Saturday, September 25, 2010

Chet is Back!

Chet and Bernie are back, and I couldn't be happier! Because I am a pathetically slow reader, I seldom get caught up in a series. I just don't want to devote that much time to a single author. Several people in my book group are acolytes of Janet Evanovitch, and they constantly dangle her books in front of me, laughing over each plot. They can even quote from the books. OK, I have been tempted, but haven't yet bit.

But Chet and Bernie - that's a different story. First, these are dog stories in which the dog does not die. I figure Chet will never die since he is a partner in Bernie Little's crime solving adventures. So...the dog dies, the series dies. Second, I can read one of these books in an afternoon. They are the perfect pallet cleanser after a more challenging book...Shadow of the Wind Comes to Mind!


Spencer Quinn's first book, Dog On It deals with a missing person case. Book two, Thereby Hangs a Tale finds Chet and Bernie hired to guard a fancy dog show champ. In this new book, Chet's in aromatic dog heaven when a circus comes to town. This circus is a scruffy one, but Bernie's son,Charlie, is nuts about elephants, and Bernie has two free tickets, so they decide to go.
However, Peanuts, the star pachyderm has gone missing. How does an entire elephant vanish? Why do Bernie and Chet decide to hire Popo the Clown to assist with the case, and who would like to see the trio dead? It's all good fun. Chet narrates, adding to the silliness. Chet's neighbor dog pal, Iggy, is still in the picture, although he appears to be under house arrest. They communicate by running from window to window in their respective houses, Iggy often showing off the latest piece of wearing apparel he has destroyed.
There was also a bit of silliness in Moon Over Manifest, a young adult novel. This lost-soul-seeking-info is loaded with colorful characters, plenty of secrets, and some old fashioned game playing. Here's my favorite example: During basic training, Ned coaches a "slower" soldier in the basics of German. He tells him that, if he is ever confronted with a gun pointed in his direction, he must shout "Put down your weapon" in German using these words - "Ich habe widerlich footen." The truth is that phrase means "I have stinky feet." Funny, huh?
*****

I had a nice opportunity to have dinner Friday night with friends and former co-workers from Valders High School. Nancy still teaches English at Valders, and Lucinda is in the Spanish Department. Margarette is teaching English at Lincoln, and working on her Masters, despite three charming and inventive young men under seven in her household. Alison taught Special Ed, but is now staying at home with Clayton, Andi, Molly and Patrick. I get to see them all often, so it was especially nice for me that Becky came from Green Bay to catch up. Becky might have been my biggest reason for closing the teaching door. When she started, she had that fire and passion that all teachers should have. Her lessons were solid and creative, and, on a daily basis I watched her in awe, knowing I had to move on to something where I could be a sparky as she. It was great seeing her, even though Margarette and I were both totally disturbed by the fact that Becky still looks like she's 16.

Relaxing at the Pub that night reminded me that I promised to make more time to stay in touch... in person, by email, phone, covered wagon, dogsled...whatever it takes. I hope you all will be able to do the same.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Home Again/Olive Kitteridge


As you certainly suspected, I didn't go fishing as my last post title suggested. I took Labor Day off, and then Steve kindly popped up with a review. So, I"m back, with a couple stories, comments...the usual. Let's dig in.

I took my traditional day before Labor Day excursion to Door County and stopped at The Garden Door, on highway 42 North in Sturgeon Bay. Tucked away on the grounds of the Peninsula Agricultural Research Station, you will find a wonderful secret garden maintained by the the Door County Master Gardeners group. The gardens are plentiful and unique - rose garden, butterfly garden, annual, perennial, water, grape...and several children's gardens. If you go, don't forget to look under the evergreen trees, and around every corner. You never know what you'll find hidden there.

One of my favorite stops in DC is a huge, architectural antique store. The owner spends part of each year collecting statuary, carved embellishments, stained glass and other relic type items from estates and mansions throughout the U.S. and Europe. I can spend hours wandering through the history he has assembled.

My visit this year was a little different. Were you lucky enough to read Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" in high school or college? If not, here it is in a nutshell. A scary old man is sitting outside a wedding reception hall and, as guests arrive, he invades their space, usurps their time and tells them a creepy story. His tale is a moral one about a pirate ship manned by dead souls. There is a stern warning at the end.

On this particular day, the store owner was the mariner, and I was the wedding guest. He stopped me as I attempted to leave and began some small talk, for some reason recognizing me from previous visits. Eventually, the conversation progressed to details of his work resume, including a gig as a business professor at an Illinois college. His animated style and Jimmy Buffett persona carried the stories nicely, and I was happy to listen. Then things turned. He explained that, prior to opening his shop, he ran a demolition company employing ex-cons and Huber law workers. How did he keep them honest? Well, he claims to have "connections" that can teach people a lesson in a big hurry if needed. At that point. he put a firm hand on my shoulder and, equally as firmly said, "Nice to see you again. Next time you stop in, spend some money." I'm sure there won't be next time!

*********

Our book group discussed Olive Kitteridge on Friday night. We were divided; the bulk of the group did not enjoy the book. I thought that might happen since that is the feedback I have gotten from customers. I was on the minority team, and will advocate for this book any chance I get. 'Olive' is a series of connected short stories focusing on a character so complex it would take me multiple posts to sort her out, and I am sure I would lose you all in the process. These are slice of life stories, none to happy, with no traditional story arc or resolution. We learn about Olive's life over thirty stormy years. She is an honest woman who speaks her mind, but needs an editor.
This is a book about secrets, brief encounters, powerful sadness, and scant moments of happiness. I know, I know, this sure doesn't sound like rewarding reading, but the writing is rich, and I found Olive so familiar that the book absorbed me from page one. If you chose to read the book, you may not like Olive, but you will certainly recognize her, and the others filling the pages. Perhaps, as I did, you will find pieces of yourself as well.


What am I reading now? I just started a young adult novel, Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. I know I will like this one. Abilene Tucker's father put her on a train, sending her off to live with an old friend, -who claims to be a minister - while he worked a railroad job. Having heard stories about her father's childhood in Manifest, Abilene is determined to learn what he was like in his youth. Early on, she finds a box of old newspaper clippings and, along with two new friends, decides to follow up a leads buried in the newsprint. That is, until a mysterious note turns up warning her to "Leave Well Enough Alone."
*****
Heart-A-Rama report...not much happening. The musical is nearly done. We meet tomorrow to write lyrics to the last song. Then on to a tweener. Fun!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Sam Spade's Back by guest blogger Steven Head


For people of a certain age, I'm talking gray hairs here, the mention of The Maltese Falcon will bring a half smile. The 1941 film with Humphrey Bogart in the role of Sam Spade, along with Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet, and Elisha Cook, Jr., is a classic tale of treasure hunting. This film was John Huston's directorial debut, for the film fans who keep track of such trivia.

Dashell Hammett's Sam Spade only appeared in 3 short stories and the novel of the same name. While there were a number of Bogart films where he portrayed Spade-like characters, Hammett never penned another adventure for this detective. And that is how it has remained until now.

Hammett's sole surviving child, Jo Hammett Marshall, who has resisted attempts to revive the Spade character, agreed to Joe Mores' proposal to write a prequel to The Maltese Falcon, titled Spade and Archer. The title references Spade's detective agency partner who is discovered shot dead, gun still in his pocket, in the early pages of the book and frames of the film. Spade and Archer starts in 1921 when Spade decides to go independent, leaving a national detective agency to set up shop in San Francisco.

In the first segment of the book we meet the young Effie Perrine, the secretary who Spade teaches to handroll cigarettes. We also learn of Spade's romantic involvement with Ida Nolan before going to war in France, only to return and discover she married Miles Archer 3 months after Spade's departure. But there is heat in the embers of that romance. Besides Spade's history, we follow him on a simple case of finding a rich kid with eyes on foreign ports that tumbles into a larger gold heist and a big fish that gets away, leaving dead sailors in his wake. Plus the first of Spade's clashes with the obnoxious Sergeant Dundy and the likable Tom Polhaus from the SFPD.

Fast forward to 1925, Spade's business has flourished and with it his reputation. In this section Spade takes on a couple of clients wanting to know more about the sudden death of a prominent banker, plus a girl friend of Effie's, all entangled with the big fish from section one. The details of the dead banker are revealed but Effie's girl friend meets the mortician.

The final section moves on to 1928 where Spade has taken in Archer as a partner to satisfy a client. This time a young Chinese woman needs Sam's help as she attempts to track down treasure her late father has hidden. During these pages we discover Ida and Sam are still an item, Sergeant Dundy is still a jerk, and Miles Archer is not the kind of man Spade wants as a partner.

In the climactic pages of part 3 Sam arranges a showdown with the elusive big fish that got away, settling more than one score. In the final scene Effie announces a Miss Wonderly wants to see Spade with the observation, "You'll want to see her anyway: she's a knockout." The launching point for the falcon story.

I enjoyed this book, learning of Spade's skill at detection, his network of information peddlers, and a basic moral fabric that allows a little adultery in the tight weft and warp. The most striking aspect of the book is how Mores has captured the language and cadence of Spade. It is easy to imagine Bogart delivering the lines, handrolled cigarette and all.

If the Spade/Bogart character holds interest for you then Spade and Archer might be worth your time and energy.
***Thanks Steve...one more book to add to my pile!
**********
What am I reading? Last week I dug out a raggedy old copy of King Row. Very old fashioned soap opera like story. I'm well into Olive Kitteridge. This is an awfully powerful book, told in a series on interrelated short stories. Olive is annoying, eccentric, brazen...and ever so honest. But the real star of this book is the writing itself. More next week.
Cry me a river...please! for a number of reasons, I have decided not to attend the booksellers annual trade show in St. Paul this year. There is no changing my mind. Registration is closed. So, today I received an email update on a last minute additions to the lineup. It seems that Garrison Keillor is hosting a cocktail party for all trade show attendees at his Minneapolis bookstore. Now are you crying me a river?!?!?!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Gone Fishing!

No post this week.


LaDeDa will be closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday.


I will be at home reading Olive Kitteridge and.....

working on our Heart-A-Rama musical...we have a great start, and fun characters.

Take some time to relax.