brodiew2's Silver Lining of 2016

Sometimes I wonder if I was born 50 years too late. I love the Golden Age. For me it it is a 30 year stretch from 1920-1950. I love the books. I love the clothes. I love the films. I love the architecture. I love the History. I love the art. I love the STYLE. Alas hindsight is 20/20. I often wonder if I would have enjoyed living through it. I think I will dedicate a portion of the imagery for this thread to that love.

Aside from that, my name is Brodie. I'm 45, married, and the father of three (9, 8, 6). Needless to say, they keep me busy and on my toes. I've been married 15 years.

My love affair with books started early with The Story of Ferdinand. I loved this story as a kid. However, I could not get my kids to give it the time of day.

As I grew, it was the fantasy of Lloyd Alexander that dominated my youth, much as Percy Jackson or Harry Potter has done today. The Prydain Chronicles are gold in my book as was his Westmark duology. His characters and settings kept me engrossed and I retain fondness for him today.

Sadly, I abandoned Fantasy shortly thereafter. I read The Hobbit, but found The Fellowship of the Ring inaccessible though not through lack of trying.

I turned to Science Fiction and found a home there in name like Asimov, Clarke, Bester, and Bradbury.

But, I would not limit myself. As I've gotten older, I have opened my mind to all kinds of different books. From classic literature to genre fiction to biographies to travelogues, I enjoy discovering new things.

In recent years, I have discovered that I enjoy a good travelogue, especially those that have a humorous bent. Free Country by George Mahood is one you should check out.

In the same vein, I also discovered the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. I first found out about the pilgrimage through the film 'The Way', starring Martin Sheen. I later purchased To the Field of Stars by Kevin Cobb. I enjoyed it so much I plan to read one Camino book a year for as long as my interest holds. Will I ever walk the 800 kilometers myself? That remains to be seen.

Welcome to my 75 thread! I hope you'll stop in now and again to see what I'm up to. I am purposing to get out there and visit your threads as well.

Buen Camino!

Hi, Brodie! I hunted you down on LT after your visit to my thread (klobrien2). It's great to see you here, and I'll be interested to see what you're reading.

If you remember, I'd just read The Relic Master: A Novel by Christopher Buckley. It's a great "travel" book. Another LTer recommended Company of Liars as another medieval "travel" book--a group of people trying to outrun the plague. I've got it from the library, now I just have to get to it!

Karen O.

Welcome! I'll be stopping by to see what's happening. You've got some of my faves in your introduction.

Welcome to the Mighty 75, Brodie! Happy New Thread! Looking forward to following you, in your reading life.

Wow! You have 3 young children. I bet that keeps you busy.

Welcome to the group!

Ferdinand! Lloyd Alexander!! I like your childhood tastes in books!

Here is a little Nick and Nora Charles to start your day! If you have never seen 'The Thin Man' series, I highly recommend it. It is based on Dashiell Hammet's noir novel.

>2 klobrien2: Thank you for hunting me down. Karen! I remember you. I appreciate the added recommendation. My Club Read 2016 thread is at https://www.librarything.com/topic/206800.It will give you an idea of what I've been up to since January. :-)

>3 drneutron: Thank you for the stopping in, drneutron. My curiosity is piqued on which of these are your favorites.

>4 msf59: Thank you for the welcome, Mark. I am glad to be here. Joe encouraged to me to make the jump. I see that many users have thread in more than one group.

>5 scaifea: Thank you, scaifea! I loved Ferdinand. the story and illustrations are hilarious. As for Alexander, My favorite of the Prydain is The Castle of Llyr. Funny, it was one of the ones that didn't win an award. I hear that the series is getting a new film treatment. The animated film is dead to me. :-P.

Welcome to the 75ers, Brodie! Love the new thread.

My wife and I are big time fans of the Thin Man series. We've collected them all. Classy and fun.

You've got a bunch of authors I like up there in >1 brodiew2:. Nice to see Bester mentioned.

>7 jnwelch: Thanks for stopping in, Joe.

The Demolished Man is a tour de force. I just have not been able to get into The Stars, My Destination. I've tried more than once.

>8 brodiew2: A pleasure, Brodie.

I love them both. The Stars My Destination is basically The Count of Monte Cristo in outer space. Have you read The Count? That's a great one, too, and might help you get into TSMD.

>9 jnwelch: Strange you should mention The Count. It is on my reading list for this year. It is a tome and a little intimating, but I am going to do it.

>10 brodiew2: I hope you enjoy it. Dumas is a great storyteller.

Welcome!

Hey Brodie and welcome to the Mighty 75ers group. I followed you over here from Joe's thread. I think we're a pretty awesome book-loving community, always supportive and happy to contribute to whatever level of book addiction you have. :-)

>12 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie.

>13 EBT1002: I appreciate you stopping in, EBT1002. I am already feeling the hospitality and warm welcome of The mighty 75ers.

I loved this book! I think you will too.

Open Season is a well crafted mystery which introduces Wyoming Game and Wildlife warden Joe Pickett. Joe is a good man doing a hard job for little pay. He is quiet and loves the job despite it not meeting the need of his loving but growing family. When a man turns up dead on Joe's wood pile, it soon leads to more bodies, betrayal, corruption and the fate of a mountain species thought long extinct.

It is a fascinating story with excellent pacing, timely reveals, and suspenseful turns. The characters are rich and well drawn, especially Joe and his daughter Sheridan.

Highly recommended.

>6 brodiew2: Lloyd Alexander and Tolkien are the ones I meant. Came to Prydain as an adult due to a group read here on LT!

Oh, gosh, The Thin Man! Love.
And I agree about The Black Cauldron movie - waaaay too dark for a kid's film. I'm excited to hear it's getting another go!

Finally made it over to check out your thread. Welcome to the 75ers! I am a huge fan of a lot of things that come from those decades you love - art deco, noir books - especially Chandler and Hammett, The Great Gatsby...

I also love Tolkien, Bradbury and Alexander, so I am dropping my star. Happy Saturday to you, Brodie!

>15 brodiew2: Yay for Open Season and Joe Picket! Good review, Brodie. I hope others give that one a try.

Have a good weekend, buddy.

I bid you welcome. Just passed my first year here with the 75ers; having read through your Club Reads thread, you seem to be a natural.

Is that your office up there at the top?

>17 drneutron: Cool. Given the new live action movie treatment that is coming, it may be time for me to revisit them.

>18 scaifea: 'The Thin Man' series is at the heart of my love for screwball comedies and mysteries. William Powell IS witty sophistication.

>19 Crazymamie: Thank you for the welcome, Mamie! I was a huge noir film fan for the longest time, amassed quite a collection. I don't have it anymore, but I still have a place for it in my heart. Have you seen 'Crossfire' with the three Roberts? Montgomery, Ryan, and Mitchum?

>20 jnwelch: Indeed, Joe, I have already started Savage Run, but not on audio. Have a great weekend!

>21 weird_O: I appreciate the welcome, weird_O! I'm glad you liked what you saw on my other thread. More to come.

I was overseas and without much access to the internet whilst you were setting up shop over here, Brodie.

Welcome to the group and as an often tired father of three I can say that I will welcome your company.

Have a great Sunday.

Happy Sunday, Brodie! I am spending the afternoon, with baseball and books. Sounds like a plan to me.

>23 PaulCranswick: Thank you for the welcome, Paul. Yes, I have three and we have two foster kids at the moment who are 9 and 6. So...yeah...lots of energy(drama). :-)

>24 msf59: Baseball was part of my Sunday as well, Mark. My Mariners did well.



The Mariner completed their road trip with a 9-4 victory over the Angels! 6-3 and this road trip. Now, if they can only win at home.

Hey, man. You asked me about The Tycoons. For the most part, it was excellent. The passages describing the financial jiggery-pokery were opaque to me. I just didn't know what the author, a one-time banker, was writing about, didn't know the terminology. Good section on actually achieving the manufacture of truly replaceable parts, on Carnegie's disruptive status as a steel tycoon, on Morgan's endeavor to launch U. S. Steel as a means of shutting Andy the Disruptor out and calming and stabilizing that segment of the industrial economy. I enjoyed the description of Frederick Taylor's bamboozling of many industrialists with his time-and-motion studies; the bosses wanted to cut wages, and Taylor's consultations provided a scientific gloss to what they wanted to do.

A good read, if somewhat dry in spots.

I have two new books on deck: Throwback and The House of Daniel. Spring is in the air which baseball!

I heard about Throwback on a radio interview a months ago. The radio host had high praise for it. It is nonfiction and is an 'inside the game' book one the game's most respected catchers, Jason Kendall.

The House of Daniel is a fictional story by set in the mid 30s and features a down and out semipro baseball player. The story is supposed to have 'magical' elements. I stumbled on this searching for wacky baseball fiction. It has immediate credit with me as the author is none other than Harry Turtledove.

Do you have a favorite baseball book? Fiction or nonfiction?

Feeling like a fickle reader this morning. Some days I just wake up and don't want to read anything I got going. So I start looking around for something else to start. It can be a vicious cycle. Best just to sit idly by until the feeling passes.

If you have a favorite short story, please share. I'm looking for something to read in between.

How about a novella - I loved Stewart O'Nan's Last Night at the Lobster.

To answer your question back up there, yes, I have seen Crossfire, and more than once. Very good. My Dad and I used to watch old movies together, so I have a great love for them.

>30 Crazymamie: Ooh, good recommendation. I want to read that one.

In a similar vein (a novella), Brodie, I was thinking of Flowers for Algernon, which is a shortie.

>30 Crazymamie: thank you the recommendation, mamie. I'll check it out. We should talk more movies. Noir. Screwball. Drama. got it covered. Do you have a favorite noir film?

>31 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. I've heard of Flowers for Algernon, but never looked very close. I'll check it out as well.

Are you still slumping, Brodie? I hope it is brief. Have you read Jhumpa Lahiri? Her stories are wonderful.

Film noir favorite- Out of the Past.

Hey Brodie, Since you were so kind to come visit my world, I had to come over to yours Have a great weekend.

> 33 I have not read Lahiri, Joe. I'll take a look. I think I'm just experiencing a little information overload.

Out of the Past is great. Mitchum at the height of noir run.

>34 mahsdad: Hello Jeff. Thanks for stopping in. It is good to see you. I hope you weren't put of by my Fluke comment on your Moby Dick lists. clearly I the listed are not all encompassing Whale books. And Christopher Moore is irreverent in general. :-)

Did someone say Christopher Moore? LOVE him.

>32 brodiew2: I absolutely love The Big Sleep - I am a huge Humphrey Bogart fan.

>37 Crazymamie:, >32 brodiew2: Me, too. Also The Maltese Falcon.

Definitely The Maltese Falcon - that would be next in line for me on the favorites list.

I love Humphrey Bogart's films, Brodie. But, Casablanca, Key Largo and African Queen are my favorites.

Ooh, Key Largo...love that Edward G.

Favourite Bogart movies

1 Key Largo
2 The African Queen
3 The Harder They Fall
4 Casablanca
5 The Maltese Falcon
6 The Caine Mutiny
7 The Big Sleep
8 To Have and Have Not
9 In a Lonely Place
10 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Great movies all.

>36 scaifea: It's been a while since I've read one, but I was a huge fan of his first 4-5 books. Coyote Blue is my favorite.

>37 Crazymamie: Bogart and the The Big Sleep is good excellent.

>38 jnwelch: Indeed. Bogart almost embodies the noir detective genre.

>40 NanaCC: Absolutely, NanaCC. Great films, all. Given the hard edge he portrayed in the majority of his rolls, some of his most well known films show a more sentimental side.

>41 msf59: You said it, Mark. I love Edward G. One of my favorite films of his is the lesser known Brother Orchid. Early Bogart in this one as well.

>42 PaulCranswick: Excellent List, Paul! 'The Caine Mutiny' is one of his best performances.

As for me, I have enjoyed all of the above mentioned Bogart films. However, do you any of you recall some of these lesser known gems?

They Drive By Night
Passage to Marseilles
Dark Passage
The Desperate Hours
We're No Angels

Don't get me started on James Cagney. He's the man!

I have seen all of those Bogart movies. The Big Sleep and To Have and Have Not are my favorites, followed closely by Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon and Key Largo. I don't consider all of those noir, which is why I said that The Maltese Falcon was my second favorite Bogart movie.

>44 Crazymamie: I understand, Mamie. I have a special place in my heart for the noir 'They Drive By Night'. The great cast in addition to Bogart includes George Raft, Ann Sheridan, and in a dramatic patsy role, Alan Hale, Sr. It's a good one.

Yep. That's a good one. And it was one of my Dad's favorites.

I do not think I ever saw Brother Orchid. I will have to check that one out. I think my favorite Edward G. is Double Indemnity, plus it is one of the best noir films, period. Go Billy Wilder!

>43 brodiew2: I love all of the Moore books I've read so far, but Lamb and his treatments of Shakespeare are my favorites so far. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove is a pretty great one, too.

Oh, To Have and Have Not. Lauren Bacall! Sigh.

>49 jnwelch: I know, right?!

"You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve?"

>51 jnwelch: And here's the scene, Joe.

"You just put your lips together, and blow"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9Ay727EYzw

Have a great weekend, Brodie.

>52 PaulCranswick: So good . . .

Here is a little Waldorf-Astoria hotel lobby for your Friday.

>47 msf59: I think you'll enjoy it, Mark. It's part crime story, part morality tale. Edward G. is great in it.

>48 scaifea: I stopped reading Moore at The Lamb, scaifea. Even with Moore's Authore note, I wasn't able to access it.I read the fist few chapters, which are funny, but never finished. I have not read any of the Shakespeare ones.

>49 jnwelch: 'To Have and Have Not' is a good one. I mentioned another one he did with Bacall, 'Dark Passage', which is a decent noir with the main character having had facial surgery making him into Bogart.

>52 PaulCranswick: Thanks for the video reminder, Paul. You have a great weekend as well!

>54 brodiew2: Although I haven't seen that one, I bet that "make you into Bogart" facial surgery was in high demand.

The first time I heard of Felica Day was on an episode of 'Supernatural'. I had to ask my brother who she was and why I was so cool that she was a guest star. He explained her internet qualifications and I shrugged. I have never been part of the online gaming world, nor have I immersed myself in youtube to the extent necessary to discover her. That said, When I saw her audio memoir on the shelf at the library I could not resist.

I got just what I hoped for; a fun, neurotic, and inspirational jaunt through the life of and internet icon. From her nontraditional 'home school' education to her violin funded college years to being a working actress and web series creator to web business owner and inspiration to many, Felicia Day has weathered successes and failures, a wacky off beat mother, and few deranged fans to be where she is today, the author of this book. :-)

I was amused by her self deprecating humor and neurotic delivery. I was also inspired by her over arcing theme: Don't be afraid to be who you are.

Recommended.

>35 brodiew2: Regarding Fluke, I totally missed that comment on my thread. Certainly wasn't put off by it. In fact, I just might have to add it to my WL. I've read a couple of his books, but not that one.

>56 brodiew2: I read it, and loved it too. If you haven't seen her web televisions series, "The Guild," you should track it down--it's hilarious, and the story behind its production is inspiring (created by hook and by crook). The episodes are tiny, so it can be watched very quickly. I got the DVDs from my library. Felicia Day is a funny, funny lady.

>56 brodiew2: Good review of You're Never Weird on the Internet, Brodie. She really interests me. I first saw her on the tv show Eureka, and heard the same kinds things about her your brother told you. Onto the WL it goes.

>57 mahsdad: He's fun, Jeff. Fluke is whole of silliness.

>58 klobrien2: I may have to do that, Karen. The book certainly explains that journey in detail. I might do 'The Guild' and 'Dr. Horrible's Sing a long' at the same time.

>59 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. I hope your enjoy. Her personal narration is a lot of fun.

Given that there is a new Ben Hur feature film on the way, I decided to start a viewing of the 1959 classic directed by William Wyler and starring Charleton Heston. I love this film. Thought it is long and has a couple of slow patches, it is epic in scope and ferociously intimate in its core rivalry.

If the old dvd/vcr combo hadn't started having tic, I would have gotten through Judah and Masala's 'break up' (as it were).

In reviewing the film, I have also decided to Lew Wallace's novel. This will likely make the list for 2017 as The Count is my major tome of the year.

I didn't mean for the image above to be so big, but the film is a spectacle, right?

What are your feelings on this film? Have you read the novel?

Sadly, this one is not living up to my expectations. I'm 75 pages in and while the strange, weird, off beat, and creepy are present, the thread of humor I was hoping for is not. There is a certain absurdist style to the writing, but its randomness leans more to nonsense rather than coherence. It seems to exist solely to please itself rather than me as a reader.

I am aware of of the central mystery/conflict of the story, but I find myself caring less and less about its resolution. Bummer.

I guess I was expecting something more in the vein of Christopher Moore, not...I don't even have a comparison. Not bad, just not my thing.

Given my trouble with finding the next book, lately, it may be time to thrown in a Star Trek novel. Nothing like a little popcorn to break up the monotony.

It's been a long wait and I was very please with the 5th and final season premier of Person of Interest. I will be sad to see this show end, but I am thankful that they have been given the opportunity to wrap up the story.

It is one of my favorite series ever.

I'm a lot like the dog in 'UP' these days: "Squirrel?" I have started reading the Newberry Medal winner The Westing Game as well a middle grade WWII books called Guts and Glory: World War II by Ben Thompson . I am reading it along with my 9 year old son and getting a real kick out of the action oriented writing style and graphics.

I will keep you apprised as to whether this will help settle the reading slump I have discovered.

>1 brodiew2: I love all your childhood books! :)

I've heard good things about the Felicia Day book. Perhaps I'll check it out.

>65 The_Hibernator: Thank you for stopping in, Hibernator! I discovered a lot more in reading to me kids, but those were some of my favorites of the time.

Felicia Day's book is so much fun and her narration of the audio book is the icing on the proverbial cake.

Hi, Brodie! Bummer about Welcome to Night Vale. I have it saved on audio and was hoping for the best. Are you going to finish it?

Like you, I loved the Wyler version of Ben Hur. Edward G, right? Did not read the book and not too excited about the new one. Hope it proves me wrong.

After many months of a co worker relentlessly suggesting I read a Neil Gaiman book, I finally gave in...sort of. I decided to listening to Gaiman himself narrate his Newberry Medal winning The Graveyard Book. Yes, it was worth it and yes, I will likely listen to more. Good Omens?

Aside from the pleasant surprise that Gaiman is a excellent narrator, I enjoyed the journey of a baby who come into the care of the ghosts of a local graveyard when his family is murdered. The inhabitants decide to protect the boy from his would be killer. The book follows the boy, Nobody, on his adventures in the graveyard, which is a place of love and learning as well a place where unspeakable evil dwells.

Bod, short for Nobody, is has a support system in the graveyard, headlined by his adoptive parents, the Owens' and his guardian, an undead 'man' named Silas. There are other people in the graveyard who have lessons and experiences to share over the years leading up to the final confrontation with his family's killer.

I liked this book most especially for the fact that is a compete coming of age tale. The development of Bod is well played as he ages a year or more from chapter to chapter; knowledge and maturity growing right along with his body. The novel is well crafted with elements of supernatural suspense as well as intimate moments moments of love, laughter, and discovery.


I suggest you give it a go. It is well worth it.

Oh, yay for Gaiman! I love him lots.

>68 brodiew2: Isn't The Graveyard Book good, Brodie? Gaiman's a great narrator - I actually got his audio after reading it first in print.

I loved Good Omens. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is excellent, too, and his Neverwhere probably remains my favorite. There's also a well done BBC tv version of Neverwhere (which preceded the book, apparently).

>69 scaifea: Thanks for stopping in, scaifea! I'm gaining appreciation. :-)

>70 jnwelch: Hello Joe! You'll be happy to hear that I picked up The Ocean at the End of the Lane from the library yesterday. A friend of mine, a really Gaiman fan, has tried to warn me off this one as its subject matter is pretty heavy. I'm going for it anyway. I'll let you know.

Good Omens is my next Gaiman, but I'll likely take a break after 'Ocean'.

, ,

Given that I was negligent in my Silver/Golden Age imagery on Friday, today, I give you some Art Deco of the era! Enjoy!

Hi, Brodie! Did you see my post up in #67? Just gushing about Gaiman.

The Graveyard Book remains my favorite but Neverwhere & The Ocean at the End of the Lane are also in the race.

>67 msf59:>73 Mark! I'm sorry I missed you. I'm afraid I have no plans to finish Welcome to Night Vale. It is a little too weird for my taste.

If I'm not mistaken Edward G was in Demille's Ten Commandments, but I I could be wrong. Charleton Heston was in that one too, of course. I will probably see the new Ben Hur on DVD.

Gaiman is an acquired taste for me, but right now, I appear to be in the mood. ;-)

It has been almost a week now since I saw 'Captain America: Civil War'. It has been a long time since I left the theater pumping my fist in excitement over a movie. Super hero movie or not, this movie is the real deal. It is my favorite Marvel movie to date. Guardians of the Galaxy is a close second. Civil War delivers on all levels: humor, action, drama, and intensity. The new character introductions of Spider Man and The Black Panther were handled seamlessly and with great care. I want to see the Black Panther movie now! So cool. As you can tell I am stoked about this film. If you haven't seen it yet, it's time. You will have FUN!

>75 brodiew2: Oh good, Brodie. My wife has requested that we see this (I know, I'm a lucky guy), and I've seen nothing but positive comments about it. Can't wait. Not this weekend, but maybe the one after.

>75 brodiew2: My husband and I will wait until we can watch it on dvd or Prime or something (we just don't go to the movie theater anymore unless a cartoon is involved), but I *am* eager to see it. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

I can think of no better person to showcase 'top hat and tails' than Fred Astaire. Enjoy!

>76 jnwelch: Good to see you, Joe. You will not be disappointed. Civil War is fantastic.

>77 scaifea: Hello scaifea! Thanks for stopping buy. I don't know if I would be able to wait for a the small screen experience, but I understand. It will be worth it either way. I hope you have a big TV! ;-)

I loved Good Omens you should definitely try it out - though it's very different than Graveyard Book.

>75 brodiew2: My daughters and 2 grandsons took me to see Captain America for Mother's Day and I agree with you! It was just incredible! Spider-Man was an excellent addition.
We left the theater quoting the funny lines. You forgot to mention Captain America pulling back the helicopter...or is that something just for women to enjoy?

Glad you liked Civil War, Brodie! Honestly I am getting burned out on this plethora of super-hero action films and haven't seen many of the newer ones but I really liked Deadpool and now you have sparked interest in this one. The old man is still being swayed...

>79 The_Hibernator: I'm glad to see you, Hibernator! I think I'm taking a break from Gaiman for now, but Good Omens is definitely on the list.

>80 Dianekeenoy: Thank you for stopping in Diane! I remember Cap holding the helicopter, but I'll leave the bulging biceps to you. ;-) I absolutely loved the scene between Peter and Tony.

>81 msf59: Hello Mark! Deadpool is not necessarily my cup of tea, but Civil War gives you all you might want from an Avengers movie without their being a super powerful arch villain. I think you will enjoy it.

Good morning all. I'm feeling rather giddy this morning as I was able to have an unexpected impact at my children's elementary school yesterday. I was there being a Watch Dog (dads of great students) and spent some time in the library. I have volunteered before and the librarian knows me as a lover of books. I mention to her a new non fiction history series I discovered called 'Guts and Glory' by Ben Thompson. It is a grade school level series that focuses on historical bravery, gallantry, and heroism. He has three volumes to date, featuring The Civil War, World War II and The Vikings. My son, 9, may be a tad too young to absorb all the facts, but the author makes the battles and the individuals come alive in a compelling way.

I also mentioned a series called Dog Diaries, which focuses on true historical dogs, but allows them to tell their own stories. My son read the first in the series which featured the first seeing eye dog (German Shepherd) and I read the third on Barry, the famous Saint Bernard rescue dog.

What has me so excited this morning the fact that the librarian researched the series during her lunch break and ended up ordering all three G&G books and a set of five of the Dog Diaries books. She also suggested to me that she would be open to any other recommendations I might want to give.

Very cool.

Last week I was gifted a copy of Who moved My Cheese. It was a quick, easy read and one that I did not think would have an impact on me. I did not think that the simplicity of it would get past my more cynical self when it comes to change in life. As I read through the story of four mouse friends (Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw), I began to get angry because I knew which mouse I was in the story. I know and have known for a couple of years now, that I need a change in my professional life. However, I'm scared. It's a big world out there. I've been here for 15 years and have tenure and vacation time, if not satisfaction. A major career change into a completely new field seems paralyzingly impossible.

That said, the book both convicted me and reinforced my fear. Weird, huh? In reading all the praise for the book, I wondered how it was possible. Those who do no fear change do not need a book like this. Those that do can get some use out it if they allow it. I'm still battling myself on the whether to allow it. Can you see my conflict?

So, if you need a push past your fear, this may well be the story that will give the perspective from which to change.

So That Happened

Right of the bat, I have to confess that I love humorous celebrity memoirs narrated by the celebrity themselves. It is so much more genuine that way. You hear the actor you have been following for so long telling their own story. You get behind the scene dish, the voice and comic timing you expect. And, its more fun.

With John Cryer, you get a lot of fun. Not only do you hear of his New York neighborhood upbringing with his stage actor/writer mother, you also get the full scoop on Pretty in Pink and the Charlie Sheen meltdown while on Two and a half Men.

Fair warning, however, and Cryer gives the same one in his introduction, there is some salty language her in. I was not deterred and thankfully so. The language is not pervasive and is usually strategically placed as part of a punchline or to cap a specifically important anecdote.

I like Cryer and found his recounting of Charlie Sheen's 'Winning' descent into addiction both entertaining and sad. You could tell that Cryer lamented his friend's actions, recognized the destruction they wrought, and wanted to see him sober more than anything else.

Overall, I enjoyed this memoir. It is well worth your time.

>84 brodiew2: You got me with this one! I really like Jon Cryer and especially would like to hear him read it. On my list!

And, how wonderful to have the school's librarian want more of your recommendations!

>82 brodiew2: Well done, Brodie! Kudos to the librarian, too. A book recommender's dream come true.

>83 brodiew2: My two cents: I'm very familiar with that issue of balancing what you do as a job with making sure you take care of the family. In my mind, there are at least two ways to look at it: one, I have this dream type of job I can't live without, and I need to go after it, and two (more common), I need to feel the job is "good enough" and fits me well enough (good people around me, interesting work) that I can live with it to pay the bills. If it doesn't fit either, then maybe the fear needs to be addressed and faced down.

>84 brodiew2: I've enjoyed a number of humorous celebrity memoirs. Tina Fey's is my favorite so far. I don't listen to many audio books, so I'm missing that component.

Cryer's sounds like a good one.

I've heard great things about Who Moved My Cheese but I totally see your conflict. It's like telling someone having a panic attack to stay calm. :)

I will look out for the Jon Cryer memoir Brodie; it looks a winner.

Have a great weekend.

All caught up with you, Brodie!

>68 brodiew2: I loved that audio, too. Fabulous. My favorite of his is The Ocean at the End of the Lane - really loved that one.

>72 brodiew2: Gorgeous! I love that kind of artwork.

>75 brodiew2: Craig and the kids just went to see this on Wednesday - we are huge fans of these movies. Birdy was relieved to see that they did a good job with Black Panther, as he is her favorite.

>82 brodiew2: Hooray for getting new books into the school library! Very cool!

>83 brodiew2: I can't speak for changing careers, but Craig was very unhappy in his job (where he had been for 17 years and had a full practice and loads of benefits), and we picked up and moved across the country to start over again. BEST thing we ever did. He is a new man. You can't put a price tag on happiness, and yet it influences everything else that matters in life. Life is too short for safe when the price of safety is your happiness. I say at least thoroughly investigate the possibilities.

>84 brodiew2: Adding that to the list - sounds fun.

Wishing for you a weekend filled with fabulous!

Hey Brodie! Thought I'd pop over here and now I'm wondering why I hadn't before. Good reviews, super hero movies, and Fred Astaire, it's definitely my kind of place.

Happy Sunday, Brodie! Hope you are enjoying a nice weekend. It is gorgeous here in the Midwest!

>85 Dianekeenoy: Thank you, Diane. It really was an enjoyable listen. As for school library, I'm trying to see if the school would be willing to have the author come for an assembly presentation.

>86 jnwelch: I appreciate you responses, Joe. I was jazzed about my contact with the school librarian.

Yes, I see what you mean about professional choices. Passion is something that remains elusive at the moment, so doing what it necessary for the family is where I'm at.

I will have to check out Tina Fey's memoir as well.

>87 The_Hibernator: Hello Hibernator! That is a perfect analogy. Sigh. The book is good at unsettling those in a funk. whis is a good thing.

>88 PaulCranswick: Thanks for stopping by, Paul. I think you will enjoy it. I hope your week is off to a good start!

>89 Crazymamie: Mamie! Good morning! I enjoyed GB, but struggled with Ocean at the end of the lane. I may try it again another time. I am not a Gaiman fan, I'm dipping my foot in the water, however.

Excellent! I'm glad you enjoyed the auto art.

The Black Panther was one of my favorites of the film as well. Fast and silent as a panther should be!

It appears Craig and I have something in common. I will explore those possibilities. I am glad to hear that your family has flourished with the change.

>90 Thebookdiva: Diva! Thank you for stopping by. I'm glad you found it worth your while. I am a fan of classic films from musicals to noir to drama and screwball! Love me some Fred Astaire. I hope I'll see you again.

>91 msf59: Good morning, Mark. Thanks for the note. It was a overcast with some light rain this weekend , but the Mariners completed a 6 game road trip, 5-1. That's all the sunshine I need.

I watched Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby this weekend. This a stylistically amazing film with a good performance from Leonardo DiCaprio. It has been some time since I read the book, but I found what the narrator saw as hope in Gatsby to be more of a sustained delusion mixed with denial. The narrator definitely falls under Gatsby's spell. On the other hand, Gatsby is tragic enough in the innocence and passion of his love for Daisy and his desire to rise above his dirt poor origin. All in all I liked the film. It made me think which is what a good film should do.

Okay, so no new book news, but there is some pretty exceptional news on the baseball front. The Seattle Mariner erased a 12-2 deficit in the 5th inning to beat the San Diego Padres, 16-13. This is the largest come from behind victory in the history of the Seattle Mariners. Rumor has it, it is largest deficit erased after 5 innings in Major League Baseball history. Boom Shakalaka!

There is book news, after all. I'm in the home stretch of Doctor's Orders and hope to wrap it up this weekend. I have already started Smoke: A Novel which has me very excited in menacing (seems to be the buzz word for this author) way. Plus, a school story mixed with a seasoned gumbo of genre goodness, sounds awesome!

Sounds like Smoke: A Novel is off to a promising start, Brodie.

Congrats on the Mariners historic turnaround in that game and their year so far.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday, Brodie! Nice comeback for the Mariners! It sounds like one crazy game. My Cubs continue to dominate. They are 7-1 on this current homestand and still the best team in baseball. We are going on Sunday! Plus Arietta is pitching? Yeah, baby!!

Glad Smoke: A Novel is starting off strong. Love me some menace.

>95 jnwelch: It is indeed, Joe. I'm hoping the story will compel me to read more and at longer stretches. Good stuff.

Go Mariners! They are looking like a new team. Culture and management changes can make all the difference.

>96 msf59: It was indeed, Mark. It's hard not to throw in the towel at 12-2 in the 5th inning. However, this Mariner team has a confidence and resilience unlike previous iterations.

Smoke is rising!

Stopping by to check on Smoke . Keep me apprised. No pressure! :)

Wow! That would have been a great game to be at the ball park!

>98 vancouverdeb: Hello, deb. Thanks for stopping in. I'm 51 pages in and the Smoke is thick so to speak. The author does well in creating a unique world. The writing is also evocative in that the oppression of the Smoke is felt even by the reader. Part one is instrumental in introducing this new world and the supernatural element which rules it.

>99 drneutron: you are right about that, drneutron! Thanks for dropping by.

100 posts on my first thread! Small potatoes to some, but pretty cool for me on this D-Day, the 6th of June. In memory of the brave souls who stormed the beaches of Normandy, I'll be checking a couple of my favorite scenes from the film The Longest Day.

And, in honor of 100 posts, here is a question for you:

What is your favorite book set in the WWII era, fiction or nonfiction?

WahHOO for 100 posts, Brodie! When you say "WWII era book", do you mean written in that era or set in that era?

If setting is what you are going for then I would say The English Patient, withThe Book Thief and City of Thieves getting an honorable mention.

If you had said movie, I would have said Casablanca - LOVE that one!!

>101 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Thanks being 101.

Good questions, all. I was going for the setting of WWII. Thank you for helping me clarify. Also, I am happy to have any and all share their favorite WWII film as well as book.

Thank you for the suggestions. I have not read any of them, but I did enjoy the film The English Patient.

The Book Thief & City of Thieves are favorites of mine. Just thought I would share that with you...

Watching the Cubbies beat up on the Phillies.

I loved The Book Thief, Brodie, and City of Thieves was good, too. For nonfiction, Unbroken is amazing and so well-written.

>100 brodiew2: I think something on the Holocaust for me, Brodie. If Not Now, When? by Primo Levi.

>103 msf59: Thanks, Mark! You matched Mamie. These books must be very good. I'm aware of The book thief, but not City of Thieves. I will take a closer look.

>104 jnwelch: Hello Joe. Wow! These two books are getting props all three of you. Unbroken is somewhere in TBR along with Boys in the Boat.

>105 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. Thanks for stopping by. I have not heard of If Not Now, When, but I plan to learn more about it. Thanks again.

In Doctor's Orders, Captain Kirk, on a lark, decides to leave Doctor McCoy in command of the Enterprise when he beams down to a planet on an innocent fact finding mission. While planet side, Kirk mysteriously disappears. Kirk's order leaving the doctor on command cannot be changed.

While McCoy and crew search for their missing Captain, Klingons show up making the situation that much more tense. Mccoy must dig deep and draw on all resources available, including Spock, to see the situation through.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this adventure. I was initially drawn in by the plot of Doctor McCoy being in charge. There is certain humor in the very thought of it. Especially with Spock at his side, either offer advice or questioning his decisions.

The book got off to a slow start with a lot of science being laid down. The crew is on a first contact mission and planet they are exploring have three cohabiting species. We learn a lot about their nature early on.

But as soon as 'Bones' is in the command chair, things start heating up. My primary enjoyment in this novel is the bravado exhibited by McCoy in his dealings with the Klingons. It is very funny. I also enjoyed the collaboration between McCoy and Spock, which never degenerates into name calling...for the most part.

Throw in some cat and mouse space battling and traditional clever maneuvering and you have yourself a right smart and entertaining novel.

As for stars, I figure I should using them. Better late than never.

3 of 4 stars

>100 brodiew2: I assume I don't actually have to pick one do I?

The Rape of Europa is about the looting of Europe's art treasures in WWII and is one of my favorite books.
The Monuments Men is about the effort to recover that art and quite good as well though the Clooney movie of the same name was only so-so.
Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan was an excellent biography that focused a lot but not exclusively on WWII.

There are more but those are at the top of my list.

>84 brodiew2: Just snatched So That Happened: A Memoir from my library's eBook cloud! Thanks for the heads-up! And I'm like you--I really enjoy these books by funny people that have been coming on the scene.

Karen O.

I hope you find time for Unbroken. It is a stunning piece of NNF.

And speaking of great WWII NF, have you tried Ben Macintyre? He is remarkably consistent and prolific.

Oh, Ben Macintyre. Great suggestion from Mark. Agent Zigzag has been my favorite of his so far.

>108 Oberon: Thanks for stopping in, Oberon. Those are great suggestions. I have been interested in the art thefts before, but never taken the time to explore it. The Rape of Europa is going on the wish list.

>109 klobrien2: Hi Katie! I'm glad were able to get a hold of it. I look forward to your thoughts.

>110 msf59: If nothing else, Mark, I will attempt the audio book on your recommendation. Nonfiction seems more ponderous for me, in general. As for Ben Macintyre, Operation Mincemeat was gifted to me and is sitting on the TBR list.

>111 jnwelch: Hello Joe! I've heard of Agent Zigzag, but never gotten to it. I'll be looking for that one on audio as well.

>94 brodiew2: We were watching that game! It was a wonderful antidote to the horribly memorable meltdown against Cleveland back in 2001(?).

Your thread has me wanting to do a Bogart marathon via Netflix. There are more on the list that I have not seen than that I have! I do love Casablanca and The African Queen so I bet I would like some of his lesser-known films.

I love having another Seattle-area resident in the 75ers group, especially another sports fan! There are a few of us around. :-)

> 113 Welcome Ellen. I appreciate you coming by. That comeback was something special, indeed.

I'm glad to know that there are other Seattle sports fans out there as well. It is just one more reason to take up residence her in the 75.

As for Bogie, there are plenty of his classic, but 'They Drive By Night' and 'Passage to Marseilles' good films and of completely different genres.

, , ,

I traded a few posts with Joe (jwench) yesterday regarding school stories. I was in boarding school, in North Carolina, for my first two years of High School and it has given me an affinity for the literary genre. That said, I'm here to tell you about The Lawrenceville Stories by Owen Johnson. This a fun series of private school tales that take place around the turn of the century in the US. These books err on the side of humor with moral, but are in no way heavy handed. The stories are chock full with interesting characters, wacky situations, and flavor of Americana that is as prevalent today.

Now that I've told you about the books, you should know that these stories have been adapted to the screen twice; the first a feature film titled 'The Happy Years' (1950) and secondly, a tv miniseries, 'The Lawrenceville Stories' (1986). The books, the movie, and the miniseries are a delight. Overall, I love the film 'The Happy Years'. I just love it. What can I say.

I hope you will take some time and explore this world. You will not be disappointed.

Hmmm - I'm really not sure what to make of Smoke :a Novel .You say you tend to speed up your reading when a book is good - but it seems you started off witha bang and have since slowed down - am I correct? Off hand, I'm not sure that I know which is my favourtie book written during the WW11 period. I really LOVED Everyone Brave is Forgiven, which I've just finished, but not reviewed, so for now I'll say that one. But truthfully there are so many fabulous books . Oh yes, the question of whether the book was written during the time of WW11, or written about the period of WW11. You keep me guessing. I supppose The Diary of Anne Frank would be my favourite book written during the time of WW11. It's the first book I read about that time period, when I was in elementary school and I suppose it has stuck with me.

>116 vancouverdeb: Hello deb. I will say this about Smoke: A Novel, there is a lot of world building and character introduction going on in the first 80 pages. As Part II has begun, I feel we are moving beyond that and into the meat of the story. I have not given up!

You can't go wrong with The diary of Anne Frank. Excellent choice.

Happy Friday, Brodie! I hope Smoke: A Novel continues to improve. You are leading the charge on this one.

Hey Brodie and happy weekend to you. I'll be at the Mariners game on Sunday. I'm hoping for a win (by us)!

The book choices for WWII already mentioned are great. I loved Agent ZigZag. No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin was also excellent. For fictional stories, I think that The Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk may be my favorites.

Happy Sunday Brodie!

WAY to go for your 100th post!

I requested The Lawrenceville Stories, so I'll keep you posted, Brodie. Not sure when I'll actually get my hands on it.

,

After a couple of false starts on audio (The Bootlegger by Cussler, narrated by Scott Brick) and Gumption by Nick Offerman), I decided to got for a sure thing, The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare. I used to listen to a lot of Lilian Jackson Braun back in the day. I greatly enjoyed dulcet tones of narrator George Guidall. It was time to return to Pick Ax.

I absolutely loved The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare! It did everything I expected it to. It relaxed me. I didn't have to work to hard understand the goings on. And, I was treated to a story that more than a mere mystery novel.

In Shakespeare, We meet protagonist Jim Qwilleran early in his time in Pick Ax. He has only been living there for 18 months or so. Qwilleran is a former crime reporter for a major newspaper 'Down Below'. He comes into a lot of money and leaves the big city fora quieter country life. Soon, The owner of of local newspaper, Pick Ax Picayune, is killed in a single car accident. His son is left reeling, and his mother is ready to sell the paper before her husband's body is cold. Throw in a fire, some hinky hanky panky, and two cats (Koko and Yum Yum) with an affinity for prescience, and this is a wonderful story.

What I loved about this particular story is the fact that I didn't feel like a reading a light mystery. It fel like something more, something important. I was drawn into the world of Pick Axe, its inhabitants and the outsider becoming insider perspective of protagonist Qwilleran.

Shakespeare is also an import volume in the 'Cat Who' series as a whole given that major events occur that affect the series going forward.

I guess you could say I was immersed in a world that I have loved and will love in the future. I am a big fan of George Guidall, especially in this, but also in John Dunning's Bookman series.

If you have not entered the world of Pick Axe, Moose County, and Jim Qwilleran before, now is the time. It is a pleasant good time.

5 stars

Brodie, great review of The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare. It is wonderful to be transported into another world and enjoy yourself so much! I've not read any books by the author, but I know that my mom is big fan and I believe my sister enjoys Lilian Braun as well .

By the way, I noticed on Meg's thread that you wondered if it was best to read the Flavia de Luce mysteries series in order. I'm a huge fan of the series and I'd say yes, it is best to read them in order. For some reason I ignored the series, and finally I picked up The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and I was hooked. I've read them all and I'm eagerly awaiting the next in the series. There is sort of character arc and family change arc that happens, so I recommend reading them in order, but if you read on out of order, not the end of the world at all. :)

Slipping back to World War Two books and non-fiction (although he does embroider the truth on occasions I imagine) you could do worse than read Winston Churchill's hugely long but eminently readable War Memoirs. Starting with The Gathering Storm.

>125 vancouverdeb: Thanks for stopping by, deb. I really enjoyed that one. I will put The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie on wy audio wishlist now. That list is growing every day. My audio TBR.

>126 PaulCranswick: Hello Paul. I appreciate you coming in. I have heard of the Gathering Storm, but the ponderousness gives me pause. I may have to try one in the future.

With all of Joe's poetry and all of thebookdiva's Star Wars, I have dug deep in to my personal fan fiction archive to bring you this poem I wrote a long time ago. The features AnakinSkywalker/Darth Vader and what occurs after he dies on Death Star 2. It is not high art, but it is something in which I take pride. Enjoy.

Forgiveness

Laying against the bulkhead,
He let out his final breath,
A moment with his son,
Then onward into death.

Suddenly free of armor
And all its needed aid,
He marveled at the freedom
And was no longer afraid.

He was young, once again
A knight from days gone by,
His body fully restored,
No scar above his eye.

He drifted in the ether
Without want or need
Memories washing over him
Reminding of his deeds.

The freedom soon evaporated
And soon, he stood, again,
In the very place he killed
His once and future friend.

As he faded when struck down
His friend, again, returned
Out of the Force, restored
To bring a message unearned.

At the sight of his old mentor,
To his knees he fell,
In anguish, regret, and sorrow,
From a never ending well.

As his father drew ever closer,
His will gave way for good,
His brother stopped in front of him,
And drew back his hood.

His grey hair and beard
Were neatly cut and trimmed,
His brown robes were flowing
Their color never dimmed.

He smiled in genuine gladness
To see his son again,
To have the opportunity
To break his brother's chains.

"It is good to see you, Young One
Your heart has long been hidden,
But in this place of mercy,
Your sins are all forgiven."

At these joyous words,
He stood before his friend
Wrapping his arms around him
Already on the mend.

As the two walked arm in arm
And faded to the light,
Another man stood at peace
Knowing he was right.

Hi Brodie, love the inviting room at the top of your thread. Lots of interesting discussions here, think I will pull up a chair.

>128 brodiew2: Like it, Brodie.

>128 brodiew2: Thanks, for sharing, Brodie. I am impressed that my LT friends have a gift for the written word. Do you still dabble in poetry?

>128 brodiew2: Nice, Brodie. I hope Abby finds her way over here to see it.

>124 brodiew2: Got me. I will put it in my audio shopping cart. :-)
As much as I love cats, and as much as I have loved mysteries, I haven't read the "Cat Who..." series. Should I start at the beginning? (Why do I even ask this? It doesn't matter what you say. Starting at the beginning is sort of a requirement.)

>129 Familyhistorian: I am glad you like the header, familyhistorian. I find it a comforting image as well. I hope you see around the thread. I'll endeavor to make things worthy of your interest. :-)

>130 PaulCranswick: Thanks for dropping in, Paul. this was written a few years back, but I still like what I did there.

>131 msf59: Hello, Mark! Sadly, most of my writing inspiration dried up some time ago. I have not written a poem since 2008. I think I still have something to say, but I have not been able to pin it down. Thank you for showing interest. Perhaps, I'll dabble again.

>132 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Either you or I could mention it to her. I think she would appreciate it.

>133 EBT1002: Hello Ellen! I discovered this series years ago in my audio Odyssey. I never listened to them all, but I doubt I would recognize a repeat at this point. Guidall is a great narrator. Yes, start at the beginning. :-P

Dabble, Dabble, Dabble! Kind of like Warble, Warble, Warble!

>128 brodiew2: Amazing poem, Brodie. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and have added it to my poem diary which contains poems my friends have written and my own works. So inventive!

>136 Thebookdiva: Thank you so much, Abby. I have others, but this is my crowing achievement in Star Wars poetry. Ack! I just realized I lopped off the final stanza! Did you get the impression it ended too soon?

Edit: last stanza add in.

Friday Frivolities

Below are picture of James Cagney and Frank McHugh, friends and long time collaborators in the film industry. The last one includes McHugh and William Powell.

Left to right, the films included are The Roaring Twenties, The Fighting 69th, Boy Meets Girl, Here Comes the Navy, and, finally, with Myrna Loy, I Love You Again. Enjoy.

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The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare sounds good. :) Just the title is pretty awesome.

I am invoking the Pearl Rule on Smoke: A Novel. After a fair amount of excitement for its arrival, I am pronouncing it DOA as of today. After 186 pages, I have decided that I do not care about what happens to these characters. As I have stated, in brief, in other users threads, part one has a pretty hefty world building info dump. When the story finally transitioned from set up to main action, I could not muster much interest in what happened next. Given that the Peal Rule allows me to pitch it at 50 pages, I gave this novel more than enough of an opportunity to grab me.

I'll say this for Smoke: A novel, it is atmospheric and intense. I will give credit to the author for creating an interesting idea. However, the execution of that idea seemed to plod too long to bring me back around. Sadly, there was no fire with this 'Smoke'.

>139 The_Hibernator: Hello TheHibernator! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :-)

>140 brodiew2: Wow! I did not expect that, Brodie! I give you credit for hanging in there so long and I then just putting it down. Sorry, it didn't work out for you.

Hope you had a good Father's Day! And I hope you have much better luck on your next read.

Hi Brodie, great pictures featuring Frank McHugh and James Cagney. I am now in the mood for a film festival featuring these two great actors.

I see you have mentioned "They Drive By Night" as being a favorite, it's one of mine as well. George Raft is an actor that I love to watch. A great George Raft film is "House Across the Bay" which was made in 1940, the same year as 'They Drive By Night".

Sorry your last book was a bust, hope your next one is much better.

Ah, too bad about Smoke, but you gave it your best. I have strong feeling it is not for me either. I did really enjoy his two historical, atmospheric books, The Quiet Twin and The Crooked Maid, but having looked at Smoke in the bookstore and also having read a few reviews, I don't think it is for me. Thanks for being our test case. Bravo Brodie!

What Deb said, Brodie. Too bad. Thanks for being the one to scout the trail. I think I won't go down that one.

>142 msf59: Thanks for stopping in, Mark. Part of my feels bad for putting it down, but most of me is glad to be free of it. There are plenty of other books in the library, so to speak. I've already started A Test of Wills by Charles Todd. I have high hopes.

>143 DeltaQueen50: I am up for such a film festival if you are. Although 'Boy Meets Girl' isn't the best, it is one I enjoy. However, 'The Roaring Twenties' would be fund because it features Bogart as well. I am always game for 'Footlight Parade'. McHugh fantastic in that one as the put upon stage director. I'll also check out 'The House Across the Bay'. One last thing, I also love Alan Hale, Sr. He is great in both 'Fighting 69th' and 'Strawberry Blonde' (another favorite). And, 'They Drive By Night', of course. :-)

>144 vancouverdeb: Hello, Deb. I know. It's a bummer. I may have been able to stick it out on audio, but still don't know if it would have been satisfying. Ah, well. I may look at the other two you mentioned.

>145 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Onward and upward!

Blood Flag follows attorney Paul Madriani as investigates the murder of one of his employees. Her death at home of a client accused of killing her father, sparks an investigation of a WWII conspiracy, international intrigue, and secret lovers.

I don't have a lot to say about Blood Flag by Steve Martini. When I first saw that there was a new Paul Madriani book, I was excited because it had a WWII tie in and seemed to be getting good press. I grabbed up the audio book narrated by Dan Woren and went to work. Sadly, this book did not meet my inflated expectations. It is a serviceable thriller, with a few interesting historical footnotes. Otherwise, it was just ok. My main beef is that there seemed to be passages of setting and background that went on too long or were awkward in placement. These passages made the book drag in places when advancing the plot would have been better. In the interest of full disclosure, I leaped from halfway through disc 8 to disc 10 and didn't feel like I missed much.

In keeping with my Golden Age theme for Friday Photos, I'm treating you to three of the iconic fictional characters of the era: Doc Savage, The Shadow, and Flash Gordon. Enjoy!

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Fun images Brodie, thanks for sharing them!

> 149 Thanks, Deb. I've been a fan of these guys for a while now.

Michael Harvey's Brighton is SO GOOD. I picked it up in my library haul this weekend and have read 100 pages in 2 days. For me, this is huge. So compelling.

Hi Brodie, I finally got around to watching "Devil Dogs of the Air" and unfortunately I wasn't very impressed. It seemed as if the actors basically sleep-walked through this one. What a bunch of one dimensional characters! I sure hope "The Irish In Us" is better!

>152 DeltaQueen50: I felt the same way. 'Devil Dogs' very standard fair. Did you ever see 'Torrid Zone'? Similar, but a little better.

I missed recording 'The Irish in Us'. I've seen it before and remembering it being good.

'Angel's With Dirty Faces'? No Frank McHugh, but Ann Sheridan and the Bowery Boys!

I believe I have seen 'Torrid Zone' - James Cagney as a banana plantation manager? I remember liking it a lot. 'Angels With Dirty Faces' is a fantastic film!

I can't recall exactly, but I clearly remember that his plane wings kept getting ice on them. Funny memory. Plus, he and O'Brien are friends that yell at each other a lot. :-P

I thought I would share a couple of the quotes that leaped out at me in Brighton: A Novel by Michael Harvey.

Kevin stepped out of the box and stared at the ghosts manning his empty infield. To grow up in Brighton was to be tethered to the past. Some tethers swung tight and fast, a viscous, self-destructive arc that took the measure of everyone who got in the way. Others, wheeled far and wide, sweeping up new friends and family, money, power, even infamy. But, all held this place at their center. A tangled grasping place. A place of dark and light. Kevin walked back down the first base line, took a seat on the bench and cracked a beer. Maybe he thought he broken his tether, maybe he was a goddamn fool.

And

"I read everything you ever wrote on Tallent. I'm proud of you, Kev. Your grandmother would be busting...when she wasn't telling everyone 'I told you so'. Doesn't mean you should have come back, though. You shouldn't have."

"Why?"

"Same reason you stayed away in the first place. Out there you got your future. Something special."

"And back here I've got a past?"

"Eat you whole, brother. Bones and all."

text

There is a desperation and fatalism in the words that is laced throughout the book. However, it also seductive and compelling in a noirish crime novel kind of way.

>140 brodiew2: "I do not care about what happens to these characters."
Good for you for bailing. I recently bailed on a novel after reading about two thirds of it. Life is too short to waste reading time on something we're not enjoying at least a little bit!

>157 EBT1002: I agree, Ellen. On that book, I really wanted to like it, but it did not live up to my expectations.

Nice excerpts from Brighton, Brodie. I like Michael Harvey's books, and I'll look forward to your further comments on this one.

Thanks Joe. Just a few pages left. It's my favorite book of the year so far.

From the dust jacket of Brighton: A novel:

Kevin Pearce—baseball star, honor student, the pride of Brighton—was fifteen when he left town in the back of his uncle’s cab. He and his buddy Bobby Scales had just committed heinous violence for what they thought were the best of reasons. Kevin didn’t want a pass, but he was getting it anyway. Bobby would stay and face the music; Kevin’s future would remain bright as ever. At least that was the way things were supposed to work. But in Brighton, things never work the way they’re supposed to.

I unabashedly love this book. From the moment it started to the last word read, I was in an oil slick, bouncing off partitions, rounding dangerous curves, and sliding toward the inevitable ditch. Figuratively speaking, of course.

What has me, specifically, enamored of this novel is the brilliantly dark, yet surprisingly alluring prose of author Michael Harvey. Not only does he show you the seedy side of Boston, he makes you feel it. His characters are tortured by past and present and seem to be inevitably stuck in the cycle of crime, abuse, loyalty and treachery. At the center of the story are Kevin and Bobby. Childhood friends bound by violence, a mutual understanding of each other , and grandmother who loves them both.

I am not blind to the coincidences and holes that pop up from time to time, but I am completely invested in Harvey's literary style. Things that might bug me in another book or movie did not break my stride one bit in devouring this novel.

I highly recommend it.

4 of 5 stars

June has passed and with it the first half of the reading year. Below are the books I've completed, audio, print, or otherwise (e-books!).

Fire of Heaven by Bill Myers
Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham
Dead Wake by Erik Larsen
Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster
In Movement, There Is Peace by Elaine Orabona Foster
Music City Macbre by Bob Williams (e-book)
The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems
'Til Death by Jason Anspach
Open Season by CJ Box
You're Never Weird on the Internet by Felicia Day
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, MD
So that Happened by Jon Cryer
Star Trek: Doctor's Orders by Diane Duane
The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun
Blood Flag by Steve Martini
Brighton: A Novel by Michael Harvey
Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Favorites of the first half:

Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham

The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun

Brighton by Michael Harvey

If you missed my answer to your question on Joe's (jnwelch) thread, I copy it here:

your question Brodie: you can start a new thread when you feel like it, we used to have the Thread-Police who urged us to start a new thread after 250 posts (as at that point threads start to load slow on older computers)....

Happy Saturday, Brodie! Hope you are having a fine holiday weekend. We are wrapping up our stay in Oregon and return home tomorrow night.

Good review of Brighton. I will have to keep an eye out. Sounds good.

Happy Sunday, Brodie.

Hope you're having a great holiday weekend, buddy.

>163 FAMeulstee: Thank you! I did see your answer over at Joe's. I'm sorry I didn't respond. The new thread will be up soon.

>164 msf59: Thanks, Mark. My weekend was okay. I appreciate the comments on the Brighton: A Novel review. It is my favorite of the year so far.

>165 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! It went well.

>166 PaulCranswick: Hello Paul! my response is a day late and a dollar short. I appreciate it!

I am seriously sorry that I completed only 75% of this audio book. Disc 5 of 7 was the last and for no particular reason that the subject manner and the manic delivery finally took its toll. This book was very funny and, at the beginning hand me laughing til my sides hurt while trying to stay on the road to work. The early chapters of the book that focused on her childhood were the best and I have not laughed as hard as when she described tripping into a deer carcass. I think she said it was a 'deer sweater' or some such. Her stories of working in HR were hilarious as well.

Sadly, the freshness had worn off and I was not as enamored. Sometimes, you wake up one day and you think, I'm done with that. I've had enough. Even after a break of a long weekend I could not reengage.

4 of 5 stars

Hi Brodie, just letting you know I've affixed a star to your thread. I like that you are stuck in a past era. To me, the music stopped when The Beatles broke up. I know you are addressing much more than music, and I suppose I am, too. With the revolution (ahem) of the 60s, a quieter way of life was left behind. I was born in the late 40s and I identify with the family era of the 50s. So many wonderful (and not so wonderful) things have taken place since then, but I hate to see kids lost in their video games and missing the joy of playing cowboys and indians, etc. I kind of liked being politically incorrect!

I enjoy the book talk here and like that you are reading with your kids. I am always looks for books for boys. My 8-year-old grandson loves Eyewitness books but I have yet to find a fiction series that really grabs him. I will look into the dog and history books you mentioned upthread before Griffin gets completely lost in the world of Minecraft!

Thank you for stopping in, Donna. I agree, for the most part, with your statements on music. There are a few exceptions, of course. :-).

As for your grandson and his fictional reading habits, the Dog diaries is a good series. Does he like dogs? You could even tell him that the stories are true, just fictionalized from the dog's perspective.