The Hyperbole
Gaston Leroux The Mystery of the Yellow Room (1908) *** An early locked-room mystery, the first Joseph Rouletabille novel. Very Sherlock Holmesy-ish. A young woman is attacked in her locked room, when her father breaks into the room the attacker is gone and there is no visible means of escape, very curious. Even curiouser (more curious?) is that all the characters refer to this attacker as ‘the murderer’ even though the victim wasn’t killed, maybe it’s a bad translation (it’s originally in French) or an archaic use of the word, either way it was kind of distracting.
KEN BRUEN A Fifth of Bruen: Early Crime Fiction of Ken Bruen (2017) *** Title say it all, as with most compilations the quality of the stories varies. You can definitely see the bones of his later works in some of these.
Ian Rankin Strip Jack (1992) ***½ Inspector Rebus Book 4 (or five if you count the collection of short stories (which I don’t)) Politician gets caught in a brothel then his wife is killed, investigation ensues.
Yevgeny Zamyatin We (1920) *** The OG dystopian novel, set in the 30th century, people have numbers not names, and are under constant State supervision and control. A loyal State scientist falls for a woman who is part of a resistance movement and his world falls apart.
Right now I am finishing up (sadly, as it is under 200 pages) Isobel Colegates The Shooting Party, with AEW Mason’s The Four Feathers next on deck. Maybe. I could change my mind as I am going on Road Trip in a couple weeks, across the American southwest. Which might entail some other literature.
For a roadtrip out west I’d suggest Stegner.
I always liked this cover. I was quite sad when they replaced it in later editions.
https://covers.openlibrary.org/b/id/107994-L.jpg
That period for Penguin was pretty good in general.
I used to be a big fan of their editions, but when they switched to the all black look about twenty years ago, they lost me. The covers were too precisely cut and rigid to where it wasn’t comfortable to hold. Felt like holding a knife blade instead of their previous flexible covers.
The Four Feathers is another great movie from 1939.
I watched most of Metropolis the other day.
I get how it was radically different, and a huge change in mise en scene, but the basic story was the same Marxist tropes we’ve seen a thousand times since.
Check out Elmore Leonard’s western novels for some SW flava. Most of them are set in Southern AZ, which I particularly enjoy. Excellent books on tape versions available from Audible, as well, which I like for road trips.
thanks!
Also, if you like mysteries, Tony Hillerman’s mystery novels are set in the Four Corners region, with a couple of Navajo Tribal Police officers as the protagonists.
Sadly, I won’t make it that far down, only going through Utah and Nevada, Idaho, California and back to Oregon.
So, more of a general west, I guest.
The 50s movie version of 3:10 to Yuma is great.
I’m still working on Tolkien’s “The Book of Lost Tales Part Two”.
I have not finished anything since the last one, but still shopping for new ones.
Halfway through Venus Greene’s Race on the Line: Gender, Labor, and Technology in the Bell System, 1880–1980
Do not recommend. Some of it is quite well done and researched but her slant and editorializing totally swamps it.
I have been binge-reading Jodi Taylor’s Time Police series, the spin-off from her longer Chronicles of St. Mary’s series about time-traveling (but don’t call it that to their faces) historians. I’m about two-thirds of the way through #3 in the series, Saving Time. At the moment, would-be time terrorists are threatening to blow up the Acropolis before it’s even done being built. I’m finding these novels as addictive as all of Taylor’s other books. As always, highly recommended (but start with the St. Mary’s books.)
I have the first Time Police on my Kindle based on your recce. I could use another good series.
Having read all the St. Mary’s books to date before starting the Time Police series, I don’t have a good sense of whether the TP books will make complete sense without the St. Mary’s background. (There are a lot of St. Mary’s characters who show up in the TP books.) If you start and find yourself saying, “Huh??” I’d suggest you take a break and try the St. Mary’s books starting with Just One Damned Thing After Another.
I meant St. Mary’s. Good to know where to start, though.
Excellent! (Tundra said last month he’d read the first book, and he commented on it favorably.)
I probably linked this before, but besides the full-length novels, there are numerous short stories (only available as e-books unless part of a collection) that came out between releases of the books. Here’s the recommended reading order, with the published short stories designated by “.5” The one designated as “0.5” is a prequel, but should be read AFTER at least one of the novels. (Any fractional numbering other than “.5” is a VERY short story available only at Taylor’s website and isn’t critical to the ongoing plot arcs of the books.)
Terrific book! It may take me awhile to get through the series, but get after it, kids!
So many positive comments – I might check these out.
In two years when I finish the next six Expanse books.
I tell people that they’re by turns hilarious and heartbreaking…but happily, with much more of the former than the latter.
I stand corrected re: the numbering of the short stories – there ARE published e-book ones with a decimal digit other than “.5.” If you get that deeply into the series, I trust you’ll figure it out if so motivated.
This sounds right up my alley. Just downloaded the first book in the St Mary’s series. Thanks.
I’ll be eager to hear how you and RCD like it…I think. Warning: a certain inhabitant of my household, once turned on to this series, started coming to bed VERY late after a marathon reading session and mumbling, “Stupid book!”
I am cheating since I’ll be listening to the book, mostly while driving or working. I’ll let you know what I think when I get done with the first one.
BTW, how was the Todd Snyder concert? I haven’t heard any of his new material since the last time I seen him about 3 or 4 years ago.
Oh, it was delightful! I couldn’t decide which I enjoyed more – the music or the stories he told between songs! 😄
P.S. I’ve never heard any of the audio books, but I’ve heard glowing reviews of the reader. (Don’t know if it’s the same throughout the series.)
Glad to hear you enjoyed the show!
I looked it up and Zara Ramm is the reader for all of the main books. There’s different readers for the fractional numbered short stories.
That’s her! (BTW, I didn’t think to mention it, but this series is veddy, veddy British!)
And re: Todd Snider – there’s video out online from some of his recent shows, so you can get at least a taste of what he’s up to these days.
I finished of Brian Kilmeade’s (yeah, that Brian Kilmeade) “Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans”. Interesting examination of the New Orleans battle that kicked the Brits out for good, hopefully to include Carrot Top and the Missus. A lot of detail for those interested in the post-Revolutionary period. Available on demand.
There’s a drive at the battlefield site that loops out to the British position and back. I haven’t walked any of the WWI battlefields but looking out from the end and imagining moving forward on that open field under fire from entrenched Americans, it looked like a turkey shoot.
several similar stories of geometry and luck delivering more than plan and prosecution could have:
Agincourt, Yorktown, San Jacinto, Shiloh (the first day)
GlibBooks.
https://archive.ph/A7a6a/d41c97dd0d0760b17353d5ec078675981e6aa6b9.jpg
NSFW.
https://archive.ph/Zo7qt/efe35898a77263ce0f414732ccffee362f4b3874.jpg
NSFW.
https://archive.is/hgQpT/d864da4225120343270e961cf09105b9ed61b460.webp
NSFW.
https://archive.ph/68Xnj/6f07e70d82a9a8775af2939fe2e61389cc1a1620.webp
NSFW.
https://archive.ph/oztuK/1efc8eb19866f29b07d5291d13f45c8c175d5263.webp
NSFW.
I can’t believe you haven’t found the original book girl. Marilyn Cole January 1972 Playmate of the month. Sometimes the old timers knew their stuff.
Dorothy Malone in “The Big Sleep” was enough for me.
You should see her Oscar-winning performance in Written on the Wind.
I will watch that. Thank you.
Sorry. Every week I told myself to write that e-mail and every week I didn’t do it.
My little log cabin has a bookshelf that holds 1% of my collection. The rest is in the shed. The bookshelf is populated with mostly Terry Pratchett and Neal Stephenson. But Neal Asher’s Transformer series is also there and that’s what I re-read this month. From the beginning to the end it never gets old.
Kingsford 2pack from Home Depot seemed a little light. Sure enough 2x16lb down from 2×20. Same price, of course.
Stewart’s upped the prices of their flavor of the week ice cream to $3.99 a half gallon, from $3.69 a few weeks back.
I’ve noticed the half gallons are down from 1.75qt to 1.50qt. Will it go all the way to 1qt or will it go back to 1/2gal at a higher prorated price?
Huh, I can get both from my HD, pricing is odd though. 20$/32lbs or 22$/40lbs
Another exa of shrink flatiron. It’s so aggravating when manufacturers change what was standard sizing.
Step away from the telephone keyboard.
Srsly.
Grrrrr. Guilty as charged.
I recently learned that author and poet Richard Shelton died last December. So I picked up and started to reread his book “Going Back to Bisbee” in memorium. It is absolutely as good as I remember it. If you are a fan of the Sonoran Desert and the surrounding grasslands I highly recommend it. (Same for his poetry.)
“Has Anybody Seen My Toes?” by Christopher Buckley. Set in SC this book examines the effects of boredom and cocktails of modern American drugs on a recent retiree in DA VID era. The author sometimes lets his OMB slide through. Not Buckley’s best effort but worth checking out from a library for a rather light comedic read.
“The Intimate City” by Michael Kimmelman is a for our NYC Glibs and visitors. The author walks various neighborhoods of the Five Boroughs with historians and architects and discusses how history and the construction arts intersect. I found it fascinating and full of insteresting insights even though I had no idea (or care about) “Ernestine “John” Blahman designed this building after the main Chambers in the 3rd Gor novel.” This book was fun and since it is walk based you can skip around without losing continuity.
“Machete Season: The Killers in Rwanda Speak” by Jean Hatzfield. The author follows up his volume on the survivors of the Rwanda genocide by speaking at length with one group of killers from the genocide. Dark and many would find the work deeply troubling. I find it an interesting warning about how easy neighbors can be influenced to kill neighbors.
Interesting. I have a walking guide to Brooklyn where the guy just talks to randos on the street.
Snow increasing. Smoker temperature down to 177F.
I want to finish that some day. About 50 pages in I put it down because I had no idea WTF was going on. I wasn’t sure if it had been run back and forth thru Google Translate too many times or perhaps more likely the prose was just too impenetrable for my brain.
Yeah, It took me a while, it was hard to read more than a few chapters at a time. I got a cheapo (possible free) kindle version and the formatting and translation was a bit off putting, I don’t know if a better version would help.
I would recommend reading a chapter at a time and repeating it once or twice.
It helps.
Heh, OK.
The prose is rather convoluted. I found that I had to reread and reinterpret the plot a paragraph at a time in certain spots.
Been crazy busy. I’d be lying if I said I was reading.
Book 3 of The Witcher – Blood of Elves, Andrzej Sapkowski
Kind of a slowdown from the first 2 which were more fun short-stories. I can see how it’s not easy for the showrunners to make the switch.
Let’s see…..what am I reading?
Serving size: 12 ounces (355ml)
1 servings/container
Per Serving: 4.1% alcohol/vol
Cal:96
Carbs: 3.5g
Fat: 0g
Protein: <1gr
Mich Ultra
95 cals
2.6 carbs
4.2% alcohol
It is sex in a canoe beer.
.
.
.
Fucking close to water
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
By Yuval Noah Harari
I don’t agree with all of his hypotheses,, but so far it’s an interesting read. Starts with dispelling the popular myth that modern Homo sapiens evolved in a nice straight line, one at a time, from Homo Erectus, who came from Homo habilis, etc. I’m reality there were several different species in the genus Homo around at the same time.
He talks about some major “revolutions” such as one that took place around 70k BC that seems to have unlocked abstract thinking, future planning, etc, then agricultural revolution and so forth.
The “revolutions” outpaced evolution so now our monkey brains have to cope with modern reality while being evolved for flight or flight.
I’ll post a final review when I’m done with it.
He’s that flunkie of Klaus. Not sure he has anything of value.
Oh, fuck.
That changes everything. Also seemingly explains the way the book is veering off of its sound scientific early chapters…Still going to finish it and see where Eat ze Bugs! comes in.
I’ll give you the quick summary.
He’s a misanthrope and that book is the summary of his justification for why the elites should rule over the fatally flawed masses.
A Pretty Mouth by Molly Tanzer.
This is a set of stories (in reverse chronological order) of a Lovecraft-esque cursed family beginning with a Wodehouse pastiche in which Jeeves seals off the Horror From Elsewhere and going back in stages to the origin of the curse in Roman Britain. Supposedly another gimmick is that the stories are written in a literary style of the time in which they are set, but I’m not a good enough reader to have picked up on that.
Despite the opening story, it’s not a comedy. It IS lighthearted, with that sort of “tee hee I’m a naughty girl” pseudoporn that seems to be popular with a certain type of reader. I found it interesting that Molly is apparently one of those who believes (like Tolkien) that history defines a fall such that the original Eldrich Horror which is so unstoppable and unfathomable and powerful enough to lay a curse lasting millennia fades to the point where a butler can seal it away.
I did enjoy it.
Sorry, Hyp. I gotta put this on my calendar. Been reading quite a lot.
Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future – Fr. Seraphim Rose
The White Pill – Malice. Read this.
Steel World – B.V. Larson – Recommended by my brother. I think many of you will dig it.
Books 1-3 of the Grimnoir series from Larry Correia. Great escapism.
About a quarter of the way through Death Comes For The Archbishop by Willa Cather. Really digging this one so far.
Also plugging my way through Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. I fucking hate Russian authors.
Thank you. My Antonia as schoolhouse assignment put me off Cather.
You’re welcome, but I will say the jumping around in time is challenging. Still a solid story so far.
I finished O Pioneers! but was underwhelmed. Started Song of the Lark, but found I thoroughly disliked the main character (speaking of unsympathetic heroines, as we were when discussing GWTW earlier) and I didn’t find the plot worth putting up with her. I recall starting My Antonia as well, but I don’t remember why I never finished it.
I was looking for a new audiobook to use one of my credits for, so White Pill it is. Thanks!
The content is great, the performance is meh. I had to set it on 0.9x speed -Malice sounds a bit like he’s on tranqs but at any higher rate and it’s breakneck. It’s read at an unrelenting pace. He seems to slow down toward the end. On one hand it may be on purpose. The endless crimes of the Soviet Union read aloud in such a style is akin to the torture they inflicted on so many. On the other hand, Malice probably just cheaped out on the recording. Should’ve had someone else read it, frankly.
I assume Steel World is either about Steel Panther’s devoted fans or a gay steel mill a la The Simpsons.
I wish.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FCXPC94/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
My first wife would go back and forth between the big Russians and MTV beach books.
Weird, but it worked for her.
I actually get that.
Re-reading Snow Crash.
Diamond Age is always a good re-read, too.
Peak him IMHO.
Not Zodiac?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’ve neither read it nor heard anyone say it’s his best.
I liked “Interface” a lot too, and “Anathem”. I haven’t read anything later.
Scratch that; I read “Seveneves”. Twice. Love/hate it.
I was kidding, but you should read it. Fun book!
Zodiac is a fun read. It also has the bonus of being short enough you won’t break you foot if you accidently drop it.
I could never get through Snow Crash, was always put off by calling the protaganist Hero.
Loved Cryptonomicon and Baroque Cycle. Anatham was OK, not impressed by the rest.
Speaking of Zamyatin, I’m, reading “We” and apropos of Our Betters driving us to a diet of bugs, I found this:
“Let me explain: an ancient sage once said a clever thing (accidentally, beyond doubt). He said, “Love and Hunger rule the world.” Consequently, to dominate the world, man had to win a victory over hunger after paying a very high price. I refer to the great Two Hundred Years’ War, the war between the city and the land. Probably on account of religious prejudices, the primitive peasants stubbornly held on to their “bread.” In the 35th year before the foundation of the United State, our contemporary petroleum food was invented. True, only about two-tenths of the population of the globe did not die out. But how beautifully shining the face of the earth became when it was cleared of its impurities!”
There were three or four good bits in “WE” that I would have loved to use for a Glibcrostic quote but with the name Yevgeny Zamyatin it wasn’t going to happen.
Started on Len Deighton’s “Blood, Tears and Folly- An Objective Look at World War II.”. Fourscore: would like to see the “Other Custers”. I’ll be finishing up a power point on Old Curly’s Civil War in March. I passed the Light Horse Harry Lee book you sent me to a guy who portrays Lafayette in local re-enactments.
I remember Blood, Tears… to be pretty good.
Yes, good stuff. Deighton lays out all the foibles, misassumptions, and downright incompetency of the combatants, not just in WWII but for hundreds of years before (to paraphrase Thomas Carlyle, “all our todays are the sum total of all our yesterdays.”
He is particularly rough on his countrymen: Over centuries, Britain constantly over estimated its martial prowess and consistently under estimated its opponents.
Creech, it’ll be on the way in a few days, just need to get it wrapped and to the post office
Thanks; I appreciate your generosity.
Can anyone recommend a book on meditation for beginners?
Not a book, but this is interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBdhqBGqiMc
I can drop my HR almost immediately.
Interesting. I do that at the doctor’s office before they take my blood pressure, but I didn’t know there was a name for it or if it was just a weird habit of mine.
As a terrible meditationist, this stuff appeals to me!
When I was in FL for Xmas, Tulip asked why I kept sighing all the time. I didn’t realize I was doing it, but I knew it was anxiety reduction
Sighs, sighs, everywhere there’s sighs,
Blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind,
Do this, don’t do that,
Can’t you read the sighs?
Funny, I heard that somewhere else this week. Seems to work.
Just for shits and giggles, I looked this up and found it actually exists.
Have a guy who invites me to his Wednesday zoom meditation classes.
Om for Dummies?
I just had 3 8.2 abv beers with the neighbors and I’m not ready to call it a night yet.
I have party time blue balls.
Go get ’em KK!
impressive
why not go for the whole six pack!?
Hey KK: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75421276832?pwd=J3zN9Udc901Mou6aRt0xLmmbrsGKlA.1
Sadly, our freebie Zoom came to an abrupt end. And all you East coasters need to be thinking about bed by now anyway.
I think I’ll watch some brainless TeeVee and go to bed myself.
First day of school, er, new work tomorrow!
Kick some ass. I’ll be thinking (and praying) for your wild success!
Thanks, man!
Always a little anxiety the first day (week) on a new job. Soon gone and new friends. It’s a wonderful world!
Best wishes ‘Splosives!
Appreciate it!
It’ll be greaaaaaat.
Don’t press any buttons marked “Do Not Press”.
PSA: Quadrophenia is on Plex.
I’m reading the shampoo bottle and glibs comments.
Pro tip: Don’t take the shampoo instructions too literally – you’ll never get out of the shower.
Aw, dad!
Ah, the “Rinse and repeat” endless loop.
Alaska:
https://twitter.com/MaryAnnDancer/status/1629982842238406656
I’m currently winning a gunbroker auction. Down to 10 mnutes…
Mine is on par with Swiss’s: https://www.scalawithcats.com/dist/scala-with-cats.html
Functional Scala using Cats (category theory). Living the dream I tells ya.
This is actually right up my alley.
I’ve played around with these concepts in Haskell a lot but not really familiar with Scala at all.
Well, since Hype didn’t provide a music link, I’ll add one.
Fogerty wrote it. Tina Turner took it to new heights. This band made it….something. Bobby singing Jerry at the end is a nice touch.
https://twitter.com/DannyDeraney/status/1629266931831414784
There’s more videos if you scroll down in the thread.
Yep, used to live down the road from Tina’s husband. Drove by his “big” house every day on the way to college. His room mates were Christian Brando and Tex Watson, it was a pretty hoppin’ place!
We called our school Yale by the Jail.
Dec1970, Elephant Butte, NM. Motel.
I turned on the TV and was introduced to Tina Turner. I had never heard of her or Ike, I’d been away for several years. I didn’t sleep well after Tina singing/dancing “Proud Mary”. I also didn’t catch but 1 little bass the next day.
I had a little thing for Greg.
But holy crap, this is terrible.
More 1970’s music videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=radsTxo06oM
1974’s Eurovision winning performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2IEcpmvG3g
Considering how garbage most Eurovision songs are, that’s gotta be one of the few that actually was a hit.
Haven’t had much time for audiobooks — too many podcasts. To whit, really hooked on Quentin Tarantino’s Video Archives Podcast with Roger Avary. The premise that Quentin has re-created the Video Archives video rental store he and Roger worked at together before making it big in his house and they select VHS movies from the entire collection (that QT bought), watch them, and then comment on them. A lot of them are B-movies from the 70s-90s. I’m trying to track down a lot of them to watch. Tonight’s entry is Demonoid: Messenger of Death (1982 – Mexican/American production). It’s free on Tubi.
Link to the Video Archives site.
Do you even First, bro?
You know what no one ever asks? Do you even read, bro? No one gives a shit. No one cares.
What’s the moral of this story? Can you guess?
You want to be taught how to read?
This is a fun read,
https://collabfund.com/blog/how-it-all-works/
Two new places to eat in Jerusalem.
https://cafehayek.com/2023/02/the-glories-of-globalization.html
Huzzah for globalization. Too bad the elites want to crush it.
Just went into the rabbit hole of “Cunk”. I’ve watched hundreds of hours of BBC documentaries and she is good. Really good!
I take it back. Thousands of hours of British documentaries. She nails it.
Diane Morgan really takes the wrinkles out of my love-sausage.
*rubs eyes*
Morning. ☕
Mornin’ Sean
‘Morning.
I’m reading a few things- A book on habits, as well as a Bastiat’s ‘the law’. NOt sure if I haven’t ever read it or just forgot that I did.
Seems his thought is so pervasive that I feel like I’m reading glibs.
Morning.
Good morning, Sean, Shirley, Lack, and U!
Back to work this morning after my week off. I feel a little anxious (and stupid) because at the moment I can’t remember how (or where) I left my Windows password. 😳
Good morning GT! You’re doing a good job marketing the St. Mart’s books — I’ve got the first headed my way 😉
I hope your day goes well, which requires that I hope your Windows password turns up!
Thanks! I sure hope you all like the book. I’m a bit worried that you’ll end up cursing my name, either because you don’t care for it or because you can’t put it down and I’ve completely disrupted your sleep schedule. 📖📚
Books don’t give me insomnia. They’re a relief when insomnia strikes 😉
It’s either ‘Password’ or ‘Swordfish’
Now I’m craving swordfish. (“It’s as if steak came in white meat!”)
I haven’t had swordfish in years.
Neither have I. I may have been spoiled the first time I had it – it was during a trip to the east coast (possibly NYC,) so it was nice & fresh. There’s a fish market not far from here, but I don’t imagine it would be quite as good if it’s been frozen.
Here’s a little secret – Most fish is frozen at sea before being brought to shore. There is no difference between ‘Fresh’ and frozen save that the store thawed the ‘Fresh’ fish before selling it to you.
Good to know – thanks. In that case, does “last day’s catch” make any difference?
I’m not sure. I’ve never seen that marketing used.
Not enough special characters or numbers.
Wind0w$pw1
(not actually my windows password)
Obviously not. That’s your Linux password.
“password” is no longer cool. “123456” is what the kids use today.
Sounds like the combination an idiot would use on his luggage.
I prefer ********
Literally 😉
suh’ fam
whats goody
Short for “goodwife.” Kind of an archaic honorific.
A rank above midwife?