [Future History] • (1962) • short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• 556 • The Pragmatics of Patriotism • (1973) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 571 • Paul Dirac, Antimatter, and You • (1975) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 598 • Larger Than Life: A Memoir in Tribute to Dr. Edward E. Smith • (1980) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 606 • Spinoff • (1980) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 623 • The Happy Days Ahead • (1980) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein

If you’re in the mood for a noirish movie set in Detroit in 1954 with a brilliant cast, Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move will dazzle you. Curt Goynes, a petty criminal with a dark past (played by Don Cheadle), is soon joined by Benicio Del Toro’s charmingly conniver, Ronald Russo. Both men are supervised by Kieran Culkin’s Charley. The thugs make a surprise visit to the suburbs, where an attractive couple and their two kids live in a pleasant brick house. It takes a minute to realize what the men are about to do to the family that can never be undone. And every time a new set of characters is introduced, the screenplay, by Ed Solomon (Men in Black), ups its ante of suspense…and surprise. 

 The finely tuned ensemble in “No Sudden Move” also includes Bill Duke, Ray Liotta, and Jon Hamm. As the plot unfolds, Goynes and Russo realize they’re involved in a complicated scheme that could be a monetary bonanza for them…if they play it right.

My favorite character in No Sudden Move is Julia Fox, wife of a gangster, who is having an affair with Russo. Frankie Shaw plays a secretary who yearns for change, but gets something else. Amy Seimetz, as the mother of the hostage family, questions her whole life-style as a result of events.

No Sudden Move is the best movie I’ve seen in 2021 so far. Highly recommended! GRADE: A