books | dual personalities

July 18, 2016

“Let the trees of the forest sing”*

by chuckofish

When I got to church on Sunday I saw that two huge oak trees had been blown down in last Wednesday’s big storm. The branches had been moved out of the driveway, but the huge trunk with its root ball still remained.

During the announcements our rector told us that the pastor of the St. Louis Family Church, a very large evangelical church in west county, had called him the next day and said he would send people out to move the downed trees asap. This is part of their emergency storm relief mission. Our rector said, “Thank you!” The motto of this church is “Honor God. Help people.” I was surprised, impressed and the news made me feel very happy. This must be a very busy week for those volunteers.

I did quite a lot of work in our own yard on Saturday–cleaning up from the storm. I filled five bags with detritus.

The boy came over with some loppers and he and the OM cut up the big branches and filled a bag too. What a storm! I was actually driving home when it hit and it was very scary indeed. I was afraid a tree would fall on my little car and I would be squished. Zut alors! was I glad to get home.

In other news, we celebrated the OM’s birthday with the boy and daughter #3 at a restaurant down in Lafayette Square in the city–We are so adventurous!

I couldn’t be in this picture, because I didn’t get the memo about wearing blue!

Also, the boy got his first penalty in a hockey game and also made his first shot on goal. Onward and upward.

We watched a terrible movie: Hail, Caesar! (2016), the Coen brothers send-up of Hollywood in the 1950’s. Even Channing Tatum couldn’t salvage this mess. Totally not funny.

I finished The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine, the 17th installment of the #1 Ladies Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith. Although I find these books mildly irritating, I am a loyal reader and always ultimately enjoy them. Precious Romotswe is a great character after all.

[Clovis Anderson] wrote: Do not allow the profession of which you are a member to induce you to take a bleak view of humanity. You will encounter all sorts of bad behavior but do not judge everybody by the standards of the lowest. If you did that, he pointed out, you would misjudge humanity in general and that would be fatal to discerning judgement. If everybody is a villain, then nobody is a villain, he wrote. That simple expression had intrigued her, even if it was some time before its full meaning–and the wisdom that lay behind it–became apparent.

Wise words to ponder this week. Discuss among yourselves.

*1 Chronicles 16:33

8 Comments

June 23, 2016

“Your mind seems to jump around in the most unregulated way, Jane”*

by chuckofish

What are you reading?

I just finished Still Life by Louise Penny, which my DP recommended. I read the whole thing and it held my interest, so I will probably try another one at some point. However, I had the murderer pegged very early–like, immediately. Clearly, it is a character-driven cozy, but I thought the author could have made it a little less obvious.

Next up is Career of Evil, third in the “highly acclaimed series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott” by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling). I liked the first two, so chances are good I will like this one.

What I am really in the mood for is an old fashioned Delano Ames mystery–the ones featuring Dagobert Brown, black sheep of a titled English family, and Jane Hamish, a well-educated, self-supporting Englishwoman whom he eventually marries. He suggests that she write mysteries, which are based on their adventures. They are very funny.

And what you say? They are back in print?! Yes, I see they are.

Well, add to cart! Huzzah!

Delano Ames, She Shall Have Murder, 1948

7 Comments

June 3, 2016

“What’s playin’ at The Roxy? I’ll tell you what’s playin’ at the Roxy”*

by chuckofish

Four-day work weeks are the best, n’est-ce pas? It is Friday already. Glory hallelujah!

I have few plans per usual. However, I am going to hear the author Nathaniel Philbrick speak about his latest book, Valiant Ambition, a “surprising account of the middle years of the American Revolution, and the tragic relationship between George Washington and Benedict Arnold.” You will recall that he is the author of In the Heart of the Sea and several other books about American History. I especially like his book Why Read Moby-Dick?

In this short book he says,

He tells us to call him Ishmael, but who is the narrator of Moby-Dick? For one thing, he has known depression, “a damp, drizzly November of the soul.” But he is also a person of genuine enthusiasms. Like Holden Caulfield in The Catcher int he Rye, he is wonderfully engaging, a vulnerable wiseass who invites us to join him on a quest to murder the blues by shipping out on a whaleship.

I love this, because it is exactly what I thought when I read Moby-Dick. I mean, don’t you just love it when you read something that is exactly what you thought already? Great minds and all that.

Beyond this intellectual outing to the Ethical Society, I am going to pursue my usual weekend activities of puttering and straightening up my house.

I may do some further planning for my trip to Kansas City next weekend. Yes, I convinced the OM to take a day off from work and drive out to the western edge of our great state and do some looking around in the Westport area.

Independence and the Opening of the West by Thomas Hart Benton

Good times await. Everything’s up to date in Kansas City, or so they say.

Enjoy your weekend!

*Guys and Dolls

4 Comments

May 3, 2016

Happiness is…

by chuckofish

“For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.”

―Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

I have a pile of new and vintage books to read.

What is better than that? A window with a nice view. Maybe someone bringing you a cup of tea or making dinner for you?

I guess I am getting old, but that sounds very good to me.

3 Comments

April 29, 2016

“Heroic, is it? Bedad, it’s epic! Ye begin to perceive the breadth and depth of my genius.”*

by chuckofish

Today is the birthday of author Rafael Sabatini (April 29, 1875 – February 13, 1950). He was born in Italy, the son of an English mother and an Italian father–both opera singers, which explains a lot.

Sabatini wrote in English, and all in all, he produced 31 novels, eight short story collections, six non-fiction books, numerous uncollected short stories, and a play. I think I read Scaramouche way back when, but he is best known these days because of two great movies and a bunch of other not-so-great movies, which were inspired by his novels. I’m thinking, of course, of Captain Blood (1935)

and The Sea Hawk (1940)

both starring Errol Flynn and directed by Michael Curtiz.

But we mustn’t forget Scaramouche (1952) which starred Stewart Granger

and The Black Swan (1942) with Tyrone Power–

both not as good despite being filmed in flaming technicolor. (There are also quite a few old silent movies based on his adventure novels.)

Anyway, I suggest we all watch movies this weekend inspired by the stories of Rafael Sabatini. We could do a lot worse. I vote for Captain Blood which is full of action and good dialogue:

Arabella Bishop: Oh, forgive me for not recognizing you, Dr. Blood. You’re so changed… and for the better.

Dr. Peter Blood: The Governor tells me I have you to thank for that.

Arabella Bishop: You don’t sound very grateful, Dr. Blood.

Dr. Peter Blood: Do you suppose I’d be grateful for an easy life, when my friends are treated like animals? Faith, it’s they deserve your favors, not I. They’re all honest rebels. I was snoring in my bed while they were trying to free England from an unclean tyrant [King James].

Arabella Bishop: I believe you’re talking treason.

Dr. Peter Blood: I hope I’m not obscure.

Have a great weekend!

*Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini

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April 12, 2016

“I am not a pest,” Ramona Quimby told her big sister Beezus.” *

by chuckofish

Today is the birthday of Beverly Atlee Bunn Cleary, better known as best-selling author Beverly Cleary.

You go, girl!

Cleary was born on April 12, 1916, in McMinnville, Oregon, the only child of a teacher and a farmer.

She became a children’s librarian. How could she not? (See picture above.) According to Wikipedia, Cleary empathized with her young patrons who had difficulty finding books with characters they could identify with. So she decided to start writing children’s books about characters to whom young readers could relate. The rest is history.

Cleary’s first book, Henry Huggins (1950) was the first in a series of fictional chapter books about Henry, his dog Ribsy, his neighborhood friend Beezus and her little sister Ramona, whom Nicholas Kristof calls “one of the great characters of children’s literature.” I’m pretty sure I read some of these books, but I do not remember them well. Maybe this one:

And here’s a fun fact: She also published three softcover novels based on the TV series Leave It to Beaver—Leave It to Beaver (1960), Here’s Beaver! (1961), and Beaver and Wally (1961).

Her publisher HarperCollins recognizes her birthday, April 12, as National Drop Everything and Read Day (D.E.A.R.), in promotion of silent reading. I would like to celebrate this day–how about you? I mean aren’t you happy to be reminded of chapter books and silent reading? These were an important part of my elementary years at school.

Still in print and in a boxed set! Ninety-one million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950!

So a well-deserved toast to Ms. Cleary, who is still kicking it at age 100. Long may she run.

*Ramona the Pest

4 Comments

March 24, 2016

What are you reading?

by chuckofish

Having finished my second Jussi Adler-Olsen detective novel, I looked around my shelves for something to read. I settled on The Nautical Chart (La carta esférica) by Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte. He is best known for his El capitán Alatriste books. I have read The Adventures of Captain Alatriste about a Spanish soldier of fortune in the 17th century, and enjoyed it very much, so I thought I’d try this other book which I had picked up at an estate sale.

Coy is a sailor without a ship. Tánger Soto is a woman with an obsession to find the Dei Gloria, a ship sunk during the seventeenth century, and El Piloto is an old man with the sailboat on which all three set out to seek their fortune together. Or do they? (Amazon.com)

Chapter one begins with a quote from Moby Dick (“I have swum through oceans and sailed through libraries.”) so I knew I was on to something good. In short order the author invokes literary references ranging from Lord Jim to Tintin.

“I saved every cent so I could go to the bookstore and come out with one of these [a Tintin book] in my hands, holding my breath, loving the feel of the hard covers, the colors of the splendid illustrations. And then, all by myself, I would open the pages and smell the paper and the ink before I dived into the story. So I collected all twenty-three, one by one. A lot of time has gone by since then, but to this day, when I open a Tintin I can smell the smell that I have associated with adventure and life ever since. Along with the movies of John Ford and John Huston, Richmal Compton’s [Crompton] Adventures of William, and a few other books, these shaped my childhood.”

Well. A fictional character after my own heart!

I have to admit that I only know about Tintin because the boy was a big fan growing up.

And I am not acquainted with these Adventures of William books. Apparently they were very popular in England.

This just goes to show, there is always so much more out there to read!

Anyway, I am really enjoying The Nautical Chart. I’ll let you know how it goes. What are you reading?

P.S. My spy in Jupiter sent me this picture of the Cardinal dugout. The Skipper is on the bench on the left.

6 Comments

March 9, 2016

Mid-week pep talk: on we go!

by chuckofish

“Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.”

–J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

I can relate to this on so many levels.

6 Comments

February 29, 2016

Tell old pharoah

by chuckofish

The Old Testament reading on Sunday was about God appearing to Moses in the form of a Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-15). I suppose that was why we sang Go Down, Moses as our communion hymn. We ~~gave it our best shot~~ tried, but Episcopalians plus negro spirituals equals truly awkward. We just can’t swing it, literally.

We had a lovely, balmy weekend and I tried to get out and about, but was still recovering from my cough/cold/whatever. I re-organized a large cupboard filled with an assortment of dishes, serving pieces, silver, holiday decorations, cleaning supplies, ephemera, etcetera. This turned into quite a job as you can imagine, but I got it all sorted out, cleaned and put away. I actually threw away very little (typical).

Since officially giving up on Humboldt’s Gift, I perused several bookshelves at home and picked out several possible books to read. I settled on The Proper Bostonian by Cleveland Amory, which I had picked up some time ago at an estate sale. It proved to be very enjoyable and full of information. Published in 1947, it “is as humorous and entertaining as anything that could be written about the Boston Brahmins–the Cabots, Lodges, Lowells, Adamses and others that make Boston a synonym for staidness and sobriety.” (Chicago Tribune) Now there’s a qualified recommendation for you! I am learning all about Boston’s First Families and the foibles of the “Proper Boston lady” and the “Proper Boston gentleman.”

This is particularly interesting to me as our maternal grandmother was a Sargent after all and lived on Clarendon Street in Back Bay for years. She was, indeed, a “Proper Boston lady.”

When our parents gave their third child the middle name ‘Sargent,’ our grandmother’s response was not, “Oh, how nice,” but “Well, finally.”

Well, more on this later, because it is Monday and the bell tolleth for me. Have a good week!

P.S. I watched part of the Oscars–why? Why did they keep playing Que Sera Sera? It was a strange show. But I didn’t watch the whole thing. I went to bed. Give me some credit.

(The OM took the photo of the amaryllis.)

3 Comments

February 24, 2016

All my friends

by chuckofish

If you cannot read all your books, at any rate…peer into them, let them fall open where they will, read from the first sentence that arrests the eye, set them back on the shelves with your own hands, arrange them on your own plan so that you at least know where they are. Let them be your friends; let them be your acquaintances.

–Winston Churchill (1874–1965)

This is going to be my next project, arranging my books “on my own plan.” I already sort of do this, but I could do a better job.

All right, Winston, I accept your challenge.

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