Saturday, November 18, 2006
And They're Off!
Judy and I are going to her hometown today to pick up her mother and bring her back here for Thanksgiving. She's 94 (the mother, not Judy), and she just had her driver's license renewed for six years. We should all be in such good health. I'll be back here Monday for more thrilling blogging.
Manifesto for the Dead -- Domenic Stansberry
You have to be pretty audacious to write a novel with Jim Thompson as the main character. You have to be even more audacious to have Thompson writing a novel with the novel. Domenic Stansberry is nothing if not audacious.It's 1971. Thompson's in Hollywood and just about at the end of his rope. He's having marital problems, he's sinking deeper into alcoholism, and he's having problems getting work. Then there are a couple of murders, and he's the prime suspect. The book he's writing and his own life seem to be becoming one and the same.
I'm not sure anyone could satisfy Jim Thompson's fans with a book like this, but Stansberry comes close. The tone of the book is dark, and it spirals off into the kind of craziness that Thompson routinely managed. The excerpts from the novel that Thompson are just close enough to the real thing to be convincing, and there's some good comedy when the cop investigating the murders gets into a homily-trading dialogue with Thompson. It's as if Thompson were talking to Lou Ford.
The book is short, only 184 pages, some of them blank. About the length of a Lion Book, say, or a Gold Medal. I'm sure this is deliberate, and Stansberry manages to cram a lot of plot into those pages. The portrait of Thompson might not be accurate, but it feels right. Check it out.
A New Interview with Donald Westlake
Donald Westlake | The A.V. Club: "Crime novelist Donald Westlake is a man of many aliases—Samuel Holt, Tucker Coe, Curt Clark, pseudonyms picked up over the course of 100-odd published books—but two names stand out, his own and Richard Stark. As Westlake, he mostly writes comic caper novels, notably his half-dozen books about luckless criminal John Dortmunder. As Stark, he's created one of the noir genre's most definitive antiheroes in the cold-hearted master thief Parker. His books have been filmed many times, including the well-regarded Point Blank in 1967, and he was nominated for an Oscar for his 1990 adaptation of Jim Thompson's The Grifters. His latest book is a new Stark novel, Ask The Parrot, which picks up Parker on the run from the law after the disastrous bank heist of the previous Nobody Runs Forever. Recently, Westlake talked with The A.V. Club about making it up as he goes, getting into his characters, and the crooks who read his books."
Friday, November 17, 2006
Ruth Brown, R. I. P.
I'm lucky enough to have been around when Ruth Brown was being played on radio. And lucky enough to have been where radio stations would play her music. She was definitely one of the greats.
Ruth Brown, R&B Singer and Actress, Dies at 78 - New York Times: "Ruth Brown, the gutsy rhythm-and-blues singer whose career extended to acting and crusading for musicians’ rights, died today in Las Vegas. She was 78 and lived in Las Vegas. Her death was announced by Howell Begle, her lawyer and executor. Ms. Brown had been on life support since suffering a heart attack and stroke on Oct. 29, he said.
Ms. Brown sustained a career for six decades: first as a bright, bluesy singer who was called “the girl with a tear in her voice” and then, after some lean years, as the embodiment of an earthy, indomitable black woman. She had a life of hard work, hard luck, determination, sass and style. Sometimes it was said that R&B stood for Ruth Brown as much as for rhythm-and-blues.
As the 1950’s began, Ms. Brown’s singles for the fledgling Atlantic Records — like “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean” and “5-10-15 Hours” — became both the label’s bankroll and templates for rock ’n’ roll. She could sound as if she were hurting, or joyfully lusty, or both at once. Her voice was forthright, feisty and ready for anything."
Ruth Brown, R&B Singer and Actress, Dies at 78 - New York Times: "Ruth Brown, the gutsy rhythm-and-blues singer whose career extended to acting and crusading for musicians’ rights, died today in Las Vegas. She was 78 and lived in Las Vegas. Her death was announced by Howell Begle, her lawyer and executor. Ms. Brown had been on life support since suffering a heart attack and stroke on Oct. 29, he said.
Ms. Brown sustained a career for six decades: first as a bright, bluesy singer who was called “the girl with a tear in her voice” and then, after some lean years, as the embodiment of an earthy, indomitable black woman. She had a life of hard work, hard luck, determination, sass and style. Sometimes it was said that R&B stood for Ruth Brown as much as for rhythm-and-blues.
As the 1950’s began, Ms. Brown’s singles for the fledgling Atlantic Records — like “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean” and “5-10-15 Hours” — became both the label’s bankroll and templates for rock ’n’ roll. She could sound as if she were hurting, or joyfully lusty, or both at once. Her voice was forthright, feisty and ready for anything."
Torture Trek -- Ryerson Johnson
I sometimes enjoy the introduction to a book as much as the rest of the contents, so I know I've written before something like this: "The introduction alone is worth the price of the book." This is true again of Torture Trek, a collection of Ryerson Johnson's stories, but then I found the book at Half-Price Books and paid only two bucks for it. I haven't read any of the stories, but Johnson's 17-page intro, telling of his days as a pulpster, has already been more than worth the price of the book. If you see this one, check it out.
For Those Who Might Be Interested
World Fantasy Convention 2006: "We have some copies leftover from the convention and are selling them to interested parties. However, numbers are limited and there will not be a reprint of this edition, so don't wait long."
Just in Case You Were Wondering
Does James Bond have a license to kill? - By Justin Shubow - Slate Magazine: "Do British secret agents really have a license to kill?
Yes, but you won't find those loaded words in the relevant statute. With the Intelligence Services Act of 1994, the British government publicly acknowledged the existence of the agency responsible for foreign espionage—the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6—and set up a system of parliamentary accountability for it.
Under Section 7 of the Intelligence Services Act, the secretary of state can authorize persons to commit acts abroad for which they may not be held liable under British law. By implication, that includes all criminal law relating to the use of lethal force."
Yes, but you won't find those loaded words in the relevant statute. With the Intelligence Services Act of 1994, the British government publicly acknowledged the existence of the agency responsible for foreign espionage—the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6—and set up a system of parliamentary accountability for it.
Under Section 7 of the Intelligence Services Act, the secretary of state can authorize persons to commit acts abroad for which they may not be held liable under British law. By implication, that includes all criminal law relating to the use of lethal force."
Mike Tyson To Be A Prostitute - Starpulse News Blog
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson for the link.
Mike Tyson To Be A Prostitute - Starpulse News Blog: "Former boxing champion Mike Tyson is to become a male escort after agreeing to work at legendary Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss' new legalized brothel for women. Fleiss bought 60 acres of land in Nevada, and his work is scheduled to begin on Heidi's Stud Farm.
She has high hopes for Tyson, once heavyweight champion of the world - despite the fact he is a convicted rapist.
She says, 'I told him, 'You're going to be my big stallion.' It's every man's fear that their girlfriend will go for Mike Tyson.'
Tyson, 40, adds, 'I don't care what any man says, it's every man's dream to please every woman - and get paid for it.'"
Mike Tyson To Be A Prostitute - Starpulse News Blog: "Former boxing champion Mike Tyson is to become a male escort after agreeing to work at legendary Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss' new legalized brothel for women. Fleiss bought 60 acres of land in Nevada, and his work is scheduled to begin on Heidi's Stud Farm.
She has high hopes for Tyson, once heavyweight champion of the world - despite the fact he is a convicted rapist.
She says, 'I told him, 'You're going to be my big stallion.' It's every man's fear that their girlfriend will go for Mike Tyson.'
Tyson, 40, adds, 'I don't care what any man says, it's every man's dream to please every woman - and get paid for it.'"
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Any Volunteers?
Wanted: man to land on killer asteroid and gently nudge it from path to Earth | Science | Guardian Unlimited:
Nasa evokes Hollywood in effort to avoid catastrophe
Mission would bridge gap between moon and Mars
David Adam
Friday November 17, 2006
The Guardian
"It is the stuff of nightmares and, until now, Hollywood thrillers. A huge asteroid is on a catastrophic collision course with Earth and mankind is poised to go the way of the dinosaurs.
To save the day, Nasa now plans to go where only Bruce Willis has gone before. The US space agency is drawing up plans to land an astronaut on an asteroid hurtling through space at more than 30,000 mph. It wants to know whether humans could master techniques needed to deflect such a doomsday object when it is eventually identified. The proposals are at an early stage, and a spacecraft needed just to send an astronaut that far into space exists only on the drawing board, but they are deadly serious. A smallish asteroid called Apophis has already been identified as a possible threat to Earth in 2036."
Nasa evokes Hollywood in effort to avoid catastrophe
Mission would bridge gap between moon and Mars
David Adam
Friday November 17, 2006
The Guardian
"It is the stuff of nightmares and, until now, Hollywood thrillers. A huge asteroid is on a catastrophic collision course with Earth and mankind is poised to go the way of the dinosaurs.
To save the day, Nasa now plans to go where only Bruce Willis has gone before. The US space agency is drawing up plans to land an astronaut on an asteroid hurtling through space at more than 30,000 mph. It wants to know whether humans could master techniques needed to deflect such a doomsday object when it is eventually identified. The proposals are at an early stage, and a spacecraft needed just to send an astronaut that far into space exists only on the drawing board, but they are deadly serious. A smallish asteroid called Apophis has already been identified as a possible threat to Earth in 2036."
Will the Persecution Never End? (A Continuing Series)
Thanks to the ever-alert Vince Kennan. If you hate Paris, you'll love this.
cityrag: Tina Fey on why Paris Hilton sucks: "Tina Fey on why Paris Hilton sucks:
Tina Fey was fantastic on the Howard Stern show this morning discussing former Saturday Night Live hosts. Tina said the hosts are usually great, but every couple of years you get a bad one - like Paris Hilton who was a 'piece of shit'!
Tina didn't hold back on how much she and the cast hated Paris. We transcribed some of her hilarious comments...
She said Paris had 'the hair of a fraggle', and left 'nasty wads of Barbie hair on the floor' from her 'cheap weave'!
Tina caught Paris's giant man hands and said they were as long as her forearm.
More zingers below!...
Paris actually takes herself seriously and 'embraces her stupidity'.
She asked them to write a skit so she could play Jessica Simpson 'because I hate her' 'she's fat'.
Paris was so uninterested in anyone else the staff had a bet to see if she would ask anyone something personal (like 'how are you').
She did at one point ask someone 'is Maya Rudolph Italian?' (she's half Black, half Jewish)"
cityrag: Tina Fey on why Paris Hilton sucks: "Tina Fey on why Paris Hilton sucks:
Tina Fey was fantastic on the Howard Stern show this morning discussing former Saturday Night Live hosts. Tina said the hosts are usually great, but every couple of years you get a bad one - like Paris Hilton who was a 'piece of shit'!
Tina didn't hold back on how much she and the cast hated Paris. We transcribed some of her hilarious comments...
She said Paris had 'the hair of a fraggle', and left 'nasty wads of Barbie hair on the floor' from her 'cheap weave'!
Tina caught Paris's giant man hands and said they were as long as her forearm.
More zingers below!...
Paris actually takes herself seriously and 'embraces her stupidity'.
She asked them to write a skit so she could play Jessica Simpson 'because I hate her' 'she's fat'.
Paris was so uninterested in anyone else the staff had a bet to see if she would ask anyone something personal (like 'how are you').
She did at one point ask someone 'is Maya Rudolph Italian?' (she's half Black, half Jewish)"
Will the Persecution Never End? (A Continuing Series)
Britney sex tape exists - porn mogul - New Zealand's source for entertainment news, gossip & music, movie & book reviews on Stuff.co.nz: "Schmidt predicts the [Britney Spears] tape, if it is released, will be the biggest selling adult movie of all time. He said: 'This tape would smash Paris Hilton's sex tape sales like an Oreo cookie.'
The hotel heiress's tape One Night In Paris made more than $US50 million and Schmidt believes Britney's will make $US200 million."
The hotel heiress's tape One Night In Paris made more than $US50 million and Schmidt believes Britney's will make $US200 million."
Bigfoot Update (and a Shameless Plug)
Thanks to Vince Keenan for the link.
Report of strange animal draws Bigfoot hunters: "WEST BEND - The jury is still out as to the identity of a large creature spotted near Station Way in the town of Erin on Nov. 9.
At around 1 a.m., a man contracted to pick up animal carcasses for the state Department of Natural Resources stopped his truck on Highway 167, about a third of a mile east of Station Way to load a deer. As he sat in the cab filling out the necessary paperwork, he felt the truck rock and checked his mirror, seeing an animal reaching for the doe with its front paws.
The incident, which some suggest could have involved Bigfoot, touched off a media frenzy, bringing in hunters from as far away as California."
Bond. James Bond.
Want to see the opening credits for all the James Bond films, but you don't own the DVDs? Just click here.
2blowhards.com: 1000 Words -- Gold Medal Books
You certainly want to check this out. Thanks to Ed Gorman for the tip.
2blowhards.com: 1000 Words -- Gold Medal Books: "1000 Words -- Gold Medal Books
Michael Blowhard writes:
Dear Blowhards --
Another installment in my all-too-occasional series of looks at culturally-significant, underknown phenomena and events, '1000 Words.'"
2blowhards.com: 1000 Words -- Gold Medal Books: "1000 Words -- Gold Medal Books
Michael Blowhard writes:
Dear Blowhards --
Another installment in my all-too-occasional series of looks at culturally-significant, underknown phenomena and events, '1000 Words.'"
Bookgasm Reviews Gil Brewer
There's a review of the Stark House Gil Brewer double right here. Check it out.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
The Winter of Frankie Machine -- Don Winslow
I've been a fan of Don Winslow's work since the days of the Neal Carey series. Those books were different and fun, but apparently they didn't make any money for Winslow. He said in a talk at Murder by the Book in Houston that he thought his career was over and that he wrote The Death and Life of Bobby Z. just to entertain himself. It entertained a lot of other people, too. It changed Winslow's life, and it sent his writing off in a different direction, the world of the big standalone novel, the latest of which is The Winter of Frankie Machine.Apparently Winslow's always wanted to write about the mob's influence in San Diego, and this book presents a sort of history of it through the career of Frankie Machianno, Frankie Machine. Once the mob's premier hitman, he's out of the life now. He runs a bait shop, sells fish to restaurants and manages his rental property. Then somebody sends people to kill him. He has to stay alive, and in the meantime he ruminates on his whole career to try to decide who wants him dead. There are plenty of possibilities, but even when it seems that Frankie's got the answer, it turns out that he's wrong. And that's not the last of the surprises.
This book has just about everything: good writing, humor, suspense, plot twists, great characters, color, action, what have you. No wonder Robert de Niro's already bought it for the movies. Check it out.
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