“In 1953 at a Bard College Symposium dinner attended by foreign celebrities, Georges Simenon, who sat at our table, asked Ellison how many novels he had written, and when he learned that there was only one he said, ‘To be a novelist one must produce many novels. Ergo, you are not a novelist.'” (p. v)

Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man was first published in Horizon magazine in 1947. It was published in hardcover in 1952 and Invisible Man won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction in 1953, making Ellison the first African-American writer to win the award.

I first read Invisible Man in the mid-1980s. I had multiple paperback and hardcover copies on my shelf for years–every time I saw an inexpensive copy in a used bookstore or Library Book Sale, I bought it. In the 1990s, several of my students would ask me about Invisible Man and I’d reply with: “Would you like a copy?” And, of course, they said, “Yes!” and my shelf grew more empty. I’m down to just a couple of copies of Invisible Man today…right next to my Harlan Ellison books.

While I would quibble with Simenon’s dismissal of Ralph Ellison as novelist, there’s no doubt Ralph Ellison is a writer. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Invisible Man 19th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. Its reputation has only grown over the years. But Ellison also wrote a whole lot of other stuff, most of which appear in THE COLLECTED ESSAYS OF RALPH ELLISON (2024). This 775 page volume includes all of Ellison’s important non-fiction works.

“I practiced writing and studied Joyce, Dostoevsky, Stein, and Hemingway. Especially Hemingway; I read him to learn his sentence structure and how to organized a story.” (p. 181). In “The Art of Fiction: An Interview” (1955) in The Paris Review, Ellison discusses his writing method and the writers who most influenced him.

“Stephen Crane and the Mainstream of American Fiction” also impressed me with Ellison’s analysis of Crane’s writings and their impact on American Fiction then and now. “Remembering Richard Wright” also shows how other Black writers influenced Ellison’s writing.

Ralph Ellison also loved music–at one time considered becoming a musician–so you’ll find essays like “Homage to Duke Ellington on His Birthday,” “Flamenco,” and “Living with Music.” Jazz, Blues, and Big Bands show up in several of Ellison’s essays.

If you’re interesting in an excellent essay writer and writings on fiction, race, national identity, music, and American History, THE COLLECTED ESSAYS OF RALPH ELLISON covers it all. GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Preface / by Saul Bellow — v

Editor’s note — xiii

Introduction / by John F. Callahan — xv

Postscript to the introduction (2023) / by John F. Callahan — xxvii

February — 3

A congress Jim Crow didn’t attend — 5

Flamenco — 15

“Tell it like it is, baby” — 20

And I have no other identity — 36

Shadow and Act

Introduction: 45

I. The seer and the seen — 55

II. Sound and the mainstream — 193

III. The shadow and the act — 251

Working notes for Invisible Man — 285

A special message to subscribers — 297

Testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Harlem and Urban America — 307

Indivisible man — 334

James Armistead Lafayette — 368

Commencement address at the College of William and Mary — 372

Address to the Harvard College Alumni, class of 1949 — 378

Haverford statement — 386

Homage to William L. Dawson — 390

Alain Locke — 394

Roscoe Dunee and the American language — 401

The discipline of American humor — 410

Presentation to Bernard Malamud of the Gold Medal for Fiction — 419

Introduction to the Thirtieth-Anniversary Edition of Invisible Man — 424

Going to the Territory

The Little Man at Chehaw Station — 439

On Initiation Rites and Power: Ralph Ellison Speaks at West Point — 465

What These Children Are Like — 483

The Myth of the Flawed White Southerner — 492

If the Twain Shall Meet — 501

What America Would Be Like Without Blacks — 513

Portrait of Inman Page: A Dedication Speech — 520

Going to the Territory — 525

An Extravagance of Laughter — 543

Remembering Richard Wright — 581

Homage to Duke Ellington on His Birthday — 595

The Art of Romare Bearden — 602

Society, Morality, and the Novel — 611

“A Very Stern Discipline” — 637

The Novel as a Function of American Democracy — 661

Perspective of Literature — 670

“A completion of personality” : a talk with Ralph Ellison — 683

On being the target of discrimination — 711

Bearden — 719

Notes for class day talk at Columbia University — 724

Foreword to The Beer Can by the Highway — 727

Address at the Whiting Foundation — 731

Acknowledgements — 737

Index — 739

Deb mentioned The Best of Sade when commenting on last week’s FIRST LOVE and Ultimate Love Songs Collection: The Power Of Love post (you can read it here). There’s no doubt Sade sang lovely love songs: “Your Love Is King,” “Hang On to Your Love,” “Please Send Me Someone to Love,” and “Love Is Stronger Than Pride.” The Best of Sade is the perfect Valentine’s Day album! GRADE: A

The Best Love Songs Album In The World…Ever! Here’s 62 of the “best” love songs from across 5 decades–allegedly. Included on this 3-CD compilation are songs that you will love–or hate. There’s something here for just about every musical taste. The assemblers of this Love album cast a wide net in terms of the variety of songs, the range of artists and groups, and the many musical eras they’ve pulled songs from.

From Elvis, Andy Williams, Julie London, and Johnny Mathis to Tina Turner, Anita Baker, and Foreigner these CDs offer a mixed bag of love songs. Two of my favorites–Joan Armatrading’s “Love & Affection” and Jackie DeShannon’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love”–show up to celebrate the occasion.

Do you remember these love songs? Any favorites here? GRADE: B

TRACK LIST:

A1		Your Love Is King Written-By – Adu*, Matthewman*	3:41
A2		Hang On To Your Love Written-By – Adu*, Matthewman*	4:29
A3		Smooth Operator Written-By – St John*, Adu*	4:16
A4		Jezebel Written-By – Adu*, Matthewman*	5:23
B5		The Sweetest Taboo Written-By – Ditcham*, Adu*	4:25
B6		Is It A Crime Written-By – Hale*, Adu*, Matthewman*	6:16
B7		Never As Good As The First Time Producer – Rogan*, Pela*, Millar*Vocals – Jake Jacas Written-By – Adu*, Matthewman*	3:58
B8		Love Is Stronger Than Pride Written-By – Hale*, Adu*, Matthewman*	4:17
C9		ParadiseGuitar – Gordon Hunte Written-By – Hale*, Denman*, Adu*, Matthewman*	3:36
C10		Nothing Can Come Between Us Written-By – Hale*, Adu*, Matthewman*	3:52
C11		No Ordinary Love Written-By – Adu*, Matthewman*	7:19
C12		Like A TattooWritten-By – Hale*, Adu*, Matthewman*	3:36
D13		Kiss Of Life Arranged By [String Arrangements] – Nick Ingman Written-By – Hale*, Denman*, Adu*, Matthewman*	4:10
D14		Please Send Me Someone To Love Drums – Trevor Murrell Guitar – Gordon Hunte Percussion – Karl Vanden Bossche* Producer, Mixed By – Hein Hoven Written-By – Percy Mayfield	3:40
D15		Cherish The Day Written-By – Hale*, Adu*, Matthewman*	6:17
D16		Pearls Arranged By [String Arrangements] – Nick IngmanCello, Soloist – Tony Pleeth *Written-By – Hale*, Adu*	4:35

TRACK LIST:

Track Listing:

Disc 1
1: Angels – Robbie Williams
2: What’s Love Got to Do With It – Tina Turner
3: Without You – Harry Nilsson
4: You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Dusty Springfield
5: I’ll Never Fall in Love Again – Deacon Blue
6: I Go to Sleep – The Pretenders
7: Save a Prayer – Duran Duran
8: All of My Heart – ABC
9: Head Over Heels – Tears for Fears
10: Waiting for a Girl Like You – Foreigner
11: She’s Like the Wind (Feat. Wendy Fraser) – Patrick Swayze
12: Right Here Waiting – Richard Marx
13: Slave to Love – Bryan Ferry
14: Sweet Love – Anita Baker
15: My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
16: Suddenly – Billy Ocean
17: Endless Love – Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
18: Up Where We Belong – Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
19: Every Time You Go Away – Paul Young
20: The Power of Love – Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Disc 2
1: Still – Commodores
2: One Day I’ll Fly Away – Randy Crawford
3: Wishing On a Star – Rose Royce
4: Thinking of You – Sister Sledge
5: I Want Your Love – Chic
6: Reunited – Peaches & Herb
7: Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton
8: With You I’m Born Again – Billy Preston & Syreeta
9: Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye
10: If You Don’t Know Me By Now (Feat. Teddy Pendergrass) – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
11: Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me – Gladys Knight and The Pips
12: Woman in Love – The Three Degrees
13: Never Let Her Slip Away – Andrew Gold
14: Laughter in the Rain – Neil Sedaka
15: The Things We Do for Love – 10cc
16: Make It With You – Bread
17: Love and Affection – Joan Armatrading
18: My Eyes Adored You – Frankie Valli
19: Always On My Mind – Elvis Presley
20: A Little Bit More – Dr. Hook
21: Annie’s Song – John Denver

Disc 3
1: I Say a Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin
2: The Tracks of My Tears – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
3: Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
4: Dedicated to the One I Love – The Mamas and The Papas
5: Eternal Flame – The Bangles & Susanna Hoffs
6: Love Is All Around – Wet Wet Wet
7: Kiss from a Rose – Seal
8: Un-break My Heart – Toni Braxton
9: In All the Right Places – Lisa Stansfield
10: Anything for You – Gloria Estefan & The Miami Sound Machine
11: Lost in Your Eyes – Debbie Gibson
12: Give Me Back My Heart – Dollar
13: Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Andy Williams
14: What the World Needs Now Is Love – Jackie DeShannon
15: This Girl’s in Love With You – Dionne Warwick
16: Cry Me a River – Julie London
17: The Twelfth of Never – Johnny Mathis
18: When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge
19: When You Say Nothing at All – Ronan Keating
20: Save the Best for Last – Vanessa Williams
21: A Million Love Songs – Take That

After I discovered (and bought and read) The Batman Annuals, Volume One (you can read my review here), I did a little research and learned that a second The Batman Annuals had been published in 2010 and luckily, I found it available online for a reasonable price and ordered it.

DC Comics Classics Library: The Batman Annuals Vol. 2 is a hardcover edition collecting Batman Annual #4, #5, #6 and #7 from 1962, 1963 and 1964. These annuals were giant-sized issues reprinting various Golden Age and Silver Age Batman stories. All stories in this collection were originally published between 1953 and 1961.

I read many of these Batman adventures as a kid in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Who could forget the story of “The Marriage of Batman and Batwoman”? or “Batman the Giant” or “The Murder at Mystery Castle”? Some memories never fade!

The Batman Annuals Vol. 2 was the last volume the DC Comics Classics Library published. Other reprints of Batman comics have been published, but these two volumes of The Batman Annuals resonated the most with me! If you’re a Batman fan, check these out! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

[Cover Reprint]

Batman Annual #4   ·   Nov 1962   ·   Cover Gallery   ·   1 page

The First Batman

Detective Comics #235   ·   Jul 1956   ·   Story   ·   10 pages

1

Am I Really Batman?

Batman #112   ·   Oct 1957   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

2

The Batwoman

Detective Comics #233   ·   May 1956   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

3

The Vanished Batman

Batman #101   ·   Jun 1956   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

4

The Phantom of the Bat-Cave!

Batman #99   ·   Feb 1956   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

5

Batman’s College Days

Batman #96   ·   Oct 1955   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

6

The Marriage of Batman and Batwoman

Batman #122   ·   Jan 1959   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

7

The Second Boy Wonder!

Batman #105   ·   Dec 1956   ·   Story   ·   6 pages

8

The Man Who Ended Batman’s Career

Detective Comics #247   ·   Jul 1957   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

9

[Cover Reprint]

Batman Annual #5   ·   May 1963   ·   Cover Gallery   ·   1 page

The Power That Doomed Batman

Detective Comics #268   ·   Apr 1959   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

10

The Merman Batman

Batman #118   ·   Jul 1958   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

11

Rip Van Batman

Batman #119   ·   Aug 1958   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

12

The Zebra Batman

Detective Comics #275   ·   Nov 1959   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

13

The Grown-Up Boy Wonder

Batman #107   ·   Feb 1957   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

14

The Bewitched Batman

World’s Finest Comics #109   ·   Mar 1960   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

15

The Phantom Batman

Batman #110   ·   Jul 1957   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

16

Batman the Giant!

Detective Comics #243   ·   Mar 1957   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

17

[Cover Reprint]

Batman Annual #6   ·   Nov 1963   ·   Cover Gallery   ·   1 page

Murder at Mystery Castle

Detective Comics #246   ·   Jun 1957   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

18

The Gotham City Safari

Batman #111   ·   Aug 1957   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

19

Mystery of the Sky Museum!

Batman #94   ·   Jul 1955   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

20

The Mystery of the Four Batmen!

Batman #88   ·   Oct 1954   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

21

The Creature from the Green Lagoon

Detective Comics #252   ·   Dec 1957   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

22

The Map of Mystery!

Batman #91   ·   Feb 1955   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

23

The Danger Club

Batman #76   ·   Feb 1953   ·   Story   ·   10 pages

24

Death in Dinosaur Hall!

Detective Comics #255   ·   Mar 1958   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

25

[Cover Reprint]

Batman Annual #7   ·   May 1964   ·   Cover Gallery   ·   1 page

Batman Meets Bat-Mite

Detective Comics #267   ·   Mar 1959   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

26

The Secret Life of Bat-Hound

Batman #125   ·   Jun 1959   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

27

Bat-Girl!

Batman #139   ·   Feb 1961   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

28

The Dynamic Trio

Detective Comics #245   ·   May 1957   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

29

The Secret of Batman’s Butler

Batman #110   ·   Jul 1957   ·   Story   ·   8 pages

30

Superman and Robin!

World’s Finest Comics #75   ·   Jan 1955   ·   Story   ·   12 pages

31

Batwoman’s Publicity Agent

Batman #133   ·   Jun 1960   ·   Story   ·   9 pages

32

The Second Batman and Robin Team

Batman #131   ·   Feb 1960   ·   Story   ·   9 pages

33

Greetings from the Batman Family

Batman Annual #2   ·   Nov 1961   ·   Illustration   ·   1 page

Biographies

 

Bookish is a British crime drama television series created by and starring Mark Gatiss. I enjoyed Mark Gatiss when he portrayed Mycroft Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock (2010–2017). Now Gatiss is back on PBS with a role of an antiquarian bookseller…with a lot of secrets.

An unconventional book shop owner, Gabriel Book, helps police solve crimes in 1946 London. Book is married to Trottie Book (Polly Walker), a seller of wall paper who has a number of secrets herself. The couple takes in a young man who has just been released from prison. Connor Finch plays Jack, a troubled orphan who is searching for clues about his past.

I like the setting of post World War II London. I’ve watched four of the six episodes. Bookish was renewed for a second series prior to the broadcast of the first series. GRADE: Incomplete but trending towards a B.

Since I retired, I spend more time in libraries. I’d estimate that 80% of the books I read now are library books. Usually, I can persuade the librarians to buy most of the books I suggest–giving them chocolates helps. But I love to visit libraries. Shelves and shelves of books never get old for me!

Lea Teascher’s lovely book, 150 LIBRARIES YOU NEED TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE (2025), is a browser’s delight! So many grand libraries! So much to see! You can get a taste of this book by just clicking on the big white arrow above. GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

EUROPEAALST01 UTOPIA P.12AARHUS02 DOKK1 P.15ADMONT03 ADMONT MONASTERY LIBRARY P.16ANTWERP04 HENDRIK CONSCIENCE P.17LIBRARYBARCELONA05 GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ P.18LIBRARYBERLIN06 JACOB AND P.20WILHELM GRIMM CENTRE07 PHILOLOGICAL LIBRARY P.2108 BERLIN STATE LIBRARY P.22BIRMINGHAM09 LIBRARY OF BIRMINGHAM P.24BUDAPEST10 METROPOLITAN P.25ERVIN SZABÓ LIBRARYCAMBRIDGE11 WREN LIBRARY P.26COIMBRA12 JOANINA LIBRARY P.28COPENHAGEN13 THE BLACK DIAMOND P.29DUBLIN14 TRINITY COLLEGE LIBRARY P.31HELSINKI15 OODI P.3316 RIKHARDINKATU LIBRARY P.36ISLE OF ARRAN17 LIBRARY IN THE WOODS P.37LE HAVRE18 OSCAR NIEMEYER LIBRARY P.38LEUVEN19 UNIVERSITY LIBRARY P.41OF LEUVENLJUBLJANA20 NATIONAL AND UNIVERSITY P.42LIBRARY OF SLOVENIALONDON21 BRITISH LIBRARY P.4322 BRITISH MUSEUM P.46READING ROOMMADRID23 ROYAL LIBRARY P.47OF EL ESCORIALMAFRA24 MAFRA PALACE LIBRARY P.48MANCHESTER25 CHETHAM’S LIBRARY P.4926 THE JOHN RYLANDS LIBRARY P.50MARIA LAACH27 JESUIT LIBRARY P.51AT MARIA LAACH ABBEYMOSCOW28 RUSSIAN STATE LIBRARY P.52OSLO29 DEICHMAN BJØRVIKA P.53OXFORD30 BODLEIAN LIBRARY P.54PARIS31 BNF FRANÇOIS-MITTERRAND P.5532 BNF RICHELIEU P.5633 SAINTE-GENEVIÈVE LIBRARY P.58PORTO-VECCHIO34 L’ANIMU P.5935 NATIONAL LIBRARY OF P.62THE CZECH REPUBLICPRISTINA36 NATIONAL LIBRARY P.64OF KOSOVOSIENA37 PICCOLOMINI LIBRARY P.65SPIJKENISSE38 SPIJKENISSE PUBLIC LIBRARY P.66ST. GALLEN39 ST. GALLEN’S ABBEY LIBRARY P.67STOCKHOLM40 CITY OF STOCKHOLM LIBRARY P.70STUTTGART41 STUTTGART CITY LIBRARY P.72THE HAGUE42 HANDELINGENKAMER P.75TILBURG43 LOCHAL P.76ULM44 WIBLINGEN ABBEY LIBRARY P.77UTRECHT45 UTRECHT NEUDE LIBRARY P.81VENICE46 MARCIANA LIBRARY P.82VERONA47 CAPITOLARE LIBRARY P.83VIENNA48 AUSTRIAN NATIONAL LIBRARY P.85VUGHT49 DEPETRUS P.86ZURICH50 UB LAW P.88ASIAAKITA51 NAKAJIMA LIBRARY P.89BALOCHISTAN52 CAMEL LIBRARY P.90BANGKOK53 CHULALONGKORN P.91UNIVERSITY LIBRARYBEIJING54 BEIJING LIBRARY P.9455 NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CHINA P.96HAIKOU56 CLOUD CAVE LIBRARY P.97HANOI57 VAC LIBRARY P.100HUE58 THAI BINH LAU ROYAL LIBRARY P.101ISTANBUL59 SALT GALATA P.102JAFFNA60 JAFFNA PUBLIC LIBRARY P.103JAKARTA61 OMAH LIBRARY P.104KANAZAWA62 UMIMIRAI LIBRARY P.107LEH63 THIKSEY GOMPA LIBRARY P.108MATSUBARA64 MATSUBARA CIVIC LIBRARY P.110MUMBAI65 DAVID SASSOON LIBRARY P.111NINGBO66 TIANYI LIBRARY P.112OSAKA67 CHILDREN’S BOOK FOREST P.113QINHUANGDAO68 SEASHORE LIBRARY P.115RAMPUR69 RAZA LIBRARY P.116SELÇUK70 LIBRARY OF CELSUS P.117SEOUL71 SEOUL CHEONGUN P.120LITERATURE LIBRARY72 STARFIELD LIBRARY P.122SHANGHAI73 SHANGHAI LIBRARY EAST P.123SHUANGYUE BAY74 WATER DROP LIBRARY P.126TAINAN75 TAINAN PUBLIC LIBRARY P.127TAIPEI76 NOT JUST LIBRARY P.130TIANJIN77 TIANJIN BINHAI LIBRARY P.131TOKYO78 TAMA ART UNIVERSITY P.132LIBRARYXIUWU79 LIBRARY IN RUINS P.134YUSUHARA80 YUSUHARA COMMUNITY P.135LIBRARYTHE AMERICASANN ARBOR81 WILLIAM W. COOK LEGAL P.138RESEARCH LIBRARYAUSTIN82 AUSTIN CENTRAL LIBRARY P.139BALTIMORE83 GEORGE PEABODY LIBRARY P.140BOGOTÁ84 VIRGILIO BARCO LIBRARY P.141BRAMPTON85 SPRINGDALE LIBRARY P.142CALGARY86 CALGARY CENTRAL LIBRARY P.145CHICAGO87 HAROLD WASHINGTON P.146LIBRARYCLEVELAND88 CARNEGIE WEST BRANCH P.147COSTA MESA89 DONALD DUNGAN LIBRARY P.149DENVER90 DENVER CENTRAL LIBRARY P.150DES MOINES91 STATE LAW LIBRARY P.151DETROIT92 DETROIT MAIN LIBRARY P.152DRUMMONDVILLE93 DRUMMONDVILLE PUBLIC P.153LIBRARYEXETER94 CLASS OF 1945 LIBRARY P.156HUATICOCHA95 YUYARINA PACHA LIBRARY P.158LA MOLINA96 PLAZA BIBLIOTECA SUR P.161LOS ANGELES97 LOS ANGELES CENTRAL P.162LIBRARYMEDELLÍN98 SANTO DOMINGO SAVIO P.163LIBRARY PARKMEXICO CITY99 UNAM CENTRAL LIBRARY P.164100 VASCONCELOS LIBRARY P.165MISSOULA101 MISSOULA PUBLIC LIBRARY P.167MONTRÉAL102 THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES P.168IN MONTRÉALNEW HAVEN103 BEINECKE RARE BOOK P.170& MANUSCRIPT LIBRARYNEW YORK104 MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM P.172105 NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY P.173MAIN BRANCH106 STAVROS NIARCHOS P.177FOUNDATION LIBRARYON A STREET NEAR YOU107 LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES P.178OTTAWA108 LIBRARY OF THE CANADIAN P.179PARLIAMENTPHILADELPHIA109 PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY P.180PHOENIX110 BURTON BARR CENTRAL P.181LIBRARYPUEBLA111 PALAFOXIANA LIBRARY P.182QUINCY112 THOMAS CRANE LIBRARY P.183RIO DE JANEIRO113 ROYAL PORTUGUESE P.184CABINET OF READINGSAN DIEGO114 GEISEL LIBRARY P.186SÃO PAULO115 SESC POMPÉIA P.187SCOTTSDALE116 ARABIAN PUBLIC LIBRARY P.188SEATTLE117 SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY P.189118 SUZZALLO LIBRARY P.193ST. LOUIS119 ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY P.195TOLEDO120 TOLEDO LUCAS COUNTY P.196PUBLIC LIBRARYTORONTO121 TORONTO REFERENCE P.197LIBRARYVANCOUVER122 VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY P.201VINLAND123 COAL CREEK LIBRARY P.202WASHINGTON, DC124 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS P.203125 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. P.206MEMORIAL LIBRARYWINTHROP126 WINTHROP PUBLIC LIBRARY P.208OCEANIAADELAIDE127 STATE LIBRARY P.211OF SOUTH AUSTRALIACHRISTCHURCH128 TˉU RANGA P.212CRAIGIEBURN129 CRAIGIEBURN LIBRARY P.214LIVERPOOL130 YELLAMUNDIE LIBRARY P.215MARRICKVILLE131 MARRICKVILLE LIBRARY P.219MELBOURNE132 STATE LIBRARY VICTORIA P.220PARRAMATTA133 CITY OF PARRAMATTA P.221LIBRARY (PHIVE)PERTH134 CITY OF PERTH LIBRARY P.225SYDNEY135 STATE LIBRARY P.226OF NEW SOUTH WALESWELLINGTON136 NATIONAL LIBRARY P.227OF NEW ZEALANDAFRICA ANDTHE MIDDLE EASTABU DHABI137 ABU DHABI P.228CHILDREN’S LIBRARYACCRA138 LIBRARY OF AFRICA AND P.230THE AFRICAN DIASPORAADDIS ABABA139 ABREHOT P.231ALEXANDRIA140 BIBLIOTHECA ALEXANDRINA P.232CAPE TOWN141 CENTRAL LIBRARY CAPE TOWN P.234CHINGUETTI142 THE LIBRARIES P.235OF CHINGUETTIDAKAR143 AFROTHÈQUE P.236DOHA144 QATAR NATIONAL LIBRARY P.237FEZ145 AL-QARAWIYYIN LIBRARY P.240MUYINGA146 MUYINGA LIBRARY P.241MWANYANYA147 MARIAM’S LIBRARY P.244PAYNESVILLE148 LIBERIAN LEARNING CENTRE P.246SHARJAH149 HOUSE OF WISDOM P.247SINAI150 SAINT CATHERINE’S P.251MONASTERY

Diane and I will be rooting for Cap’n Bob’s Seattle Seahawks today. The Seahawks are favored by 4 1/2 points. As usual, I’ll be watching the Super Bowl commercials–costing between $8 million and $10 million dollars for 30 seconds!

Yesterday, Diane pressed down on toaster’s lever…and it broke. We had the old Cuisinart toaster for six years and it preformed flawlessly…until then. I went on AMAZON and ordered the Cuisinart CPT-122BK Compact 2-Slice Toaster and it arrived 16 hours later…just in time for Diane’s breakfast today.

FUNCTIONAL: This compact toaster is able to fit comfortably on your countertops while toasting bagels, toast and a preheat, defrost and cancel option. Simple to use!

CAPACITY: Has 2 1.5-inch wide toasting slots for a wide variety of sizes.

MUST-HAVE FEATURES: The 7-setting shade dial gives you control over the toasting shade and the slide-out crumb tray makes clean up easy.

PERFORMANCE: Whether you want a thick toasted bagel to snack on, toaster pastries, or thin sliced bread for a healthy twist on croutons, the wide slots and high-lift carriage make it easy to toast every time.

We’ve had good luck with Cuisinart appliances. Do you like your toaster? GRADE: A

Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is a new 3-part Netflix series featuring a modern adaptation of Christie’s 1929 novel, starring Mia McKenna-Bruce as Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent, Helena Bonham Carter as Lady Caterham, and Martin Freeman as Superintendent Battle. A death, following a country house party at Chimneys, first considered an accidental overdose of a sleeping potion, is ruled a murder. The investigation into that death accelerates when another murder triggers a notion that both deaths are due to a secret society.

Jerry House correctly points out The Seven Dials Mystery (1929) Is one of Agatha Christie’s weakest mysteries.  Christie brings back the characters from an earlier novel, The Secret of Chimneys: Lady Eileen (Bundle) Brent, Lord Caterham, Bill Eversleigh, George Lomax, Tredwell and Superintendent Battle.

I liked McKenna-Bruce as the feisty Bundle. But Christie’s story involving everything from a country house murder to elaborate international espionage and a secret cabal of weirdos who (at least in this Netflix adaptation) meet wearing face masks shaped like clocks ends up being a bit silly despite the murders.

Robert Barnard noted that this novel had the “Same characters and setting with Chimneys” and then concluded his view of it by adding “but without the same verve and cheek”. I agree. GRADE: C (novel), Netflix series: B

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I’ve been listening to CD compilations of Love Songs. First Love (2013) includes some hits from the 1950s and 1960s. Many of these songs are engraved on my mind because I listened to them on my transistor radio hundreds of times! Classics like “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher and “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys never get old to me. And hearing “You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me” by The Miracles–a song I don’t hear very often on our Oldies radio station–brings back a lot of memories.

Ultimate Love Songs Collection: The Power Of Love (2003) includes more recent love songs. Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” and “When Will I See You Again” by The Three Degrees–a group as cool as our current weather!–always tickle my ears when I hear them.

Whether you’re in the mood for some great love songs from the Fifties and Sixties, or more current songs, these two CD compilations bring the Love into this February! Do you remember these songs? Any favorites here? GRADE: B+ (for both)

TRACK LIST:

• 1. Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
• 2. At Last – Etta James
• 3. My Guy – Mary Wells
• 4. Stand By Me – Ben E. King
• 5. Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel) – Roy Orbison
• 6. My Girl – The Temptations
• 7. Great Pretender, The – The Platters
• 8. What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
• 9. You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me – The Miracles
• 10. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
• 11. Book of Love, The – Dusty Springfield
• 12. When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge
• 13. Just One Look – The Hollies
• 14. God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
• 15. I Got You Babe – Sonny & Cher

TRACK LIST:

1	Céline Dion–	The Power Of Love	5:45
2	Oleta Adams–	Get Here	4:37
3	Mariah Carey–	Vision Of Love	3:32
4	Neil Diamond–	Heartlight	4:26
5	Michael Bolton–	How Am I Supposed To Live Without You	4:16
6	Phil Collins–	Groovy Kind Of Love	3:30
7	Billy Joel–	This Is The Time	5:01
8	Gloria Estefan–	Anything For You	4:05
9	REO Speedwagon–	Can’t Fight This Feeling	4:57
10	Heart–	These Dreams	4:16
11	Cyndi Lauper–	Time After Time	4:01
12	Bonnie Tyler–	Total Eclipse Of The Heart	5:37
13	Dan Hill With Vonda Shepard–	Can’t We Try	3:59
14	Paul Young–	Everytime You Go Away	5:26
15	Jack Wagner–	All I Need	3:31
16	The Doobie Brothers–	What A Fool Believes	3:44
17	Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes–	If You Don’t Know Me By Now	3:29
18	The Three Degrees–	When Will I See You Again	3:02