Diane and I enjoyed watching Frasier during the 1990s. Although the series lasted until 2004, the Millennial Frasier episodes were NOT “Must See TV.” Now, nearly 20 years later, Kelsey Grammer reprises his role as Frasier Crane and returns to Boston to accept a professorship at Harvard University. One Big Difference between the old Frasier and this new Frasier is the absence of David Hyde Pierce as Frasier’s brother, Niles.
After watching the two episodes shown on CBS (now the series shifts to Paramount+), you have to wonder if you can really go home again after decades in Seattle. One of Frasier’s motives for returning to Boston is to develop a better relationship with his son, Frederick. One of the several areas of conflict between Frasier and Frederick is that Frederick dropped out of Harvard…to become a fire fighter. The elite mentality of Frasier finds this move incomprehensible…and idiotic.
But, in order to establish closeness with his son, Frasier buys the apartment building Frederick lives in…and moves into the apartment across the hall from his son’s apartment. This promises to be a flashpoint for the series.
Will this new iteration of Frasier draw enough of an audience to survive? Do today’s streaming audiences want to see a 1990s format sitcom? We’ll see. Were you a fan of Frasier? GRADE: Incomplete (but trending towards a B)
I loved Airplane! when I first saw it in 1980! It was silly and snarky and uproariously funny. I have watched Airplane! several times over the decades and it still makes me laugh.
The film directors, David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker, who brought Airplane to the silver screen, deliver an uproarious account of the making of their ground-breaking film, which, in the words of Abrahams, elevated “stupidity to an art form.”
This clever book, like Airplane! and many other ZAZ productions, is multilayered and full of surprises. The authors tell how they created the sketch comedy group Kentucky Fried Theater in Wisconsin before moving the operation to Los Angeles and gaining a wide following. They also write about their beginnings in filmmaking, including their relationship with director John Landis.
Surely You Can’t Be Serious features numerous photographs, stills from Airplane!, published reviews, and comments from David Letterman, the creators of South Park, and other comedians and actors who react to the massive significance of Airplane! I forgot about the role the strait-laced and largely forgotten airline drama Zero Hour! had on the structure and spoofs of Airplane!
Even more astounding was how the young, virtually unknown trio of would-be directors and screenwriters convinced actors like Robert Stack, Peter Graves, and Lloyd Bridges to keep playing it straight while uttering their ridiculous lines. The authors recount tales of their adventures with Paramount Studios, how Airplane! changed the public perception of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the lasting fondness for the film’s stars, particularly their longtime colleague Stephen Stucker.
I really appreciated the detailed backstory of ZAZ’s journey from Milwaukee to Hollywood and the process of getting Airplane! to Paramount and in theaters despite many problems. If you’re a fan of Airplane! you’ll enjoy the backstory of how the iconic movie got made. Highly recommended! GRADE: A
The 4-2 Buffalo Bills travel to Foxboro to take on the 1-5 New England Patriots. The Bills are 8 1/2 point favorites. In the last six games with the Patriots, the Bills have a 5-1 record against their AFC East foes. Rumors swirl around the fate of Head Coach Bill Belichick who is in his 24th year with the Patriots. How will your favorite NFL fare today?
Diane and I saw Mary Chapin Carpenter in concert at Melody Fair (in the round) in the 1990s. We own and listen to Mary Chapin Carpenter’s CDs frequently. We never saw Shawn Colvin live before tonight, but we have listened to her CDs, too.
When you read the concert poster and see “Together On Stage” that is exactly what you’re getting: two singers with their guitars on the stage. No backup band or singers.
Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin chattered between songs. Some people like that.
The less than sold-out audience applauded each song. Some of the ardent fans screamed, “We love you!” I was mildly entertained, but tomorrow I’ll have to listen to Mary Chapin Carpenter’s CDs and Shawn Colvin’s CDs to get the full musical experience. GRADE: B
Gary Lovisi, best known for his excellent publication Paperback Parade (started in 1986), has written about paperbacks and paperback writers for decades. In A Mystery, Crime & Noir Notebook, Lovisi collects dozens of articles he’s published over the past 40 years. A Mystery, Crime & Noir Notebook is a Graduate class in the history of paperbacks featuring articles on book covers (over 140 examples of classic paperback artwork grace the pages of this book), authors (some Lovisi knew personally), and book collecting.
I especially enjoyed reading Lovisi’s articles on some of my favorite paperback writers: quirky Michael Avallone, James Hadley Chase, Bruno Fischer, Richard Jessup, and the King of the Caper Novel–Lionel White.
Although you might think you know a lot about paperbacks and paperback writers and artists, Gary Lovisi knows more…way more! A Mystery, Crime & Noir Notebook is a must-buy for those who love paperback mysteries, crime novels, and Noir classics. Have fun reading about the paperback genres and learn a lot at the same time! Highly recommended! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS — 7
INTRODUCTION By Gary Lovisi — 11
About Mystery, Crime & Noir
The Noir Trap: Money, Women, Love, Sex & Fame — 13
The Hardboiled Way — 17
Various Authors & Books
Collecting Vintage Mystery Paperbacks — 23
Avon Books: Centerpieces of Vintage Mystery & Crime — 32
Back in 1990, Time-Life brought out a 2-CD set called Guitar Rock. I can’t discern any real difference between the songs on DISC A and those songs on DISC B. Some artists like Rod Stewart and Eric Clapton show up on both CDs. I’m familiar with all the songs on these CDs. Obviously, Time-Life played it safe and selected songs that reached the top of the BILLBOARD charts and proved to be favorites on Oldies radio stations.
How many of these songs do you remember? Any favorites? GRADE: B (for both)
Edward D. Hoch, who wrote nearly a 1000 short stories, featured a number of characters in stories: Simon Ark (who might be a 1000 years old), Dr. Sam Hawthorne, Nick Velvet (the thief who steals worthless objects), Captain Leopold, Susan Holt, and many others.
The Ripper of Storyville collects 14 Ben Snow mystery stories. In his Introduction, Hoch explains how a series about a man many people think is Billy the Kid evolved into a character involved in a presidential assassination, a serial killer investigation, a locked room murder, and a mission into Mexico. The stories span 1882 to 1935 as Ben Snow travels around the West.
Hoch warns readers that some of the Ben Snow stories, written early in his writing career, don’t have the craftsmanship of his later stories. Even in the early 1960s, Hoch displays his talent in these Ben Snow stories. I enjoyed them and so will you! Marvin Lachman’s informative “Long Way From Home: The Travels of Ben Snow,” traces the history of the Ben Snow stories and their settings. I also appreciated the chronology of the Ben Snow stories that Marv provides. GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION By Edward D. Hoch — 9
Frontier street — 13
Valley of arrows — 27
Ghost town — 39
Flying man — 52
Man in the alley — 65
Ripper of Storyville — 82
Snow in Yucatan –101
Vanished steamboat — 117
Brothers on the beach –130
500 hours of Dr. Wisdom — 144
Trail of the bells — 158
Phantom stallion — 171
Sacramento waxworks — 185
Only tree in Tasco — 197
Long way from home: the travels of Ben Snow / Marvin Lachman — 209
Diane and I drove over to our local AMC Theater and joined hundreds of Swifties for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. The two-hour and 48-minute concert film featured most of the songs Taylor Swift sang during her “The Eras” tour. The sold-out theater with women and girls, dressed up in their favorite Taylor Swift garb, sang enthusiastically along with Taylor Swift and her backup singers.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Taylor Swift: the Eras Tour took in $126 million this weekend making it the highest grossing concert movie in history. The spectacle, the lighting, the special effects, and the platforms that took Taylor Swift up and down on the stage thrilled the audience. The sound, sometimes a problem in concert movies, was clear and brilliant. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour puts Taylor Swift and her talent on grand display! GRADE: A
In the October 23, 2023 issue of TIME Magazine, from pages 67 through 73, this issue presents “The 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time” in chronological order (you can check out the actual article here). For convenience, I typed up the list. If you want to check out the book covers, go to the Time web site. How many of these books have you read? Any favorites?
THE 100 BEST MYSTERY & THRILLER BOOKS OF ALL TIME
1. 1860: THE WOMAN IN WHITE By Wilkie Collins
2. 1867: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT By Fyodor Dostoevsky
3. 1878: THE LEAVENWORTH CASE By Anna Katharine Green
4. 1898: THE TURN OF THE SCREW By Henry James
5. 1902: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES By Arthur Conan Doyle
6. 1926: THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD By Agatha Christie
7. 1929: THE CRIME AT BLACK DUDLEY By Margery Allingham
8. 1929: THE PATIENT IN ROOM 18 By Mignon G. Eberhart
9. 1930: THE MALTESE FALCON By Dashiell Hammett
10. 1932: THE CONJURE-MAN DIES By Rudolph Fisher
11. 1934: A MAN LAY DEAD By Ngaio Marsh
12. 1935: GAUDY NIGHT By Dorothy L. Sayers
13. 1935: THE THREE COFFINS By John Dickson Carr
14. 1938: REBECCA By Daphne Du Maurier
15. 1939: A COFFIN FOR DIMITRIOS By Eric Ambler
16. 1943: DOUBLE INDEMNITY By James M. Cain
17. 1945: IF HE HOLLERS LET HIM GO By Chester Himes
18. 1947: IN A LONELY PLACE By Dorothy B. Hughes
19. 1951: THE DAUGHTER OF TIME By Josephine Tey
20. 1952: BEAT NOT THE BONES By Charlotte Jay
21. 1953: CASINO ROYALE By Ian Fleming
22. 1953: A KISS BEFORE DYING By Ira Levin
23. 1953: THE LONG GOODBYE By Raymond Chandler
24. 1955: BEAST IN VIEW By Margaret Millar
25. 1955: THE QUIET AMERICAN By Graham Greene
26. 1955: THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY By Patrica Highsmith
27. 1962: WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE By Shirley Jackson
28. 1963: THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD By John Le Carre
29. 1973: THE HONJIN MURDERS By Seishi Yokomizo
30. 1975: WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN? By Mary Higgins Clark
31. 1977: THE SHINING By Stephen King
32. 1979: THE LAST GOOD KISS By James Crumley
33. 1980: THE NAME OF THE ROSE By Umberto Eco
34. 1984: THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER By Tom Clancy
35: 1986: A DARK-ADAPTED EYE By Barbara Vine
36. 1987: THE DECAGON HOUSE MURDERS By Yukito Avatsuji
37. 1988: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS By Thomas Harris
38. 1990: DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS By Walter Mosley
39. 1990: MEAN SPIRIT By Linda Hogan
40. 1990: POSTMORTEM By Patrica Cronwell
41. 1991: FACELESS KILLERS By Henning Mankell
42. 1992: DEAD TIME By Eleanor Taylor Bland
43. 1992: THE SECRET HISTORY By Donna Tartt
44. 1992: SMILLA’S SENSE OF SNOW By Peter Hoeg
45. 1994: WHEN DEATH COMES STEALING By Valerie Wilson Wesley
46. 1996: FADE AWAY By Harlan Coben
47. 1997: KILLING FLOOR By Lee Child
48. 1997: LADY JOKER By Kaoru Takamura
49. 1997: MORITURI By Yasmina Khadra
50. 1997: OUT By Natsuo Kirino
51. 1999: INNER CITY BLUES By Paula L. Woods
52. 1999: A PLACE OF EXECUTION By Val McDermid
53. 1999: THOSE BONES ARE NOT MY CHILD By Toni Cade Bambara
54. 2000: BLANCHE PASSES GO By Barbara Neely
55. 2000: DEATH OF A RED HEROINE By Qui Xiaolong
56. 2000: THE REDBREAST By Jo Nesbo
57. 2001: MYSTIC RIVER By Dennis Lehane
58. 2001: THE SHADOW OF THE WIND By Carlos Ruiz Zafon
59. 2001: THE SURGEON By Tess Gerritsen
60. 2002: THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK By Stephen L. Carter
61. 2002: FINGERSMITH By Sarah Waters
62. 2003: THE ICE PRINCESS By Camilla Lackberg
63. 2004: 2666 By Roberto Bolano
64. 2004: CASE HISTORIES By Kate Atkinson
65. 2005: THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X By Keigo Higashing
66. 2005: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO By Stieg Larsson
67. 2005: THE LINCOLN LAWYER By Michael Connelly
68. 2006: SNAKESKIN SHAMISEN By Naomi Hirahara
69. 2007: QUEENPIN By Megan Abbott
70. 2007: WHAT THE DEAD KNOW By Laura Lippman
71. 2007: THE YIDDISH POLICEMAN’S UNION by Michael Chabon
72. 2009: DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD By Olga Tokarczuk
73. 2009: WIFE OF THE GODS By Kwei Quartey
74. 2010: BURY YOUR DEAD By Louise Penny
75. 2010: FAITHFUL PLACE By Tana French
76. 2010: THE PLOTTERS By Un-Su Kim
77. 2011: THE SOUND OF THINGS FALLING By Juan Gabriel Vasquez
78. 2012: GONE GIRL By Gillian Flynn
79. 2012: THE ROUND HOUSE By Louise Erdrich
80. 2013: SIX FOUR By Video Yokoyama
81. 2013: ORDINARY GRACE BY William Kent Krueger
82. 2014: BIG LITTLE LIES By Liane Moriarty
83. 2014: EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU By Celeste Ng
84. 2014: LAND OF SHADOWS By Rachel Howzell Hall
85. 2015: THE SYMPATHIZER By Viet Thanh Nguyen
86. 2017: BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD By Attica Locke
87. 2017: HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE By Kellye Garrett
88. 2018: MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER By Oyinkan Braithwaitej
89. 2018: THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL By Sujata Massey
90. 2019: MIRACLE CREEK By Angie Kim
91. 2019: THE NEED By Helen Phillips
92. 2019: THE OTHER AMERICANS By Laila Lalami
93. 2019: THE TURN OF THE KEY By Ruth Ware
94. 2019: YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY By Steph Cha
95. 2020: BLACKTOP WASTELAND By S. A. Cosby
96. 2020: DJINN PATROL ON THE PURPLE LINE By Deepa Anappara
97. 2020: MEXICAN GOTHIC By Silvia Moreno-Garcia
98. 2020: WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING By Alyssa Cole
99. 2020: WINTER COUNTS By David Heska Wanbli Weiden
Despite the disastrous trip to London to lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars 25-20, the Buffalo Bills found themselves 14-point favorites over the NY Giants at the beginning of the week. By Wednesday, the Giants revealed that their Quarterback, Daniel Jones, could not practice because of a neck injury. Former Bills QB, Tyron Taylor, will be running the Giants’ offensive tonight. As soon as that news broke, the Vegas betting line shot up to 17-points.
However, the weather in Orchard Park is predicted to be cold and rainy for Sunday Night Football. The weather conditions could cause havoc for both teams. How will your favorite team perform today?
