The first Larry McMurtry book I read was Lonesome Dove (1985). The 1989 Western adventure television miniseries was announced and I read the novel before I watched the episodes. The series was originally broadcast by CBS from February 5 to 8, 1989, drawing a huge viewing audience, earning numerous awards, and reviving both the television Western and the miniseries. The novel won a Pulitzer Prize in 1986 for Best Novel.

Over the years, I read more of McMurtry’s works: Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen and In a Narrow Grave. Recently, I read McMurtry’s anthology of contemporary Western stories, Still Wild, (you can read my review here) so I decided to read a couple more McMurtry books I’ve had on my shelves for years.

Books: A Memoir (2008) is an entertaining guide through a life-time of reading. McMurtry starts with his reading interests in childhood and ramps up the obsession with reading and buying books–he eventually owns a bookstore–with the true motivations of a collector. “Today the only book in my 28,000 volumes to survive from that year is a little book in the New Directions Classics series: Ezra Pound’s ABC of Reading, a book I still reread every five years or so.” (p. 71)

Literary Life: A Second Memoir (2009) expands on McMurtry’s first memoir. McMurtry describes his struggles as a writer…and bookstore owner. I enjoyed McMurtry’s frankness about his personality and his view of the world. “I have never been good with groups, and the PEN board, to its credit, was a fervent and passionate group. I admired their passion but never shared it: I’m just too much of a Hobbesian.” (p. 139)

“V. S. Naipaul is obviously a great writer, but his genius is mostly to manifest itself in his nonfiction, not his fiction. This a touchy point with writers who consider themselves novelists first. Suggesting that tie nonfiction is really better will usually be taken as a deadly insult. Yet I think it’s true of James Baldwin as well as Norman Mailer, none of whose novels equal the great ‘reportage’ he did in the Sixties and Seventies. (The exception is his masterpiece, The Executioner’s Song, which is so good it doesn’t matter which genre one puts it in.)” (p. 173)

Reading Larry McMurtry’s insights on writers just delights me! I’m sure you would find McMurtry’s opinions fun, too! GRADE: A (for both books)

Thanks to Jeff Smith’s recommendation, I watched a few episodes of Wolf Like Me on Peacock and can’t wait to watch more!

Gary (Josh Gad) is a single father living in Adelaide, Australia with his troubled 11-year-old daughter Emma (Ariel Donoghue). Both father and daughter are still traumatized by the death of Emma’s mother, Lisa, who died of aggressive cancer.

Gary and Emma meet Mary (Isla Fisher), a quirky advice columnist recovering from the death of her husband. But despite Mary’s attempts to stay away from Gary, they keep meeting again and again.

While Gary struggles to help Emma with her problems, Mary is able to connect with Emma in an effortless fashion. However, Mary hides a dark secret that she fears might hurt Gary and Emma: she is a werewolf. If you’re in the mood for an off-beat rom com with supernatural elements, give Wolf Like Me a try. GRADE: Incomplete, but trending towards a B+

A few months ago I read Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson’s Sisterhood of Dune (you can read my review here). The sequel, Mentats of Dune (2014), continues the struggle between the various powers in the human Empire after the defeat of the thinking machines with the Butlerian Jihad.

With the anti-technology Butlerian forces of Manford Torondo growing in strength and influence, Prince Roderick Corrino sees a threat to the Imperial power of his brother, Emperor Salvador. Industrialist Josef Venport battles Manfred Torondo and his millions of believers, whose interference thwarts Venport’s business interests by restricting use of technology.

After the destruction of the Bene Gesserit school, Gilbertus Albans fears his Mentat School–training human computers–on Lampadas will be next. And Albans hides the secret copy of the thinking machine Erasmus that Torondo is obsessed with.

Although Brian Herbert & Anderson can’t match the baroque writing of Frank Hebert, they do manage to capture the complexity of the Dune world view. GRADE: B+

I started listening to Soul Music as a kid in the 1960s. Motown was my favorite record company. I loved Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, and Dusty Springfield. I listened to the Supremes, the Ronettes, and The Temptations. I wanted to be one of the Four Tops!

This 4 CD set delivers plenty of hits from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The songs in the 1990s seem more repetitive and more focused on loud voices than lyrics. Are you a fan of Soul Music? Any favorites here? GRADES: 1960s-A, 1970s-B+, 1980s-B, 1990s-B-

TRACK LIST:

		THE 60s
1-01	Dionne Warwick–	Walk On By	2:55
1-02	Aretha Franklin–	Respect	2:25
1-03	Ike & Tina Turner–	River Deep, Mountain High	3:38
1-04	The Ronettes–	Be My Baby	2:40
1-05	The Crystals–	Then He Kissed Me	2:40
1-06	Stevie Wonder–	For Once In My Life	2:50
1-07	Marvin Gaye–	I Heard It Through The Grapevine	3:14
1-08	The Temptations–	My Girl	2:44
1-09	Ben E. King–	Stand By Me	2:55
1-10	Percy Sledge–	When A Man Loves A Woman	2:51
1-11	Otis Redding–	(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay	2:43
1-12	Mary Wells–	My Guy	2:54
1-13	The Supremes–	Stop! In The Name Of Love	2:53
1-14	Martha Reeves & The Vandellas–	Dancing In The Street	2:39
1-15	Jackson 5*–	I Want You Back	2:59
1-16	Four Tops–	Reach Out I’ll Be There	2:59
1-17	The Drifters–	Save The Last Dance For Me	2:34
1-18	Jackie Wilson–	(I Get The) Sweetest Feeling	2:55
1-19	Sam & Dave–	Soul Man	2:39
1.20	Dusty Springfield–	Son Of A Preacher Man	2:25
1-21	Erma Franklin–	Piece Of My Heart	2:36
1-22	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles*–	The Tracks Of My Tears	2:56
1-23	Jimmy Ruffin–	What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted	3:00
1-24	James Brown–	It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World	2:49
1-25	Nina Simone–	Feeling Good	2:53
		THE 70s
2-01	Diana Ross–	Ain’t No Mountain High Enough	3:31
2-02	Freda Payne–	Band Of Gold	2:56
2-03	Bill Withers–	Lovely Day	4:10
2-04	The Isley Brothers–	Summer Breeze, Pt. 1	3:09
2-05	Commodores–	Easy	4:20
2-06	The Three Degrees–	When Will I See You Again	2:59
2-07	Gladys Knight & The Pips*–	Midnight Train To Georgia	4:38
2-08	Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes* Feat. Teddy Pendergrass–	If You Don’t Know Me By Now	3:25
2-09	Billy Paul–	Me And Mrs. Jones	3:37
2-10	Minnie Riperton–	Lovin’ You	3:19
2-11	Deniece Williams–	Free	2:51
2-12	The Stylistics–	Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)	3:13
2-13	Barry White–	You’re The First, The Last, My Everything	4:35
2-14	The Crusaders–	Street Life	3:57
2-15	Earth, Wind & Fire–	Fantasy	3:49
2-16	Elton John–	Are You Ready For Love (’79 Version Radio Edit)	3:32
2-17	The Floaters–	Float On	4:10
2-18	Peaches & Herb–	Reunited	3:55
2-19	Billy Preston & Syreeta–	With You I’m Born Again	3:41
2-20	Rose Royce–	Wishing On A Star	4:52
2-21	Michael Jackson–	One Day In Your Life	4:16
		THE 80s
3-01	Rufus And Chaka Khan–	Ain’t Nobody	4:44
3-02	Womack & Womack–	Teardrops	3:50
3-03	Ashford & Simpson–	Solid	3:45
3-04	Anita Baker–	Sweet Love	4:22
3-05	Marvin Gaye–	Sexual Healing	4:00
3-06	Kool & the Gang–	Cherish	3:54
3-07	Soul II Soul & Caron Wheeler–	Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)	3:49
3-08	Alexander O’Neal–	Criticize	4:09
3-09	Luther Vandross–	Never Too Much	3:53
3-10	Lionel Richie–	All Night Long (All Night)	4:19
3-11	Donna Summer–	On The Radio	4:05
3-12	Shalamar–	A Night To Remember	3:34
3-13	Fat Larry’s Band–	Zoom	4:17
3-14	Billy Ocean–	Suddenly	3:51
3-15	Loose Ends–	Hangin’ On A String (Contemplating)	3:36
3-16	Jocelyn Brown–	Somebody Else’s Guy	3:50
3-17	Gwen Guthrie–	Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ On But The Rent	3:34
3-18	Jennifer Holliday–	And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going	4:06
3-19	Phyllis Nelson–	Move Closer	4:35
3-20	Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson–	Tonight I Celebrate My Love	3:29
		THE 90s
4-01	Whitney Houston–	I Have Nothing	4:50
4-02	All-4-One–	I Swear	3:43
4-03	Boyz II Men–	I’ll Make Love To You	3:59
4-04	Charles & Eddie–	Would I Lie To You	3:38
4-05	Seal–	Crazy	4:28
4-06	Sade–	No Ordinary Love	4:01
4-07	Oleta Adams–	Get Here	4:35
4-08	Toni Braxton–	Un-break My Heart	4:29
4-09	The Source Feat. Candi Staton–	You Got The Love (New Voyager Mix)	3:13
4-10	Gabrielle–	Give Me A Little More Time	4:55
4-11	En Vogue–	Don’t Let Go (Love)	4:04
4-12	Brandy (2) & Monica–	The Boy Is Mine	4:01
4-13	SWV–	Right Here (Human Nature Radio Mix)	3:47
4-14	Shanice–	I Love Your Smile	3:49
4-15	Crystal Waters–	Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)	3:42
4-16	M People–	Don’t Look Any Further	3:51
4-17	The Tony Rich Project–	Nobody Knows	4:20
4-18	Dina Carroll–	Don’t Be A Stranger	4:44
4-19	Vanessa Williams–	Save The Best For Last	3:40

I’ve read plenty of Larry McMurtry’s books, both fiction and non-fiction. This anthology from 2000 features a variety of stories, some famous, some not so much.

Let’s start with the famous stories. Annie Proulx’s “Brokeback Mountain” spawned a successful movie version. The story of two men who love one another raised a lot of eyebrows. Also famous is Jack Kerouac’s “The Mexican Girl” which was included in On the Road.

I had read a few of the stories before. William Hauptman’s “Good Rockin’ Tonight” and Richard Ford’s “Rock Springs” have been reprinted many times.

Of the lesser known stories, I liked Max Apple’s “Gas Stations” and Louise Erdrich’s “The Red Convertible.” Life in the West isn’t easy and these stories explore the struggles of people just trying to get by.

Don’t expect any shoot-outs or cattle rustling in these more modern stories of the West. What you can expect is some fine writing. GRADE: B+

Table of Contents:

Introduction — 11

Wallace Stegner, Buglesong — 17

Dave Hickey, The Closed Season — 26

Dao Strom, Chickens — 44

Dagoberto Gilb, Romero’s Shirt — 65

William Hauptman, Good Rockin’ Tonight — 73

Jack Kerouac, The Mexican Girl — 99

Ron Hansen, True Romance — 124

Diana Ossana, White Line Fever — 135

Robert Boswell, Glissando — 157

Tom McGuane, Dogs — 178

Louise Erdrich, The Red Convertible — 184

Max Apple, Gas Stations — 196

Mark Jude Poirier, Cul-de-sacs — 203

Rick Bass, Mahatma Joe — 203

Jon Billman, Indians — 254

Richard Ford, Rock Springs — 267

Raymond Carver, The Third Thing That Killed My Father Off –292

Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain — 305

Leslie Marmon Silko, Lullaby — 334

William H. Gass, The Pedersen Kid –345

Creature Commandos is an American adult animated superhero television series based on the eponymous team from DC Comics. After the events of the first season of Peacemaker (2022), Amanda Waller assembles a black ops team of monsters led by General Rick Flag Sr. The team’s mission is protecting the princess of a fictional Eastern European nation from an attack by Circe and her army of thugs who call themselves the Sons of Themyscira.

Produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, it is the first television series and the first installment in the DC Universe (DCU). All seven episodes of the first season were written by series creator James Gunn (director of the Guardians of the Galaxy series, but now head of DC).

The series of seven half-hour episodes feature an ensemble cast of voices including Indira Varma, Sean Gunn, Alan Tudyk, Zoë Chao, David Harbour, and Frank Grillo. The team includes The Bride, an immortal woman created by Victor Frankenstein to be a bride for his other creation, Eric Frankenstein, but who rejects her destiny to strike out on her own. There’s also Nina Mazursky, a woman who resembles the classic image of the Creature from the Black Lagoon, but who is far more gentle and may not be quite what she seems. Doctor Phosphorous’ powerful radiation can burn a hole through nearly anything. G.I. Robot enthusiastically blasts Nazis across the decades. Weasel alters expectations and adds mystery to his origin and identity.

What makes Creature Commandos different from most of the animated DC series is the level of violence–extreme with a high body count–and the addition of some sexual content. This James Gunn series does not disappoint. GRADE: B

“Transparent Man”

The garment bag was black like any other,

but through the plastic window I could see

a square of white fabric. Before I saw

Saturday Night Fever, that’s how I knew

the polyester suit, which wide lapels

opened onto a slick-black shirt, sewn deep

into the pants. I would have never pictured

bell-bottoms on a man, but there they were

on Tony Manero (John Travolta),

staring into an iridescent light,

pointing his right index finger toward

the ceiling as the dance floor changed colors.

My father saw the movie seventeen times,

and bought that suit, the exact one, at auction.

I asked my mother why he kept it shut

in cedar, hanging on a rack with all

our winter coats, and not inside his closet,

where, later, I buried my face inside

his jackets. Why didn’t we display it?

That’s not who he was, my mother said.

Besides, it almost stood up by itself.

It had to, no one ever tried it on.

Once, I opened the garment bag and peered

inside to see a different actor, one

who seemed to play my father, full light,

a young transparent man dressed up in white.

I was a fan of both Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel and enjoyed their movie reviews for decades. I was amused when I heard Siskel bought the iconic suit from Saturday Night Fever. Until I read Siskel’s daughter’s poem about her father and his suit, I had no idea Siskel saw the movie 17 times.

Callie Siskel writes poems that involve her father, her family, and her life. Like her talented father, Callie weaves a unique picture of the subject she’s exploring. If you’re in the mood for some moving poems, I recommend Two Minds. GRADE: A

I have long been a fan of James Lovegrove’s Sherlock Holmes pastiches, especially the ones with Cthulhu. But as James Lovegrove admits in his Afterword, he has been a fan of Conan just as long as he’s been a fan of Sherlock Holmes. When the opportunity to write a Conan pastiche for Titian Books appeared, Lovegrove seized it.

Conan: Cult of the Obsidian Moon takes Conan to a region called the Rotlands infected by a mysterious forces. Conan and his allies, Hunwulf and Gudrun, pursue a menacing flying figure who kidnaps Hunwulf and Gudrun’s teenage son, Bjorn.

Conan learns that Bjorn isn’t the only young person kidnapped by the the flying figures. Clearly, there is a plot to use the youngsters to bring more Evil into the world.

Conan: Cult of the Obsidian Moon, full of fighting and struggle, takes the reader deep into forbidden lands and dangerous lands. I found Lovegrove’s tribute to Conan a worthy addition to the many very good Conan pastiches written over the years. Are you fan of Conan? GRADE: B+

Reacher, Season 3 arrived on AMAZON Prime Video this week with three new episodes. The other five episodes of the series will be released on Thursdays from February 27 to March 27.

This new series is based on Lee Child’s seventh book about Reacher, Persuader (you can read my review here). So far, the current episodes follow the book fairly closely.

Reacher sees a sinister figure from his Past in the Army days…a man who is supposed to be dead. The plot becomes tangled as Reacher joins forces with a Federal operation in order to find the mysterious man who may be at the heart of a criminal scheme…and a lot more.

Are you a Reacher fan? GRADE: Incomplete but trending towards a B+

Barry N. Malzberg died in a hospice in New Jersey on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at the age of 85. I’ve read Malzberg’s Science Fiction, mysteries, and horror stories since the 1960s. Malzberg wrote some of the most stunning novels and short stories in Science Fiction history!

From 1967 to 1976, Malzberg wrote at least 68 novels and seven story collections along with scores of still uncollected stories published in many magazines and anthologies.

What impressed me about Malzberg was his ability to write successfully in a variety of genres beyond SF including mystery, psychological thrillers, erotica, and Men’s action/adventure fiction. The Lone Wolf series written under the pseudonym of “Mike Barry” took readers on a 14 book thrill ride into the drug-infested world of a character on a vengeance rampage after the murder of his lover.

Malzberg wrote his last SF novel in 1983, but he continued to be a prolific writer of short stories about political assassinations, paranoia, astronauts going insane, political corruption, and horse racing for years afterward.

Stark House’s latest omnibus edition, The Last Translation/Scop is a fitting tribute to a great writer by bringing together two of Malzberg’s prime concerns: the Kennedy Assassination and the death of political trust in America.

SCOP (1976): Scop is a time traveler from 2040 on a mission to prevent the Kennedy assassination. Malzberg mixes in Abraham Zapruder who films the assassination from the Grassy Knoll in Dealey Plaza, Dallas along with Jack Ruby murdering Oswald. In addition, Scop seeks to prevent the James Earl Ray assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.. and Robert F. Kennedy being assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan.

Scop’s plans to change the Past in order to alter his Future have ominous consequences. GRADE: B

In his Introduction to The Last Transaction in this new Stark House edition, Malzberg tells the story of how the editor-in-chief of Chilton Press (publishers of Dune) was told, “Get rid of this. Presidents don’t talk or write this way…. Let him keep the advance and dump this.” Roger Elwood managed to get Pinnacle Books to publish The Last Transaction.

The Last Transaction (1977) captures the desperation of an ex-president of the United States who is attempting to complete the memoirs of his complicated life. Unfortunately, his failing physical and mental health affects his grip on reality as his ability to think clearly and act rationally diminish. The story of his presidency lurches from incident to incident: the failure of his first marriage, the death of his son, his second marriage to a far younger woman, and a national crisis). His failed reelection campaign of 1984 accelerates his decline. President William Eric Springer tries to make sense of his life which has turned into a nightmare.  GRADE: B

If you’re looking for a book to engage with one of the most unique SF writers, The Last Translation/Scop is the perfect place to start.