Medieval Pottery in Britain by Michael McCarthy and Catherine Brooks

Read: 22 December, 2007

A survey of Medieval pottery divided into two parts. Part one deals with shaping, firing, and decorating techniques as well as the uses for pottery in both the domestic and industrial settings. Part two has an in-depth look at each area of England and the pottery styles common to each.

Part one is very interesting and a fun read. The writing style isn't too dry and it's full of great information. If you're looking for something to just pick up and read one afternoon and have some interest in pottery or Medieval life, it's a great choice.

Part two is a much more in-depth study. It's mostly sketches of pots with explanations that are written for brevity rather than readability. Basically, part one is the read bit and part two is the reference bit.

The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham

A big thank you to Alyson for suggesting and lending me this book.

Read: 17 December, 2007

The small English town of Midwich has had a largely uneventful history until one day, September 26th, when every living creature for a mile around fell asleep. When they awoke a day later, every woman of childbearing age found herself pregnant. The babies (31 boys and 30 girls), when born, seem strange. They have glowing golden eyes and seem to age at about twice the normal rate.

I'd seen both movie adaptations, but I had no idea there was a book. I very much enjoyed reading it. The writing style is absolutely delightful and the pure English-ness of Midwich comes through beautifully. It was interesting, too, that the novel is told from the perspective of someone other than the protagonist.

Anyways, I highly recommend it to any fans of Science Fiction, the English countryside, or just interesting writing styles. It's a fairly short book, easily read through in an evening, so there's really no excuse not to pick it up.

Gifts by Ursula K. Le Guin

Read: 6 December, 2007

Book jacket summary: Scattered among poor, desolate farms, the families of the Uplands possess gifts. Wondrous gifts: the ability - with a glance, a gesture, a word - to summon animals, bring forth fire, move the land. Fearsome gifts: They can twist a limb, chain a mind, inflict a wasting illness. The Uplanders live in constant fear that one family might unleash its gifts against another.

Two young people, friends since childhood, decide not to use their gifts. One, a girl, refuses to bring animals to their death in the hunt. The other, a boy, wears a blindfold lest his eyes and his anger kill.

So that wasn't entirely laziness on my part. It's a fairly difficult story to describe in a few short words. OK, so maybe it was partially laziness...

I'd like to start off by saying that I'm a huge Le Guin fan. Her Earthsea books were my first taste of fantasy (and probably the reason why I don't read much fantasy - very few books compare). From that perspective, I found Gifts to be a little disappointing. I could see hints of what made her other books (like the Earthsea cycle or Left Hand of Darkness) so amazing, but they didn't seem to come together in as solid a book as I might have hoped. That being said, it was still a very good story.

One of the things I like best about Le Guin is that her stories tend to be character driven more than anything else. Several chapters might go by before something really happens or there's any action, but her books are interesting and readable from start to finish regardless. This was present in Gifts as well.

I also enjoyed that Gifts didn't wrap up or give the sense of a completed story. Rather, it mimicked life - ending with a new story beginning. This makes the characters feel alive, it makes them feel like they really exist somewhere and we readers are merely getting a chapter from their lives.

The characters themselves were fairly well constructed. They all felt real and distinct. However, I found that Orrec seemed to think in a strange way. He would come to a conclusion that isn't necessarily obvious and then hold to it as fact. It's almost as though Le Guin wanted X to happen but wasn't sure how to do it, so she implanted the thought into one of the characters' heads. This wouldn't be such a problem (heaven knows we all believe things that aren't strictly backed with facts) except that he's always right.

One of the classic Le Guin traits that made it into Gifts is the real world theme conveyed by the story. In this case, dealing with power. There aren't many authors who are able to carry both theme and story as Le Guin does and she does so quite well in this story.

In conclusion, this isn't my favourite book, but it isn't my least favourite either. If you have a spare afternoon and don't know what to read, this is a great choice. On the other hand, I wouldn't go out of my way to get it either.

The Beetle by Richard Marsh

Read: 2004

As wikipedia puts it, The Beetle is a xenophobic story about an evil oriental antagonist wreaking havoc about London with his powers of hypnotism and shape-shifting. Unfortunately, I don't remember too many of the plot details as it's been about two years since I've read it.

I do remember enjoying the novel quite a bit, though. I've always enjoyed the use of multiple narrators and the suspense is well-maintained from begining to end. The only flaw, and, unfortunately, its a real doozy, is the ending. The tension mounts and mounts and the climax builds and then BAM! Train crash! Damsel saved and evil guy killed! How disappointing...

Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Read: May, 2007

There is a scandal in town - the beautiful Lucy Graham, a poor governess, has married the wealthy Sir Audley. But that isn't the end of it. When his nephew, Robert Audley, brings his friend George Talboys to Audley Hall in an attempt to cheer him up after he's found out that his wife has died, he goes missing! Now it's up to Robert to find his friend and uncover his step-aunt's mysterious past.

I had to read this book quickly for class. With little time to spare, I ended up having to read the begining and end of each chapter only, just to get the general plot. When I graduated, I sat down with the book and read it through once more, slowly, enjoying it. I'm truly glad I did.

It's a fantastic novel with great characterization and a terribly interesting plot. Mostly, I liked the ambiguity. While Robert is posited as being "right" and while he does win in the end, there's a great deal of sympathy for Lucy Graham and her supposed mental illness leaves much to interpretation.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Read: 2006

Offred is a handmaid in a Christian theocracy existing in what was once the United States. Her function is to produce a child for couples who cannot conceive. She is forbidden from reading and must cover her body at all times. She is valued only as a vessel for a potential heir. Her mind is suppressed, her individuality taken.

With all that has been going on these days about evolution being removed from school curriculums and abstinence-only education, Atwood paints a dismal picture of what is increasingly appearing to be a possible future. Most importantly, perhaps, she posits this world coming from a great disaster (albeit one that leaves most men sterile) and some connections may be made to the terrorist paranoia of recent years.

Atwood is a fantastic writer with an easy-to-read style and multi-layered storytelling. This is one of the aspects I've enjoyed most about her books. It is possible to read them for their surface story, but if interested, there are all sorts of allusions to discover.

Discworld #8: Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

Read: June 2007

Constable Carrot, Captain Vimes, and the rest of the Nightwatch must save Ankh-Morpork from a "noble dragon" that's taken over the city.

Another great book from the Discworld series. I absolutely loved Captain Vimes. He's just such a great character and would work perfectly well in a story of his own sans the comedy. The humour is, as usual with Pratchett, laugh-out-loud hilarious.

The Warden by Anthony Trollope

Read: 2006

Hiram's Hospital was a small alms house that functioned without much public notice under the guidance of the warden, Mr. Harding. When the young reformer, John Bold, notices the disparity between the lifestyles of those in the care of the hospital and the warden, he appeals to England's presses to correct the issue, despite being a friend of Mr. Harding's and a suitor to his daughter. When the case comes under the notice of some popular journals and authors (including a Mr. Popular Sentiment - a hilarious caricature of Charles Dickens), Harding falls under very public attack.

The story is well-written and interesting. Though the beginning is rather heavy with facts and figures (the first ten or so pages devoted to the total earnings and holdings and allocations of the hospital), the story quickly picks up and, for me at least, was functionally glued to my hands. The drama was well handled and the characters, particularly Harding and Bold, had enough depth for me to feel sorry for both. One of my favourite aspects of the book is that it took both sides of the issue and dealt with both sympathetically enough that I would have been saddened by any possible outcome.

The moments of humour were also well handled, particularly those passages that poked fun of Dickens.

Hard Times by Charles Dickens

Read: 2003

Gradgrind rules Coketown with Utilitarian facts and figures, killing fantasy in the young minds he teaches. Hard Times does not follow a single main character, but rather a community driven by materialism that, without humanity, oppresses all who dwell within it.

Hard Times was my first conscious exposure to the ideas of Utilitarianism and I loved the portrayal. I also found it to be more serious than many of the other Dickens novels I've read, a short attempt at depth in characterization (only a little, though - the writing is still mostly an expression of ideas and stereotypes).

The Epic of Qayaq retold by Lela Kiana Oman

Read: 2006

As Qayaq's siblings grow up, all leave home to seek their fortunes and never return. Qayaq, the youngest and last of his parents' children, decides to go in search of his siblings. From there, the story cycles through episodes of Qayaq's legendary journey over land and by kayak.

Qayaq has something of the trickster in him making these stories very interesting. In particular, I found the fluidity between the animal and human worlds very interesting. Qayaq is able to turn himself into animals and they into humans. Because the book is a collection of stories from an epic cycle each functions well alone and they make for a pleasantly varied experience if read all at once.

I especially enjoyed my edition because the edges of each page contained short summaries of the stories as well as illustrations that fit the action described. It may seem like only a small detail, but being able to see the Inupiat art along with the stories added a fantastic extra dimension.

Dune #3: Children of Dune by Frank Herbert

Read: 2008

With Paul supposedly dead, his children, the twins Leto II and Ghanima, are left under the regency of Alia who is suspected to have become an Abomination. The Empire has come under attack from a mysterious blind Preacher who some suspect may be Muad'Dib. With Dune becoming green and the worms dying, with a multiple of forces trying to shape Leto and Ghanima to their own desires, the children must find a way to work with their inner voices and find a future of their own.

I liked this book, but not as much as the first two in the Dune series. I felt that it turned the series in a new direction (which makes sense since it's all about Leto trying to change the path his father had started). I also found it far more confusing in parts than the first two, though this might have been because I read it on and off over a few months.

All in all, I did enjoy it and I'll definitely continue reading the series.

Discworld #4: Mort by Terry Pratchett

Read: 2007

Mort was an awkward farm boy with the horticultural talents of a dead starfish. Eager to send him into a trade that might better suit his dispositions, his family agreed to place him in an apprenticeship with Death.

As far as coming of age and first love stories go, this is one of the better ones I've read. That's the major aspect of the Discworld novels I've always liked - they are hilarious, but the stories would still be quite good even without the humour.

Like most of the Discworld series, I loved the book right up until the climax. At that point, I usually feel like Pratchett is letting some fumbling inner author take over and I lose interest completely. It's usually a struggle for me to read the last 10-20 pages.

Overall, though, I highly recommend Mort as well as just about any other Discworld novel for anyone who enjoys comedy, particularly the more word-play witty humour of Britain rather than the slapstick/situational humour of North America.

Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell

Read: 2006

Ruth is a Victorian Social Problem novel about a young orphan working as an apprentice dressmaker. Ruth Hilton is seduced and then abandoned by the wealthy Henry Bellingham. Discovering herself to be pregnant in a society that frowned and even criminalized single motherhood, she enters the home of the kind Thurston Benson and his sister under the assumed identity of Mrs Denbigh, a recently widowed cousin of the Bensons. Soon after, she takes a job as a governess with the tyrannical Mr Bradshaw.

The novel deals with a topic that was very controversial in its time and, in many ways, is still very controversial today. Reading it, I realized how many of the stereotypes her contemporaries held about "fallen women" and unmarried mothers that Gaskell deliberately set out to break are still with us today.

I felt that her treatment of Ruth was very balanced. When dealing with this sort of topic, is so simple to either make the main character too rebellious or too pathetic. But Ruth, who admittedly has a very mild personality (Gaskell trying to paint her as the model 'angel of the home'), she does come into her own and fight for acceptance.

I was also impressed that Bellingham was brought back into the narrative. It seemed easy for the story to simply end at Ruth, leaving Bellingham off the hook for the "sin" of Leonard. But Gaskell brings him in and she highlights, underlines, and paints in neon the total lack of punishment given to Bellingham by society while Ruth and Leonard are made to suffer so dearly. And again, this sort of unequal gender-based moral standards are very much still with us.

The one topic that had my Victorian Literature class arguing hotly was Ruth's death. About half of us argued that despite all Gaskell had done in the novel, she still let Ruth have the only fate available to the "fallen women" of Victorian literature - death. The other half of us argued that Ruth was being caste as a sort of Christ figure, sacrificing herself to save all those sick, including Bellingham himself. Rather than dying as a fallen woman or even redeeming herself through death, she had already redeemed herself and, in her newfound self-agency, indulged her innate goodness and self-sacrifice. For my own part, I see a lot of the former, but my understanding of Gaskell leads me to assume she meant the latter. But I will leave that up to better readers than me to decide.

Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend by Miranda Green

Read: 25 November, 2007

I have no idea how accurate the information in this dictionary is because I know just about zilch about Celtic mythology. However, I do like the book based on a purely "how interesting is it?" criterion. While it may be read through from cover to cover (as I did in about two days), I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Because it's a dictionary and because each entry is intended to stand along, many of the stories and ideas are repeated several times. It would be much better used as a reference book.

The entries are fairly short, ranging from about a paragraph or two as the norm to about a page as an extreme. Because of their shorter length, they obviously are not terribly detailed. Each entry gives a general overview of its concept and includes other terms and names that may also be looked up. In essence, it's a great place to get a vague idea to start with, but other books are needed if a more in-depth study is to be conducted.

Stupeur et Tremblement by Amélie Nothomb

Read: 6 November, 2007

The story is fairly simple. A Belgian woman was born in Japan and returns in her early twenties to work in a large shipping company. Once there, she discovers a rigid code of conduct that demands she suppress her individuality and intelligence for the company. The autobiographical story is a fairly short and simple read. It is alternately thought-provoking and comical.

The story's greatest strength lies in its characterisations. The narrator and her boss, Mori Fubuki, receive the most attention in this respect, but the pictures Nothomb paints of the other characters are equally enchanting and, at times, frightening.

Writing Fiction by Janet Burroway

Read: 1 November, 2007

I have read quite a few books on writing fiction and I must say that this is the only one that I have ever felt had any merit at all. Most books of this type give instructions, personal opinions, and leave it at that. I've often felt somewhat disappointed because I learned little from reading them. Reading this book, on the other hand, I frequently felt that I was learning a great deal.

The format for each chapter is an explanation first, then some short story examples, and then single and group exercises for readers to try. I found this format to be extremely helpful. The examples were well-chosen and referenced during the explanation sections and the exercises were creative and fun.

Usually, I would not recommend creative writing guides simply because they tend to be full of crap, but this is one that I urge anyone who is interested in creative writing to pick up.

The Medieval Garden by Sylvia Landsberg

Read: 31 October, 2007

This book covers the three types of gardens (for medicine, for food, and for beauty) present in the Medieval era. It lists the sorts of plants that would be used and which are still available to the modern gardener. It also contains a chapter on how to recreate a Medieval garden of your own.

All in all, I found it a pleasurable read with lots of useful diagrams and illustrations. It is a good choice both for fans of gardening and for fans of Medieval history.

Life in a Medieval Village by Joseph & Frances Gies

Read: 31 October, 2007

With very little information available about peasant life, I can imagine that it must have been difficult to stretch out an entire book. Certainly, I felt that it was the chapter on the village from Life in a Medieval Castle with only a few extra details. I did find those extra details interesting and I made good use of the images. All in all, I think that if you are doing research on Medieval life but are strapped for time, read Cathedral, Forge, and Waterwheel, City, and Castle, but skip this one. If, on the other hand, you have plenty of time, by all means give it skim through.

The book covers what it can about the daily life of peasants, usually from criminal records and so the book is full of amusing stories about drunken farmers hacking at each other with sickles. It also talks about marriage traditions and the church's efforts to control that. The interaction with the manor, both in law and in harvest feasts, dominates much of the information in the book. There is also a good deal of information on farming - the plants, the seasons, the methods of sowing and reaping, bylaws about grazing, and so forth.

Medieval Games by John Marshall Carter

Read: 20 October, 2007

Discuss the role of games in Medieval society, including its role in gender and class barriers and the way in which games reflected a society that was organized for war (Carter discusses the three estates as being formed around war). The book also touches on the cult of reputation (identified as a remnant of the Greco-Roman tradition) nurtured by sportspeople.

The purpose of this book is to argue rather than inform. If you would just like to read about the types of games people played, what they looked like, what the rules were, etc... this is not the book for you.

Fashion in History by Marybelle Bigelow

Read: 20 October, 2007

I'm not sure how well-researched this book is. It made a few statements that set off my warning bells. For example: In explaining the term 'barbarian,' she says "[t]his name was given to them by the Romans because of the fierce and loyal way in which they fought in battle." I had always been under the impression that the name was given to them because their language sounded like "barrbarr" to the Romans. Details like this made the history sections questionable, but, knowing very little about clothing, there isn't much I can say about those sections. however, I would recommend using this as a source of inspiration rather than as primary research.

The illustrations were inconsistent. Some were sketches, some pictures of art or statues, and they didn't always make it clear what parts of the costume we were meant to notice. I found explanations rather lacking as well, often having only a vague sense of what the costume piece would have looked like or what the term referred to. Different sections (17-20th centuries, for example) received far more coverage than other sections.

All in all, I was fairly disappointed. As research, I found the book questionable. In terms of inspiration, I found the images lacking. Read en masse with the other books I've gone through, it works fine. It filled in a couple cracks, gave me a few more decent pictures to work from, and so forth. But I wouldn't recommend it to read alone or as a primary source of research/inspiration.

Life in a Medieval City by Joseph & Frances Gies

Read: 19 October, 2007

Another fantastic Gies to add to my collection, this one dealing with life in the cities. It covers life for richer women, education, crafts, medicine, trade, religion, and law. The writing style is easy to read and loaded with information. There isn't much that I can say except that I highly recommend this book. In fact, if you plan to write historical fiction or Medieval fantasy, I think that this (and the Castle and Village books) is a great starting point.

Historic Costume in Pictures

Read: 10 October, 2007

Put out by Braun and Schneider. This is a picture book (the only text being the copyright notice, a publisher's note, and a table of contents). It details a wide range of traditional and historic costumes from Europe, as well as Indian and Asian costumes from the last century or two.

I have no idea how accurate the images are, but they seem fairly consistent with images I've seen in the past. The images are in black and white and seem to have been redrawn from statues or paintings. A fun game was trying to identify where the images were redrawn from (some being famous enough that I could place them).

Because of the dubious accuracy and the lack of explanation, I wouldn't recommend this book for research. However, if, like me, you just want inspiration for designing your own clothes, this is perfect. It covers enough breadth that it should provide all sorts of ideas.

Life in a Medieval Castle by Joseph & Frances Gies

Read: 1 October, 2007

This book covers many of the aspects of castle life, including the daily routine of the lord and lady, their costume, their diet, and their hobbies. It begins and ends with a brief history of the castle in England. It also deals with the lives of some of the non-noble residents: talking about knighting ceremonies and life in the village that the castle depended on.

As usual, J&F Gies have written another amazing resource for anyone interested in the subject. Taking notes, I found myself practically transcribing the entire book simply because every single sentence is packed with so much information. This book is more than enough of a resource for anyone interested in the basics. Those who are using this as an introduction for further studies will find enough base material to spawn a great deal of ideas. This is a fantastic resource and the writing style is absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend this and every other Gies book I've read to date.

The Origins of Courtliness by C. Stephen Jaeger

Read: 5 September, 2007

This book explores the relationship between the literature of court and the setting in which it was written. It includes a discussion of the tension between the old warrior ethic and the newer 'effeminate' court ideal, especially ecclesiastical criticism of courtliness.

As with most of the books I've picked up recently, it didn't really have what I needed. It's great if you want an in-depth look at courtliness, but not so good if you want a general idea of courtliness you can leap off from to great your own fantasy world. For this reason, I just skimmed the book looking for anything I could use. One thing I really liked is that it would provide historical or contemporary fictional examples throughout the book, many of which made for very interesting stories.

Knights at Court by Aldo Scaglione

Read: 24 August, 2007

This is a non-fiction book that deals with the interaction between knights and nobles, two classes that were far more different in theory than in practice. Scaglione tracks the rise of the knight and the eventual merging of the two classes.

I mostly skimmed through this book because the level of detail was far deeper than I needed. I mostly enjoyed the "art imitating life imitating art" portions in which the author discusses the place of the epic romance in the evolution of the knight.

I wouldn't recommend this book to a casual reader or to someone with a general interest in the Middle Ages. If, on the other hand, you would like a book specifically dealing with knights, epic romance, or the changing political scene near the end of the Middle Ages, this would be far more appropriate.

Cathedral, Forge, and Waterwheel by Frances & Joseph Gies

Read: 23 August, 2007

The book begins with a discussion of the technology inherited from Classical civilization and from the Dark Ages. It then discusses technology adopted from the East. Finally, it covers technology invented (or perfected) within Europe through the Middle Ages, the High Middles Ages, and the end of the Middle Ages (in a chapter titled "Leonardo and Columbus").

The language is easy to follow and the concepts, though detailed, are well explained. This makes Cathedral, Forge, and Waterwheel a perfect book for anyone interested in technology (both "domestic" and military) or in what life was like during that time period. In fact, the processes or production are well described and are invaluable to anyone who, like me, hopes to use a Medieval setting in creative writing.

I can't sing this book's praises loud enough. It took me a great deal of time to read simply because every sentence provided new information to write down in my notes or to help me jump into further study. I consider this a book anyone with even the most passing interest in history should read.

A Social History of the Fool by Sandra Billington

Read: 10 August, 2007

According to Billington, it had previously been assumed that the fool, disliked by the church, had been repressed in England while he had his public popularity in the continent. Billington argues that this assertion is not true and, rather, that those who kept records chose to omit references to the fool in a sort of protest through silence. As evidence, she uses brief references and images used in various works. From this Medieval beginning, she chronicles the changes the Fool underwent through the ages until its modern versions of the clown and the comedian.

Had my purposes been different, I might have enjoyed this book more. As it was, I merely skimmed all but the first chapter (the one that dealt with the Fool in Medieval England). I found it to be a perfectly good book; it simply did not address the questions I sought answers for.

Nightwork by Anne Allison

Read: 7 August, 2007

This book explores how the hostess club fits into Japanese culture. It is divided into three parts: the first describes the hostessing business. The second describes Japanese corporate culture (with a strong focus on male workers). In the third section, Allison explains how she believes these two are inextricably tied together. Eventually, the practice of going to a hostess club is compared to the fraternity practice of gang rape - an odd comparison that makes some sense within the context of the book.

On the positive side, this book practices a good amount of cultural relativity. Allison frequently mentions what the Western world may be disgusted by or find weird (and often admits that she may be biased because of this), but maintains an admirable objectivity given the subject matter. No previous understanding of Japanese culture is needed as ample explanations are provided.

On the negative side, I found an over-reliance on anecdotal evidence that was rarely supported by statistics. Because of this, I would recommend it for an introductory or casual reading rather than for serious study.

Carnival Music in Trinidad by Shannon Dudley

Read: 4 August, 2007

The book begins with a discussion of carnival and its place within Trinidad's society. From there, it discusses the various settings for carnival music (including "on the road" (or during the masquerade march) and in the tent) and some of the more popular artists. Calypso is discussed a great deal, as is the multiplicity of Trinidad's cultural heritage (including those of European, African, and Indian ancestry). Several musical styles are described. The book includes a CD with samples from various artists and styles discussed, as well as activities that include listening to certain songs on the CD while paying attention to certain elements.

Certainly not an exhaustive exploration, this book is best for where it was intended - in the non-Trinidadian classroom to give students their first exposure to a foreign culture and musical style. It is a great book for musicians looking to expand their stylistic influences and for students of culture looking for a starting point in their research. The inclusion of a CD adds much to the experience of reading the book and helps to bring the text to life.

6 Steps to Songwriting Success by Jason Blume

Read: 3 August, 2007

The six steps covered are how to develop a successful song structure, writing effective lyrics, composing memorable melodies, producing a successful demo, the business of the music industry, and how to develop realistic expectations. All in all, the book covers every step of the creative and marketing aspects of songwriting. It includes a number of fun exercises to practice the concepts discussed.

Overall a great addition to any aspiring songwriter's library. If you are interested in making music or in the music industry, this is a great read. Even if you are merely a performer and do not write your own songs, the later steps on marketing may still prove useful. I am not a songwriter myself, but I do have an interest in writing poetry. Even in this field, I found many of the sections applicable. By far the best (though only) book on songwriting I've come across.

Basket Case by Carl Hiaasen

Read: 10 July, 2007

Jack Tagger's career as a reported was destroyed when he criticized his new boss. He now writes the obituaries - a job he was assigned in the hopes that he would give up and quit. But Jack isn't quite ready to give up yet. He waits for the day that someone famous dies in his territory so that he can write the obituary that would save his career. When Jimmy Stoma of the Slut Puppies dies under mysterious circumstances, Jack believes this time has come. He must fight his editor and discover the secret to Jimmy's death, a search that leads Jack into the very bowels of the music industry.

With all this talk of once great reporters reduced to anonymity by an oppressive newspaper structure, I begin to wonder if Hiaasen isn't verging on the autobiographical. When a theme is repeated in two or more of an author's works, I begin to question just how fictional that theme may be. Similarly, the "baddie" characters are again killed (in similarly gruesome fashion). Now, in this case there doesn't seem to have been much of a peaceful solution (though the characters never propose simply going to the police). Even so, a normal (non-psychopathic) individual might still feel a little guilty for what happened. Not these characters, though! So what is it about Hiaasen that compels him to write about such brutality with total lack of feeling? Finding this in one novel was unnerving. Finding it in two is downright scary.

Other than that, however, the novel was fantastic. Again, I adored the writing style and the humor. The references to Neil Young and other musicians I rightfully should not have heard of at my tender age prejudiced me in favor of the story. The jokes about modern pop music sealed the deal, so to speak.

Lucky You by Carl Hiaasen

Read: 8 July, 2007

JoLayne Lucks has won the lottery. In a town where miracles are made of plastic Maries with water pump tears, a real miracle becomes quite the center of attention. Bodean Gazzer and Chub, two Neo-Nazis who would rather blame just about anyone but themselves for their less-than-perfect lives, also win the lottery and decide to use the money to start up a militia. When they find out that their winnings will be split, they decide to steal the other ticket. JoLayne, how has plans of her own for the money, enlists the help of Tom Krome (a once successful journalist who now only writes the "fluff news") to track Bodean and Chub down and take back what's rightfully hers.

I love Hiaasen's writing style. It strikes me as very conversational (a great change from the novels I read for school!) and filled with humour that sometimes touches on over-the-top. I enjoyed most of the novel, but the end seemed to display a very questionable morality. Bodean is killed and Chub is badly injured. JoLayne, who cannot bear to be his cause of death, heals his wounds. She then proceeds to abandon him on the island where he eventually starves and is eaten by scavenger birds.

I found this to be very inconsistent behavior for someone who, just recently, had claimed not to want to cause the death of a fellow living creature. In fact, the very casualness with which Tom and JoLayne leave Chub struck me as disturbing. They seemed to see absolutely nothing wrong with the act, justifying it merely by stating that they had no way to prove that their version of the story was the true one should the police intervene - the sort of thinking a psychopath might used. A character set up to be as caring as JoLayne might at least have lost a few nights of sleep.

Three Doors to Death by Rex Stout

Read: 4 July, 2007

Nero Wolfe solves three separate mysteries with the help of his assistant, Archie Goodwin. In the first, Man Alive, a fashion designer who supposedly committed suicide has returned only to be murdered. There are only five people alive who could have murdered him and it's Wolfe's job to find out which one did it

In the second story, Omit Flowers, a chef is accused of murdering his boss's husband. Wolfe, suspecting the widow and her "flock" of children, must prove the chef's innocence by catching the real killer.

In the third story, Door to Death, Wolfe finds the body of a murdered girl while trying to hire a gardener to replace Theodore while the latter is away for a family emergency. The gardener is suspected and Wolfe must prove his innocence if he wants someone to care properly for his orchids!

Of the three Nero Wolfe novels I have read this summer, this has been my favorite. Each story begins with a set up, every detail that is needed to solve the mystery is presented. From there, Wolfe merely needs to piece the puzzle together and solve the mystery. With the exception of Omit Flowers, little new information is added during the course of the stories.

The Father Hunt by Rex Stout

Read: 3 July, 2007

Amy Denovo's mother chose her last name because it means "of new," representing the clean break she made away from Amy's father. She never spoke of her past to Amy and, though questioned, refused to divulge her father's identity. That is, until the day she was killed in a hit-and-run incident. Soon after, Amy finds a box filled with money and a note explaining that the money is from her mysterious father. She uses this money to hire Nero Wolfe to dig into her mother's past and find her father.

Another excellent addition to the Nero Wolfe library. Disappointingly for a mystery novel, many crucial details are withheld until the very end preventing any accurate guess as to the answers. Despite this, however, the story is an enjoyable read. Wolfe's eccentricities and Archie's weight jokes are enough to make just about any plot worthwhile (at least for the limited number of Wolfe books I've read).

The Black Mountain by Rex Stout

Read: 2 July, 2007

When Nero Wolfe's friend, Marko Vukcic, is killed, Wolfe vows to find the murderer. When Wolfe's adopted daughter, Carla, goes to Montenegro to take over Vukcic's affairs with a rebel group and is also murderer, Wolfe decides to finally leave his New York apartment and travel to the land of his birth.

An odd choice for my first book to read since it is so consciously breaking all of the trademarks of the the series. The novel reads almost more like a travel narrative set with already known characters than it does like a mystery. The ending is disappointing in that the mystery is solved merely because Archie and Wolfe happen to be at exactly the right place at exactly the right time and manage to overhear the baddie tell a prisoner his entire plan. If you are looking for a good mystery, turn away now. But the novel has beautiful descriptions of the area and is well worth a read despite its many flaws.