Saturday, September 03, 2016
Let the Punishment Fit the Crime
Book ’em!: Alabama library threatens readers with 30 days in jail for overdue books: Tired of readers keeping books well past their return date, an Alabama library is cracking down on slow-to-return readers with the threat of $100 fines and up to 30 days in jail.
Fred Hellerman, R. I. P.
The New York Times: Fred Hellerman, a singer, guitarist and songwriter and the last surviving member of the Weavers, the quartet that in the 1950s helped usher in the folk music revival, died on Thursday at his home in Weston, Conn. He was 89.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Croc Update (Mesoamerican Edition)
Crocodile Carving Played Ritual Role in Ancient Mesoamerican City: A centuries-old stone crocodile carving used in Mesoamerican rituals was recently discovered in Mexico, offering clues about an ancient city's ceremonial practices, and its relationship with a larger city nearby.
Uh-Oh
'Oliver Twist' Procedural Set at NBC: The drama, which has received a script commitment, is described as a modern take on Dickens' second novel that was originally published as a serial in the 1830s. Twist's logline is as follows: A sexy contemporary take on Oliver Twist with a struggling 20-something female (Twist) who finally finds a true sense of family in a strange group of talented outcasts who use their unique skills to take down wealthy criminals.
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Friday, September 02, 2016
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . . .
Man arrested in Fla. after allegedly cursing, throwing coffee
Mug shot of the year included.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Mug shot of the year included.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Jon Polito, R. I. P.
Jon Polito, known for roles in Coen brother films, dead at 65 - NY Daily News: Actor Jon Polito, who was best known for his roles in Coen brother films like "The Big Lebowski," "Miller's Crossing" and "Barton Fink," has died.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
An Oral History of "We Built This City"
An Oral History of "We Built This City," the Worst Song of All Time
Warning! Song autoplays on site.
Warning! Song autoplays on site.
Skelos: The Journal of Weird Fiction and Dark Fantasy
RAZORED ZEN: Skelos: The Journal of Weird Fiction and Dark Fantasy.
A good review, and having read most of my issue, I agree about the quality of this new magazine.
A good review, and having read most of my issue, I agree about the quality of this new magazine.
The Folio Society: Devoted to Beautiful Books
AbeBooks: The Folio Society: Devoted to Beautiful Books: Standing like an island amid the sea of cheap mass produced paperbacks and formulaic new releases from the latest bright young things is the Folio Society. This organization is half publisher, half book club (as it has members) and was founded in 1947 on the principle that books should be beautiful to the eye as well as captivating to the mind.
FFB: Puzzle for Pilgrims -- Patrick Quentin (Hugh Wheeler and Richard Wilson Webb)
I've never sorted out the authors behind the various Patrick Quentin, Q. Patrick, and Jonathan Stagge names, but I think I have the attribution above right. I've enjoyed several of the novels in the Peter Duluth series, so I thought I'd give this one a try. I'm sorry I did. In the other books I've read Duluth and his wife, Iris, have been pleasant company. In this one they're just two more unpleasant characters in a very unpleasant sextet. No other Duluth novels followed this one, and it's easy to see why.Duluth, having returned from WWII with problems, can't get along with his wife, and they agree to a separation. She goes to Mexico, and he stays in New York, where he gradually returns to his old self. But it's too late. Iris has met a married man, Martin, in Mexico and fallen for him. The novel opens with Duluth at a bullfight in Mexico City, where he meets the man's wife, Sally. Things don't go well between the two, and they downhill from there.
The other two characters involved are Jake, a Hemingway-esque private eye (I saw a good many Hemingway echoes in the book), and Marietta, Martin's sister. It's hard to say who's more messed up, but my vote would go to Marietta.
Before the book ends, two of these people are dead, amidst hints of incest, plenty of homoerotic undertones, and much unpleasantness in vividly described Mexican locations. The local color is the best thing about the book, and the writing is fine throughout, so no complaints on that score.
The really bad news is that I had the solution pegged almost from the start, at least 100 pages before Duluth. It might have seemed novel in the late '40s, but it will be no surprise at all to a current mystery reader. Read any of the other Peter Duluth novels or stories, but skip this one unless you're a completist. Instead read the excllent new collection of stories entitled The Puzzles of Peter Duluth from Crippen & Landreu, which is highly recommended.
Thursday, September 01, 2016
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
“The Mistake on the Cover of EQMM #1” (by Arthur Vidro)
“The Mistake on the Cover of EQMM #1” (by Arthur Vidro) | SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN: This week EQMM’s 75th-anniversary issue went on sale. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can read about it here, and of course we hope you’ll pick up a copy! There was one story written specially for the occasion that we were unable to incorporate in the issue. The visual nature of its content made it a better fit, we thought, for this site, and so we decided to turn it into a contest. The story’s author, Arthur Vidro, has written for EQMM before; that earlier tale, “The Ransom of EQMM #1,” is still available on our Web site, where its own important visual elements could be properly displayed.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Some Upbeat News
Today I had a visit with my oncologist and got a surprisingly upbeat report. She prescribed another shot (which I've had already) and said that she'll be monitoring my blood work for the next three months. As long as nothing bad crops up, there won't be any chemo for at least that long. As the world's greatest procrastinator, I greeted this news with a cheer.
Then I asked her about Bouchercon. She said, "By all means, go!" I'm not sure I have the stamina to get through the airports, but if I can do that, my daughter and son-in-law will be at the convention to be my handlers. I'll have to ponder this for a day or so and then decide. I'd love to go, but I don't want to try to do too much and cause problems for myself.
Then I asked her about Bouchercon. She said, "By all means, go!" I'm not sure I have the stamina to get through the airports, but if I can do that, my daughter and son-in-law will be at the convention to be my handlers. I'll have to ponder this for a day or so and then decide. I'd love to go, but I don't want to try to do too much and cause problems for myself.
Happy birthday, Allen Crider!
I remember the day Allen was born, and today, a few years later, he's here with me for my visit to the oncologist at M. D. Anderson. He's a little bigger now than he was in the picture, and I don't think he has any red jeans, but he's still got a killer smile (he needs to let us see it more often). He's still smart and funny and always ready to help out when anybody needs him. When he's not playing guitar with the Cornell Hurd Band, he's putting together CDs or taking care of his yard. He got the lawn-care gene from Judy's mother, not from my side of the family. I don't like yard work at all, but Allen has the neatest and greenest lawn in his Austin neighborhood. Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky as to have two great kids like Allen and Angela. I'm sure it was Judy's influence. Thanks to her and them, I'm a lucky guy, all right.
The Trap of Solid Gold: Utican Writes 300 Stories in 20 Months
The Trap of Solid Gold: Utican Writes 300 Stories in 20 Months: Maj. John D MacDonald has killed 250 men but the deaths are all on paper.
Overlooked Movies -- Dark Passage
I know you've seen it, but have you seen it recently? Well, I have, not having seen it in nearly 50 years but having remembered bits of it pretty well. I also remembered that I enjoyed it. What I didn't remember was that it was crammed with more incredible coincidences, improbable events, and gimmicks than just about any other movie I've ever watched. Not that any of that spoiled the fun.Bogart is Vincent Parry, falsely imprisoned for the murder of his wife. He escapes and is picked up by two different people, one of whom is Lauren Bacall. The gimmick here is that we don't see his face for about an hour. The movie's shot from his POV, like Robert Montgomery's The Lady in the Lake. It works a little better here because Bogart spends a lot of time looking at Lauren Bacall. You can't go wrong there.
After Bogart gets plastic surgery, we get to see his face. He's supposedly been made to look older than the photo of Vincent Parry we've seen, but he doesn't. Not that it matters. Now he looks like Bogart, and he's looking for the real killer, who's also now the killer of his best friend, with Bogart being blamed for that one, too. And who's also so obvious that nobody could guess wrong about who it is. After all, there aren't any other suspects.
One place the movie really shines is in the character actors in the supporting roles. Every single one is great, but top honors go to Houseley Stevenson as the plastic surgeon. Okay, maybe to Agnes Moorehead. Spit out that scenery, Agnes, it's been well chewed.
The movie's ending is so cheerful and optimistic that it's hard to believe that David Goodis wrote the novel the movie's based on, but who cares? It's what you want.
Not believable for even a few seconds, Dark Passage is nevertheless great fun and well worth watching.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Gene Wilder, R. I. P.
Gene Wilder, comedy titan who played 'Willy Wonka' and 'Young Frankenstein,' dead at 83: LOS ANGELES — Gene Wilder, the visceral comedic actor who played Willy Wonka and starred in dozens of films including Mel Brooks classics Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, has died, the Associated Press reported Monday. He was 83.
Life and Limb
Life and Limb: Throughout most of history, if you lost a limb, the replacement of choice was a wooden peg (which only looked cool if you were a pirate). But that all changed after a young soldier lost a leg in the Civil War and refused to take his injury lying down.
The Cowboy Artist Star
The Cowboy Artist Star: Joe Beeler helped pave the path for artists whose works sell in the millions today.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
The Pilots Who Risked Their Lives to Deliver the Mail
The Pilots Who Risked Their Lives to Deliver the Mail: Being an airmail carrier was one of the most dangerous jobs in America.
I Miss the Old Days
Striking images of mid-century motels capture the architecture of a bygone era
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
The Only Surviving Tattoo Shop For Medieval Pilgrims
Atlas Obscura: The Razzouk family has been inking religious pilgrims in the Middle East for 700 years.
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