We’ve all been there: too many books, too little time. At any given time, I have about a dozen library books stacked up. And new books arrive almost every day from AMAZON via UPS. So at the certain point, I give up on some books because of the press of due dates or a change in interest. Here are the books I’ve returned to my local public library unread. Did I make a mistake? Was I too hasty? What books have you given up on?
After several years of daily use our trusty Kitchenaid toaster died and we replaced it with a new Kitchenaid toaster: the KitchenAid KMT2115CU Contour Silver 2-Slice Toaster. What I like about the Kitchenaid toasters is their simple design and their performance. Notice the minimal controls: a bagel button and a CANCEL button. That’s it. There’s a temperature dial (Number One works for me). And there’s a lever to start the toasting process. The slots are wide enough to accommodate the largest bagels. I don’t need a lot of bells or whistles. This new Kitchenaid toaster beeps when the toast pops up. Nice!
Joan Hickson will always be Miss Marple to me. Hickson captures the essence of the character. This collection of DVDs has been digitally re-mastered. There are nine Agatha Christie classics included in this box set. Over 15 hours of delight!
Here’s the line-up:
Caribbean Mystery
4:50 from Paddington
Moving Finger
Nemesis
At Bertram’s Hotel
Murder at Vicarage
Sleeping Murder
They Do It with Mirrors
Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side
I’ve read all of Michael Pollan’s books (I consider his The Omnivore’s Dilemma a masterpiece). Pollan takes a scientific approach to food. In Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation Pollan explores the traditional ways of cooking. He travels to North Carolina to discover the “real” way to barbecue. Trust me: slathering on some BBQ sauce on a slab of pork ribs does not cut it with Pollan. A baker teaches Pollan the secrets of making delicious bread. Pollan explores the science of non-pasteurized cheese. Pollan learns how to home-brew beer. If you’re interested in cooking and improving your nutrition, Cooked is loaded with practical, sensible advice (and recipes!). GRADE: B+
In the March issue of Mystery Scene magazine, Ed Gorman wrote an article on “My 10 Favorite John D. MacDonald Standalone Novels.” And here’s Ed’s list:
1. Dead Low Tide
2. Soft Touch
3. Deadly Welcome
4. Murder in the Wind
5. The Executioners
6. Slam the Big Door
7. The End of the Night
8. A Key to the Suite
9. A Flash of Green
10. The Drowner
We’re at Number One on Ed’s list: Dead Low Tide, published in 1956. The novel is narrated by Andy McClintock, a 28-year-old contractor’s assistant, who’s embedded in this a tale of murder and suspense. When Andy’s boss is found dead with a harpoon from Andy’s spear gun, Andy becomes the Prime Suspect. Dead Low Tide has a clever mystery, a major plot twist (that fooled me!), and a great chase scene. Dead Low Tide ranks as one of JDM’s best books and worthy of Ed’s top ranking! However, after rereading all the JDM novels on Ed’s list, I’d suggest an alternative list:
GEORGE’S LIST:
1. Dead Low Tide
2. Soft Touch
3. Deadly Welcome
4. A Key to the Suite
5. The Executioners
6. Slam the Big Door
7. The End of the Night
8. Murder in the Wind
9. A Flash of Green
10. One More Sunday
One More Sunday is one of JDM’s later novels, but it sure packs a punch! John D. MacDonald explores the Eternal Church of the Believer, a multi-million dollar operation in the religion business. State-of-the-art computers and data mining are used to solicit “gifts” from believers. The Church processes thousands of dollars daily to keep the organization profitable. But, the head of the Church becomes an issue and crisis after crisis powers the novel to a shattering conclusion. John D. MacDonald may be the best suspense novelist who understands the inner workings of businesses. It was fun to review Ed Gorman’s picks over the past few months for FFB. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Several friends have recommended Janet Malcolm’s quirky book on Chekhov. Malcolm’s Reading Chekhov: a Critical Journey is part travel book and part personal reaction to Chekhov’s work. Malcolm travels to Russia and visits important sites featured in Chekhov’s work: St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Yalta. To get the most out of Malcolm’s insightful book, I’d recommend you read some Chekhov first. The two best editions are The Stories of Anton Chekhov and The Short Novels of Anton Chekhov both translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Some critics consider Anton Chekhov as the best short story writer ever. I can’t disagree.
One of the fun parts of my childhood was watching ROCKY & BULLWINKLE, the zany cartoon show. I have the complete DVD sets, but now there is The Best of Boris and Natasha, Volume 1 which presents an hour’s worth of Cold War spying. After Rocky and Bullwinkle, Boris and Natasha (especially Natasha) were my favorite humorous cartoon characters. This nifty collection only cost $4.99 at BJ’s Warehouse. You can find it online at a similar price. If you want to indulge in nostalgia with plenty of laughs, watch this marvelous DVD. And, check out the trailer below.
