Review: Hamilton, the author of the long
running and wonderful Alex McKnight mystery series, also writes standalone
books and this is his latest….and a total gem. Like film noir??…. this is for
you. I can imagine a young Robert Mitchum in the lead role. It’s a murder story
shrouded in the cacophony of a man’s devastating grief and loss. Joe Trumbull
is quite the everyman- a widower, jazz lover, boxer and ………of all things…. a
juvenile probation officer, in…. of all places……Kingston, New York. As someone
who has worked in juvenile justice for most of my adult life, this is a rare treat
and the life is portrayed pretty well. As someone who has spent considerable time
in the sleepy city of Kingston, that an unusual, and appreciated, choice for
venue. Honestly, could not put his one down, and devoured it in three readings.
Hamilton is really good.
Review: another in long line of culturally
sensitive books my daughter has given me, with obvious implications. This is Owens,
a longtime Naturalist’s first novel, and it a gem. Set in coastal North Carolina
from 1952 to 1970, it is the story of “The Marsh Girl” (Kya) , a young woman deserted
by all her family as a seven year old, who raises herself in the wetlands of
the remote Outer Banks. It’s a masterful Whodunit mixed in with a beautiful coming
of age story and a treatise of the ecology of the swamp. Beautifully written and
told, with characters that jump off the page. Starts a bit slowly, but becomes
hypnotic………….did not want it to end……ever.
“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Socrates
“Autumn night- a hole in my paper door whistling”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Issa
“Therein lies one of life’s biggest lessons. Ain’t
got nothin’ to with deserve. Just pray to the Saint of Lost Causes” …………………………………….
Justen Townes Earle
Autumn seemed to come and
leave……Monday was a hot and humid 82 (felt like 95) ……and we spent the day digging
trenches, burying conduit and cable line and being go-fers for the electrician,
but finished with first ever electric service to the horse barn and the bunkhouse….
let there be light……which finishes the “quickie” 100-hour barn project….and allows
Papi to return to the couch….and the Queen to resume her royal duties……
Back working with the Caribbean
folks on some virtual training for Dominica and Anguilla (not quite like being there)
…and back on Carib time……have a Zoom, respond with what they ask for the same
day…wait two weeks for them to send me the next step……may get the training in
sometime in the next millennium…. but, its ok mon……no rush…don’t worry…be
happy…………………………
Has anyone else bought Zoom stock?
Car Repair in the Mountains
#3- had to go back to the wilds of New Hampshire to the only place in the northeastern
United States that would repair my exhaust system….because the other local mechanic
told me it was too loud and something was not right….so drove an hour plus back
to the Jesus repairs shop (the whole road is one big Evangelical love fest…see
the mailbox photo)….and found that even Acolytes can be vindictive…..the holy- mechanic-
man, obviously irritated that I came back, and doubted The Lord’s Work, made me
sit in the car while he put it up on the highest lift height I have ever seen,
and then made me run the engine rpms up above 80 mile per hour…..I could see
out the garage door to the mountains of Maine,
and felt certainly like I was due for takeoff at any moment…kept me up there for
15 minutes without saying a word….brought me down, grunted it was fine, and sent
me on my way…..
Found Jenn and Lucy hiking the
dirt road, so joined in for the Jesus tour…which apparently comes with The Lord’s
Own Airfield…. did I mention that it poured rain all day…………? I have now decided
that the exhaust system is just fine….
Friday the sun came back out
and it was a gorgeous low 60s-so we took off again, away from New Hampshire and
The Lord’s Work…and down through Ludlow and Chester to the charm of tiny Grafton….
finding our way to an old traveling haunt of ours, the Grafton Swimming Hole,
for a picnic lunch…and then the de rigueur dirt road walk…. they had a “pop up”
set up in the middle of little dirt road Main St. Grafton…. does anyone really
know what a “pop up” is?
Saturday a rainy day again….so
after the requisite weekend trip to see The Dumpmaster, the Postmistress and
the Library biddies…..I spent most of the afternoon overhauling the front of
our big barn/garage…..clearly a Corona-based activity…..hiding most of The Queens
four thousand, five hundred and thirty flower pots in the process….after that,
it was definitely nap time…and then headed down the 140 to Wallingford to do Sal’s’ South for red gravy dinner pick
up….the drive down was a mystical experience with bright in –the –eyes- setting
sun intermingled with intense fog…made me look for another Jesus airfield………
After waiting for Sal to call
me in for one-in- at- a time dinner pickup (I am somehow known as Walt there….
Papi Walt…like it) …. I was hosing down in the car before heading back up the mount,
when Lucy saw three dogs being walked by, and hurtled into the front seat,
going berserk and knocking red gravy all over the car. I was so startled, I smacked
her and shoved her in the back…and have been depressed ever since. She looked
at me with such shock……was the first time in seven years I had laid hands on
her, and felt like we had lost out innocence…. power and control…. blah, blah,
blah…….
Just went upstairs for a
moment to find TQ repurposing our cellar vegetable bin into a shoe rack, taking
up residence in our bedroom…with the rest of the produce……
Has anyone ben keeping up with
the NBA playoffs? Is it me, or is the NBA the most socially conscious business in
the country…. You go ballers……
Being courted by the Vermont Law
School to do some online course teaching this fall and winter……………
Hmmmmm?……..a virtual classroom of wannabe lawyers?…….Better pay well.
Purchase of the summer….
twenty bucks on line for a state of the art, bull goose looney, inflatable raft
with cup holders, headrest and built in sauna…. which will likely stay in the
box until it is warm enough again to go in The Pond…maybe nest July?
Dinner on the ground this afternoon
at the manse of the French Chef and his Francophile Wannabe Bride………
And that, as he said, is all
she wrote, mes amis……
Darling je vous aime beaucoup,
I just don’t know what to do……
Review: Chilling and suspenseful first
novel that baffled me throughout. The book starts in London with a disturbed woman
killing her husband and goes on a whirlwind from there. It is told through the lens
of her equally disturbed psychotherapist, and the erstwhile murderess’ journals,
and is full of unusual twists and turns. Not a traditional mystery, and more of
a full blown treatise on borderline personalities. The psychological themes and
jargon are well researched and the use very short chapters allow for absorbing
the intense narrative. I had no idea where this was going until the very end. Quite
an inaugural effort, though the writing has some maturing to do. A number one
NY Times bestseller, which was gifted to me, and made me wonder about the symbolism
off that.
Review: The 19th book in the
Kate Burkholder series is the best yet in my estimation. In a major departure,
the entire story more or less takes place in a snowbound Amish house in the
fictitious Painters Mill, Ohio. This book delves into Kate’s challenging past
and her break from her origin Amish family and community, as well as the introduction
of a fascinating character from her past. Additional bonus for some of us- much
of the book is centered on Columbus, Ohio and deadly corruption in the Columbus
Police Department-allegedly fictional (but some of us would be believers). The main
series characters have developed very well over the years, the writing is taut and
suspenseful, the sense of Amish life, culture and place is extraordinary. Very,
very compelling reads.
Notable People: Anna
Friel, Ray Panthaki, Aaron Mccusker, Amanda Burton Created by: Nicola Larder, Hans Rosenfeldt
Title: Marcella
Review: this is one strange show. Over three seasons,
Marcella has transformed from a slightly intense, overzealous London cop to an absolute
madwoman. She is nuts-multiple personalities, borderline, schizoid…you name it….
but dedicated to laying herself on the line in penultimate dangerous situations.
A not- to- be -messed with woman avenger. The show is a maze of plot that is
hard to keep up with at times, and the support characters are a bit stereotypical,
but Friel saves the whole shebang with an over the top performance not to be
missed. So intense and dark it is hard to watch it on consecutive nights…. but
fascinating just the same.
Review: Merdi, Merdi, Bruno……the
latest in the long running Bruno, Chief of Police series- one that just continues
to get better. Though framed as mysteries, these books are much, much more-full
of French custom, philosophy, history, politics and the resplendent life of the
magnificent Perigord region. Plus, you get play by play recipes of one of the world’s
most distinguished foodie enclaves. And, it is a whopper of a tale to boot. I took two weeks to read this book in short installments
just because I did not want it to end. Check them out!!!
Review: the 20th installment
in box’s Joe Pickett series continues the wild adventures of the Wyoming Fish
and Game Warden, who cannot avoid ruining pickup trucks and being shot at. Box
is one of the best writing today in this genre. This one is filed with dark
forces, drug cartels, political intrigue and a tumultuous plot……read it in three
days flat. I will say it felt a bit predictable and repetitive of some previous
efforts, but still an exciting read. Joes’ perennial sidekick, the Master Falconer
Nate Romanowski, remains a character for the ages. Start at the beginning with
this series- it will keep you busy and entertained for quite a while.
Review: this one again from my daughter,
in her ongoing quest to raise my consciousness. The story of a twenty something
African -American woman trying to find herself and “become an Adult”, while working
minimally as a faux-nanny. The story is intriguing, with a world of very
discreet racism, and coming-of-age angst. The characters develop nicely and the
narrative keeps you engaged. Pretty well written for a first time novelist, but
not an art form yet. I liked it despite my initial eye-rolling at being way too
old to read this story……..guess, I’m not.
Notable People: Robbie
Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manual, Garth Hudson, and a cast of
luminaries offering tribute Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Title:
Once Were Brothers
Review: Winner of several major awards,
this is the story of The Band- albeit through the eyes of Robbie Robertson. Scorsese
reprises his magic of the Last Waltz in telling the story of the greatest American
Band of all time. Poignant, funny, provocative…loaded with esoterica. Since Robertson
is the last man standing (Hudson is still alive, but a bit of recluse) it is expectedly
skewed to be more his story, but I will say it is a lot more human and empathetic
than his past tellings. It’s really am amazing story of extraordinary success and
the collective bains of the times: drugs, drink, crazed living and resentments.
They were just too good to last. Rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins, who gave them
their start in the wilds of Canadian Honky Tonks- as his backing band, when they
were still teens, is the shining star of the show-still a wild man. Dylan talks
about going electric with them at Newport in 1965, Clapton talks about going up
to Woodstock and trying to join the band, Springsteen talks about hearing Big
Pink the first time and never being the same. If you are even a minor fan of the
music, this is must see. If not, it’s still a wonderfully done and stimulating documentary
film. Did I mention,
that the music is pretty good…
