Jeff Meyerson, Patti Abbott, and I read a short story each day. Occasionally, I read literary short stories. But I’m also a fan of Otto Penzler’s THE BIG BOOK OF ADVENTURE STORIES, THE BLACK LIZARD BIG BOOK OF PULPS, THE BLACK LIZARD BIG BOOK OF BLACK MASK STORIES, and now THE BIG BOOK OF GHOST STORIES. These door stoppers, over 1000 pages long, are wonderful collections. Yes, there is the occasional clunker, but Otto keeps the quality fairly high. With nearly a 100 short stories per volume, it takes me about three months to work my way through one of these massive tomes, but the entertainment and value can’t be beat.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
BUT I’M NOT DEAD YET
Conrad Aiken: Mr. Arcularis
William Fryer Harvey: August Heat

I’LL LOVE YOU—FOREVER (OR MAYBE NOT)
Ellen Glasgow: The Shadowy Third
Ellen Glasgow: The Past
David Morrell: But At My Back I Always Hear
O. Henry: The Furnished Room
Paul Ernst: Death’s Warm Fireside
Andrew Klavan: The Advent Reunion
R. Murray Gilchrist: The Return
Rudyard Kipling: The Phantom Rickshaw
Ambrose Bierce: The Moonlit Road
Lafcadio Hearn: The Story of Ming-Y
Lafcadio Hearn: Yuki-Onna

THIS OLD HOUSE
Amyas Northcote: Brickett Bottom
E. F. Benson: How Fear Departed from the Long Gallery
G. G. Pendarves: Thing of Darkness
Edward Lucas White: The House of the Nightmare
Hector Bolitho: The House on Half Moon Street
Dick Donovan: A Night of Horror
Vincent O’sullivan: The Burned House

KIDS WILL BE KIDS
Rosemary Timperley: Harry
Michael Reaves: Make-Believe
A. M. Burrage: Playmates
Ramsey Campbell: Just Behind You
A. E. Coppard: Adam And Eve and Pinch Me
Steve Friedman: The Lost Boy of the Ozarks

THERE’S SOMETHING FUNNY AROUND HERE
Mark Twain: A Ghost’s Story
Donald E. Westlake: In At The Death
Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Ghost of Dr. Harris
“Ingulphus”: The Everlasting Club
Isaac Asimov and James Maccreigh: Legal Rites
Albert E. Cowdrey: Death Must Die
Frank Stockton: The Transferred Ghost
Oscar Wilde: The Canterville Ghost

A NEGATIVE TRAIN OF THOUGHT
August Derleth: Pacific 421
Robert Weinberg: The Midnight El

STOP—YOU’RE SCARING ME
Frederick Cowles: Punch and Judy
Henry S. Whitehead: The Fireplace
H. F. Arnold: The Night Wire 400
Fritz Leiber: Smoke Ghost 406
Wyatt Blassingame: Song of the Dead

I MUST BE DREAMING
Wilkie Collins: The Dream Woman 437
Washington Irving: The Adventure of the German Student

A SÉANCE, YOU SAY?
Joseph Shearing: They Found My Grave
Edgar Jepson: Mrs. Morrel’s Last Séance
Joyce Carol Oates: Night-Side

CLASSICS
M. R. James: “Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come To You My Lad”
W. W. Jacobs: The Monkey’s Paw
W. W. Jacobs: The Toll-House
Edith Wharton: Afterward
Willa Cather: Consequences
Cynthia Asquith: The Follower
Cynthia Asquith: The Corner Shop
H. P. Lovecraft: The Terrible Old Man
Erckmann-Chatrian: The Murderer’s Violin
Saki: The Open Window
Saki: Laura
Fitz-James O’Brien: What Was It?
Alexander Woollcott: Full Fathom Five
H. R. Wakefield: He Cometh and He Passeth By
Perceval Landon: Thurnley Abbey

THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES
Algernon Blackwood: The Woman’s Ghost Story
Victor Rousseau: The Angel of the Marne
Olivia Howard Dunbar: The Shell of Sense
Marjorie Bowen: The Avenging of Ann Leete

BEATEN TO A PULP
Greye La Spina: The Dead-Wagon
Urann Thayer: A Soul with Two Bodies
Arthur J. Burks: The Ghosts of Steamboat Coulee
Thorp Mcclusky: The Considerate Hosts
Cyril Mand: The Fifth Candle
August Derleth and Mark Schorer: The Return of Andrew Bentley
M. L. Humphreys: The Floor Above
Manly Wade Wellman: School for the Unspeakable
A. V. Milyer: Mordecai’s Pipe
Julius Long: He Walked by Day
Dale Clark: Behind the Screen

MODERN MASTERS
M. Rickert: Journey into the Kingdom
H. R. F. Keating: Mr. Saul
Chet Williamson: Coventry Carol

Memphis Boys: The Story of American Studios is the companion CD to Roben Jones’ great book on Memphis’ American Studios. American Studio created a unique sound between 1965 and 1972. The American Studio sound is just as recognizable those of Stax. The legends who created the American Studio sound are guitarists Reggie Young and Bobby Womack, bass player Tommy Cogbill, keyboard men Bobby Emmons and Bobby Wood, drummer Gene Chrisman and songwriters Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham, Wayne Carson Thompson and studio-founder Chips Moman. If you love soul music as much as I do, you’ll love this CD. It’s full of great music, both classic and obscure.
TRACK LIST:
1. MEMPHIS SOUL STEW – King Curtis
2. SON OF A PREACHER MAN – Dusty Springfield
3. SHAKE A TAIL FEATHER – James & Bobby Purify
4. THE LETTER – The Box Tops
5. BORN A WOMAN – Sandy Posey
6. YOU’VE GOT MY MIND MESSED UP – James Carr
7. KEEP ON DANCING – The Gentrys
8. NINE POUND STEEL – Joe Simon
9. ANGEL OF THE MORNING – Merrillee Rush
10. I’M IN LOVE – Wilson Pickett
11. SUSPICIOUS MINDS – Mark James
12. I’VE BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD BEFORE – B J Thomas
13. FUNKY STREET – Arthur Conley
14. FOR YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE – Oscar Toney Jr.
15. SHAME ON ME – Solomon Burke
16. THE DARK END OF THE STREET – The Glories
17. SKINNY LEGS AND ALL – Joe Tex
18. THE POWER OF A WOMAN – Spencer Wiggins
19. MORE THAN I CAN STAND – Bobby Womack
20. LET’S DO IT OVER – L.C. Cooke
21. SUZY DO IT BETTER THAN YOU – Clay Hammond
22. I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT (BUT IT’S GOT ME) – Percy Milem
23. GOOD TIME CHARLIE’S GOT THE BLUES – Danny O’Keefe
24. I’M MOVIN’ ON – Elvis Presley

So far in 2012, The Avengers has been my favorite movie. Yes, I’m still catching up on movies I missed while Rehabbing so the Spiderman movie and a few other movies might alter my opinion. But right now, I’m going with The Avengers. I loved Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man. And who could not be thrilled by Scarlett Johnasson as the Black Widow? Joss Whedon found a way to appeal to my inner 12-year-old self. Some people dismiss The Avengers as a pure popcorn Summer Movie, but I think there’s more here than that. Go with the Blu-ray package and get the extras! I can’t wait for The Avengers 2!

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary, for the first time, all 22 Bond movies are available on Blu-ray. Nine of the Bond movies were only available in Lo-Def DVD version before this set was released. Here are all your favorites: From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and Casino Royale. And, all the actors who portrayed James Bond: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig. AMAZON is offering this wonderful box set for 50% off. This set retails at $299.99, but now you have score BOND 50 for only $149.99! Quick, buy before the price goes up! Who is your favorite Bond and which is your favorite Bond movie?

Art Scott deserves the praise for alerting me to this wonderful performance. This summer Art and I were talking about one of our favorite authors, P.G. Wodehouse, and Art mentioned that John Lithgow was performing the classic Wodehouse story, “Uncle Fred Flits By” in a one-man show. Art was hoping Lithgow would release an audio version of his performance. Then, about that time Diane received an email from Sheas Performing Arts Center (we’re season ticket subscribers) alerting us to John Lithgow coming to town to perform “Uncle Fred Flits By” and also Ring Lardner’s classic, “The Haircut.” Of course, we bought tickets to Lithgow’s show.

John Lithgow knows how to fill a stage. He charged out to great applause and spent some time complementing the theater scene in Buffalo. And then Lithgow announced, “This is my first ever performance in Buffalo.” More applause. Then Lithgow talked about growing up in a household where his father would read stories to him and his siblings. Lithgow credits these childhood readings with sending him in the direction of an acting career.

Fast-forward 40 years. Lithgow’s parents are in their 80s and in ill-health. Lithgow’s father undergoes a major operation that saves his life, but leaves the man weak and depressed. Lithgow comes and stays with his recovering father and aged mother. Lithgow tries everything he can think of to animate his father who is bed-ridden. Finally, Lithgow discovers the book of stories that his father used to read from. And, Lithgow starts reading to his parents just before they go to bed. Of course, both Lithgow’s father and mother want to hear “Uncle Fred Flits By.” In his 40+ minute performance, Lithgow plays 10 characters…and a parrot! He tells the Wodehouse story from memory (no teleprompters). An amazing performance! If John Lithgow is appearing in this one-man show in your neighborhood, run–don’t walk–and buy some tickets! You will love this!

The woeful Buffalo Bills have lost their last eight away games. Surprisingly, the Bills are favored by 3 points today in their game at Cleveland. The last few meetings of these two bottom-feeder NFL teams have been predictably ugly. I’m trying to forget the 2009 6-3 debacle where the Browns and Bills couldn’t manage to score a touchdown (but the Bills found a way to lose). The Big News around here is that Time-Warner, our cable TV provider, has finally signed a contract to carry the NFL CHANNEL. Now I wonder how much my cable bill is going to go up. How is your favorite NFL team going to do today?

Diane and I went to see New York Times columnist David Brooks at SUNY at Buffalo’s Center for the Arts. Brooks opened The Distinguished Speak Series 16th Year of excellence. For those of you who are unfamiliar with David Brooks’ writings, here’s a recent column called “Thurston Howell Romney.” Not only is it funny, it’s also right on the money. David Brooks talked about the U.S. Presidential Campaign. He talked about both Obama and Romney who he’s known for years and has interviewed multiple times. Brooks analyzed the gridlock in Congress. And he noted that if Israel and Iran go to war, gas prices will zoom to $8 a gallon. The U.S. will be dragged into it. All in all, an evening with David Brooks entertained and enlightened us.

Hard Case Crime just published The Cocktail Waitress by James M. Cain, a book lost for 35 years. No, The Cocktail Waitress is not The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indeminity, or Mildred Pierce. Actually, this story of a young sexy woman who marries a rich old man with a bad heart reminded me of Anna Nicole Smith’s saga. If you’re a fan of noir, you’ll want to take a look at The Cocktail Waitress. For the rest of the mystery/suspense readers, The Cocktail Waitress will be an odd curiosity with a soap opera plot.

I’ve read Jeffrey Tooban’s The Nine and learned more about the Supreme Court and the way it works now than any other Supreme Court book I’ve ever read. Now, Jeffrey Tooban is back with a behind-the-scenes account of how the Supreme Court approved ObamaCare.

I was shocked when I heard Chief Justice John Roberts voted with the four liberals on the Supreme Court to rule the Affordable Healthcare Law constitutional. And Toobin reports John Roberts initially was against it. But the story of how the Chief Justice not only changed his vote but devised a clever justification for the law is the stuff of legend. Toobin projects the dynamics of the Supreme Court to upcoming court cases: abortion, immigration, gay marriage, etc. Fascinating and scary! GRADE: A

Richard Gere plays a wealthy hedge fund manager desperate to complete the sale of his business. But an accident in Gere’s private life threatens not only the sale of the business, but threatens to unravel Gere’s entire life as a philanthropist and Wall Street icon. I think Richard Gere will get an Oscar nomination out of his performance in Arbitrage. Once again, Susan Sarandon isn’t given enough to do, but what she does is powerful. I have a minor (okay, major) problem with the accounting in this movie, but I’ll let that quibble slide. Arbitrage has a solid cast and a compelling story. Go see it! GRADE: B+